LoFaro MetalArts – Crafting Beauty Out of the Discarded
A grand sculpture titled “Royal Elk/Wapiti the Forest King” graces the entrance of The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, and it is WOWING guests arriving at the property. Vail Valley metal sculptor Nicholas LoFaro of LoFaro METALARTS LTD. has also been a member of The Westin Riverfront team for more than three years. His impressive new piece was installed in the summer of 2024 and is made of reclaimed steel parts.“
“The elk is a magnificent symbol of the Rocky Mountains, and to me, it is royalty to our land.”
~ Nicholas LoFaro
“Animal life dominates my sculpture work. For this piece, I wanted to build a full-sized bull elk with full detail and steel plating, something that is equally fierce and beautiful.”Standing over 10 feet tall and weighing more than 400 pounds, “Royal Elk – Wapit ithe Forest King” is now welcoming guests on The Westin Riverfront’s circular driveway.LoFaro used a wide variety of reclaimed steel to create the majestic sculpture -including saws, horseshoes, wrenches, cutlery, chainsaw blades, tines, and knives. No detail was overlooked, including marble eyes glowing from an internal bulb within the skull, bringing the animal to life.
“I obsessively collect used, refused, and abandoned steel. I will often carry metal parts out of the woods from derelict machines or pick up discarded or broken metal on the side of the road,” said LoFaro.“I buy things like motorcycle parts and old tools online and love to visit old farmhouses, garage sales, and flea markets.”The installation of such a major art piece made of reclaimed steel is a natural fit for The Westin Riverfront, which is proud to be an environmental lodging leader as Colorado’s first Silver LEED certified hotel. LoFaro has served as a Lead Bartender at The Westin Riverfront’s Lobby Bar for more than three years, crafting new recipes and classic cocktails for resort guests and Vail Valley locals, including his famous Homemade Mule.“I love to make drinking vinegars called‘shrubs.’ I make both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the Mule with hand-juiced ginger with honey, lemon and applecider vinegar,” said LoFaro. LoFaro’s creativity is beyond imagination.
A lifetime of drawing, writing, and painting led to his craft as a Sculpture artist with welding and metal smithing expertise. His abstractions of nature, science, folklore, mythology, and science fiction have resulted in fantastic works of art.
Just recently, @discoveravoncolorado & @vvagco featured one of his newest creations, StarFox!! This new creation will remain a public sculpture in Avon until June 2027. LoFaro says, “He is a really good boi, a cosmic canine made from the metal of a crashed spaceship, … just let him smell your hand.” first!
www.lofarometalarts.com
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