Arizona high school student thrives from making metal art

PHOENIX - An Arizona high school student has transformed a hobby into something so much more, and it's brought her and her mom closer together - like the metal she welds.

In every piece, she takes something insignificant and makes it beautiful.

Faye Pfeiff, a graduating senior at trade school West-MEC, thrived being able to focus on welding.

"I definitely didn't expect to find a trade school I could start so early, so I just felt really grateful to find this class and be able to be ready for work right out of high school," she said.

Her mom, Arlene Pfeiff, was happy to encourage her daughter in this career.

"I was thrilled," her mother said. "It's a very unusual occupation for a young woman, but I was absolutely thrilled she wanted to go for something that was really speaking to her at the time, something she was interested in. Plus welding is an incredible long-term career opportunity for someone, so I thought that was incredible."

Arlene says it's only brought them closer together.

"As a mother, you know, she does all the welding but a lot of the design and resin we do together, so it's been a blessing in every way you can imagine," Arlene said.

Faye isn't sure what the future holds for her, but she knows it will involved welding in some way, and West-MEC has given her the tools to follow that passion.

"It became a bit of a hobby, pretty amateur kind of stuff, but as I progressed, my skills progressed and my interest in the trade progressed, so I joined this class to be able to further my career in not just artistic welding but commercial, structural, whatever else I might be doing," Faye said. 

Faye's artwork can be seen on display right now at Arts HQ Gallery in Surprise.

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