Steve Kost - Turning Scrap into Strength
Episode 36, Nov 05, 11:00 AM
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This week on Irregardless, host Rachel Hartman sits down with Steve Kost, metal artist and founder of Metal Health Artwork, for an inspiring conversation recorded from FABTECH 2025!
Steve’s journey is one of grit, healing, and transformation. From his early days as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy, serving in Somalia in the 1990s, to his years as an ironworker in Chicago, Steve’s hands have always built, repaired, and created. But it wasn’t until later in life, as he faced the weight of PTSD and the challenges many veterans experience after service, that he found true purpose through art.
What started as “tinkering” with old typewriters and mechanical scraps turned into an extraordinary outlet. Steve began welding small creatures, dinosaurs, animals, intricate sculptures, crafted entirely from repurposed metal parts. His work evolved into stunning, expressive art that’s now been featured in galleries, the Library of Congress, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, and even commissioned by Google’s Art Director for a Veterans Day piece.
In this heartfelt episode, Steve shares how creativity became therapy, how passion can rebuild purpose, and how the most meaningful art often comes from the hardest battles. His story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to find healing through creation.
Learn more about Steve’s work and Metal Health Artwork at stevekost.com
Steve’s journey is one of grit, healing, and transformation. From his early days as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy, serving in Somalia in the 1990s, to his years as an ironworker in Chicago, Steve’s hands have always built, repaired, and created. But it wasn’t until later in life, as he faced the weight of PTSD and the challenges many veterans experience after service, that he found true purpose through art.
What started as “tinkering” with old typewriters and mechanical scraps turned into an extraordinary outlet. Steve began welding small creatures, dinosaurs, animals, intricate sculptures, crafted entirely from repurposed metal parts. His work evolved into stunning, expressive art that’s now been featured in galleries, the Library of Congress, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, and even commissioned by Google’s Art Director for a Veterans Day piece.
In this heartfelt episode, Steve shares how creativity became therapy, how passion can rebuild purpose, and how the most meaningful art often comes from the hardest battles. His story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to find healing through creation.
Learn more about Steve’s work and Metal Health Artwork at stevekost.com