Cypher Ronsonnette has recently discovered their love for arts, specifically the beauty of welding. This all sparked when Ronsonette was skating in the park and came across unexpected inspirations.

“I was skating one day, and I found these older skaters,” Rosenette said. “So I started talking to them, hoping they could give me some advice because I still didn’t know what I was going to do after high school. Then they recommended that I should try welding. I was like, ‘Oh I never thought about that,’ but it sounded interesting, and one thing led to another, and now I’m studying [welding] at ACC next semester.”

Ronsonette was able to find their liking to welding via their connections with family and construction workers. While testing out this new medium, Ronsonette found that it was similar to their pre-existing passion for sewing and crafts.

“My uncle works in construction and has welding materials,” they said. “So I visited him and tried it out, and I just really liked it. I like to sew and just make things in general, so when I tried welding it was just like sewing but with metal.”

Ronsonette says that their interests in welding sparked their commitment to study at ACC, as well as a possible career choice for the future.
“I’m taking a bunch of art classes at ACC, other than just welding, and I’m taking sewing, printmaking and maybe even ASL,” Ronsonette said. “I’m taking a two-year-long welding course at ACC, and then after I kind of experiment with welding and the arts there, I might go into the field of shop welding, if I enjoy it of course, but continue sewing on the side, kind of as a hobby.”

Even though welding is a possible career choice for Ronsonette, they know that they will always have their options open to other careers, if welding doesn’t work out.

“Welding is my main plan right now, because I don’t know exactly what I want to do for my life at this time, so I want to do something I know I can make money off of, that I also enjoy and learn a new skill, but if I figure out other plans I’m more interested in, I know I can pursue them.”

Rononette thinks the most interesting thing about welding is its commonality. While there are many types of welding, they know that the art form is much more valuable than people give it credit for.

“Most things that you see are welded in some way,” Ronsonette said. “The school [McCallum] is welded, your car is welded. I guess it’s just interesting to see how a passion can become such an important part of our lives, and most people don’t even realize it.”