Last year I was part of an organization that helps promote and host shows for up and coming artists, RAW, click here to see pics from that night.  It went really well, sold some of my metal art but also made some great connections.  This year they have a show in Boulder, Colorado that I will be part of.

The hardest part of this event is covering my booth fee.  I will send you a free hand forged, metal Aspen Leaf Charm if you buy a ticket before May 30th.   Just let me know and I will make sure it went through the RAW site.  That way you are getting something for supporting me, which I really appreciate.  Tickets are $10/each and I need to sell 20 of them. When you purchase a ticket make sure you pick me as the artist you are supporting, otherwise I wont see it in my account when I check the registrar.

Click here to buy a ticket

This year has been great and very busy.  With work at Dragon Forge LTD at a constant high end and high quality of work to preparing for my wedding ceremony this September, I have managed to be in a couple of shows in Downtown Denver and in Boulder.  These shows always have a wide range of people attending and I always walk away with a one-of-a-kind experience.  I am taking this week to get ready for the Pancake and Booze show this Friday.  I have some forged Aspen Leaf Charms, a variety of bowls, some Dirty Smith shirts and will be taking my sculpture “Pierced” as well.  I have a fold formed piece that I forged out of plate and am prepping this as well with a bronze patina.  Pretty new to patinas but I do notice how well clients receive them.

Typically my biggest challenge in a show is demonstrating that I make all of these things.  Some seem to put on a “shopper’s perception” of being sold items.  I plan on having some video of me working.  It should be an interesting show none the less! Below is the poster for the event.

Click here to see what other events I will be at this summer.

I forged it out of 1/2″ square bar at first and added a “Vine” texture by using a texturing die under my power hammer. Then work from the sketch as direction for the over all shape and presentation I started the process of forging. While I was working I could not help but think of some contests/practice that painters participate in called “En Plein Air.”  Where they paint outside, what they see and most of the time its impromptu.  Though I have had a few weeks with this rolling around in my mind.  Studying the drawing while at the anvil and forging these shapes, I was pretty much doing that.  Due to some concern of hazards and the piece “grabbing” people I did minimize some of the exaggerated curls.

I went to a blacksmithing workshop a couple of years ago that was about forging bowls. Starting with a flat piece of metal I took the steps of texturing the material, transferring my design on to it and then

Engraving the design

chasing it with hand chisels, hammers and a lot of patience. This bowl took me better part of the day, though I was also working along side other smiths and probably did a lot more talking than I should have! I was quite happy with the piece when it was flat and hesitant to sink it, but to my surprise that is when it really came to life. I can design a large variety of designs to put on this bowl. It does not have to be this one, I just liked it and did it for myself. From the workshop I found that I really enjoyed making these items and could see that the possibilities were endless when it came to size, shape, color, material and function. This point on I started to explore the concept of “the bowl.”

This bowl measures:

7″ across

4″ Deep

Custom Hand Chased Bowl

This is made when it is ordered and please allow some time for me to forge and deliver an item similar to this.

This was forged out of 1/4″ plate.  I took a technique that is commonly used by jewelers that use copper called “Fold Forming.”  This technique is when the smith folds the material in half and starts to forge one area of the piece more than another.  This action causes the material to forge out thinner thus stretching faster than other side.  In my case I went so far that I was able to get a very dramatic curve.  At which point I opened it up and continued the process.  This is one piece of metal and no welding was done to it.  It can lay in a variety of positions.

Fold Formed Sculpture

Please allow 2 weeks for me to forge and deliver an item similar to this if it is not available.

About this piece: Weight: 7 lbs Length: 16″ Height: 10″ at its tallest and 6″ at the saddle Width: 6.75″

Forged out of 1/4″ plate this hand forged dish weighs in at 5 lbs are nearly 9.75″ across and 2″ deep and has a dimple texture. A great center piece and conversation starter. This particular bowl has a Verde patina applied to it.

Forged out of brass, copper, bronze and steel these aspen leaves will have a hole on the end of the stem to be able to hang it. I do forge these by hand at the anvil so please understand each leaf is unique in shape, texture and color; though all are close relatives to each other.

Some ideas how others use these are:

• Jewelry
• Ornaments
• Key Chains
• Your “backup plan” for a quick escape (I don’t ask)

Aspen Leaf Charm

Don’t forget to choose your color.

For $5 add a forged loop instead. (If this is not selected the forged leaf will have a simple hole drilled through the stem)

also available on my Etsy store

Please allow 1-2 weeks for me to forge and deliver.

USA shipping is free for this item. Additional shipping cost for international

Forged out of 1/4″ plate this hand forged dish weighs in at 5 lbs are nearly 12″ across and 2″ deep and has a dimple texture. A great center piece and conversation starter. This particular bowl has three rings that were forged in it as well.

These

My work, once again, was described as interesting, different, unusual and refreshing.  They had a live band there and really was a enjoyable evening.  I forged a small table just for the show and it was received well.  It also was an example of traditional joinery vs fabricated iron.  People could easily see the joinery because of the size and its simplicity.  Also brought along my forged mirror, “Pierced, sculpture, various bowls and wine bottle holders. 

As always the conversations are one of a kind.  One person in particular could not understand how I forged the “Pierced” sculpture.  They figured I welded various pieces together and made one long body.  At which I explained the forging process, power hammers that I use in much of my work and the ability to efficiently forge large stock into something graceful.  I am more than happy to walk anyone through the process.  Knowing when they walk away they have a better idea of what blacksmithing is and possibly some respect for the craft.