THE ART OF METAL & STONE

Lake Superior Rock Creations

Mark & Jan Herbert create beautiful and practical items from rock they gather from the north and south shores of Lake Superior. They cut, drill, and sometimes spray or sandblast the rocks. The natural rock suggests what they create. Larger rocks are stacked to form cairn-like lamps while the smallest rocks become earrings or magnets. Mid-size rocks form the bases for rain gauges, cairns or bud vases. Both wine bottle stoppers and drawer pulls are drilled, an insert applied, then a bolt and adhesive secures the finished product.

Mark and Jan make each item from beginning to end, letting the stark beauty of the rock show through. Their products are truly Unique – Naturally!

Wendy Hightshoe

Wendy Hightshoe creates her art from old metal. She enjoys creating her art two-fold, the hunt of finding old rusted metal and then creating her art from those items.

Many times when she sees a piece of metal she sees it as a part of a bird or an animal, and other times it is just an object that intrigues her. Her items not only make her feel good as she’s creating them, they also make people smile and laugh when they see them.

Hightshoe 2 — Click Image To View Gallery

Doug LaBorde, DL Smithing

Doug LaBorde is a blacksmith that hand forges items out of steel or iron. He makes a wide variety of items like home fixtures, decorative and gardens and other tools for grilling and fire place pieces.

He uses a coal forge at his shop at home and also for demonstrating to heat the steel for forging on the anvil or other appropriate tools (vise, cone mandrel, swages, punches, drifts). Doug does electric welding on some pieces, forge welding for others. He tries to stay with the older methods of fabrication but there are places where electric welding is far more cost effective but it is still a hand process, just a little more modern. His demonstration smithy uses no electricity, just coal and hand power and he has made many tools he uses himself.

Julie Beal – Earth, Wick & Fire

Earth, Wick & Fire is a small, family-based business located in Excelsior, Minnesota. The hand-crafted stone oil candles are made out of natural slate that varies in beautiful mineral colors and textures. During the creation of each candle, the characteristics and design are controlled by the composition of the slate and the artist.

With the use of a small rock hammer and the controlled pressure of the strike to the slate, the design simply starts with that first strike to see how it will fracture. The break inspires them to continue to move around the piece, in a fashion of interest and inspiration, allowing the slate to come alive. There are never two candles exactly alike.

Earth, Wick & Fire has created a maintenance free, low profile candle that you will enjoy for years, just add oil. The fiberglass wicks do not burn away and each copper wick holder is hand crafted by them. The reservoir holds 1 oz. of lamp oil and will burn for approximately 5 hours before putting itself out. The addition of essential oils to the reservoir will add a wonderful aroma to your space. Citronella oil may be used outdoors.

It brings them much joy in creating their candles and they hope that you will enjoy your hand-crafted candle for years to come and share them with your family and friends as a unique gift that will hold memories.

Kevin & Deb Pietrzak – Kevin’s Candle Creations

Kevin and Deb Pietrzak dba Kevin’s Candle Creations, have been creating beautiful handmade firestone candles for six years. The candles are made from a natural slate stone. There is no shellac or any other finish on the stone because Kevin feels (as do his customers) that the natural slate stone is beautiful just the way it is.

He creates one to four-wick firestone candles. Each candle comes with a wick, a glass insert, and a funnel. The candles can be filled with either lamp oil, or if you prefer, tiki oil to enjoy outside and help keep the bugs away. Each candle has its own unique character. Kevin and Deb enjoy creating the candles. “It is a true pleasure for us when we meet new people everywhere we go, and they come up and inquire about the candles and remark how beautiful they are.”

Luke & Elizabeth Jepson

Luke Jepson was born and raised in Longville MN. He has a passion for making and creating and been making things from an early age and has continued to do so either out of metal, wood or leather. He makes hand forged ironwork, hardware, tools and knives. As well as spoons carved by hand with axe and knife. He is joined by his wife, Elizabeth, who makes earrings out of wood and leather, and also makes painted wooden signs. “Jack of all trades, master of none, oftentimes better than master of one.”

Peter Vanni #3 — Click Image to View Gallery

Peter Vanni

Sculptor, Peter Vanni, has been working as a professional artist for more than 30 years. Born in Iowa and raised in New Jersey, he is a graduate of Holy Cross College, with post-graduate study at the University of New Mexico. He currently resides in Eden Prairie with his wife and three children.

Vanni is represented in individual collections throughout the United States, and has worked with an array of leading designers and architects. He has extensive experience in the fine art foundry world and is known for a collaborative approach that leads to full client satisfaction.