Brandy Stark

Hi There! in the ongoing quest to introduce metalsmiths and their community I'm continuing with Interviews of the Metalsmiths Unite Facebook group members- 

Here is an interview with  Metalsmiths Unite Member Brandy Stark-

"The Guardian:  Triton with Trident". 

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I do hand wrapped wire metal sculpture with found objects.

what inspires your designs? Mythology. Sometimes my own life experience, but I'm in love with ancient cultures...so, mostly mythology.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
Since 1995. I started in an undergrad beginning sculpture course at University of Tampa. I didn't like clay, woodworking, textile art, etc. I thought about welding but fire and explosions come to mind. Prof asked me if I could bend 1/4 inch thick wire metal welding rods. I could. He told me that the basic shape is the triangle for the torso, and the rest is history.

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
St. Petersburg, Florida

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
http://starkimages.homestead.com/main.html
http://twitter.com/starkimages
http://www.tampabaycreative.org/profile/BrandyStark

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
I show all over the place -- international, national, local. I am also on the board of TESA. I also show through Art Pool and am a member of the Florida Craftsmen.

do you teach? if so, where-  I teach REL and HUM at St. Petersburg College, University of Tampa, Eckerd College, and Hillsborough Community College.

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share? Build up your muscles and invest in good tools.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I don't know right now. I am pleased to be winning more awards for my art and it is getting more media attention. I guess I wish to just continue on that way for a while.

anything else you would like to share?
When I was a child, I never saw myself as a) buying wire cutters b) admiring wire cutters or c) having a favorite pair of wire cutters as an adult. Life is strange, huh?

Thanks Brandy! 

Please note- I'd love to hear from other MU members- would you like to get featured on this blog? you may contact me via Facebook message and I will be happy to send you the list of interview questions!

I will be heading to the Yuma Symposium this week, and hope to meet with many metalsmiths there as well- (I will be composing a blog post about the Yuma experience for certain!)

I hope you all are doing well and are getting plenty of studio time- and I hope to hear from you soon!

ciao- Maureen

New Flickr pool!

Another one of those things on the "Why haven't I done this before?!" list...
Metalsmiths Unite now has a Flickr Group for photosharing.

 I will be keeping it a closed group for members of Metalsmiths Unite only-
(so please put your name in the group entry request.)

I've set the limit of images at 4 per week- and we'll see how that goes...
if the group page needs adjustments it will happen- but for now I just want to keep it simple
In the future I can envision events like "self portrait day" or "messy bench contest"...for now, let's just free form and put up some pics! (they need not always be metal either- if it is an image that inspires you go right ahead and post that too)

here is the link-
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1311938@N20/

Have fun- please remember to put your name on the membership request!
thanks- Maureen

Bill Roberts- Ornamental Metalsmith

Hi everyone- I hope you all had a great holiday weekend- I've found some time today to post a new interview from one of our active Metalsmiths Unite! members- Bill Roberts. He represents another angle on metalsmithing that we are thrilled to have as part of out community - mostly doing Large scale pieces- with the refinement  of a trained jeweler-

Here is his interview- Enjoy!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I consider myself an ornamental metalsmith. Started as a jeweler in sterling and gold......using lost wax casting for the majority of my designs. And then learned to work with other metals and to create larger decorative metal work........that I like to call "house jewelry". The house jewelry is usually functional art.. One of a Kind metal work.....furniture, lighting, gates, railings, doors, fountains, sculpture and MORE.

what inspires your designs?
I get my inspiration from many sources. But I'd have to say......my personal favs are Art Nouveau, Nature and Marine themes. They seem to keep ......coming to the forefront.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
I started this wonderful journey with metals...in the summer of 1984, by learning the jeweler's trade. In 1989, I was introduced to Site Specific One of a Kind architechural metal work........and have been doing both.......plus many other metal arts ever since.
I started...........by desiring to do something that I would LOVE to do......as opposed to just another job. Found my "creative" side......and have never looked back. Proving......."when you blur the line between work and play.......you'll never work another day". Not sure who that quotes from.......but it FITS my artistic life to a T.

where are you located?
I live and work in Ocala, Florida.
Bill Roberts-Ornamental Metalsmith
3740 NE 40th PL Suite D
Ocala, FL. 34479

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
I do have a website:
http://www.CustomDesignMetalArts.com

and I also have an Etsy store as well......but it's barely ready for prime time. (mbz note: lol- etsy is an art unto itself...I'd be happy to give you a few pointers)

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
In the early years......I used Juried Art Shows and Galleries to market my work. Both with varying degrees of sucess. And for the large scaled metalwork........intereior designers and Contractors.
The majority of my sales these days are via the WEB and word of mouth.

do you teach? if so, where- (I’ll link this to the website of teaching institution)
I do teach, a wide variety of metal arts.......usually One on One classes at my studio. Because I'm a "working studio" ............and I LOVE teaching......I schedule my commissions around my classes. One of the wonderful things about teaching so many different processes.....is that I never know ....from one class to another.........what Process I get to play with next. It's not uncommon for me to be teaching blacksmithing one day.......and lost wax casting or jewelry fabrication the next. For a PROCESS freak....it just doesn't get any better that that. :)

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
I'd suggest finding what you LOVE to do.....and have a passion for. Then persue it like your life depends upon it. Take classes or find someone that is doing the type of work you like........and hire on. To get paid to learn.....is great, if you are lucky enough to find that opportunity.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I see it in a serious growth phase. Both the classes and the metal work. Sky's the limit. I'm livin a dream.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
I LOVE to forge metal.......it makes me feel more alive......when I'm forging.......and "breathing life into an otherwise ridgid material". Not metal..........but I've also found a passion for working with HOT GLASS recently. The similarities of manipulating hot glass and forging metal.......seem addictive.....and familiar.

Thanks Bill! looking forward to seeing more of your work this year!