Sculptural Metal

“The experience in our classroom is akin to a student going to work in their own studio. Pretty much, from the time they walk in, until they leave at night, the idea is to be hammering, welding, riveting, sanding, drawing, growing hot from forging and getting dirty from assembling and finishing.”

Making big cool things out of steel, mainly recycled from industrial uses, has always brought Kevin joy. He’s been a metal worker for more than 35 years. He’s earned an Artist/Blacksmith Certificate from Sir Sanford Flemming College in Ontario. He spent 12 years working as a metal engraver with my father at our family business, Precision Engraving Co. Ltd. He worked with Kootenay Forge as a sub-contractor where he honed his production skills by making thousands of metal art products for the home. He has his own forge set up on his Goose Creek property. He’s  created many one-of a-kind sculptures and commissioned works.

Kevin instructs in the Blacksmithing program.

Kevin takes inspiration from nature and Kootenay life:

“I live rural, between Nelson and Castlegar, on a small piece of land by Goose Creek. My shop (the Goose Creek forge) is a 100 year old barn. I like being outside so, after getting some work done forging in the shop, I might head down to the creek for a swim. Split some firewood. Head down to the river and try and catch some trout. If it’s winter, I am taking Friday off to ski some of the best ‘pow’ in North America. I do a lot of vegetable gardening and have a couple of fruit trees. I raise chickens. This past fall, the bear ate most of the apples. I had a bumper crop of pickling cukes, so I fermented them all, Kosher-style. That’s Kootenay Living…”

“I try to understand each student to get the best out of them and push them as much as they can take so they get the most out of this short and intensive program. I help them understand they they can also learn from each other.”

Denis has been sculpting in bronze, stone, snow, ice and sand for 40 years, professionally for 36. He earned his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the David Thompson University Centre in Nelson. His many public commissions include the recently completed Frozen Moment, in Loveland, Colorado; Passenger, in White Rock, BC and Wo-man, in Cerna V Posumavi, Czech Republic. He’s exhibited in Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk and Sculpture International in Atlanta, GA among many others and has several permanent collections. He also was the owner of Pyramid Bronze Works, fine art bronze foundry in Kelowna, BC.

“Students are learning from professional practicing artists, not just instructors. Students discover a lot about their creative side working in clay.  And they are always fascinated by how good their creations look once they cast and finish them in bronze.  Their first bronze pour is like opening up gifts for the first time at Christmas!”

Denis has been teaching as a bronze casting instructor at School of the Arts at Selkirk College since 2006. But, he has been with the school since 1997 dating back to when it was a co-op.

“I love to be creative and work with my hands.  No matter what the medium, as long as I feel something coming out of my heart that has meaning or beauty, then I feel inspired and have energy to give to my creation.” 

A graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design with a Jewelry major and an Art History minor (1993), Krista has also taught for Nunavut Arctic College in northern Canada. Her studio experience includes the creation of one-of-a-kind jewelry and sculptural objects, as well as production craft and design.