David discovered metalsmithing in high school and was immediately enamored with the material and processes involved. He had always had this sense in my head that it took big, powerful industrial tools to shape metal. When he discovered that with just the power of my arm and a hair-thin saw blade he could cut shapes with great precision he was hooked. Shortly thereafter he became enthralled with how the humble hammer could form metal into almost any shape desired.
The primal elements known as fire and water play a critical role in creating the vessels. They’re transformative, changing the structure of the metal. Fire is his tool for softening, making the work more malleable, or even liquid in the case of soldering. The quenching in water sets this new state and brings the temperature back into the range human hands can tolerate.
The materials each lend their voices to the final piece. Copper shows us what it means to be malleable by bending, compressing, and stretching readily to take on any form. Yet, retaining the strength to keep a shape. The patinas offer us up a richness of color and surface when conferring with the copper. Sterling silver gives a quiet elegance in it’s role of defining the edge. It’s color transitions nicely between the interior and exterior, reflecting to us a bit of both.