FORGED: Tools & Objects

Seth Gould

Exhibit On View Through August 26, 2023
​Plough Gallery, 216 8th Street West, Tifton, GA
Open  MONDAY - SATURDAY  10 AM - 6 PM

Exhibit Statement: Seth Gould
"This collection is a snapshot of my past and present work. The "Duck Press" is the oldest piece represented here, and shows an early iteration of forged elements coming together to create a refined utilitarian object. The more recent work, such as the set of tools with Brazilian rosewood handles, and the “Indicator Lock”, illustrates progress towards both more refined and complex designs, using more precious materials and challenging techniques. There is an educational element to the show as well. The storyboards are meant to help the viewer understand how these pieces were created, and a sampling of tools taken directly from my studio (that I have made and use) are to help see the work through my hands and eyes."
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"I see real value in the way work was created and designed in past generations. Using techniques that are slower than today’s pace allows me to better understand the materials and processes I use as a metalsmith. There are forms, details, and surfaces that cannot be repeated with anything but handwork. Using iron as a material, the majority of what I make begins in a coal forge, where I heat metal and work at the anvil to forge and form it into the shapes I desire. Once cooled I use files to refine the pieces and add detail. In this way, I create and ornament utilitarian objects that range from simple hand tools to highly embellished locks. My work is strongly influenced by historic metal-smithing techniques and designs from both Western and Eastern traditions. From the West, I draw inspiration from the classically forged and ornamented European ironwork of the 17th-19th centuries. The forging, filing, and carving of iron serves as the foundation for the objects I then develop with sensitivity from the East. Specifically, my inlay and engraving of nonferrous metals borrows heavily from the Japanese tradition. A key goal of my work is to preserve past metal-smithing practices by presenting them in a contemporary light." 

Biography
​Seth Gould is a metalsmith and tool maker who creates and ornaments utilitarian objects that range from simple tools to highly embellished locks. His work, which is strongly influenced by historic metalsmithing design and technique, typically begins in a coal forge and is finished at the bench with a file in hand. For the more elaborate pieces Seth adds ornamentation with hammer and chisel in the form of inlay, overlay, and engraving.
In 2009 Seth graduated from Maine College of Art with a BFA in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design. In the following years, his work and studio practice was shaped by his experiences working in the metalsmithing field, his time as a Core Fellow at the Penland School of Craft, and opportunities to view European and Japanese metalwork on multiple long-term trips abroad. Seth has exhibited work in Germany, Japan, and across the United States. He has taught, demonstrated, and lectured at institutions including Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the Center for Metal Arts, Southern Illinois Metalsmithing Society, and the Society of North American Goldsmiths. His work can be seen in the collections of the Renwick Gallery, the National Ornamental Metal Museum, and the Arkansas Art Center. In 2018 Seth completed his three year residency at the Penland School of Craft. He now lives with his wife and son in Bakersville, NC. 
Follow Seth on Instagram to see more about what is currently happening in the studio.

Forged and Filed from Jesse Beecher on Vimeo.