Steve Dulfer

Blacksmithing is an ancient art, more than three thousand years old. Once known as ”King of the Crafts,” it laid the foundation for the industrial revolution and shaped the world as we know it today. This rich history fascinates me, and I represent this timeless quality in my work.

Today, sustainability is critical, and blacksmithing offers time-tested lessons. Material and energy have always been scarce, making traditional blacksmithing very efficient. I want to build on this legacy to be as sustainable as possible. Steel is 95% recycled and my little “factory” consumes less energy than a typical suburban home.

I came to blacksmithing at age 30, after working as a biologist for many years. I see iron as an organic material, like stone or wood, and use blacksmithing as a way of bringing ironwork back from the sterile, cold industrial product that most of us think of. My works harmonize with other natural materials and reveal the age-old human connections between maker and made object.