Metal sculptor Jerome Harris Parmet first “engaged” with the intriguing liquidity and malleability of metal 62 years ago as a Bachelor of Fine Arts major at Syracuse University. He took a sculpting course one semester that lingered as a dream all the more than 40 years he planned and designed corporate interiors in NYC, apprenticing at the original firms in that then new field and then as Principal of his own architectural interior design firm. At retirement in 1997, his unquenchable need to express and explore translated into planning, designing and fabricating steel sculptures, notably shapes, rhythms, occasionally kinetic, sometimes with junk yard cast offs, often with fresh mild metal.

But first he immersed himself in a new education: not only the art of blacksmithing, welding, bending, manipulating steel and steel objects but energetic exposure to known sculptors who taught others their unique methods.  This included months at Westchester Arts Workshop in White Plains, NY under Leslie Dor; two semesters at Purchase College; classes at Silvermine School of Art working with David Boyajian and later Bob Perucci, plus 6 more years at David’s studio in New Fairfield, CT.  As well, he outfitted his own studio with bending machines, tools, acetylene and welcomed students to his workplace.

Jerome’s outdoor pieces gained acceptance in various competitions: to name a few, Chesterwood, MA “New Fish, Blue Fish” was a favored piece; “Intersections” and “Coming Together” were each accepted in different years in the annual Rosen Competition at Appalachin State College, Boone, NC; “Intersections” at Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, MA. Most of his indoor or outdoor work to that date was either abstract or non-figurative.  But in 2014 he received two commissions: one to create a wall mounted horse for the restaurant Iron Horse and the other to create the framework for a 7’ menorah for another artist.  It turned him to new creativity, wall hung reliefs of historical scenes, then more wall hung birds and horses.

“SOW-COW” is his most recent achievement (2018) and his first physically 3-dimensional ‘body’. It is created in mild steel, welded and hot dipped in liquid zinc, to galvanize the piece and protect it from the elements.  This piece required significant curved elements from its armature through the outside layered skin necessitating specialized tools to accomplish. All of Jerome’s work is totally fabricated by himself in his Silver Spring, Maryland studio.  Today, at 86 years old, he daily enters his Studio and welds, grinds and grows at his craft.

Jerome’s website for the past 22 years is https://www.sculpture.org/member/parmet. Recently he has shown 4 major pieces of sculpture with the Zenith Gallery in Washington, DC celebrating the gallery’s 40 anniversary in business. He has been a mentor to several associates and is currently a member of the Washington Sculptors Group a 400+ membership in Washington, DC.