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This mobile hostess stand was crafted for Stella San Jac restaurant, located at the corner of San Jacinto and East 5th in Austin, TX.
Stella San Jac is the lobby restaurant at The Westin Austin Downtown. A forged ‘S’ representing the Stella log -- along with a plant pocket complimenting a succulent wall in the hotel lobby -- clearly identifies the hostess stand with the restaurant.
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Tom, my client, wanted a metal and glass coffee table.
We discussed shapes, dimensions, glass thickness, and overall look. I showed my sketches to several members of a local artist-blacksmith group, including Dana Flanders. Based upon valuable feedback, I refined the bracing and connections for stability. Collaboration was an essential component in this project. Admittedly, I’d designed a complex piece incorporating traditional joinery (rivets and tenons) and multiple curves. Guitar pick garlands from ‘Succulent Tree’ were repurposed in this wall hanging, providing color and depth to a previously bland space.
'Succulent Tree' was a 5-tiered feast of succulents, twinkle lights, mosses, and guitar pick garland!
As the Westin’s official holiday tree for 2016, 'Succulent Tree' was on view through the month of December 2016. The story behind this commission is heart-warming...
A devoted husband wanted to surprise his wife with a custom-made gift for their 6th wedding anniversary. The year # 6 traditional wedding gift is IRON, so he set out looking for a gift in that medium... I attended a blacksmithing conference last week!
Salt Lake City's local NBC-affiliate produced a news article and 3-minute video for which I and fellow blacksmiths were interviewed.... At the conference, I spent most of my time assisting in the ‘Railing Project’ tent, managed by John Barron, where a forged railing was created and permanently installed as part of the workshop. Prior to the conference, a request was made for rings for the railing. As per the ring specs, I forge-welded a 7” outside-diameter ring from 1/4” x 1” flat bar, then created an original design for the interior of the ring -- in my case, a ‘stylized butterfly’ design. This petite sculpture incorporates steel, rose quartz, and copper highlights.
The forged steel elements are brazed together with copper, providing subtle highlights to the piece. The rose quartz rock is from a Llano County (Texas) property. These rocks are so beautiful... Believe me, I’ll be using this source of quartz in future works! The compact size of this piece makes it perfect for a desk top, mantel, coffee table, or credenza. ‘Wind Totem’ measures 11” tall x 8” wide x 5” deep.  This slender sculpture emulates sea grasses undulating in the ocean’s current.
‘Underwater Wisps’ features textured tapers, a bulbous pod, and a hint of an anemone emerging from the base. The compact size of this piece makes it a suitable accent for a bookshelf, fireplace mantel, or desk credenza. Or as a gift to your favorite marine biologist!... ‘Underwater Wisps’ measures 15” tall x 7” wide x 3” deep. This tabletop sculpture is the first in a new series inspired by ‘slice patterns,’ such as cross-sections of red cabbage or wood grain patterns.
Each sculpture in this series will feature ‘pass-through’ joinery, a traditional blacksmithing technique. For example, this sculpture focuses attention on the textured flat bar which has been pierced and threaded onto a central element in 6 places. Butterflies have long been considered a symbol of transformation, endurance, hope, and life. The symbolism associated with butterflies made working on this piece a joy.
Cousin Mark wanted a tabletop butterfly sculpture for his wife who adores butterflies. Aside from those parameters, I was given carte blanche when designing the piece. |
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