Fixtures for Vasen Brewing Company

We were happy to help our friends and neighbors at Vasen Brewing Company out with a series of custom fixtures. Their beautiful new taproom features the fine work of many local Richmond companies and makers. Stop by to take it all in and grab a pint of one of their specialty farmhouse ales!

We worked with lighting designer Wendy Umanoff to create this large, forged steel chandelier that hangs in the entrance of the taproom. Scroll though the photos to see a few our process shots.

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Forged steel chandelier by Umanoff Design and Phoenix Handcraft. Photo by Umanoff Design

When it came time to create a sign for the brewery, our signature folded steel bowls and wall sculptures provided just the right inspiration.

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Forged sign on reclaimed wood at the Vasen tasting room

Our next project for the taproom was a foot rail for the bar. We forged the foot rail from heavily textured solid steel round bar, along with coordinating brackets to hold it in place.

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Forged steel footrail at the Vasen tasting room bar

And last but certainly not least, we forged steel brackets to support the live-edge drink rails created by our friends at Surface Architectural. Bonus peek of the talented Emily Herr's mural in the background.

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Forged bar brackets in the Vasen tasting room

Cat Tail Sculpture Commission

Over the last few years, Kyle has created a series of cattail sculptures. This is one he was commissioned to create for the client’s front porch. Take a peek at the design and creation process below!

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Creating a to-scale drawing of the sculpture is the very first step in the design process. Next we re-create the drawing in full size on the steel layout table (the blacksmith's equivalent of a workbench.)

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Next up: making the cattail flowers. In the first photo, we're using a fullering tool on the anvil to shape tube steel. The last photo shows the needle gun we use to create the texture on the cattail.

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We used angle iron to create the leaves. Here we're cutting the ends into points, then shaping the leaves hot using a tool known as a bending dog in the the vise.

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To make the base, we cut the shape out of steel plate. We added texture later on with the hammer.

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And now to assemble all the parts!

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This piece was finished with a rust patina, a finish that works well with the subject matter and holds up great for exterior work. Here the piece is installed on the happy owner's front porch!

Extra-large Entangled Wall Sculpture

Kyle has been working on a series of works created from flattened, folded metal pipe for a couple of years now. Check out the story of how they have evolved from fairly small bowls to extra-large wall sculptures!

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This is the first batch of folded bowls Kyle ever created. They're made from reclaimed metal pipe from demolished warehouses in the historic Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond. He originally imagined the smaller size as catch-alls for keys, wallets, and anything you need as you head out the door. The larger size would be great to hold remotes, or better yet, on their own as a sculptural item on your mantle or coffee table.

As it turned out, the larger size quickly became the more popular size. Kyle created larger and larger bowls, some so big they required multiple heats in our small gas forge. He also experimented with his first wall pieces, the original Entangled series of three wall sculptures, each about 12" x 18".

For our group show, GROWTH, Kyle created a new wall sculpture, the biggest to date. Entangled #4 measures 12" x 36".

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More recently Kyle was commissioned to created a large 36" x 36" version of his original wall sculpture. Here he is working on the piece in the studio (above), with the finished piece below.