Karen Dillon

Karen writes about the people and places of Smith Mountain Lake in "Shorelines," published bi-weekly.

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Newcomers to the lake may not know the name or the work of Ken Simpson, but long-time residents most likely remember the "Metal Man." And although he might not be a super hero, Simpson, also known as the Metal Man, has the ability to take ordinary metal objects and make them into interesting and decorative pieces of art.

After a decade away from the retail business, Simpson has reopened his store in the Food Lion shopping center at Westlake Corner, next door to the space he previously occupied.

Part art gallery, part workshop, the store features metal sculptures of all shapes and sizes as well as original paintings, painted furniture and wearable art.

A happy yellow Labrador retriever welcomes customers as they enter the store. Other pieces on display include a 5-foot-tall turkey, a flying money from "The Wizard of Oz," a crouching puppy who looks like he's ready for playtime and lots of llamas in a variety of poses (more about the llamas later).

There are functional pieces of art, too. A bright red metal poppy with a glass top serves as a coffee table. Toilet paper and paper towel holders feature striped bass and other species of fish. A Virginia Tech coat rack has been created out of muffler parts and pieces of a metal chair. A wine rack is made partly from a chainsaw blade.

Over the years, Simpson has created a number of commissioned pieces, many of which have been one-of-a-kind dogs and replicas of Harley- Davidson motorcycles.

Simpson recalled the time when a woman hired him to make a sculpture of the family dog to give to her husband for Christmas. After meeting the dog, Simpson went to work on the sculpture. When the artwork was completed and the woman came to pick it up, she was floored by what Simpson had created for her.

"She cried and said 'Oh, I can't wait until Christmas; I have to give it to him now,' " Simpson recalled.

Another customer who had Simpson make a reproduction of his custom Harley Davidson motorcycle entered the sculpture along with his motorcycle in a competition and took home first prize.

So what happens if customers aren't so happy with the work Simpson has created for them?

"I guarantee all of my work," he said. "If someone doesn't like it, I set it aside and know someone's eventually going to buy it."

In his years working with metal, Simpson has tweaked the completion process of his sculptures. These days, he prefers not to paint his pieces as he once did.

"I did full color back then, but now I prefer the natural look," he said.

After a sculpture is complete, Simpson sprays each piece to remove rust and then coats it with metal paint to prevent further rusting.

"You treat it with this rust-resistant stuff, supposedly it takes the rust off," explained Simpson. "When you do that it gives [the artwork] certain colors."

As he walked around the store, Simpson told countless stories about his art pieces, most of which come to him in his dreams.

"A lot of times I'll dream something, and when you dream it, it gets stuck in your head and you have to get it out," he said.

Some of his paintings have been transferred onto T-shirts, including his signature "metal man," a skeletal figure playing a guitar (Simpson's tribute to the late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia).

While most of the retail space features his artwork, Simpson is happy to share the limelight with young, aspiring artists. He has dedicated one wall in the store to showing off the creations of area youths. Currently, Simpson's 15-year-old daughter, Olivia, is the featured artist, and soon, family friend Doug Hurst, 19, will be showing his works there as well.

Another section of the store, dubbed Llama Lane, pays homage to Simpson's other passion -- llamas. That area, he said, will be used for special occasions such as birthday parties, and will feature live llamas.

Simpson, wife Ramona (broker/owner of Simpson Realty) and their children, Olivia, sons Nicholas, 21, and Shane, 18, started Bahama Llama Farm in 2000, raising and selling llamas on their 12-acre farm in Wirtz.

"They don't spit or kick or anything else," said Simpson. "They are loveable llamas."

In November, Simpson will have a grand opening celebration and that will feature llamas.

For now, he's busy tending to the store and continuing to work on his art. In the middle of the store is a project in-the-works -- a wooden coffee table painted with blooming wisteria.

At his previous store, folks would stop by to talk and to check on Simpson's work.

"They'd come in to see what the next piece was going to be, just to see what it is."

Since he reopened, there have been curious onlookers, people stopping by to see what he's up to.

"It's more or less a tourist attraction as it is an art gallery," he said.

The Metal Man is open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. seven days a week. The store also is the headquarters for Simpson Realty. A Web site, www.metalmanart.com, will be launched soon.

SHORELINES

SHORELINES