Our Story
John Ellison is a scrap metal artisan from Atlanta, Georgia. He primarily uses repurposed horseshoes and reclaimed railroad hardware as the base points of his work. “It’s a good feeling to be able to obtain discarded metal pieces that have outlived their intended uses, clean and shape them, then match them with similar objects to produce a desirable product that has been brought back to life.” John is often told he sees things differently. He gives credit to three key factors. 1-Growing up literally next door to his grandparents, 2-His dad having a metal shop in his garage for welding jobs, and 3-Being blessed by God with the ability to have the vision that comes from being a Right-Brain thinker and Left-Handed.
From a very early age, John remembers his grandfather repairing an item, sometimes non-traditionally, versus tossing it in the trash. Most likely a product of living through the depression, his grandfather’s creativity and thinking outside the box left a lasting impression. In addition to his grandfather’s resourcefulness, John’s dad was a welder and a machinist, as well as, assisting the local antique tractor specialist at his home shop with his welding needs. Once again, the creativity of removing stubborn damaged parts and repairing others, made an impact of what could be done with metal using a torch and welder.
After college, time spent in corporate America, 23 years in the finance industry, and some encouragement from his wife, in 2019 John made the decision to start Iron Rustoration. The vision to Recover, Reclaim, and Repurpose discarded items soon turned into a reality. The designs that have existed in John’s head for years are now appearing on his work tables. John has certifications in GMAW(mig), GTAW(tig), and SMAW(stick) welding processes along with a BBA in Business Management. In addition to creating scrap metal art, John is also a multi-instrumentalist
playing banjo, Dobro, lap steel, guitar, Jew’s harp, and spoons. He lives in metro Atlanta with his wife and 2 children.
