Artistic and Functional Ironwork in Greenfield, MA
Bloom Iron
What is ‘bloom iron’?
This material began as iron rich rocks that I collected from old mine sites deep in the woods of Vermont. These are then sorted, roasted, broken into pieces, and finally smelted in a clay furnace with charcoal. This process removes impurities and creates an iron “bloom” through chemical transformation (and maybe a little magic). This is the same process utilized by our ancestors for thousands of years to create forgeable iron from raw earth. The material is unique from modern steel and is not attainable through any other method. Each bloom is unique in its character and chemical properties. A balance of calculation, intuition, and observation is the basis of each step. A skilled “bloom-smith” can guide the process but must also be willing to let go of total control and work with the individual nature of each bloom.
Bloom iron sculpture:
These sculptures are an exploration of bloom iron’s unique qualities. Their creation through forging involves spontaneity and are a practice of observation and letting go that hopefully also results in some expression originating in myself.
” Everything Changes Everything: a homage to ”Nyamakala #1′ “
19″x11″x4″
FOR SALE
“Growing Pain”
8″ tall
FOR SALE
“An old man reaches the top of the hill and finds a hole in his heart”