Open Studio Saturday at the Icehouse

Oct. 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Fire, hot glowing iron, and the sound of the hammer striking the anvil are the visuals and music of one of humanity’s oldest art form. At the old Borden's Creamery Icehouse just off Main Street in the downstate NY Village of Florida, the blacksmith studio of Fine Architectural Metalsmiths works metal the way it has been done for thousands of years—to create contemporary works for today’s built environment.

The studio is sited in the former 1890’s Borden’s Creamery Icehouse at 44 Jayne Street in Florida, where a small group of award-winning blacksmiths, metal artisans, and sculptors build metal arts commissions for a nationwide clientele. The gallery floor of the renovated Icehouse is a showroom of “sketches in iron” and sculptural pieces by members of the metal artisan group, seen against a background of antique tools and the original wide plank walls of the old Icehouse.

From a display of the replica of the famed gates at the Dakota on Central Park West, to contemporary custom lighting and cast bronze sculptures, there is a lot to see in this gallery space. Browse the shelves of forged objects, see the many forms that the scroll has taken since the Renaissance, examine contemporary and early joinery, learn the real meaning of  wrought iron, see the details of a true hand-built chandelier, sconce or lantern,  read a blacksmith’s journal of sales from the 1860’s, and guess the original purpose of antique tools. A member of the metal artisan team will provide a personal tour of 30 years of public and private metal arts projects at this award-winning studio.

Fine Architectural Metalsmiths does architectural forge work and fine hand construction in iron, bronze, copper, aluminum and stainless steel for public and private spaces. This award-winning metal arts studio works in all aspects of fine metals design, from traditional and contemporary architectural forge work to mixed media with art glass, copper fold-form, trompe l’oeil, enameling, and specialty finishes. The studio sculpts one-off or limited edition castings in bronze and other materials. The artisans' niche is in bringing new ideas to the design process, merging traditional technique with new motifs.

Over three decades of work, Fine Architectural Metalsmiths has been honored with many prestigious design awards for traditional and restoration forge work, and for exploratory new fine metals pieces. The studio brings decades of experience to each new project, working to create site-specific architectural metal works in the rich vocabulary of warmth, strength and polish that the metals provide.

This design-build architectural metals studio produces one-off driveway and garden gates, custom railings and fencing, and site-specific lighting from lanterns and sconces to chandeliers. As custom metal artisans, the studio specializes in developing the right design for each site. Working from conversations with the client, an extensive knowledge of the design possibilities, and the studio’s own metalwork archives, Fine Architectural Metalsmiths develops the project from conceptual sketches to final construction. Together with the client, they choose the finishes and other details that give the piece its unique hand-built character.

From decades of experience with small and large clients, Fine Architectural Metalsmiths knows that there is much to be gained by a close relationship between artisan and client. They have experience in resolving design questions, how to avoid common mistakes in construction, and can bring years of experience in design and practical fabrication as a resource to any custom project.  As artisan blacksmiths, the studio enjoys the challenge of finding new ways to express the sculptural architecture of the worked metals. The participation of the artisan metalsmith, from design through installation, is a key guarantee of a satisfying project.

Fine Architectural Metalsmiths is a team-built studio, with talented artisan team bringing a complementary range of skills and interests to the design and construction of each project. In the studio there is a strong culture of working together on projects, with the best person for each project taking the lead. The studio enjoys watching new design ideas emerge during the creative process. The artisan team also has exceptional standards for the quality and performance of all work built in this award-winning studio.

The Open Studio Saturday is a free public event, and refreshments are "on the Icehouse”.

# # #

Fine Architectural Metalsmiths is an award-winning metal arts studio, working in all aspects of fine metals design. The studio specializes in bringing new ideas to the design process, merging traditional technique with new motifs and technologies.