How a longtime artist became an inner-city Detroit welding instructor

Kevin Cartwright had a very nontraditional path to becoming a welding instructor. The longtime Detroit-based multi media artist, working under the name Nivek Monet, spent years painting before turning his attention to metal sculpture art. That led him to working in various metal fabrication shops to learn how to weld. Eventually, he became the lead welding instructor at Randolph Career and Technical Center, a Detroit high school focused on teaching skilled trades. In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Cartwright joins host Dan Davis and guest host Darla Welton to talk about his journey from artist to welder to teacher, his time working in metal fabrication shops, his artist moniker Nivek Monet, his philosophy when it comes to skilled trades education, his involvement with Skills USA, being featured in a Carhartt commercial, and creating abstract sculptures out of scrap metal. Email us at [email protected] with any comments, questions, or suggestions.