“Let’s get a little crazy here”

— Bob Ross

I've always had a love for art. Paintings, drawings, sculpture, music.......anything that requires creativity. I like it all. I've always seemed to have a knack for drawing and working with my hands, so I'm naturally drawn to anything art.....amazing considering I'm color blind. Blue and purple......green and yellow......red and orange......they look the same to me.

I got my first taste of art in high school......and failed. Literally. I got a failing grade in art in grade 10. It's really kinda funny when you think about it. An artist failing at art......how ironic.

Fast forward a year, I took up drawing and shading using nothing but pencils and a rubbing stump, and slowly introduced colored pencils. Everyone seemed amazed that being colorblind I could shade and produce art with color. I don't know how, but I did it. By the time I graduated high school, I also received a diploma in art from Art Instruction Schools.....a correspondence course I took while finishing high school, and I was dabbling in woodcarving. I was featured in our local newspaper, received a partial scholarship to continue my studies in art, and was part of an exhibit in a gallery in a neighbouring city's art district.

As with everyone, life went on. I met my lovely wife, bought a house, and started building our life together. Art slowly got pushed aside, and less work was being created. We had a dog, and while we were gone to work, he would stay in the basement. I came home from work one day......and he found and destroyed my portfolio of artwork I had put away. Every single piece. A devastating blow......I still think about and dearly miss some of the pieces that were completely destroyed. From that moment on, art was gone, I did not create a single piece after that day. I was defeated.

Fast forward 20 years and 3 kids later. One day while following the rabbit hole that is youtube, I came across a video of a guy cutting a coin with a jewelers piercing saw. I was intrigued. I had been thinking of art again now that the kids were getting older and I was finding myself with some free time, so I purchased a cheap starter kit and tried it out......and immediately I realized just how much I missed the creative side of me. I cut coins with an unmatched fury......anything I could find. I joined several groups on Facebook to network with fellow coin cutters and my love for art was quickly renewed. I cut coins constantly, absorbing any information and tips I could find, and my work quickly evolved.

From coin cutting I got into coin jewelry. Keychains, pendants, earrings, etc, but that just wasn't enough. Then I found wire weaving/wrapping. Wire wrapping was a game changer. The sky is the limit, you are only bound by your creativity. I quickly joined a few groups again, and networked, and spent countless hours wrapping. Creating earrings, bracelets, pendants.....anything jewelry with wire and gemstones. Then an idea struck me. I can cut coins, I'm able to do gold and black rhodium plating, and I can wire wrap......why not combine all 3 into one? It was an instant hit. I could not keep anything in stock, and was booked for several months on custom orders......but it still didn't quite feel right. Something was missing.

I've always been intrigued with metal work. Forming, casting, bending, shaping, I love it all. My only problem I have is I don't have a shop, so everything I do has to be on a small scale in our house. Miniatures. I have become very good friends with a few silver casters, lucky for me they are the best in their field, and they have been happy to not only answer my questions, but I've been fortunate enough to be involved in several international collaborations with them.

My mind has been a sponge, absorbing everything I can about the process of casting........and now chasing and repoussè as well. That brings me to present day.

The art of engraving. It started with several crude homemade tools, and has quickly grown to a full set of professional hand push engraving tools.

I find myself constantly pushing forward, always reaching outside my comfort zone. My carvings have evolved from basic surface engravings, to true 3D carvings integrating tiny watch gears, electronics, micro LED lights, and large inlays, all carved into coins. I do not fall into the trendy trap of art, choosing to stay away from what’s “Hot”, but rather to explore the darker side of art. Skulls, demons, anything that classifies on the macabre side, with a steampunk/biomechanical twist. It allows me to explore my creative side, there is no limit to the twists and turns the mind can take.

My work can be found in private collections around the globe. My carvings have been shipped to locations on all continents, attaining a worldwide audience.

What do I create? What do I specialize in? I combine coin cutting, wire wrapping, silver casting, wood carving, resoussè, and metal carving/shaping/engraving all into one, and create wonderful miniature sculptures combining all disciplines adorned with gemstones. My office has been transformed into a metal working studio......and art comes alive. I feel the spark within me again, stronger than ever......and there's no extinguishing it this time.

Dwayne Wolosiewicz

Publications:

2020 - Feature artist in Volume 1 “For The Love Of Money Art”

2021 - Feature article and Cover Story in Canadian Coin News, Volume 58 Number 21

Professional Accolades:

2020 - “Ol Sparky” Licensing Deal secured

2020 - “Ol Sparky” showcased at the Berlin World Money Fair