Our Spring program was led by two demonstrators who were instructive and inspiring. Alice James and Japheth Howard came from Missouri to demonstrate their approaches to forging and "Architectural Ironwork".
Alice studied metalsmithing at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, graduating in 1990. She has since taught around the country at craft schools, colleges and ABANA conferences. A studio metalsmith, Alice produces sculptural and functional ironwork. She designs her work with elements from the natural world, integrated with the architectural context of the site, where the work is to be mounted. She strives to create a sense of volume and mass with her approach to forging.
Japheth has been smithing since he entered an informal apprenticeship near Sante Fe, NM, in 1984. He has since worked for two years at the National Ornamental Metal Museum, in Memphis, and a year in England. Japheth produces commissioned architectural ironwork, and also finds time for teaching. In his demo he shares his appreciation for steel and his reverence for tradition, to "create strong well-crafted pieces, with a sense of proportion and grace".
Their projects for the weekend were a small architectural studyof the techniques to build a grille, incorporating traditional and innovative techniques. And some of the techniques used to make a balance scale incorporating a heron.
This was an interesting chance to see two individual smiths who have shared a studio together for many years, and that have bounced their ideas off each other and have come up with some truly appealing ironwork.
