After Justin Earl West moved to Arizona as a child, he began absorbing the rich landscapes of the American southwest. As a youth, West delved head-first into the arts: sculpting, painting, drawing, and acting. As a teenager, West discovered that he loved working with steel because he loves the strength and flexibility: "I have been a sculptor all of my life. I love the freedom of mixing mediums. I have worked with almost anything you can think of from clay, plexiglass or fiberglass, and wood to concrete, drywall or steel. Whatever a sculpture needs I can bring it in."