Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Chris Mayther's passion for art in its many forms was encouraged by his parents, whom were both teachers and artists.  His love for metal sculpture was sparked at age 12, when his parents arranged for him to take lessons with nationally-renowned kinetic sculpture artist, Joe Police.

     Chris took lessons for one year, and then continued to apprentice with Police for another 6 years.  He found himself drawn to metalwork, because of the endless possibilites the medium presented to him.

     After his apprenticeship with Police ended, Chris found that his welding skills were a valuable asset, in the several years he spent working as a fisherman in the Bering Sea.  Being able to weld and repair broken winches, pipes, and seals on-the-fly made him an essential member of the crews that he worked on.

     Returning to Oregon in the 1980s, Chris focused on his art, exhibiting pieces in several galleries and creating custom-commisioned work for private clients, as well as providing lessons.

     He is continually inspired by the medium of metal – the way he can incorporate found pieces into his sculptures – and reuse materials that otherwise might end up in a landfill.

     Chris' personal mission is to share the skills, techniques and knowledge he has accumulated in his more than 40 years as a welder and metal artist with as many people as possible.  His passion for teaching led him to build I Will Welding Studio in 2008.