The Deep Sleep Earns International Recognition in 2026

What started as a rough sketch for a welding school project has become something far bigger than I ever imagined. In 2026, The Deep Sleep, my steel Kraken sculpture, earned recognition from fine-art exhibitions and international welding organizations alike.

Fusion Art: Best in Show, 3-Dimensional Art

In March 2026, I learned that The Deep Sleep had been awarded Best in Show — 3-Dimensional in Fusion Art's Artist's Choice 2026 International Art Exhibition. The exhibition drew 351 entries from artists around the world, making the recognition especially meaningful.

When I found out, I was honestly a little speechless. Awards have a way of making you look back at the people who got you here—the people you watched, learned from, admired, and tried to measure up to. Some are still with us. Some aren't. Every one of them helped shape the artist I am today.

“The work we do carries pieces of the people who helped shape us along the way.”

Thank you to Fusion Art, my family, and everyone who has supported the work and the journey behind Metal Relic. It's deeply rewarding to see a welding sculpture recognized within the broader fine-art community.

International Institute of Welding Digital Collection

The Deep Sleep was also included in the 2026 International Institute of Welding (IIW) Digital Collection, featured on pages 104–105. It's another opportunity to show an international audience the creative possibilities of welding and metal fabrication.

Metal My Way Recognition

The sculpture was named the first 2026 winner in the Metal Supermarkets Metal My Way competition. Each recognition reaches a different audience, but they share a common thread: an appreciation for turning raw steel into original artwork.

For perspective, The Deep Sleep represents approximately 500 hours of work and includes 2,542 individually welded scales. I never set out to make something that would win awards. I set out to build the sculpture I could see in my head, however ambitious it seemed.

Explore The Deep Sleep sculpture and its details.

And yes, I'm still accepting donations of buildings big enough to make a 50-foot Kraken.