Christopher Hiltey, Chris, Red, or Redman, whichever name you’ve come to know him by, grew up in East Amwell Township in a small countryside village to Ringoes. Chris was fascinated by the creations. Harry was a very abstract sculptor who designed jewelry, sculptures, furniture, and all sorts of wall reliefs. He incorporated found objects with welding and forge work. This was 1964, when Chris real
ized how cutting edge Harry’s work was over this time. A combination of Harry’s Ironwork, being so inspirational to Chris, and the welder he would use on his grandmother’s farm started him on his journey with art and metal sculpture. Chris recalls, at age thirteen, his father and uncle working pipeline construction and welding being an important part of their lives. His uncle was a welder on the pipeline, when at home they would work at his grandmother’s farm to maintain equipment repair or build some type of wagon or such. This was when Chris became fascinated with the light and sparks that dispersed from the welding process. He would often work at the farm and as payment be given the freedom to use the shop. It wasn’t long before he began modifying his own bicycles and go carts during his earned shop time. By the time he entered high school, through endless practice, tinkering, and home instruction he became an accomplished welder that continued to hone his craft by taking additional welding instruction courses. During this period, he devoted endless hours after school into the night helping his neighbor, a stock car driver, with welding, fabrication, and repairs of his race car. By this time Chris’ father had given him a gasoline powered hand crank welding machine from the pipeline. His father suggested and wanted his son to pursue a career on the pipeline but, the lifestyle and work was not appealing to Chris: “I wanted to become an artist form the time I was thirteen years old.” He, while still in high school, would tinker in the garage with found objects, playing with form and geometric shapes, creating sculptures. Even though Chris did not have any formal art education, he decided to try his hand at figurative pieces. After returning home from college he became involved with a friend who was doing a historical restoration of a home on Main Street in Flemington, New Jersey. This included the restoration and installation of an antique ornamental wrought iron fence and gates which were supplies by Hobensack and Keller, a local antique dealer in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Upon completion of this project, he was approached by local antique dealers requesting his services. The antique dealers began referring customers that needing similar services to Chris. This resulted in the birth of Bolt Welding and Ironworks, Inc. The artist in him thought this line of work was a perfect: getting paid for doing other people’s art work.. However, this allowed for very little free time that Chris had hoped would allow him to pursue his art interest. Bolt Welding set up shop in a small garage on a farm in Hopewell, New Jersey. He soon needed employees and also began out souring work to a forty year established firm, Ungarini Ironworks. Realizing that “Trenton Makes, The World Takes”, he would eventually relocate his business to Trenton, New Jersey in 1982, when he purchased the business and real estate lease at 56 North Logan Avenue. The business success and growth soon required more workspace, which resulted in the 2003 purchase of a 10,000 square foot building that had previously been a lamp assembly plant. Chris renovated the building to fit his specific needs. At this point, he had less time for sculpture due to his dedication to his projects with his growing client base of architects, builders, designers, and decorators who have recognized the quality of his work. He as a full service railing and ironworks shop with seven full time employees, specializing in decorative metalwork and high end ornamental aluminum and steel gates, fences, railings, and custom furnishings as well as light structural steel work. The present location sits on the Assunpink Creek, between Wall and Monmouth Streets. Chris was attracted to the peaceful setting and has always been intrigued by the historical connection to Washington and the Battle of Trenton. Bolt Welding’s address is 78 Wall Street with a parking and entrance on the 200 block of Monmouth Street, between E. Clinton Ave. This space has allowed him to centrally relocate his collection of architectural antique objects, fences, gates, and garden arbor that he has gathered for 30 years...
He is currently developing an on line gallery of his own sculpture, ornamental objects, and new pieces of metal stimulated everyday by his many collections lying around his home and warehouse. Inspired by the work of sculptors David Smith, Sir Anthony Caro, and Alexander Calder, Chris has always placed great importance on color and symmetry. His keen interest in line, shape, color, and texture is obvious. Many of his pieces are site specific, meant to be constantly changing or altered over time. His tittles reveal a certain dry wit.
“Since the seasons change around my work, I would say that even my static sculpture is constantly changing.”
“Memory is my inspiration; I have a complete necessity to deliberate form to an otherwise natural environment.”
He claims to “Keep everything enjoyable.” with regard to his work. This allows for the twelve plus hour days he has now become so accustomed to over a 27 year period. He would like to see the business transition from the commercial ironwork business and become steadily involved with more of his sculpture work. He insists he looks at everything without permanence and is cusp on this transition, waiting for the moment when the next railing job is his last allowing him to concentrate on his art.
