*
[sanding sound]
For many years, Gene Frey has been a jack of all trades.
- Gene Frey: I like to keep busy.
- Along with his sons,
Gene also had a popcorn wagon.
- Gene Frey: We had a lot of fun with it.
That was a 1930 Model A.
We sold it,
and I always kind of missed the popcorn wagon,
so I started building one.
My son and I started building carriages years ago.
This has got the skis,
so you can take the wheels off
and put skis on it.
- In addition to building modern buggies,
they restore elaborate antique carriages.
- We did more buggy restorations
than we did on sleighs;
beautiful sleighs.
- And from buggies, sleighs, and popcorn trucks,
Jean discovered art.
- I've always liked metal and woodworking.
I just kind of went together.
These are what I make cattails with.
I twist irons like this,
and then, I bend them
and bring them up around the cattails.
- Gene carved out a niche with his garden art
and a spot to work
in his son's carriage shop.
- My son said, "You might as well have a space."
It's not real big, but it's big enough for what I do.
- Every one of Gene's metal sculptures is made by hand.
[clanging]
- And then, we just go all the way around like that.
That's how we make these flowers at the end.
They look like this.
I do more of the birds, ducks, skis, pheasants.
It's pretty much metal and welding
and whatever I can come up with.
Some of it sells, some of it doesn't.
- He does all of this without any formal art training.
- I don't know about art training.
I just kind of picked it up;
just self-taught.
- The industrial art Gene creates is built to last.
- Gene Frey: I got some pheasants on my lawn
that's been there for 17, 18 years,
and some flowers and stuff.
They're all rusty and everything,
but they last for a long time.
I like to have a reason
to get up in the morning and do something.
So, I get out
and go down to the shop
and try to put something together
and dream of something to make.
At my age,
I only work about three hours when I go down,
and then I go home.
- Gene's casual schedule
also allows him to be on call
at the art gallery and carriage shop
in downtown Columbus.
- Gene Frey: My son owns the building.
We thought it'd be good for the downtown
and be something different to have.
[bass, piano, and jazz guitar swing music]
A lot of people say, "You do a beautiful work."
I get a lot of good comments.
I've never had any bad ones.
- And the name for this art space...
- My son came up with that name.
Curmudgeons & Company.
I can't even pronounce it, to be honest. [laughing]
He kind of thinks we both are, but I don't.
It's just me.
[metal clanging, sparks spraying]
When you get my age, you gotta have something to do,
and I don't like watching the idiot box.
I'll be honest with you. [chuckles]
Just a lot of enjoyment.
*