Just past the bridge, on scenic Marchmont Road, west of Orillia, lies an enchanting wonderland of sculptures that excite the imagination and delight the eye. Here, chickens, roosters, eagles and black birds take flight and fish swim in mid-air among fantasy tropical flowers.

Rebecca sits on the porch of her rustic studio with Molly.

This imaginative world has been lovingly conjured from steel sheeting by sculptor Rebecca Allen, whose business is appropriately called Iron Maiden. Creativity runs in Rebecca's family. Her mother, Pam, creates collage-style brooches, an eclectic mix of antique jewelry and found objects, while her father, Paul, fashions rustic wood furniture and wall décor.

Rebecca's whimsical creations are the culmination of five years of focusing on sculpture, first achieving her Fine Arts diploma from Georgian College, followed by her Welding Certificate at the Midland campus. She has always loved working with metal.

"I started out painting, but with my first sculpture class I fell in love with it," Rebecca says. "It came naturally to me. So drawing and sculpture became my focus. The two come together in my work. I love the freedom of working with metal and the three-dimensional form. I love colours, but I also love the look of raw steel and the different tones and details that can be created. I love working big in the outdoors. There are so many options when it comes to working with steel. Often, the end result is a mystery because metal can do its own thing, when you bend, curl and shape it."

Beautifully designed iron sculptures make gorgeous garden art, or bring them inside for a whimsical touch to your home.

Many of Rebecca's sculptures are custom pieces. The process starts with Rebecca doing a preliminary drawing, followed by discussion back and forth until the concept is tweaked into its final form. Beginning with sheets of 16-and-20-gauge steel, Rebecca uses a plasma cutter, then a mig, stick or spot welder to fashion her one-of-a-kind pieces. Next, she hand paints her creation with primer, oils and lacquer.

Rebecca's pieces can be used indoors as screens, backlit for effect, or as stand-alone sculptures or wall art. Her work outdoors will add excitement to any garden. Likewise, she has created unique metal signs for commercial businesses. Once, she created a metal grapevine display for a wine critic's collection of corks. So you can see, the scope is only limited by a client's imagination.

This young iron maiden hopes for a renewal of enthusiasm for sculpture in Canada. "As a young girl I visited Mexico and Europe, and there, sculpture is simply part of people's lives," Rebecca says. "They grow up with an appreciation of it. Here, sadly, it's a lost art, except for large pieces at public buildings. During these stressful economic times, when people can be on edge, there's a role for art to play. It can be a spot of levity where people can engage with ideas bigger than themselves and just enjoy life!"

Rebecca's screens can be used indoors or backlit for effect.

Rebecca's future goal is to have a larger welding shop and to expand into other areas of her craft like forging and shaping. She enthusiastically explains the drive that propels her. "I have tons of ideas. I wish I had time to try tables and other cut designs. My joy is in making art. Like many artists, if I wasn't doing what I loved, I wouldn't be fun to be around – it's what I do, where I feel fulfilled."

Smiling radiantly, amid her metal menagerie, while she tousles the fur of Molly, the family dog, Rebecca Allen is very much an iron maiden with a tender heart for her art.