Couple shows copper can be beautiful art
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Though at first that may seem unusual, their work consists almost entirely of working with copper. The couple designs and makes hand-made copper lawn ornaments all in the comfort of their own backyard. These ornaments are then sold in areas near and far.
It’s something they fell into after builders for a North Carolina associate who knew a relative stopped doing copper work. The Morgans were asked if they were interested in trying it out.
“They had some builders to quit and they wanted my brother to do it part time. I was helping my brother in the sawmill part time, and he wanted us to do it,” Larry said.
Anna, who is credited with starting the business, said after some time, she needed more help. The decision to completely become self-employed was left to a higher power as her husband came home from the pallet mill to venture into the business full time. Morgan said those first few months were “a step of faith.”
With his background in welding and her perseverance, along with a lot of research, the couple thought they could manage. Their first pieces were simple – ornaments like snails and lady bugs, but now they have branched out.
Today, with the help of in-house artist Joyce Owen, who translates ideas into reality, the couple crafts between 30 and 35 items ranging from sunflowers to hummingbirds to frogs on lily pads.
“It’s trial and error. We try it and see if it works and if it doesn’t work we try something else. We look at a lot of pictures in books,” Larry said. “We just look at something and say, ‘How can I make this out of copper?'”
Although they sell locally, they also spend a lot of time on the road, traveling to craft fairs. Their busiest times of the year are from March through November.
Their work, which is finished with special paints and lacquer to protect it from the elements, is also featured in craft malls. The couple performs subcontract work for the associate in North Carolina who helped lead them to the business and is working on getting a contract on the West Coast.
Four years after pursuing the art, they still enjoy the creative process.
“We create new things every week and that gives us enjoyment when we make new stuff,” he said. “We’re all the time creating new ideas. Plus, in this business, you have to do that because they get tired of one thing and you have to move on to something else.”
The Morgans hope their creative ventures will lead them into retirement and note they have already had to move into a bigger space to accomplish their projects.
“We do pretty good. We make a living at it. We’re not getting rich, but we pay our bills with it,” Larry added.