Welder-teacher turned sculptor churns out books, too
Name: James Davies Sr. Age: 74
Position: Author, sculptor, retired welder and teacher.
Job history: Worked 30 years in service shop as a welder and night school instructor for Stelco, the Steel Company of Canada. Twenty years as a part-time welding facilitator for Mohawk College.
How did you come to be in your present situation?
During my time in the service shops at Stelco, some of the equipment I worked with was considered “semi-automatic” — the welding equipment, once started, only required your presence and periodic servicing. It was here (I realized) that the hardest thing to do was nothing ... (I) started thinking about and then scribbling down notes for potential story outlines that I would dream up while sitting in front of the welding equipment. From there I would type up some of the shorter stories and leave them on the lunch table for co-workers to read. Once retired, I started to concentrate on working with some of the larger storyline ideas I had played out within my imagination. Since then I have, through self-publishing, written eight books covering a variety of topics, with one now headed for the publisher.
What gets you up in the morning?
(Other than the John?) The mind never sleeps, at least I know that mine doesn’t, and when I have a story that I am working on ... whatever the present topic is, my mind will not leave it alone until some newer invasion has driven it to the so called back burner. I have also found that when my hands are occupied, and especially since the mind can work so much faster, it will often wander away to seek out more dialogue to help with whatever the story line already is.
Lesson learned: I have always told the people I have taught that each of us has a talent, and sometimes it will not be realized or acted upon until you can accept that all you have to do is go inside of yourself and bring it out.
Roots: I was born and raised in Hamilton, just a good strong arm’s throw away from what used to be a race track, and now the Hamilton Centre Mall. Favourite place in the downtown: My wife and I love parks, with Gage Park being our favourite, and not just because it is so close to where we live. I have memories of visiting the park since I was around 6 years old, and we still walk its pathways at least four times a week regardless of the weather. We are keeping our eyes on the progress of the new structures underway in the park.
What would make Hamilton better?
Anything that would encourage the people to get out and enjoy what it has, and what will make Hamilton better in the future. We constantly visit the yearly fairs and historic locations.
What’s next for you? My goal is to put into print at least one new book, on whatever topic decides to nag at my conscience. I still have a multitude of story outlines, some with a first chapter already started, written down to draw from for future use. I am just getting back into a science fiction novel, more than half finished, after going off site to finish a ‘how-to’ book I had started years earlier. I am also working on a fourth book, which can also be used as a colouring book, from a series labelled “When Worlds Collide.” It’s like a joke book, non-risqué, for grownups around my age. My wife and I put these books out for fellow passengers to read when we take our bus trips and the reaction has often been “How did you know these have happened to us?” to which we reply, “Because they have also happened to us.”
One of the books, “Steel Art,” gives information and pictures of some of the sculptures I have created. You can find one of them, “Steely Dan,” standing guard in City Hall at the door leading into the mayor’s office.