MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Few of the students in a welding class at William Blount High School on Monday, Aug. 16, thought they were creative, but within an hour each had crafted a piece of metal artwork.
Sean Rose of Rose Metal Works came from Indiana to the Sparks Car Show in Sevierville last weekend but stayed to give hands-on lessons to teacher Bruce Suddarth’s students throughout the day.
Rose brought his 1975 Chevy Luv truck, his own Mittler Brothers bead roller and a set of step and stencil dies for William Blount’s machine, courtesy of Bill Baltikas, organizer of the Camp N Drag show in Indiana.
“This is his passion,” Suddarth said as Rose showed the students in his final class on Monday how to find the “sweet spot” on the metal panels. Over the day Rose worked with about 50 students in three classes, and Suddarth saw the inspiration sparked in them.
SPREADIN’ THE LUV
Bead rolling has a functional purpose in repairing and restoring vehicles, and that was Rose’s initial interest, to work on a 1975 Chevy Luv truck with his father-in-law, David Labs.
Within six months in 2015, however, he lost his wife, Sarah, to breast cancer and her father to a heart attack.
“Bead rolling was where I could express myself,” Rose said.
For a long time he gave away or sold everything he made, but he’s kept enough now to show the students at William Blount images including a koi with scales formed on the bead roller, a pineapple, cartoon and pop culture images, and one of the three breeds of dogs he has crafted so far.
“Each panel I do helps me grow,” said Rose, who has a full-time job in addition to his work with Rose Metal Works.
This year he also gained nonprofit status for his “Spreadin the Luv” organization, which honors his wife by raising money to help women with breast cancer.
The first recipient was 12 years old who needed a double mastectomy, Rose said. This year at the Southeast Mini Truckin Nationals in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the charity raised $25,000.
ROLLING ALONG
During the car show Saturday, Aug. 14, in Sevierville, William Blount junior Bryson Yates watched Rose work for more than an hour, asked questions and said he could have watched for two more hours if he had time. Rose gave Bryson the skull design he had been forming that day.
At the school, Bryson’s hand was first up to take a turn on the bead roller. After completing the “R” design each student made to practice straight and curved lines, he already was thinking about crafting something to honor the 134th Air Refueling Wing with his father.
When Suddarth first connected with Rose, he was hoping the metal worker might speak to his students over Zoom, but Rose wanted to come in person.
“I have been looking forward to this for months,” Rose said, adding that he would have a huge grin the entire eight-hour trip back to Indiana.
“If you can help someone, help them,” he said.