The art of welding and friendship

When Cindy Dimitrijevic, instructor Mark Uttech, Adelphia (Del) Scaman, and Cindy Aasen get together, hilarity generally ensues. After 10 years, the four have formed a friendship that extends beyond the welding lab. Uttech has enjoyed watching the steady improvement of the ladies’ welding abilities and how it has allowed them the freedom to unleash their artistic creativity. The fact that they have gone through this experience together, he said, has helped each come out of her shell even though he knows each is strong in her own way. “Traveling in packs makes a difference, but I don’t think there’s anything that could intimidate these three,” Uttech said.

There’s more to welding than working in a production environment or adhering to strict blueprints and codes. There is a softer side that is dominated by the imagination and, to some degree, the familiarity of the person holding the welding gun or torch. The possibilities are endless when you provide a creative mind with the means for it to express itself.

Sometimes, for the artist that is, the hard part is finding the courage to take a leap of faith into an unknown medium. For three Kenosha, Wis.-area women, the thought of expanding their artistic abilities to include metal outweighed their trepidation to embark on this new journey.

Individually, each did the bold thing and enrolled in a welding class at Gateway Technical College without knowing another soul. It makes sense, then, that these women struck up a fast friendship with one another.

It’s something they can sit around and laugh about now, but 10 years ago when Adelphia Scaman, Cindy Dimitrijevic, and Cindy Aasen enrolled in a welding class for the first time, it was a thrilling but terrifying experience. Gateway welding instructor Mark Uttech mentored the three and helped lessen the fear factor. As a result, he has become a friend and, at times, a target for the women’s good-natured ribbing.

These days you can’t mention Aasen without also mentioning Dimitrijevic, Scaman, or even Uttech, for that matter. The friendships they have forged with one another during this 10-year journey have become an unexpected perk, but at the same time, it is probably the most important part of the story.

Slide Show | 6 Images