Much of his attraction to sculpture as an art form is this physical interaction between the artist and the materials with which he works. There is a balance of give and take between flesh and metal that requires a physical as well as mental/emotional process for the artist, and Newton thrives on this exchange. “I am so grateful, particularly at this stage of my life, to have found this way of working, and to [be able to] do it. My body is stronger now than it has been since I was a much younger man. I struggle with these. It’s a wrestling match – who’s going to win.

 

This grappling with the material is intensely physical.” He utilizes sheets and bars of raw steel, cutting, welding, and oxidizing the metal. White-hot flame, sparks, molten metal take shape under Newton’s focused aesthetic. It is a dance between the artist’s creative vision and the gifts and limitations of the medium of steel. The results reflect the dynamic between the technical mastery and sheer physical effort needed to manipulate large pieces of metal, with a sensitivity to the integrity of the medium. The resulting sculptures are both symbol and embodiment of the state of becoming.