The story of Steve Ross

Take a trip into Yeppoon and instead of a welcome to town billboard, an Australovenator will welcome you to the Capricorn region. Where did he come from and who created this amazing metal sculpture?
 
Australovenators are dinosaurs and Steve Ross made the creature as part of the Livingstone Shire Council’s Placemaking program.  The one-time builder turned building inspector, Steve discovered metal sculpting during a construction industry downturn, then when local businesses started sharing their scrap metal with Steve his new passion took off.
 
“I never knew I could do it. I started off making small intricate pieces in February 2018 after I saw others doing it. The first pieces I made were mini engine blocks and local competition trophies.”
 
The small pieces were quick, and the parts were easy to find.  The big pieces were more fun, in the beginning, there were kangaroos, 32 kg owls and a giant pair of scissors for R M Hair. It was an elephant commissioned by a friend who was also a Livingstone Shire Council worker, she proudly showed her new artwork off at work, and that lead to new connections within the council and to Steve’s first piece of public artwork the joining the Placemaking program.
                                 
This dinomite piece was created with metal parts from local businesses.  Parts from cars, motorcycles, hydraulic pumps, lawnmowers and gym parts and he’s not lightweight, making his way through the weighbridge he tipped the scales at 600 kg!

“Businesses are very generous. What they usually keep for their scrap metal bins, parts that they get paid for, businesses like Cap Coast Sand and Soil and MEM let me have for free,” Steve said.
 
“I’ve used truck camshafts for bar stools, and pistons for parts.  You have to regularly check the scrap heaps though or the good stuff gets covered up by more scrap and now the mining industry is ramping up scrap metal is in hot demand.”

For Steve creating them is a bit like putting a jigsaw together. Every afternoon after work he fills a small table with parts and he doesn’t stop until it’s empty. 

He doesn’t plan how the piece will turn out but he does look for inspiration from the internet.
 
“I use my ipad and screenshot some of the Australovenator dinosaurs or southern hunter dinosaur or what I’m creating. I put it on my toolbox, keep referring to it.

To keep himself motivated, Steve sets small goals every day.

“Weekdays it’s the grunt work the process of creation, the weekends are for creativity, my thinking time to go back to the hard parts like the head and the details.

“You need to take a bit of time to stand there and have a look at the detail.  Inside right leg, no one will figure it, but it’s a chainsaw bar, excavator parts

Steve’s not sure what he’ll create next but judging by the local buzz and comments on social media, the Capricorn Coast would love to see more of Steve’s creations.
 
ABC Capricornia’s piece had more than 550 likes, 153 comments and 92 shares at last count and now there’s been two visits from 9 News CQ and a story in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. 

Steve’s tips for other creative people?

“Don’t think about the person who’s commissioned your work, focus on the reason why they’ve commissioned it, they’ve commissioned it because they want your work, your creativity.”

So is it the public interest that keeps this capcoaster since Grade 1 creating?  No, it’s more than that.
 
“It’s the end result. I love it, I just love it. I love people saying that’s cool. I love seeing the finished creations.

“I’m really keen to do marine creatures and people have said they’d love to see them.  So maybe that’s next for me.”
 
If you would like to commission Steve Ross to create a piece for you, you can get in touch via his Instagram page here.
 
What’s his creative process?  Stop thinking about the benefactor focus on the reason why they’ve commissioned it, they’ve commissioned it because they want my work.