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"Numinous Community"-- copper, silver, gold, patina, by David Huang<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI see my role in this to be providing a conscious order, orchestrating the mix of voices, hoping to present a work we as humans can appreciate,\u201d he has stated. \u201cIt is my desire to bring about works that don’t just symbolize, but actually evoke feelings of beauty and joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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"Radiant Efflorescence"--copper, sterling, 23K gold leaf, 800-1000 hours to complete, more than a million hammer blows. 26" x 22" x 22", D. Huang<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

David will teach \u201c Raising and Chasing Vessel Forms<\/a>\u201d in a five-day workshop at Metalwerx<\/a>, June 20-24. Students will learn the basic steps of using hammers, stakes, and microcrystalline wax to construct vessels and other sculptural forms. Additionally, students will make their own tools.<\/p>\n

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David Huang<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

David\u2019s chasing talent allowed him to incorporate bas relief to his objects. He says he doesn\u2019t have any magic tricks that simplify his raising techniques, but will share all the \u201clittle things\u201d he\u2019s learned over the years. Students can expect to leave the workshop with one or two vessels formed to a significant degree, although they may not be fully complete. Students need no prior raising or chasing experience to participate.<\/p>\n

David begins by laying out a few lines around the form in marker, allowing the design to emerge from the conversation between his skill, the tools, the vessel\u2019s initial shape, and properties of the base metal, usually copper. The form takes shape by “angle raising:” hammering in a tight spiral from the disc’s center outward to compress the metal sheet into a conical form.<\/p>\n

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Wax provides the base to sculpt the form.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He then isolates one area and develops deeper hollows. Parts of the form are filled with wax to support the metal when it\u2019s ready to be refined with chasing tools. Stakes and chasing tools made by the NC Black<\/a> company, commissioned by David, are available for use, and can be purchased afterward.<\/p>\n

David considers the greatest challenge for students is learning to properly hold the metal and tools for raising and chasing. Making chasing tools is part of the workshop, he said, because it\u2019s a fundamental skill. \u201dI feel that if someone wants to get serious about chasing, they do need to know how to make their own tools,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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The "earthship biotecture" metalsmithing studio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A visit to David\u2019s website<\/a> includes documentation of his 200 square foot metalsmithing studio, built in the style of Michael Reynolds\u2019 \u201c Earthship Biotecture<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s a self-sustaining structure composed with recycled materials, including three-foot thick walls of discarded tires buried into a berm. Situated in Sand Lake, Michigan, David designed it to be completely off-grid. Power is supplied by solar panels and a battery bank. The room gets additional heat from the waste heat of his torches, and can double as a storm shelter if ever needed.<\/p>\n

It took him three years to complete. He is still playing with the landscaping. \u201cI actually had to make the hill as well. Having all that dirt trucked in ended up being the most expensive part. Overall I’m quite happy with it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Wall of hammers and stakes in the metals studio<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

David has written numerous articles on the business of being an artist. We asked what advice he would give the Metalwerx community about running an art business.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo much is changing in the world, and much has changed since I wrote those articles. I think we are going to see the traditional gallery route I’ve taken as an artist to be ever more challenging, if it doesn’t fail completely,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIf students aren’t aware of what’s really happening in the world broadly in terms of finance, money, energy supplies, especially peak oil, and physical resources –many significant metals and resources peaking or about to peak in production– then they really should do the research,\u201d he added. \u201cUnderstanding these topics, and how they interrelate, will help one to see what is likely to fail, and where the opportunities are likely to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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"Enlightenment"--22k gold, hammered vessel, D. Huang<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI think the future can hold tremendous opportunities for us as artists\/craftsmen, but it will likely be quite challenging to stay on top of the changes we’ll need to make. Many of my articles are about how I worked to keep my cost of living down, while maintaining a high quality of life. I feel like this approach is still very valid, if not even more necessary,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m still working to keep my required living expenses as low as possible, even though I make a reasonable income these days. This has given me the ability to ride out slow times in my art career with ease, and have the capital to risk trying new direction.”<\/p>\n

There is still space available for th workshop. To register, please visit the Metalwerx<\/a> website, or call Metalwerx at 781-891-3854.<\/p>\n

—by Yleana Martinez<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"