The Artistry of James Kitchen

By Beth Donnell, University of Massachusetts Amherst Journalism

James Kitchen has been welding scrap metal for the past eight years at his home and studio in Chesterfield, Massachusetts. He continues to gain recognition in the world of fine arts and is eager for the day when he will be able to create his intriguing sculptures on a full time basis.  “See, I’m caught in a web,” says Kitchen pointing to a metal web in a corner of his workshop with a bug swinging from it.  “Like the bug, I’m just hanging, I just want to be an artist and have more time.” 

In his large workshop behind his house he spends his free time creating sculptures and managing his display (menagerie?) of finished pieces. Several years ago, rusted scraps of metals, and deserted antique objects began piling up in his yard.  “When he started,” says his wife Karen, “and piles of metal started appearing on the drive, it was ‘what’s this junk?’ And now that I know what he can do, it’s like ‘oh, we have more inventory.’” Kitchen has a powerful sense of creativity and a nonstop drive, which turns those piles into incredible works of art. “He certainly does it on a large scale and with a lot of humor behind it,” says Heather Haskell the Director of the Springfield Museum of Fine Art. 

Kitchen shows a great passion for his art.  Working a full time job of 50-70 hours a week,  he spends the remainder of his free time welding in his unheated workshop, which will soon be converted into a studio as well.  His art stems from an enthusiasm for history and a devotion to his local community. “I feel part historian and part archeologist, creating new life,” says Kitchen.

All of the metal in his sculptures come from local farms, antique stores, auctions, and the occasional drive-by neighbor who leaves piles of interesting objects in Kitchen’s driveway.  “I like the fact that it’s my town and community and their history.”  He has even rescued cutlery, tossed from a closed factory, from the Mill River.  “I’m rescuing this poor old piece,” Kitchen says holding a piece of metal, “and enriching someone’s life.”  Kitchen uses nature to mature and nurture his sculptures into the finest rust patina and does little else to alter the metal. “I don’t try to reshape stuff, if it goes then it was meant to be there,” he says.

He first showed his creations in 2001 at the William Cullen Bryant Art Fair and won Best of Show for the quality of his work and innovative display.  Since then he has displayed his art in other local fairs, museums, and art guild shows in the Western Massachusetts area.  He also shows work at L’Attitude Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 2003 Kitchen was one of the artists chosen to display his work in the Springfield Museum of Fine Art’s local artists series.  He was selected by a panel of judges for the “ability to look at his work on a number of different levels, his creativity, and his craftsmanship,” according to the director Heather Haskell.  “Our visitors greatly enjoyed the show, they stayed for a long time,” Haskell added.

When people meet Kitchen they are drawn to him and his art.  Neighbors leave metal scraps in his driveway.  Farmers invite Kitchen to help himself to their metal piles.  When people view his work they are astounded.  A University of Massachusetts professor has helped produce his website in exchange for sculptures. “They populate my garden and my house like treasured friends.  Please don’t tell James that websites are never finished!” “People will walk by and touch pieces, and then come back again,”says Karen, “It’s neat that they have to touch the sculptures.” His large- scale sculptures enliven the spirit and invoke a deep range of emotions. 

“In my heart I feel this is my calling in life,” says Kitchen, “everything I have done leads up to this.”