In the beginning there were the four elements ; Earth and Air, FIRE and Water. Of all of these, Fire was the most mysterious to our ancestors. It was the ability to harness Fire that would lead us on the long technological road that would bring us to our modern world. Of all the basic elements, Fire is the agent of transformation. Fire allows the conversion of rock to metal, of sand to glass, of mud to ceramic.

Even to the modern artisan, fire remains a mysterious agent of transformation.

celebrates those crafts people who still directly employ Fire as a fundamental tool in their creative process.

Woodstock Museum

National Historic Site

466 Dundas St
Woodstock Ontario, Canada

September 10 to October 29, 2005

Out of the Fiery Furnace is an exhibit of the work of contemporary artisans, each of whom must have personally manipulated materials at high temperatures during the creation process. Individual works are produced from forged steels and bronze, blown and lamp worked glass, cast and fused metals. Objects range from the practical to the whimsical...

A Note from the Curator:
This exhibit started from the title. Out of the Fiery Furnace has such a great ring to it. It suggested a gathering of works where incandescent temperature would be the major factor in the creation process. As an blacksmith myself, I well understood the processes at the forge. Over the years I have also worked with various metal casting methods. I had also taken brief workshops in both blown and lamp worked glass - at least enough for me to gain some insight to just how complex these media truly are.
Heat transforms rigid glass and steel into plastic materials, given enough temperature they will even become liquids. The delight for the artist is their ability to create forms at these states, effectively locking their imaginations in place for others to see. The process of creation is a dance of tools with materials, where the shaping is elemental to the artistic drive. Glass and steel are also distinctive among artistic mediums because of their longevity. With the most basic care, the life spans of the pieces you see before you are measured in centuries.
The selection process for the artisans represented here was a bit unusual. Individuals were juried on the strength of their past work, rather than choosing individual objects for the exhibit. In this way, each was encouraged to create new works, many specifically for this presentation. For several, this is their first evolvement in a juried exhibition of work. I believe you will find the range and scope of the objects before you will provide you a glimpse of the possibilities that arise - Out of the Fiery Furnace.
Darrell Markewitz

A Virtual Tour...

These are lower resolution images!

All objects listed left to right
Starting into the Grand Ballroom...


JOHN NEWMAN Gothic Door Knocker work by Kathryn Thomson at rear	KATHRYN THOMSON 'The Waiting Pool' 'To Catch a Mermaid 'Tree Spirits' DARRELL MARKEWITZ 'Atlantic Realm # 1' Molkeme Bracelet	KEVIN PEFFERS 'Tree Table'	BRAD ALLEN 'Alien Cord' JOHN NEWMAN Chair KELLY PROBYN-SMITH 'Mask # 2' 'Mask # 1' 'Guardian Stick'


ANTHONY MOORE 'Tools from the Fire' BOB COOK Window Grill JIM WALLACE Table	MARK LEWIS Untitled JIM WALLACE 'Baby's Rattle' DAVID ROBERTSON Damascus Knife JOHN PIRKER Three sided bowl Black and white vase(far right) TANYA ZARYSKI 'Nest on top'	JIM WALLCE Chandelier CATHERINE VAMVAKAS LAY Water Vessel #1 Water Vessel #2	CATHERINE VAMVAKAS LAY 'Flames' Series (left and right) ROB MARTIN 'the Necromancer'


DAVID ROBERTSON 'Classical Gate' 'Organic Gate'	ALEXANDRE KAPRAN (rear line) 'Summer' 'Empress' 'Black Queen' 'Contemplation' 'Fish' 'Icarus' SANDRA DUNN (front) 'Penis & Vagina Hammer' DARRELL MARKEWITZ 'Trouble for Chieftains'	KATHY ASHBY 'Remember the Magic' Series Slipper One Slipper Two Slipper Three (far right) BRAD ALLEN Cross Replica Fossil Mount Candle Holder	DAVID ROBERTSON 'Forged Vessel'


BRIAN ASHBY 'Tropical' (rear) 'Torso' 'One Love' BOB COOK Candle Holder JOHN BURTON 'Offering Bowl'	JANIS BOOK 'Trivet'(far left)) Candelabra(far right) DARRELL MARKEWITZ 'Norse Tools' (centre front) JIM WALLACE Candelabra(centre rear)	MARK ARMSTRONG 'Asymmetrical Vase' Violet Bubble Bowl Clear Bubble Bowl 'Jack Frost Vase' Blue on Blue Paperweight (front row) LYDIA ILARION 'Dionysus' JOHN NEWMAN 'How about a Kiss'	JOHN BURTON 'Midgardsormr' JANIS BOOK 'Celtic Cross' (rear)

It is hoped that what you see here will inspire you to visit...

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

BRAD ALLEN

My chosen medium is iron. It's plasticity when hot allows for the creation of limitless design and structure. It's solidity when cold offers a longevity not possible with many other materials. This can be both a blessing and a curse. Good work will last many lifetimes, and so unfortunately, will poor work. The challenge then is to make every piece my best, something worthy of the material, and to maintain standards of design and craftsmanship which will not become easily dated. I seldom make more than one of any article. If I repeat a design it is never quite the same, constantly evolving as I discover better, or more interesting , ways of proceeding. Every piece I make teaches me something about this material and about myself as an artisan. In a world filled with mass produced, unexceptional, throw-away dross, I try and produce only those items which I think may have some lasting value.

My past work has involved me in the areas of sculpture, armour, furniture, historic reproduction and architectural ironwork. I have worked as a museum interpreter, and during time in Britain I was able to take part in the production of thatching irons for fifth generation Norfolk thatchers, and made wrought iron keel bolts for an English narrow boat.
I am currently working in an industrial context, forging iron armatures for the mounting of museum fossils, most notably dinosaur bones.

Cross
forged mild steel : 5 X 2 .5"
NFS
This began as a piece of 1" square material. The peripheral iron was fullered away leaving the desired shape, in this instance a cross, standing out in bold relief. A simple, but effective technique.

Candle Holder
forged mild steel : 4.5 X 6.5"
NFS
As do most blacksmiths, I often try and forge an item out of one piece of iron. Stretching, splitting, upsetting and drawing down, all to change the dimension and shape to suit the project at hand. In this case, however, I decided to make one small item out of six individual, found, scrap shapes. Joined together, and laid one atop the other. Each piece, hopefully, complimenting the next.

Replica Fossil Mount
forged mild steel : 6 X 8 X 20"
NFS
This is a polyester resin cast reproduction of an Iguanodon dorsal vertebra, with an iron stand. Iguanodon was a common, early Cretaceous, ornithopod dinosaur. It's remains were amongst the first dinosaur fossils to be discovered. I was intrigued by the sculptural qualities of this vertebra, it's distortion and reshaping in over one hundred million years of burial in the earth. The iron is shaped to reflect this.

Alien Chord
forged mild steel : 28 X 12"
When I first saw this flat spiral twist used in square or round stock, my thought was to see how these twists would intertwine. I had intended to use several of these to form the balusters in a stair railing. When I made this sample piece the free formed rivets suggested to me the pegs of a stringed instrument, some unearthly harp, as well as a musical notation. Thus, alien chord.

Brad Allen
Beamsville Ontario

MARK ARMSTRONG

A descendant of 19th Century Canadian glassblowers, Mark Armstrong has spent more than a decade and a half mastering his centuries-old craft. He continually explores various techniques and influences while striving to challenge the glass to new design directions. Whether it is a large bowl or vase or a small paperweight, his work invites you to examine its simple elegance with all your senses. Enjoy the shapes and colours, the weight of the glass, the sound it can make, and the way it will warm in your hand. In recent years, Marks concentration has been focused on the creation of paperweights, becoming one of Canada's most proficient individual paperweight makers. He has designed both large and small weights using precious metals as well as specialty glasses such as dichroic and UV sensitive glass. Commissions have included VIA Rail, Telus, AT&T and the Provincial Government.

Mark Armstrong began blowing glass in 1987 as a student at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. Since then, Mark has continued his education with courses at Penland School of Crafts and various professional workshops. In 1993, Mark co-founded Bloomfield Glassworks, a 3500 square-foot glassblowing studio in the small village of Bloomfield Ontario. In that time Mark has been working as a full time glassblower, continually learning, creating and improving his skills in the art form.

"Glass has the appearance of fragility. One is awed by it and is afraid to touch it in case it breaks. Yet, archaeologists continue to find evidence of glass from 2000 years ago. There is something that draws me to glass, I can't pinpoint it exactly, but it's almost magical. It's ritual, the rhythm, fire smoke and sweat involved in the process of blowing glass. I'm not trying to say anything profound with my glass. I'm concerned with making simple, elegant, well-formed objects, whether functional or decorative"

Violet Bubble bowl
blown glass : 10 x 6 "
Price $425

Clear Bubble bowl
blown glass : 8 X4"
Price $210

Jack Frost vase
blown glass with glue chip, 13 x 5"
Price $400

Asymmetrical vase
blown glass : 10 x 4"
Price $160

Blue on Blue paperweight
blown glass : 3" dia
Price $65

Bloomfield Glassworks
Bloomfield Ontario
613-399-3552 / vanessa@reach.net

KATHY FILIPOVIC ASHBY

Kathy studied art and design at Sheridan College, Mississauga, Ontario, 1972-74 Glassblowing Major. She first publicly demonstrated the art of blowing glass at Harbourfront Craft Studios' inaugural year of 1974. Due to her interest in fine detail, in 1982 she studied Lampworking glass in miniatures. Kathy continues to create new and exciting pieces, participating/demonstrating in numerous shows and has received several awards of excellence for her work including the Muskoka Arts and Crafts 'People's Choice' Award. Her creations reflect the delight and imagination with which she handles the medium GLASS. Oct./04 Kathy was nominated for a YWCA, Woman of Distinction Award, in the Arts Category.

"Working with hot glass is an emotional experience you will come to understand when you can imagine the medium at 3,000F. The sensual flow holds your attention in a magic spell. Imagine free-form glass created from intense heat with the flames licking the sides of the shapes transforming them towards timeless suspension."

"Remember the Magic " Series
Slipper One
Slipper Two
Retail Price $280.00
Slipper Three
Retail Price $300.00
7 x 4 x 3"
Hot glass (lampworked) with satin pillow base

Ashby Glass Studios
#2415 Manitoba St.
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1X4
705-385-2989
web link

BRIAN THOMAS ASHBY

A graduate of Sheridan College, School of Design and a former photographer, Brian has met the formidable technical challenge of glass making with skill and inspiration. He produces objects of art, glowing with vitality. He feels there is a fourth dimension to glass that changes and plays with light. Glass is now considered a fine art medium, although tools and techniques have not changed over the centuries. Breathing new life into an ancient art, Brian continues to receive numerous awards and is represented in collections worldwide.

"The glassy state is a combination of primal elements and human intuition. Hot glass has an ephemeral quality that captures the imagination giving the creative mind a turn on the dance floor. Personally I feel humbled having so many years of ritual and tradition to respect. Creating glass art is a responsibility and a privilege." Brian Ashby

Torso
Hot glass (fumed) with marble base : 6 x 3 x 4"cm
Retail Price $475.00

One Love
pressed glass sculpture two parts with marble base : 12 x 12 X 6"
Price $2500.00

Tropical
shard coloured hot carved glass plus metal stand : 8 X 8 X 2"
price $450.00

Ashby Glass Studios
#2415 Manitoba St.
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1X4
705-385-2989

JANIS BOOK

Janis has been smithing off and on for the past seven years. Finding a home for a coal burning forge has periodically been a challenge. The small shed she is currently working out of has a direct impact on the range of projects she can take on. Many of her past commissions were of a liturgical nature, consisting mostly of crosses, candleholders, hooks and cradles for water bowls. Janis's work has been exhibited in the United States and at shows in Southwestern Ontario and Toronto. Currently she is designing a series of steel containers.

"Fire & air, earth and water were once conserved the four elemental substances of our world. In this day and age where plastic is a staple, my experience working with these elements touches something within me. The simplicity of heating steel in the forge, hammering and shaping it on the anvil and cooling it in water to create items of beauty and function serves to connect me to a past I know only through story. Learning to forge steel has altered the way I see the world. Things that on the surface bear no relationship to my medium are translated in my minds eye into elements within my designs. The process of releasing the organic elements within something that is hard and linear evident in all my work."

Trivet:
forged mild steel : 15 X 25 X 10"
Price: ($300)
Variations on a theme combining functional with artistic design ranging from organic shapes to mythical creatures.

Candelabra:
forged mild steel : 15 X 25 X 10"
Price: ($300)
A free-form design depicting wild organic undergrowth.

Celtic Cross
forged mild steel : 5' x 3.5'
Price: $1500
Steel layered on steel to give a substantial 3-dimensional look to the piece. The arm braces mimic the circles typical of Celtic stone crosses. The top layer is designed to soften the flat linear foundation. The open space in the centre could be used to mount an engraved plaque.

the Peregrine Forge
2-778 Hamilton Road,
London, Ontario N5Z 1T9
519-951-1287 / peregrineforge@execulink.com

JOHN BURTON

John Burton started off his working life at the tender age of 15 as an apprentice aircraft engineer at Hawker Siddeley Aviation in Manchester England. He then spent the next 27 years working in many different fields of the aircraft industry in both England and Canada. At the time he did not fully realize that this experience would one day become far more useful in the Art of Blacksmithing. But it took a downturn and layoff from the high tech aircraft industry to convince him. It was really just a natural progression from one to the other, the basics of metal work have not really changed for hundreds of years, they are just more refined, and more mechanized.

Once he started working with metal was a passion he whole heartedly threw himself into mastering. It was a steep learning curve, to relearn skills that were required, and to develop the calluses, as John became a full time Blacksmith over the course of about one year. Alas all good things must come to an end and after a few years of working solely as a blacksmith the needs of his family outweighed his love of the work. And so the requirement of a new truck and the offer of a six month contract ended up in another 6 year stint in the aircraft business. Fortunately this has now ended and John can now pursue his Blacksmithing career at a more leisurely pace, making what he "wants" to make rather than what he is paid to.

"My influences come from both the Medieval and Celtic styles of art, although I do not generally reproduce specific pieces, I take my own direction. I really like to work at combining different materials together. Also a high element of hand working seems to typify the work I produce. Being a Virgo, I have this terrible need for perfection, it can really interfere with trying to do things as a business. My wife always says that I try to complicate things rather than simplify them. Fortunately I am now in a position where I can spend the time I feel I need to work on what I decide to produce."

Cloak Pin
forged bronze, polished finish : 3" dia.
Cost 60$
Modern Stylistic Leaf Design, based on circa First Century Pennanular Brooch.

Dragon Bowl
mild steel sheet and bar, waxed finish : 8" dia. 7" high.
Cost NFS.
Tripod Mounted Bowl with Dragon Heads and Feet, one head two feet each. Hand Forged

Midgardsormr - Offering Bowl
Hand forged Mild Steel Sheet and bar, Copper tube and Brass rivets, Carburized Beeswax and Clear Lacquer finish : 10" dia. 5" high
Cost 300$
One of a series of offering bowls. Mounting design based on a, circa First Century Norse/Viking style, Serpent Brooch found in Oland Sweden. Midgardsormr is the serpent of chaos which none the less binds the world together.

Woodside Forge
Hockley Valley - RR # 1
Orangeville ON, L9W 2Y8
519-941-3026

BOB COOK

Born in 1958, Bob's apprenticeship as an industrial blacksmith started in the steel mills of his home town of Hamilton Ontario in 1976. This setting allowed him to work with large forgings (up to 1500 lbs) under powerful steam driven hammers. He also worked smaller stocks producing lifting equipment and assorted hand tools for use by other tradesmen in the plant. General repairs were also the order of the day. He now works from his home studio, producing unique one of a kind pieces of decorative metalware.

"Much like music,blacksmithing transcends gender and range; geography and time. The moment the material is forged between hammer and anvil all borders are relinquished. The results of my labour, seen in each piece, is as individual as are snowflakes.
'Every one a picture - no two the same'"

Window Grill
forged mild steel : 12 x 18"
NFS
The structure and rigidity of the scrolls is in stark contrast to the floral shapes. A gothic arch frames the two elements.

Candle Holder
forged mild steel
Price $75

Bob Cook
Hamilton Ontario

SANDRA DUNN

Sandra Dunn started blacksmithing in 1995 after completing a BFA at the University of Waterloo. Commissions include gates, railings, hardware, fountains, and furniture in mild steel, wrought iron, stainless steel and copper.

"My interest in this type of work has to do, primarily, with engaging on a very physical level with the shaping of material that has a long history of serving both an ornamental and functional purpose: the construction of gates, railings, hardware objects that are both useful and meaningful. Even as a child, I recognized that it was the act of making things that delighted me the thing itself, once completed, has always held very little interest to me whether it be a lego town, or a shoebox dollhouse. For me, the process of discovering and choosing the appropriate materials and then setting about shaping them and then watching the thing appear before my eyes was everything. Over the past ten years I have learned a great deal from others who have been fortunate enough to serve apprenticeships in Europe in both blacksmithing and coppersmithing. I am painfully aware of my lack of formal training as a blacksmith and yet I am also aware of the fact that I have been honing this risky business of intuitively diving headfirst into a project in an attempt to achieve what seems improbable with the mantra, Don't turn your back on your gut, tied to my belly. I hope that it gets me somewhere. On some level I know that it already has."

Penis and Vagina Hammer
truck axle and maple : 4" x 2" x 14"
NFS
This is something I've been wanting to make for a few years. It's not an attempt to make a profound statement. It's really just, for me, an obvious piece that needed to be made. It reflects my interest in the ritual objects that I saw in Tom Joyce's exhibition of African Ironwork. This is simply my version of the creation story a reflection on upon what happens at the forge where earth, fire, wind and water play their tricks.

Two Smiths
13-141 Whitney Pl.
Kitchener, ON N2G 2X8
519-571-9538
www.twosmiths.ca

LYDIA ILARION

Lydia Ilarion is an artist with a wide range of experience from design art through sculpture and art jewelry. Recently her interest focused on projects that require extensive research on symbols and signs from different cultures. In her works she approaches the subject as a designer who is interested in the function of objects, and as an artist dedicated to the creation of aesthetic pieces for personal admiration.

" I have always been interested in ancient cultures who have tradition in the use of zoomorphic imagery in their metal art works. My work is oriented towards exploration of ancient forms and their application to the creation of objects for contemporary use".

Animals of Power - "Dionysius"
cast bronze, constructed copper and silver : 7 X 9 X 5"
Price $4500
The idea comes from my research on the use of animals in ancient rituals. I have selected seven animals equally important in the use of sacred rituals in ancient times. I have organized the similarities between the use of astral signs, planets, symbols and related magical powers from different cultures in charts. Using the method of creative rearrangement I have generated pictograms to represent the summary of the magical animal power on the rim of each vessel. The result is a cauldron - decorative and functional bringing animal magic back to our lives.
Animals of Power are group vessels that relate to the idea of animals as a source of magical power. Each of the seven animals is shaped as a cauldron decorated on the rim with pictograms derived from the most typical symbols they are related with.
The first and most popular animal in ancient times is the Bull.
Associated with the god Dionysius and used in rituals related with death, growth and rebirth. I have built the body of the bull in a form of a container with a rim decorated with pictograms. The vessel is formed using the ancient method of lost wax casting where copper bronze is melted in a furnace and poured into a special clay mold.

Iadesign
1225 St.Marc # 1102,
Montreal, Quebec H3H 2E7
514 989 8347 / lydia@iladesign.com
www.iladesign.com

ALEXANDRE KAPRAN

Since 1984, Alexandre Kapran has been creating extraordinary functional and non-functional glass sculptures by applying flame-working technology, engraving, sandblasting, stone cutting and metalwork. Each piece is unique. Alexandre has been working in his Toronto studio since immigrating from Russia in 1990. His sculptures reside in the Permanent Collections of the Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Canada, the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, as well as the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia. His works have been documented in 23 articles in both Canadian and American professional and mass media publications. He has also partaken in 9 TV broadcasts, as well as one full format documentary reflecting his artistic career. In 1994, Alexandre received the honour of being the first glass artist specializing in flamework to be elected as a member of the Sculptor's Society of Canada - the only national organization devoted entirely to sculpture. More recently, Alexandre's groundbreaking development of a new technique known as Dynamic Sculpture led to an invitation to demonstrate at the GAS Conference 2002 in Amsterdam, Holland. Subsequently, Alexandre created a "remarkable glass link evening dress" [David Graham. Toronto Star, May 13, 2005] exhibited at the GAS Conference in Toronto in 2003. This dress in its entirety is made of glass - indeed, its historical significance has provided Alexandre with much acclaim.

"My driving force has always been to introduce Harmony into peoples' lives Glass very much resembles Love itself: it is delicate, yet hard, eternal if cared for, yet short-lived if left neglected, resilient, yet strangely, fragile To me, flamework has always been a joyful meditation, during which Harmony expresses itself through intricate and diverse designs, offering to new life, healing the wounds - rebirth in its purest form "

Icarus
lampworked glass : 26 x
Price : $9200
Escape may be checked by water and land, but the air is free.... Icarus is standing on the clouds ready to fly high into the heavens, resolute, though death might be the ultimate price for his Freedom... Just as the Ocean rests upon the hard surface of the Earth, so follows the sculpture... From rock to glass, from black, to clear and then fading to a rich cobalt-blue... From the Land into the Sky; from solid to fluid... From ephemeral to the Verge of Movement.

Empress
lampworked glass : 12 X 8 X 8"
Price : $3450
The "Empress" is deceiving in her very nature... Seemingly static and unchanging, she is yearning to break free, ready to move, to live... if only within the rigid boundaries of the permissible. - True royalty indeed, forever balancing between freedom and restriction. The "Empress" is the second dynamic sculpture that I made.

Contemplation
lampworked glass : 15 X 9 X 6"
Price : $5750
Contemplation of what? ... Contemplation by whom? - If we observe the World around us, are we then observed by the Universe in turn and with the same, if not a higher scrutiny? - for every road is traveled in two directions - In all Fairness the answer should be positive: yes. Humanity is constantly scrutinized by invisible uncountable eyes that watch and notice everything. Some of them are hostile, some - indifferent, some - friendly, but all vigilant and taking notice, contemplating us calmly until the Day of...

Fish
Price : $920
lampworked glass : 9"
Price $800,00
A functional sculpture-perfume container; clear and coloured glass; mounted on a square 3-layers laminated glass and blue mirror base decorated by the crackle.

Black Queen
lampworked glass : 11"
Price : $1725
A functional sculpture-perfume container; clear and coloured glass decorated by etching, tinting and enamel; mounted on a cylindrical glass and granite base.

Summer
lampworked glass : 6"
Price $1725

Alexandre Kapran
81 Northern Heights Drive, Unit 19A,
Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 4C9
905-763-9714 / akapran@ica.net
www.ABCanada.net

MARK LEWIS

Beginning his glass career in 1988, Mark Lewis has always drawn on his personal experience as inspiration in creating his sometimes quirky, always elegant functional glassware. Early works were decorated with fused glass spaceships or animals, and were titled "Alien Invasion", or "What Toxic Waste Did to my Pet". More recently Mark has moved into using a high-fire glass enamel paint to introduce the decorative element. Influenced by architectural detailing, as well as traditional quilt designs and textiles, maps, and patterns in nature Mark has created a new body of work.
Much of this shift in focus was begun as Mark left his native Toronto to set up shop in the Beaver Valley, near Collingwood. In traveling around the valley and surrounding areas, he has begun absorbing the shapes and colours which signal the changing seasons. Different patterns of fields and forests replace buildings and automobiles as his inspiration. Working with multiple layers of clear glass and painted decoration the object's interior becomes a metaphor for the overlapping of seasons and the passage of time.

Untitled
Solid-formed glass with paradise paint, graal technique w/ aluminum base
Price $1500
The piece selected for the Fiery Furnace exhibition has a repeated window motif within each layer of glass. The window indicates a portal through which private or hidden memories are glimpsed in brief moments, like a lit house interior passed in the car on a dark night. While appearing as if it should open, or offer a functional service, this object is not utilitarian. It is mysterious in both its purpose and its method of creation. It is an object of contemplation.

Beaver Valley Glass Works
235731 Grey Rd 13
Kimberly Ontario
519-599-5567 / marklewisglass@sympatico.ca

DARRELL MARKEWITZ

Darrell Markewitz has been blacksmithing, with a special focus on historic work, since the late 1970's. He first picked up the hammer while a student at the Ontario College of Art. As a living history interpreter, he has demonstrated before literally millions of people, including working as primary blacksmith at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto in the late 1980's. In 1992 he established 'the Wareham Forge' in lower Gray County (near Flesherton, Ontario), working full time and concentrating on historic reproductions and original art designs. His personal work combines the lines of ancient Celtic and Norse artifacts with those of Art Nouveau into a style he calls 'Rivendale'. Recently he splits his time between museum work, teaching, and creation of unique pieces, mainly for gardens.
His interest in the Viking Age goes back to the mid 70's , originally as a re-enactor. In 1993 he combined his experience with living history, skill as an artisan, and knowledge of the Viking Age into the creation of the 'Norse Encampment'. This series of living history programs includes the representation of daily live in the Viking Age created for Parks Canada for L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC. He has worked as a consultant and staff trainer on the Newfoundland Museum's 'Full Circle - First Contact' and the Smithsonian's 'Vikings - North Atlantic Saga.' Another major museum project was the creation of the 1000 square foot exhibit 'World of the Norse' for the Cranbrook Institute of Science in 2003. Darrell was part of a special team assembled by Parks Canada in 2001 that ran an experimental smelt at L'Anse aux Meadows. Since 2002, he has organized an ongoing series of experimental smelts at the Wareham Forge.

Trouble for Chieftains
forge welded steels, copper & nickel alloy, caribou antler : 20"
Price $800
Often the terms 'Damascus' and 'Pattern Welding' are used interchangeably. From the standpoint of archaeology, 'Pattern Welding' refers to a very specific technique. The method was developed in Northern Europe, especially Denmark and northern Germany, with the height of use during the 7th to 10th centuries. In pattern welding, layers of differing carbon content metals are stacked and welded as with other regional techniques. After the first weld however, the billet is drawn out to thin, square rods. These rods are then twisted, usually matching but mirror images of each other. At this stage, the rods are then welded back into a solid block, which serves as the core of the blade. The cutting edge is welded on separately, and may itself formed of flat stacked layers. Generally these blades have a lower total count in number of layers, but the use of the twisted core rods results in swords of greater flexibility. The resulting blades have distinctive herring bone patterns running up the centre after finishing and etching. The term 'seax' (pronounced saks) means quite simply - knife. The invaders to the British Isles in the 6th and 7th centuries carried a distinctive blade pattern, with a straight bottom edge and a slight slope from just back of the point to a narrower neck before the hilt. The shape was so distinctive, the group came to be known for their word for the knife - the Saxons.
This medium length blade is composed of a total of 441 layers. Two pattern welded slabs are composed of four rods each in a mix of 1018 / L6 / wrought iron. These are welded to a block of 1095 carbon steel that forms the core and cutting edge. The guard is composed of a layer of molkeme, in this case formed of 25 layers of copper and nickel silver. This billet was forged by peening and punching, then ground flat to expose the layers.

Norse Smith's Tools
forged steels, split maple : set
NFS
This is a set of reproduction tools, based on artifacts from the 'Mastermyr' tool box find from Gotland, circa 1150 AD. The set includes blacksmith's hammer, tongs, dishing hammer.

Molkeme Bracelet
fused copper and nickel alloy : 1.5 x 3 x 2"
Price $300
The parent block of this material was composed of 25 layers. The billet was patterned by forging using a straight and ball peen hammer, then ground flat to expose the layers.

Atlantic Realm #1
forged mild steel : 4 x 4 x 8"
Price $150
At the recent CANIRON conference in Annapolis Royal NS I was inspired by the work styles of smiths from England, Germany and across Canada and the USA. Much of the incredible work displayed in the gallery exhibit there featured heavy bars extensively sculpted by forging. Its also hard not to visit the East Coast without the ocean effecting you...

the Wareham Forge
RR # 2 - Wareham
Proton Station ON, N0C 1L0
519-923-9219 / info@warehamforge.ca
www.warehamforge.ca

ROB MARTIN

"I have always considered armour a form of sculpture and have concentrated most of my efforts expressing my personal style in the medium. As much as I respect and admire historical armour, I am by no means a historical purist and have no qualms about experimenting widely with different styles and techniques to achieve a desired effect. I have worked as a part time and full time blacksmith for 18 years now. During this time, I have produced thousands of items in addition to armour. Railings, gates, furniture, hardware, fireplace and garden accessories, etc. etc. In the struggle to survive as a business, it is often hard to express artistry as fully as I'd like in day to day custom work, but this compels me to occasionally strive beyond. "

The Necromancer
18" x 24"
Price $1,450
This piece was actually inspired by a Michel Angelo sculpture of a romanesque soldier. It is therefore a romanticized Renaissance version of Roman Armour and so an early form of "Fantasy Armour". The breast plate was beaten out of 18 gauge steel being about the same thickness and weight of historical armour. Brass, leather and wool accents complete the piece.

Robb Martin
2282 Floradale Rd.,
Floradale, Ontario N3B 1V0
519-669-0721 Toll free: 1-866-664-3622 / info@thak.ca
www.thak.ca

ANTHONY MOORE

Anthony uses traditional blacksmithing techniques and equipment such as; riveting, mortise and tendon, forge welding, coal forge, hammer and anvil, along with some modern equipment to create his hand forged designs. Anthony designs and makes all his pieces to his own or the clients needs. He has done commissions such as; furniture, arbors, sculpture, gates and railings, fire screens, chandeliers and lighting for clients from Quebec to British Columbia. Anthony lives in a wonderful rural community where he is also asked to make or fix tools or repair a part of outdated farming equipment.
Anthony was trained as a sheet metal journeyman and worked in the commercial sheet metal industry for over ten years. This training taught him layout and thought process for the total project. He combines that process and strong design to create his pieces. For the past six years Anthony has been forging metal to create artistic and functional pieces. In the autumn of 2002 Anthony's studio, Live Iron Forge, was opened and he has been blacksmithing full time since.
The name of Anthony's studio, Live Iron Forge, was inspired by the life of the hot metal as it is forged with hammer and anvil. The enduring properties of metal give the pieces a strong lasting appearance. Forms of the pieces Anthony creates can be bold and robust to intricate and graceful.

Tools from the Fire for the Fire
forged mild steel and forged bronze : 36 x 12"
Price: $685
Fire place set: poker, shovel, broom and tongs

Live Iron Forge
224476 Southgate Rd 22 - RR 2
Holstein, On N0G 2A0
519-334-3238
www.liveironforge.ca

JOHN NEWMAN

John has been Blacksmithing for 15 years. He was self taught, working on his own for the first eight years. At this point he joined ABANA and OABA and has participated in several conferences and taken advanced blacksmithing courses in the US. Past work has included candlesticks, small sculpture, tables, and an Advent candle stand for a Church. Much of his forge time has also been spent learning techniques rather than producing a particular item. In the past 2 years, since becoming self employed much of his forging has been industrial work such as tongs for the steel industry. Now that he is becoming established he is moving back towards the artistic end blacksmithing.

"I enjoy the plasticity of hot steel and the challenge of getting it to do the things I want it to do, although occasionally the steel finds a better way to express my goals. Doing my best to make beautiful things is generally more important to me than trying to make a social commentary with my art."

Chair
forged steel with wood seat : 24 x 24 x 36"
Price : $1,800
Steel allows exploration of different designs for chairs and challenging what a chair should look like.

Gothic Styled Door Knocker
forged and chased steel : 3 x 3.5 x 10"
Price : $6,500
The soldier on the door knocker started as a piece of square bar and was forged and chased to the figure. I quite enjoy this style of work but it is very time consuming and meticulous work.

How about a Kiss
forged steel tube : 8X8X8
Price: $1400
This sculpture came from an experiment with steel tubing, the lips sort of formed themselves so I formed the rest to suit them.

Newman Forge & Pattern Inc.
180 Princess St
Hamilton ON. L8L 3L3
905-544-5691 / johnnewman@sympatico.ca

KEVIN PEFFERS

Kevin Peffers studied as a mechanical engineer in the 1990's and received his Masters in Engineering in 1997. As an engineer Kevin could not find an outlet for his creativity and craftsmanship. He decided to start-up Peffers Plane & Anvil Ltd in the summer of 2001 to fulfill a life long dream. From the beginning Kevin's mission was to create one of a kind, time enduring "classics." Since then Kevin has created a wide array of projects in both wood and iron for his clients in the Great Toronto Area. His shop is located in Burlington, Ontario.

"My mission is to produce outstanding functional pieces of art. Be it a railing, a set of doors, some furniture, or anything else, the outcome must exceed the expectations of the client. Only by building a rapport with the client can I realize their needs and requirements. As an artist I must also satisfy my own artistic integrity. It won't leave my shop unless I am satisfied. I achieve this quality by completing every process of a project from the design right down to the finish and the installation. Each component of a project is handcrafted by myself. "

Tree Table
forged mild steel with natural wood top : 30 x 18"
Price $2,850
The top of the table is made of a one piece 4" thick tree trunk section, with the live edge retained. The base is made up of several large mild steel leaves which are forged into a curved shape. Beneath the leaves there is a vine like supporting structure, made from 1/2-5/8 solid round mild steel, to serve as "legs."

Peffers Plane & Anvil Ltd
905-632-4549
www.planeandanvil.com

JOHN PIRKER

This talented and emerging artist had his roots in an engineering career that lasted ten years until completing a glass-blowing workshop, which literally transformed his life. Since the mid-1990 s, John has continued to be enraptured by glass, pursuing many community workshops and eventually successfully graduating from the Crafts and Design Program at Sheridan College. Since 1999 he has been a resident artist at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga. His work is available at craft shows and through selected galleries and shops. In the fall of 2002, some of his work was purchased and collected by former US president Bill Clinton.

"Working with glass has always been a exciting and fresh experience for me. Whether working with vibrant colours or a simple palette of black and white, I try to capture a feeling of movement and growth in my work. Through constant work and experimentation with colour and form, I try to move my work into new and different directions. "

Black and white vase
handblown glass : 22 X 8"
Price: $500.00.
The vase is black with white trails with a wavy lip. The piece is flower-like in shape with a central stalk-like base and a wavy flower-like top. The vase was created out of two separate pieces glued together.

Three sided black bowl with white and pink centre
handblown glass : 11"
price: $300.00.
The bowl is a transparent black bowl with a colour centre of white and pink, there is vine-like pattern sandblasted around the rim of the bowl.

Urthglass
300 Bloor Street East - #3103
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3Y2
(416) 934-1071 / john@urthglass.com
www.urthglass.com

KELLY PROBYN-SMITH

Kelly is fairly new to the world of metalworking. She has been observing it and participating in a limited fashion over the past few years, but has not managed to get much actual experience until the last few months. She is fascinated with the possibilities of the medium for both practical and decorative purposes and looks forward to exploring them to their fullest potential. She hopes that her work as a make-up artist, as well as her fascinations with texture, culture and history will take her work in a unique and interesting direction. She looks forward to the day when her skills are able to keep up with the endless flow of inspiration she receives from all of her interests.

Guardian Stick
forged mild steel with copper and wood : 3"x 28" (stand, 42 x10")
Price $225
What began as a face, or a small mask out of a piece of angle iron developed into a figure. I began to think of it as 'the watcher'. While it was still in progress a friend was visiting and mentioned that it reminded him of the ancestral spirit sticks carved by some African tribes. At first I began to research them to try to see if I wanted to attempt to make it more like these sticks, but soon realized that it was going to be its own entity no matter what I did, and allowed it to develop into itself.

Mask 1
forged mild steel sheet with ribbons : 6 x8.5"
Price: $75

Mask 2
forged mild steel sheet with ribbons : 5x12"
Price: $75
Masks always surprise me. Of all the masks I've ever made, they begin as one thing and end up being far more primal than my original conception, yet still manage to communicate the original intent. Making a mask is always far more educational than the maker expects. Both masks were going to take another form entirely, however they, like the Guardian Stick became simple, prime faces. The light material posed unforeseen challenges which evolved themselves into these primitive expressions.

Elfworks Studios
416-406-3467 / elfworks@sympatico.ca

DAVID ROBERTSON

Working as a professional artist blacksmith since 1993 David Robertson has created works that can be found in private collections in North America as well as Ireland and Germany. David has created sculptural pieces as well as functional artistic knives and hardware. A graduate of Waterloo University's engineering program, David often relies on his engineering background in the construction of larger work.

" The steel develops an organic continuity visible in structures such as gates and grills. Often the art nouveau style heavily influences my treatment of the steel. Organic forms of flowers, vines, and leaves are common elements in my work, although occasionally more classical lines creep into my work, which creates a restrained elegance in the finished piece."

Organic Garden Gate
forged mild steel : 32 X 48"
Price $1200
Art nouveau style. Elements forged and fabricated in organic representations. Although not depicting actual plants the observer clearly sees that these forms could exist in nature.

Classical Garden Gate
forged mild steel : 30 X 48"
Price $1000
Elements forged and fabricated. This gate uses forged elements to accent the overall design. This style relies on an uncluttered appearance and clean lines for a more traditional look.

Pattern Welded Knife
forge welded steels with wood : 10"
Price $400
This knife is constructed with alternating layers of carbon steel, mild steel, and nickel. The pattern is created by etching the blade in nitric acid. To create this knife the smith must forge weld all the layers together to form a single bar. The bar is then folded and twisted to create the pattern.

Forged Vessel
forged steel plate : 10 X 14"
Price $350
This container has been forged and fabricated from mild steel. Suitable for a keep sake box or as a funeral urn.

Hammer & Tongs Studio
RR 2
Cargill ON N0G1J0
519-366-2334 / drobertson@bmts.com
www.artistblacksmith.com

KATHRYN THOMSON

Since 1981 Kathryn's work has been shown in numerous juried and non-juried shows throughout Ontario, British Columbia and in Japan. For over fourteen years, her work was represented by the Glass Art Gallery in Toronto. Dignitaries such as the Hourable Pauline McGibbon, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, have received her work as gifts. It can also be found in the Indusmin and Imperial Oil Collections.

"Glass is a fascinating canvas on which to work to express thoughts of whimsy or something more serious. The scope of glass is almost limitless, be it sandblasting a piece of sheet glass or painting with vitreous paints and refiring the sensuous curve of a blown piece of glass. I love the dance and excitement of creating blown glass and the slower play of reworking its cooled surface. Hot or cold, glass is, in all its beauty and possibility, a wondrous medium to work with."

The Waiting Pool
blown and sandblasted glass with metal base : 23 x 13"
Price : $1200
"Round and Round we go. This way, that; to and fro."

To Catch a Mermaid
blown and sandblasted glass : 6"
Price : $550

Tree Spirits
blown and sandblasted glass with freshwater pearls : 11.5"
'Spirit of air, Spirit of water, Flow over this land. Blow our seeds to the earth"

Kathryn Thompson
RR #1
Grand Valley, Ontario L0N 1G0
519-928-3155

CATHERINE VAMVAKAS LAY

Born in Crete, Creece, Catherine Vamvakas Lay is a Canadian citizen who lives and works in Toronto. She initially obtained a degree in the Fine Arts Program (Honour's degree) from York University. She specialized in sculpture and her main�focus has been the translation and definition of varied forms of transformation. To pursue these concepts further, she decided that glass would be the ideal material to study. As a result, she enrolled in Sheridan College where she obtained a Diploma in Glass. Recently, she just completed a three years residency at the glass studio at Harbourfront centre in Toronto. For the past six years, Catherine has worked mainly in glass and to a lesser extent with bronze and steel. She has exhibited extensively and received several honours and awards.

"My work is sculptural and I am presently focusing on glass. I find glass an exciting material to work with because of its physical characteristics, elusive materiality, and its expressive possibilities.��My work is inspired by our transforming nature, as seen in the process of rock through heat becoming sand and glass, and by my Minoan background, reflecting on the relevance of the remnants of that culture. I strive to connect the individual with the elemental forces of our material and spiritual world. In general, the emphasis of my work is to invite thought and to expand and transcend our present condition."

Water Vessel # 1
Hand blown glass into rocks : 11 x 9 x 6
Price: $750.00

Water Vessel # 2
Hand blown glass into rocks : 9 x 6 x 6
Price:$490.00
The process involved blowing hot glass into a negative space that was formed by five rocks found in Ontario. The resulting glass vessel retains fragments of rock and rock texture on its outer surface, In a primal way, this combination of materials simultaneously explores aspects of transformation, presence, and absence.

Flames (set of 8)
Hand blown glass : varies from 23 to 36 "
Price:$1,500.00 each
The technique of creating these blown glass sculptural forms involves mixing seven different hot glass colours. Flames, through colour, form, and shape, refer to the energy and transformation that occurs with fire.

Catherine Vamvakas Lay
140 Alexmuir Blvd
Toronto, Ontario, M1V 1K9
416-321-5055 / catherine.vamvakas.lay@gmail.com

TANYA ZARYSKI

Tanya began her art training at the University of Toronto, studying art history, painting and drawing before discovering glass blowing at Sheridan College. After graduating she completed three years as an artist in residence at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. Tanya currently lives with my partner Mark, son Joshua, and two cats on a farm in the Beaver Valley near Georgian Bay. After lengthy renovations they have completed work on their century barn, creating a functioning hot glass studio and gallery space.

"I consider myself to be an image-maker. Many of my pictorial narratives
re-invent scenes that I remember from my childhood. Growing up on a farm in rural Ontario, I have become interested in that familiar landscape as a
constant backdrop for the events (past and present) which are acted out. In
my painted images, certain rooms (familiar fragments of furniture, of
architecture) or fields and houses reappear. The panoramic view is of the
same place, altered slightly through tricks of memory. Some scenes show
familiar people beside exotic ones. There is a collapsing of the ordinary
and the sublime into a single moment. Every event is laden with symbolism
and significance."

Nest on Top Blown glass with paradise paint, graal technique
Price - $365.00
In the piece I have selected for the Fiery Furnace exhibition, the image
takes centre stage, with form taking a minor role. The figure of the young
girl rises over the tiny houses which become black silhouettes as the vessel
is turned. By having to move the vessel, the story is allowed to unfold,
the viewer pieces together the various elements in their mind's eye.

Beaver Valley Glass Works
235731 Grey Rd 13
Kimberly Ontario
519-599-5567 / marklewisglass@sympatico.ca

Descriptive Texts are copyright the individual artists

With special thanks to...

Karen Houston - for taking on the project
Bill Hodgson - for juring
Neil Peterson - for helping to install the exhibit
Anne Buckrell - for laying out the catalogue
Adam Pollard - for mounting and cutting the labels

Sound Track:
'Ricochet' by Tangerine Dream
CBC 'Out Front' Segment by Kathy Ashby

For MORE INFORMATION

the Woodstock Museum

Darrell Markewitz - the Wareham Forge

Fiery Furnace - Original Artist 'Call for Entry'

Newspaper article - 'Woodstock Doors Open'

Past Exhibit - Reflections of the Conquest / 2002

Even to the modern artisan, fire remains a mysterious agent of transformation. celebrates those crafts people who still directly employ Fire as a fundamental tool in their creative process.