First things first, are your prices competitive?

Absolutely. My prices are based on the type of metalwork you need for your home.  I take on mid-range to high-end metalwork projects.

What do you specialize in?

Functional art; wrought ironwork and lighting, plus fine art sculpture and painting.  My team has over 70 years of combined metalworking experience.  My most experienced ironworker has 30 years behind his belt.

Custom vs. Customized

We all want a home which is uniquely designed to serve our individual needs, and lets face it, sometimes we can get away with run of the mill designs, but they certainly do not add to the desired exclusivity we are looking for or are simply the wrong size.

Custom is to start from scratch.  It is a bit more expensive as well, since a lot of time goes into the design process. 

Customized is to take an existing design, without changing the design itself, but instead customize the size and color to your needs.  Depending on the design, it can be a little bit less expensive to a whole lot less expensive.

Imagine that your wall is a bit too long for a standard size console table.  Now you can ask me to build you that same design you are absolutely in love with, but in proportion to the space, plus, black is just not what you're looking for, so now I will nickel plate it instead.

Why custom?

There are plenty of decent off-the-shelf pieces out there, but  sometimes custom really is the way to go, most certainly for larger homes where off the shelf pieces simply won't due because of the sizing issues. Also, custom is very convenient.

The pictures on the right explain a lot:

The first photo on the left is of a French style wrought iron railing I designed for a home in Dallas.  The scrolls are hand forged to a tip, the railing is made with a heavier stock of metal instead of the usual off-the-shelf 1/2", which would be much too flimsy for this particular staircase, the scrolls are beautifully blended together instead of just being "spliced next to each other," the cap is made of solid brass (most clients call it bronze, depending on the finish,) the acanthus leaves and other details are custom cast in brass as well (nice and heavy instead of the thin-stamped leaves found on many iron pieces.)  Plus, there is just no way you can buy a design like this off the shelf.

The drawing next to the railing is a quick sketch I did for a lantern design so that I can discuss with a client exactly what they are looking for.

The two gate closeups below are 3D renderings I put together for clients so that they can see exactly what their projects would look like, to the exact scale, in the exact materials I will be using... this a great option for clients who have a very hard time picturing what the final product will look like.  I can actually superimpose the drawings or renderings right into a photo of your home or your architectural plans.  This helps both me and you with deciding on not only the design but also the proportions.

The photograph below is a giant tortoise sculpture I personally sculpted for client in University Park.  It was cast in bronze.  Casting is a different process than forging... if you'd like to know more about it, let me know.

The drawing of a goofy guy underneath the tortoise is a hand drawing/graphic mix I did just for fun, and the photograph next to it is a shoji panel-like glass art I made for a local designer.

Next, one of my acrylic paintings and one of my art-nouveau inspired sculptures of a woman in a corset before casting.

As much as I love metalwork, I also like to dabble in the fine art... keeps my life creative, interesting and always different (never boring.)  I even love to do some code-writing once in a while for my friends... take a look at this one.

Why wrought iron?

Wrought iron is the perfect mix of beauty and function.  As an alloy, wrought iron is mixed with a fibrous material called slag, which not only gives it much more resistance to rust, but it's so durable that it's actually called 100 year fencing.  For exterior projects such as fencing, a simple paint job every three to four years will keep your exterior metalwork looking fresh for generations to come.  Interior pieces which are not exposed to the elements can last practically for ever.  As an extra perk, wrought iron is the perfect material for all manners of security, plus, you can easily reconstruct or add new small or large sections without having to replace the entire piece in question. 

Another wonderful thing about wrought iron is that can be forged into just about any shape, so your artistic vision is practically endless, plus, wrought iron is eco-friendly! (does not have to be replaced often, it's absolutely recyclable, and it's endlessly re-used via antique shops etc...)

Tell me more about the artistic aspect of wrought iron.

Working with wrought iron is most definitely an artisanal process, at least when it comes to beautiful, functional, custom hand forged pieces.  All projects start with basic shapes of square, round, or flat solid bars or pipes.  The pieces of metal are then heated in a forge until they turn hot red, at which point they become ductile enough for shaping by the blacksmith.  Think of it as sculpture making, if the blacksmith is an artist, beautiful designs are made by his hands, if a blacksmith is not... well, you see what I mean.  High quality custom metalwork comes with a higher price tag, and off-the-shelf King Architecture like metalwork which is simply welded together comes with a lower price tag because it doesn't have to be worked.

Can you tell me how to paint wrought iron?

Wrought iron is basically a high quality steel with a few impurities.  This is why it doesn't all turn to rust quickly... as a matter of fact, it's been known to last generations, and with a little bit of care you can preserve its beauty without any issues.

If your metalwork is in bad condition, you'll probably want to scrape off any flaking paint with a scraper, or use a wire brush (a power drill attachment works very well, but you have to be sure to be super careful or you could rally hurt yourself.)  Also, wipe off the dust you created... you want the primer to stick to the metal, not the dust on top of it:)

General rule of thumb: the more expensive the metal primer and paint, the longer it will last.  If you keep up with the finishes and don't let them get rusted, keeping up with them should be a breeze:)  A good finish should last you up-to 10 years if not longer... depending on the conditions of course. 

Once the metalwork is cleaned up, you'll want to use a brush and/or roller to apply a good coat of metal primer and after it's dry (and if the metalwork is for the outside) caulk any places you find with exterior/paintable caulking where water can get in and re-prime those areas again. Make sure you cover everything.  Metal primers are usually red so that you can see where you're painting and also where you missed the paint. Apply a metal paint over the primer as soon as the primer can be painted over... do not wait any longer.  Make sure to follow all directions on the can... the last thing you want to do is use the paint at the wrong time of the day and have it not cure properly.  Re-coat if nescessary.

Picking the right day for the job is very important... the last thing you want is heat, wind, or damp cold or rain.

The glossier the paint, the longer it will last.  Oil paints are usually best, but there are some fantastic acrylic paints these days as well and they are not as nasty to your health (I believe.)

What is the difference between custom and off-the-shelf work?

The less expensive metalwork comes from a catalog and will most likely consist of pre-molded iron, which is shaped by pouring iron which is heated to a liquid state and poured into pre-shaped molds.  Less expensive metalwork can also be "custom", yet made by an inexperienced metalsmith who simply has not yet had the time and experience of forging the scrolls properly, has no artistic bone is his or her body or is simply skipping steps to good metalwork, like not grinding the weld spots.

More expensive, hand forged ironwork boasts of elaborate scrolls which are properly forged, it has a very expensive feel to it, it's proportional, most likely made of heavier materials than what you can get off the shelf and heavy emphasis is placed on design.

Of course to an unaccustomed eye, telling good metalwork from bad metalwork can be tricky, especially in world of custom projects... after all, you can take a drawing to two metal shops and both will tell you that they can make it and both will tell you that they are really good at what they do, so you pick the less expensive one and hope for the best.  Now imagine if you have not seen a car before and you took a drawing to a place which produced Aston Martins and one to a place which produced Kias.  Both will look at the drawing, both will tell you that they are good at what they do (because they are), and both will give you "what you want" for very different price tags.  The bottom line is that you pay for what you get, no matter what someone tells you. 

Where do I start? How does this work?

Let me know a few things, such as what it is that you are looking for and in what style. We can get together or work over email. I have lots of designs in many different styles. We can look through them together and you can point out to me what you like and dislike. I can get a very good idea as to what you are looking for from this simple exercise, and can take it from there. Most of the time I'm spot on.  Here is a photo with a few steps in the making of a custom wrought iron drive gate.  The drawing is of the initial design, the clients then decided that they wanted to spend a little bit less on the project so we decided what their budget was and took out a few design elements to meet the budget.  In this particular design, we went with off-the-shelf spires as well... the rest was hand forged.  After the gate was completed, it was time for installation.

What sorts of projects can you do for me?

Just about anything... here is  a list to start with: fireplace screens, chandeliers, sconces, pendants, coffee tables, dining room tables, side tables, drive gates, walk gates, interior gates, gas lanterns, electric lanterns, doors, sculpture, paintings, glass art, pot racks, decorative vent-a-hood covers, ornamental garden pieces, swimming pool covers, backsplashes, andirons and the list goes on...

What styles do you work in?

I can design pieces in just about any style. Contemporary, traditional, transitional, modern, Mediterranean, Beach Style, Craftsman, Industrial, Midcentury, French, Spanish, country and formal, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Gothic, Industrial, Italian, Medieval... pretty much what ever you can possibly require.

Who will I be working with?

If you choose to work with me, you'll never have to worry about being bounced around between people. I will take care of you from day one till the installation or pickup date. No one but you and I will make any decisions, and I can pretty much guarantee that you will be absolutely thrilled with the final product. (Never say never, but so far I have been lucky enough not to have any real issues and if they ever arise, I deal with them promptly.)

What materials are used in what you do?

Aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, wrought iron and sometimes stainless steel. 

What finishes can you do?

Pretty much what ever you can imagine. From acrylic finishes in just about any color, to chemical patinas, to natural metals.

How about textures?

My guys have the capability to forge out metal in many different textures, I usually tell them what I'm looking for and they make their own. If there's anything particular you are looking for, let me know and I'm sure it can be worked out.

I've seen examples of your work, but I can't find specifically what I am looking for. 

The key to custom work is to make sure that you agree that the quality of the design and what's been produced is up-to your standards.  As far as the actual thing, well, that doesn't matter as much.  As long as the designer and the blacksmith are good, anything can be accomplished.  In my many years of designing, I've met lots of clients who came for something they couldn't find anywhere else, or just came up with a seriously out there idea... and they were all very happy with the outcome.  Metal is metal, it gets heated and forged and scrolled, bent, and what ever else in order to make the piece... as far as the piece goes, it's all just a matter of how the metal is worked. 

I have a question, but I can not locate it on this page.

If you have a question, please contact me. I will be happy to answer, and if it's something I think others might like to know, I will post it here.