The brains behind the bike: Island metal artist marks downtown debut at BAC

Published 11:06 am Sunday, December 27, 2015

Jeremy Loerch’s art really moves people.

So fast, in fact, they should wear a helmet.

His industrial aesthetic, currently on display downtown as the main window display at Bainbridge Arts & Crafts in the form of one custom motorcycle, is probably not what comes to mind when most art lovers think of Bainbridge Island.

Then again, Loerch himself probably isn’t what comes to mind when most people think of Bainbridge Island. But beneath the motor oil stains, the back road metal shop and all the tattoos is a mentor who is truly passionate about teaching — especially keeping the trade industries alive in today’s education system.

As the founder of the nonprofit school Alchemy Industrial Arts, Loerch and his fellow instructors work to inspire an increased interest in the trades, such as the machining, welding, and fabrication fields, as an alternative to other career paths — as well as instilling creativity and DIY learning opportunities for both children and adult students.

“I was a teacher for 14 years,” Loerch said. “My background actually is in education.”

His accomplishments in the field were numerous and prestigious, but the former kindergarten and middle school teacher said he eventually knew it wasn’t the path for him.

“I got burned out with the education system primarily because every kid [was] supposed to fit into this niche and it’s just not the case,” he said.

Though the master fabricator, owner of Monkey Wrench Fabrications, has built several motorcycles, he said that the one on display downtown is his favorite.

“I feel like it almost willed itself to be built,” he said. “I had some ideas in my head, but it just kind of came together nicer than any other motorcycle I’ve ever built.”

Starting with a rebuilt motor and transmission from his old ’74 Harley FLH, Loerch then built the entire frame from scratch using welding and blacksmithing techniques to shape the twisting, sinuous forms.

“The shiny stuff,” as he calls it, is aluminum; cut, brushed and decorated in his shop.

The whole project took approximately 320 hours, he said.

“The bike in the window just started off as a collection of just random parts I had,” Loerch said. “I just kind of wanted to build something really over the top.

“I’ve always loved riding, but I’ve been welding and messing around with metal since I was 11,” he added.

It’s that same passion for craftsmanship that Loerch said he hopes to inspire in his students, especially the younger ones.

“Over the years I’ve been asked to give classes in blacksmithing and metal shop,” he said. “And it just started more [because], ‘I need to do this because I have more of these kids showing up that don’t fit into that college prep guideline that is pushed in public ed so hard.’ They’re that 15 percent that get lost in the shuffle.

“So you take a couple of kids I have here who aren’t feeling successful in high school and middle school [but] they’re successful here,” he explained. “So then, when they go to school — they’re successful there, too, because they have that positive thinking there to hold on to.”

Many of the school’s classes are offered through the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District, including “Cube Roll Berg,” a tinkering lab that examines cause and effect, physics and material manipulations toward making outlandish contraptions; “Blacksmithing”; and “Kinetics and Electronics,” where students design and construct mechanical sculptures, contraptions and simple robots using new and salvaged components while learning basic circuitry, motors and switches.

Visit www.alchemyindustrialarts.org to learn more about the island-based program, or visit www.monkeywrenchfab.com to see more of Loerch’s art and commercial work.

He also holds a free open shop session every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m at 9392 Wardwell Ave. NE.

“I like older things, when there’s a history to it,” Loerch said. “If I can salvage it and save it, I like to restore it. If not, I cut it up and make something gnarly out of it because it’s just fun to do.”