Sculpture by artist Ed McBride offers more than meets the eye

Amelia Calvert, reno.com
January 23, 2008

Most of the items displayed on the floor of the Reno-Sparks Convention center during the Safari Club International Convention in Reno are just what you would expect to see among the hunting elite: firearms, big game trophies, advertisements for Safari trips, outdoor gear and even wildlife art – canvases depicting big game in the natural habitat.

While walking the rows of exhibit booths, the glint of steel caught my attention, so I veered in that direction. Tucked back along a side wall, among other artists’ displays I saw a statue, a sculpture, really. As I got closer – what to my wondering eyes should appear – but a giant gleaming fish, mouth agape, dragonfly within its grasp. A magnificent piece of art: shiny and true to life, with sparkling scales – as though a sunbeam caught the slippery fin as the fish leaped out of the water; incredible. A 10-foot, largemouth bass, hand crafted with 3,600 stainless steel scales; an astonishing example of workmanship.

But that was not the most glorious discovery. Next to this oversize Micropterus stood a magnificent beast with glowing glass eyes, a long, twisting tail, claws with the fiercest talons and the faint smell of – charred meat? It was not until I circled round the mighty beast that I saw the hidden treasure of this utilitarian sculpture – by golly – that looks like a barbecue grill.

That’s right. Tucked in the belly of the beast is a grill large enough to fit brisket, turkey, racks of ribs and all the burgers to feed a tailgate team. Triple-tiered racks slide out of its belly, allowing the chef de barbecue to load his meat above a burning charcoal fire.

Its mouth opens and closes, functioning as an adjustable airflow damper, allowing the cook to moderate temperature. The whole sculpture, crafted by Ed McBride, of Ridgecrest, Calif., is a fully functional grill and smoker.

The Dragon, named Guardian of the Feast II weighs in at about 600 pounds, is 9 feet, 2 inches tall; 8 feet, 6 inches long and 10 foot, 5 inches wide. It has interchangeable glass eyes, and is crafted from recycled propane tanks, mild steel and stainless steel.

An aircraft welder at the top of his industry, McBride uses no molds or casting in his work. All pieces are welded, hammered and torched to his precision. The dragon, the second in a series, took approximately one year to build, and has a retail price tag of $90,000. McBride’s used the grill to cook for 200 people. It held two prime rib pieces, brisket and a turkey.

For more information on McBride and his art, visit www.steelisalive.com.

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