Long-time Annandale resident Michael Orr has taken up a new occupation in his retirement, which he simply calls a "career transition."
"I’m not done working," said Orr. "But I never did get a chance to finish school."
Orr, after retiring last year from his position as an information technician at General Mills, decided to pursue his more artistic endeavors and hit the books.
"I picked up IT in the Marine Corps. It was a very good career, but I never got to feed my creative side with it," said Orr.
Orr, who had been interested in art since childhood, received a welder from his wife, Maureen, after he retired.
"I went back to school because I wanted a lifelong skill" said Orr. "I wanted to learn how to understand the technology of the welder and of the metals."
Orr attended the Ridgewater College in Hutchinson to study welding.
"I’m not planning to be a pipe welder in North Dakota," said Orr. Instead, he uses welding and metal as a medium for sculpting.
All around the Orr home and gardens, there are whimsical sculptures made of ordinary household items, such as spoons, rakes, headlights and cans. These sculptures take the shape of bugs, giraffes, pigs and other four-legged creatures.
In his pursuit of education, Orr was involved with the Skills U.S.A. competition.
On March 1, Orr entered an elaborate piece into the Skills U.S.A. competition in Bloomington with his school, and won the gold medal for the state of Minnesota.
"In addition to the piece, I had to create a large book of documentation as part of the competition," said Orr.
The book, a well-organized binder, includes letters from school officials, as well as pictures and documentation of each step of the process to create the piece.
Skills U.S.A. is not only for trades related to welding. Cosmetology, culinary skills and countless other vocational trades are eligible to compete.
"It was awesome to see that level of competition for the college student demographic," said Orr.
Skills U.S.A. is not only limited to those in post-secondary education. The competition is also available to high school students, but in a different competitive level.
On Friday, June 28, the Orrs traveled to Louisville, Ky., to compete nationally with Skills U.S.A. There, he took home the bronze medal.
Orr was not alone as being on the "senior side" of college students at the competition.
"People are constantly reinventing themselves," said Orr, referring to the competitors in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and even 60s.
Why he welds
"I’ve done a lot of drawing and caricatures. This piece here," said Orr, referring to his award-winning sculpture, "is really just a caricature."
"I’ve also done a lot of clay work, which is very similar to welding," Orr said.
Orr compared clay and weld sculptures, citing their similarities.
"It’s an additive process. If you don’t like it, you can do it again," said Orr. "It’s a very forgiving medium, allowing experimentation and not requiring tape measures."
Orr chooses to use softer, carbon based metals, often opting for whatever is recyclable.
Orr often finds his materials at auctions, where he can purchase large quantities of metal objects for a reasonable price.
Where to find the works
Orr recently had a hand surgery, causing him to put the welding mask down for a period of time. As a result, he doesn’t have the stockpile of sculptures he once had.
There is a piece of Orr’s at the Central McGowan Technical College in St. Cloud, which is located right where future welders would purchase their materials for the upcoming semester.
"It’s a way for those students to see welding in a non-traditional way," said Maureen Orr.
There are also pieces at Backyard Creations in Watkins, and the Orrs hope to bring some of the sculptures to upcoming swappers meets.
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