Foldform Conference with Inventor Lewton-Brain in NY August 2013

March 13, 2013 - PRLog -- The 6th Annual Lewton-Brain Foldforming Conference is now set for August 2 – 5, 2013 at the Center for Metal Arts in downstate N.Y. This four day event, just one hour from New York City, is an idea-fest for jewelers, sculptors, metal arts designers and the art-loving public. Charles Lewton-Brain will offer four days of access to a whirlwind of information, resources, topics, demonstrations, and hands-on instruction in an intimate group setting.

Foldforming is a synthesis of the Japanese art of origami with forging and other metalsmithing techniques. While copper is a favorite medium, experimentation with iron sheet, silver and other alloys is ongoing. The resulting forms are organic and lead to unlimited variations of volume, texture and form. The foldform process has spread globally among jewelers and, with its affinity for expressive hollow form construction, is being explored for its application to sculpture and the fine crafts.

"Charles Lewton-Brain is one of the most knowledgeable, most celebrated and most accessible metalsmiths in North America," wrote Alan Revere in The Innovators. His work has been recognized by the British Museum Research Lab, by a 1991 Rolex award, and last spring he was the recipient of the prestigious Governor General Award for his contribution to Canadian arts. This year’s theme “NOW FOLD THIS: How we are doing it now” is a current survey of Charles Lewton-Brain's prodigious knowledge, and the trail-blazers out there who are cutting tracks in new directions with foldforming.

Lewton-Brain will demonstrate the families of folds and many variations: T-folds, cross folds, pleated folds, woven folds, sheared and formed star folds, chased wedge t-folds, Plunkett folds and the ever evolving new folding technologies and practices. He brings jewelry and fine craft experience, from making to marketing, as well as his own innovative approach to metal arts.  

Participants are encouraged to bring questions, a sketchpad, and a camera to document techniques for their own work. The four-day event features breakout sessions for attendees to spend hands-on time in the studio practicing their own foldforms with torch and tooling, and one-on-one time for commentary and assistance from Lewton-Brain.

The Lewton-Brain Foldform Competition coincides with the annual conference at the Center for Metal Arts. Last year’s inaugural competition brought entries from three continents, and was a benchmark survey of where foldforming has gone since its discovery by a metal arts grad student.  This year’s competition will be announced shortly on the www.centerformetalarts.com website.

Lewton-Brain gives only a few workshops each year outside of his teaching post at the Alberta College of Art and Design. The workshop at the Center for Metal Arts at 44

Jayne Street, Florida, NY. is accessible by public transportation from New York City, as well as three major airports.  Located in the black dirt farming village of Florida, in New York's Hudson Valley, the Center for Metal Arts brings students from both coasts to workshops on metal arts topics from sculpture to hot forge work.

The Center for Metal Arts offers easy online registration at www.centerformetalarts.com, and also welcomes phone registration or inquiries about the event. An insider’s view of last year’s event is shown at www.suelacydesigns.com .More information, including private room-shares and scholarship options, will be available at

www.facebook.com/CenterForMetalArts

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