Today we’d like to introduce you to David Nonemacher.
Hi David, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Nonny’s fascination with metal began at the age of 15 when he began working as an apprentice welder and fabricator for United Drilling Company. He continued his education and experience at Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA, studying Architectural Engineering. His artistic design combined with his craftsman skill, have guided Nonny’s passion into fine art metal and sculptures ranging in size from desktop to rooftop.
A former professional rollerblader and skier, athletics have been a backbone of his life’s journey. Nonny has always found ways to turn life’s hardships into triumphs. Combatting several injuries, surgeries, and addiction; Nonny doesn’t hide any imperfections in his own life. His art highlights and celebrates the differences in people, and the beauty found in diversity. Each sculpture often has missing pieces, is crooked, imperfect, or scarred. These creations represent his own life, but also relate to all of us. Despite being unconventional, or even bizarre, it’s our ‘one of a kind’ uniqueness that makes each of us a walking, living piece of art. The goal of his art is to remind you to be proud of your journey, celebrate uniqueness, and despite the scratches, scars, and detours, we are all perfectly imperfect.
Nonny advocates for sobriety, mental health, addiction, and even surgery recoveries through public speaking appearances. Before the age of 38 Nonny had undergone bilateral hip replacements, a knee replacement, bilateral wrist reconstruction, and many more “repairs”. Despite these trials, Nonny continues to ski, hike, mountain bike, and workout to maintain his lifestyle and heavy lifting demands of his business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nonny worked for other fabrication shops and artist companies for years, before having the courage to open his own shop, under his own name “Nonemacher Designs”, and with is own vision of meaningful pieces. The initial several years were challenging, yet successfully scaled upward as he received more and more commissions, requests, and personal pieces to display to the world. Nonny was featured in some fine art galleries from Carlsbad, CA, to Park City, UT, and even as far away as Lahaina, Maui. The pandemic hit everybody hard, including Nonemacher Designs, and with some closures of galleries he was featured in, to some major professional clients also closing their businesses, Nonny struggled to stay afloat, and continues to do whatever it takes to keep the business open until some businesses and economic growths get back to thriving. As much larger businesses continue to close, Nonny just remains grateful for the creativity and flexibility of his spirit being able to stay open and even resort back to some heavy certified contract traveling welder jobs to keep the lights on. Recently, Nonny spent 3.5 months in a heavily guarded warehouse in Michigan , getting certified for Nuclear Welding, and spent all winter being part of a rigorous team of expert welders from around the country to help fabricate and build the worlds first Nuclear FUSION reactor. It is due to be operational sometime in 2025-2026 and will change clean energy production forever. Consistently doing some contracts for other large corporations and governments help Nonny to be able to fund his own shop when business is slow and while working on attaining more clients and finishing personal sculpture pieces.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Nonny specializes in abstract, mind bending pieces that often are visual illusions or change shape and size depending on the perspective the viewer is looking at it. Growing up, M.C. Escher was always a favorite artist as he combined mathematics and geometry and tessellations to form some really unique pieces of art.
The pieces Nonny creates are often “crooked” or missing pieces, or look like they’re barely balancing to stay upright… this is largely due to his consistent effort to portray our own unique flaws and strengths, our own hardships and failures, but the resilience and beauty that we all consist of in remaining upright and fighting. As a man of faith, a lot of pieces also have a spiritual deeper meaning and reminder as well. Each piece is a stark reminder that every person is their own work of art, their own combination of failures and successes, and thus their own unique, one of a kind work of art.
What does success mean to you?
I would define success in being able to do what i love to do everyday and not have to think about the stresses of finances, time management, structure, or deadlines. I thrive best when i feel like i am completely free to build a piece of art that brings people to a realization of their own beauty and strength and resiliency. Almost like a motivational speaker or book, I want people to see some of my art and get a rush of confidence and pride and inspiration in themselves and feel empowered and special like they deserve to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nonemacherdesigns.com
- Instagram: @_._nonny_._
