Featured Artist: April Franklin

submitted by Penland Sketchbook

April Franklin is back at Penland School of Crafts this winter, and for the first time, her job is simply to make what she likes. A former core fellow, April has previously appeared at Penland as a work-study student, a studio assistant, and an instructor. For the past week, she’s been a winter resident in the iron studio, making (among other things) two Damascus rings:

The rings, we’re happy to note, are for April’s marriage next fall to ceramic artist and frequent Penland instructor Kathy King. The couple makes their home in Watertown, Massachusetts, with April visiting Providence to forge and teach at the Steel Yard, while Kathy teaches at “that school in Cambridge.” April and Kathy met during Penland’s spring concentration in 2012. During the concentration, Kathy (instructor in the clay studio) broke her hand and underwent surgery. All is well now, and the accident “slowed Kathy down for me,” said April, half-joking. 

 During our visit to the studio, April helped current core fellow Meghan Martin with some strategy for a buckle. She also took some time to give a knife-sharpening demonstration this week. April had a dose of dry wit for fellow blacksmiths who specialize, as she does, in knife-making. “Do not tell anyone that you know how to sharpen knives. People will show up with a bag of them.” 

We’ll have more posts here about our winter residents in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can keep up with the flurry of studio activity on our Instagram account.

Featured Artist: Blacksmith Artist Stephen Chilingirian

Stephen Chilingirian Just finished an amazing commissioned sculpture. It was a collaboration with Don Blackwell who is a master wood carver. The title of the piece is called The Guardians.

All the Ivy and vines are hand forged - this has to be explained because most people think it is real Ivy. The unveiling of the sculpture was December 14, 2013 with a great turn out. Don and Stephen are in the process of a second sculpture also with wood and Ivy vines that will be equally if not more stunning!

Stephen is also working on a series of Custom bottle openers and will be posting them on his website and Linkedin page soon.
 
Stephen J. Chilingirian is a self-taught, thought provoking blacksmith Artist. Stephen earned his Bachelors Degree in Astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill California, a Master of Technology Certification from Harley Davidson Motor Company, and has received his Technician Certification from Toyota Motor Co. He owned a 100% organic cattle ranch in Colorado where he invented many useful tools for the equine industry. That was where his artistic side emerged.

Stephen still studies Astronomical Science, through a 16" Dobsonian telescope that he built himself and still builds an occasional one-of-a- kind Custom Motorcycle, including, but not limited to, The East Carolina University Pirate Chopper. His passion however, lies in art and creating art where he is guided by nature and the complex creations of "The Everything" throughout the Universe. Stephen uses traditional blacksmith techniques coupled with mathematical, musical and scientific formulas which he  believes are the keys to unlocking the secrets of the Universe as we know it.

Stephen started his business The Art of Steeling at the beginning of 2005 and moved to Zirconia, NC in
September 2007.

In June 2012 Stephen was asked to teach blacksmith artistry at Camp Arrowhead for Boys in Tuxedo, NC

Stephen is a member of several art guilds and organizations including, Foothills of the Carolina's Blacksmith Guild, Tri State Sculptors Organization, Mountain Sculptors Organization and the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America.