John Medwedeff and Michael Lanham fit together the pieces of a wall sculpture April 10, 2026 at Medwedeff's studio in Murphysboro, Illinois. Upon completion, the sculpture will be on display at Southeastern Illinois College's Workforce and Community Education Division in Carmi, Illinois.
John Medwedeff kneels on one of his work tables as he examines the progress of his wall sculpture.
Michael Lanham grinds down a freshly welded piece of the wall sculpture.
John Medwedeff grinds down the imperfections of a bronze trophy that will be used in a PGA championship later this year.
John Medwedeff hammers a piece of aluminum. His goal is to bend the metal so it will fit better in his wall sculpture as a whole.
A welder's mask lies on a work table at John Medwedeff's studio as one of his part-time workers, Michael Lanham, grinds a part of the wall sculpture. Lanham graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2023 with a degree in blacksmithing, and began working with Medwedeff earlier this year.
John Medwedeff uses the process of TIG welding to perfect a bronze trophy for the PGA championship.
John Medwedeff forges an iron bar to be made into a hand rail.
