Sparks of light and the zapping sounds of welding equipment lead to Secunda's studio, where he has worked as a full-time artist for about eight years.

After beginning his career creating larger-than-life bugs and alien-like sculptures, Secunda has fine-tuned his self-taught art, now crafting lifelike animal creations

such as the 8-foot tall bear, life-size buffalo and lion that currently adorn his yard.

Yet the creation is only half of the artist's trade. Secunda must also market and sell the pieces to fine art buyers across the United States.

Over the years, Secunda has participated in fine art shows around the country, most recently participating with his bear in the Festival of Masters show at Downtown Disney in Orlando, Fla., where he was awarded Best of Show."I stood there with another sculptor and watched third place go by and then second place, and I thought 'Maybe I'm getting first place,'" recalled Secunda of the tense moments while the sculpture awards were announced.At the height of his excitement, the name of the first place sculpture was announced, and the name was not "Bill Secunda."Hoping for the win despite his competition, Secunda was disappointed, "I thought, 'Aww, they (his entries) didn't get any awards.' "Yet disappointment soon turned into delight when he learned his bear sculpture had won Best in Show."I think it was kind of a slam dunk as far as(the judges)were concerned," said Joe Rowand, owner of the Somerhill Art Gallery in Chapel Hill, N.C.A judge for the Festival of Masters event, Rowand said the decision on Best of Show winner did not take long."His work is spectacular," Rowand said. "From the moment I saw (the sculptures) I thought there was a presence about them."Secunda's wife, Chris, was also pleasantly surprised at her husband's triumph."We didn't really talk about him possibly winning, especially best of (show)," she recalled."Just to get in (the show) was an honor because it was a recognition of the high quality of work," she added.Yet for Rowand, the unique nature of Secunda's art was so compelling, he hopes to one day display it in his own gallery."That's always refreshing, to see and identify an artist that has a fresh point of view," he said.

Secunda's bear was created using thousands of nails, welded onto a steel armature, which provides the animal's shape.The idea to use nails in his work came about three years ago, when Secunda was trying to create fur for his first bear sculpture."I like to make them look realistic," said the artist. "It just wasn't apparent how to do it."After discovering the use of nails to create fur, Secunda completed his first bear within a month.His second bear sculpture, which reached a height of 9 feet, was made up of 60,000 nails.Secunda has since created monkeys and gorillas with his nail technique, in addition to moose, lions and buffalo, which combine the use of nails and hammered steel.Since returning from Disney, Secunda is preparing for two shows in late February.For these shows, he is using a new method for welding the nails, molding each nail individually to create a crucifix.The process requires a great deal more time and precision than his other nail projects, which he compares to shingling a roof."That (the crucifix) is one nail at a time. You heat it up and bend it into place before you put the next one on there.With the shows soon approaching, Secunda first created the hands and face of the life-size figure of Jesus, complete with a crown of thorns.As with his other sculptures, Secunda has had no artistic training to aid in sculpting his new creation.Competing in an average of six shows a year, he now employs a part-time welding assistant who welds nails onto the carefully crafted steel shapes Secunda creates.Geoff Warheit of Butler, who also uses his welding skills to create custom motorcycles, has been working with Secunda for about a year."I really get a kick out of doing it," said Warheit, a friend of the Secunda family for many years. "It's very fun and unique work."

Spending most of his time in his workshop, Secunda relies on his wife to help with art show applications and accounting."She points me in the right way," he said.The matriarch of the family of five, Chris Secunda also maintains the Web site, www.weldart.com, where photos of Secunda's past and present projects are available.Unlike other art shows, the Festival of Masters requiresthatapplicants have received a best in show title at another national art show within the past three years.With two such titles under his belt, 2004 was the first year he was eligible to apply.Submitting an application and two slides showing his work, the couple was excited to learn of his acceptance."There've been shows I've applied to maybe six times before he got in," Chris said.

To transport his artwork, Secunda uses a trailer with a small crane to lift and move the pieces into place."When you build the piece, you have to remember that you have to transport and install them," he said.To move the pieces, Secunda leaves space in each sculpture to insert bolts for lifting."They're so heavy: That bear weighs probably 1,200 pounds," he said.Securing the sculptures is also a complicated task, as the sharp nails can often cut through straps and tarps.Once arriving at the show, Secunda requests extra time to place his pieces, especially when he must set them on grass.On his return trips from shows, Secunda often makes stops to install pieces that sold during the shows.His pieces attract attention even on the road, traveling in his open-air trailer."I've only been stopped once by the police," he chuckled.On a trip to Texas to install a fire-breathing swamp monster, Secunda was pulled over.Worried that something was wrong with his trailer, Secunda was relieved to find he had done nothing wrong."He just pulled me over to see what it was, get the story and take some pictures of it," Secunda said.For customers who live farther from Secunda's show routes, he builds custom crates around the pieces for shipping.Customizing the crates is important, Secunda said, since pieces such as his buffalo are top heavy and require careful packing.

For Secunda, ideas for show pieces have never been a problem.Just seeing an animal in a book may lead to his next creation.Another source of ideas comes from his customers, who often request pieces that suit their needs or desires.One such request was for a 15-foot tall buffalo, placed to block the view of a working oil well."That's always been one of my problems is they keep getting bigger. I kind of get carried away," he said."There's not much room for fun when you're doing a lot of work like that," said his wife.Secunda's goal for the future, however, is to begin working on public pieces - commissioned works that often take more time."It would be nice to get to the point where you don't have to do much traveling," he said. "It's just trying to find that small market."Those around him are optimistic for his future."He's taking an idea that no one's really thought of or done before," Warheit said.