About
Raw Stock | Early YearsChad grew up on his family farm near Wichita, Kansas, where he spent his childhood surrounded in nature, freely exploring the woods and meadows along Cowskin Creek—just as three generations before him had done. From an early age, he showed a passion for art, drawing and shaping clay while experimenting with mixing media.
First Heat | Formal Training
A high school art teacher recognized Chad’s ability early and pushed him to take it seriously, giving him both encouragement and technical foundation. He continued his training at the Wichita Center for the Arts (now Mark Arts), studying classical human sculpting and silversmithing. Chad developed a purist approach that still defines his work; no computer-generated drawings, no CNC cutting, only chalk, steel, and imagination. Every piece begins by hand and stays that way.
Time Under Pressure
For the next 30 years, life took Chad in a different direction. He built and ran a demanding barbecue business, putting art on the back burner while still returning to it whenever time allowed. The work ethic, discipline, and respect for craft carried over, even when art was not the primary focus.
Final Form
With the support of those around him, Chad eventually closed the barbecue chapter and committed fully to metalwork. Working from a spacious shop on the same family farm held for 142 years, he creates one-of-a-kind steel pieces rooted in natural strength and form. His work reflects the material itself; bold, functional, and unapologetically solid. When not in the shop, Chad draws inspiration from the landscapes around Grand Lake, Colorado, carrying those forms back into the steel under the Iron Bison name.