Andrew Sandstedt is one of those people that makes the cultural clock of a community tick. It seems rare to attend an event of much import in our beloved city of Lansing, and not see his boyish grin surrounded by a frock of white beard. He is a man about town, but never there simply to be seen, only to support, to sustain and to strengthen.
If you have a great arts and entertainment scene where you live, your town has a version of a Sandstedt, so to speak. He’s the guy that volunteers to come do the tedious volunteer work behind the scenes. The one who stays late after all the other helpers have bailed for bed or better options. He’s still there. Building shit, making shit, creating shit, hyping up stuff. Supporting stuff. Stitching a scene together.
That endurance and commitment would be an amazing attribute to any community, but Andrew is also a supremely talented visual artist. His metal sculptures have won numerous awards, been featured at a wide variety of festivals and he’s won the top prize at Lansing’s annual scrapfest in the large piece category - that is works of more than 500 pounds - twice and placed second twice in the same category.
Somehow, he’s learned how to transform tossed away scrap metal into butterflies landing ever so gently on a vine. Discarded saw blades are repurposed into trophies for a beard competition as though that was their eternal destiny from their moment of creation. He’s limited strictly by his tools, the raw materials he can acquire, and imagination. His work is well regarded, and he shows and sells pieces regularly at events in Michigan throughout the year. Larger pieces that he has sold are now on permanent display in Lansing’s REO Town neighborhood.
That act of creation through restoration and rebirth is a perfect metaphor for exactly what Andrew does for our community, and the for the artists within it. He takes the pieces of what we all do - things that we as creators often think of as scrap or without value - and he shows it back to us by engaging in it all the time. He is a constant human presence of encouragement.
That life is not lived out of duty for Andrew, or because he thinks he’ll get some eventual reward. He does it because he loves it. It is what is important. These are things that make him love life. If he fails to engage, the things he loves might go away. And so, he is always creating, always building, and most importantly, always giving.
I am a notorious talker and loudmouth. I am the guy you dread who good naturedly keeps you standing in the driveway for fifteen minutes because it’s just really nice to see you, and I am genuinely interested. That fifteen minutes becomes an hour if I am not careful. Andrew Sandstedt may be the only person I have ever met that I could accurately describe as a bigger talker than me.
It was inevitable that he and I would meander all over the joint, given our tendency for chattiness and the wide range of meaningful issues that would surely arise. Listening back, I think we did a pretty good job. I tried to edit a few things down for brevity, and I was able to maintain the clarity and direction of the discussion.
Andrew’s sobriety of eleven years and how that journey has shaped his worldview is the fulcrum of this episode. We discuss what that path has looked like for him, how what he learned during his stint of in-patient rehab has stayed with him and the ways that it helped him build successful habits and a better worldview. We talk about taking care of yourself and making time for your own art even when it might puzzle your family or friends.
While there are moments in this chat that will feature some spots in and around our area of Lansing, Michigan, please remember that the stories we are telling here are very likely the same sorts of challenges and success happening in your own community. Think of Lansing as a stand-in. At one point, I even mention that Lansing’s old town section has a real stars hollow vibe. You know your town has a section in it with one of those right? If nothing else , just imagine the Gilmore Girls hanging out with you while we’re talking Lansing details.
Since I began this show, I have said that I want to find a way to shine a light on my experiences in trying to make a living and a life in the arts and to build a community while doing it. Andrew is an example of what that community can be.
And, he is an example of an asset that we could all harness a bit for our own thing if we all work together just a bit more. That’s not just an opportunity, it’s a gift to have someone like that who wants to be a part of your life and your community.
I’ve known and loved him for years, and I suspect when you get done listening to this discussion you will love him too. Here is my conversation with artist, metal sculptor and my dear friend, Andrew Sandstedt.
What Am I Making Podcast #005 - Andrew Sandstedt