Q Crew Interviews, Volume 1: Jordan likes welding.
I met Jordan years ago at a mutual friend's workshop. We hit it off pretty quickly, sharing an interest in cars, etc. So, when I got hired at Blue Q, I recommended Jordan come along with.
As long as I have known him, Jordan has been a "tinkerer." He started making sculptures when he got his first welder. Having not had any particular training, he needed to come up with a way to practice. Most people might get better by welding in lines on pieces of scrap, but not Jordan -- he started putting random components and scrap together. No real plan or point, just for fun … and from there they started to invade the warehouse at Blue Q. When I look at his sculptures, I see little cartoon doodle creatures, each with a uniquely different personality. They really come to life.
Jordan, what is your role at Blue Q?
On a day-to-day basis, I do fulfillment support. This basically means moving a bunch of pallets of different boxes filled with different product around the warehouse and filling the picking line when it needs filling. Other than that, I help out with special projects.
How did you get started with welding?
I started by buying a welder to fix the exhaust on my car.
What kind of car do you drive?
'92 Nissan 240
How long have you been creating your sculptures?
Since September 2018. Usually after a long day of work, it’s a nice way to relax.
What inspired you to create these sculptures? Do you have a set plan when you start welding or do your sculptures just sort of evolve?
Each sculpture has grown out of a particular piece of scrap. For instance, I saw a bunch of random steel items that could end up being interesting faces. Nothing is drawn or planned out ahead of time. In a world of random parts, it's fun to see something that's lost its purpose, become something new and valuable with a different purpose.
You made each BCARC client a trophy for last year's company holiday party. How did that project come to be?
It was the first solo project that the company asked me to do. I collected scrap materials from around the warehouse, along with display components from our floor displays. Combining that with the scrap that I had at home, I created unique but similar trophies for each of the clients. I wanted them to move around a little and all have faces, so I used pieces of conveyer for the eyes and springs for the bodies. It was a really fun project.
Do you have more projects planned for Blue Q?
I definitely see spaces that could be filled with sculptures, but there are no plans in the works yet. We will just have to wait and see.
Most of your sculptures look like little people. Do you ever give them names?
Not yet …
