It's getting hot in here! Artist Luke Perry braves 50 degrees to finish sculptures
Working alongside furnaces as he welds sculptor Luke Perry has one of the hottest jobs in the Black Country.
Sweltering in temperatures above 50 degrees wearing leather and two masks Luke helps mould molten metal for his various creations.
The internationally renowned artist said: "Working in this heat is very draining and oxygen is always very hard to come by.
"It is about enduring it, and ignoring it. I know it would be a lot worse in places like India and for those chainmakers and welders of centuries gone by."
The 39-year-old spent Sunday giving chainmaking demonstrations at his Mushroom Green foundry in Cradley Heath. During the week the artist works on several sculptures for various clients including Dudley Zoo and Chiltern Railways.
He said: "I know the temperature was more than 50 degrees the other day, but on top of that, I have to wear a vest, apron, leather and masks so who knows how hot I am under all of that.
"Working so close to the furnaces, which dry the air out anyway let alone in this heat, the left side of my body was cooked, I began having pins and needles."
