Lives Shaped by Steel: Celebrating East Coast Outdoor Metal Artists

Blacksmiths do more than shoe horses. In fact, many have never been near a horse. Artistic blacksmiths create fine additions to houses, gardens and public spaces. This book celebrates East Coast metal artists, and focuses on their outdoor work - the kind of gates or railings, signs or sculptures that add beauty to the world. The very best examples of this kind of metalwork show that the metal has become a part of its place. Each needs the other: a gate would look interesting but lost in the blacksmith's shop; the garden would be just a garden without the gate in place. When the gate and the garden are together, magic happens. The author asks how the artists do their work, where they get ideas, what challenges they face, and how they got started in their special profession. Blacksmiths will learn how others have established successful businesses, working with discriminating, high-end clients, as well as clients with smaller projects and pocketbooks. There are also fascinating interviews with over forty metal artists, delving into their philosophy of design and approach to their craft.