Metal Art Inspiration: The Work of Henry Moore

Tucson Iron & Metal is proud to offer the most competitive prices for scrap metal in Southern Arizona, but we are equally proud to support the burgeoning art scene in Tucson. We make it easy to find scrap metal for “non-conventional” art and sell metal materials to art students and professional artists throughout Southern Arizona. In addition to providing you with the materials you need to express yourself and create beautiful works of art, we also want to provide you with inspiration by highlighting some of the most influential figures in the world of metal art and sculpting. In this installment we focus our attention on Henry Moore.

Moore’s Philosophy

Henry Moore was without questions one of the most important British sculptor of the 20th century. One of Moore’s primary artistic philosophies was the idea that the sculptor should respect the intrinsic properties of the media he or she is working with. Moore was also heavily inspired by the natural world, and he attempted to invoke ideas derived from pebbles, shells, and bones in his sculptures.  

Important Works

Some of Moore’s most important works were produced between 1939 and 1958. Bird Basket (1939) demonstrates Moore’s interest in open and closed forms, or how it was possible to perceive continuities between an object and the spaces around it. Similarly, Moore’s Helmet (1940) plays with the notion of internal and external forms, as well as the contrast between hard and soft forms. Moore’s first major international commission for public art was the Reclining Figure (1958), a 16-foot travertine marble figure that resides at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

If you are looking for material for mixed-medium art, visit Tucson Iron & Metal. We are happy to announce the Artist’s Paradise event, in which we open our scrap metal yard to artists between 6:30 and 8:00 am during the first and third Saturday of each month. Plus, you can get a 10% discount on scrap metal when you show your student ID! Call us at (520) 884-1554 to learn more about our selection of scrap metal materials for artists.