FORGE episode

>> SORT OF AMAZED ME THAT YOU CAN TAKE THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT’S BEEN AROUND THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND MAKE FUNCTIONAL WORK LIKE WE DO.

>> THE FACT OF YOU’RE REALLY RESHAPING THE SILVER, MOVING THE SILVER WITH THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL.

>> METAL, FOR ME, NEXT TO STONE, IT’S THE MOST PERMANENT SORT OF THING THAT WE HAVE MATERIALWISE, AND I CAN ALSO MAKE IT VERY SHARP AND SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS.

>> PROCESSES THAT I TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS WERE THE ONES THAT WERE MORE IMMEDIATE.

THAT MEANS THE DIRECT MANIPULATION OF MATERIAL.

IT’S NOT SHY, TIMID WORK IN ANY WAY.

>> ♪ ’TIS A GIFT TO BE SIMPLE ’TIS A GIFT TO BE FREE ’TIS A GIFT TO COME DOWN WHERE YOU OUGHT TO BE AND WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE PLACE JUST RIGHT ’TWILL BE IN THE VALLEY OF LOVE AND DELIGHT ♪ OF LOVE AND DELIGHT ♪ >> IT’S HARD TO HAVE JUST ONE REASON WHY I REALLY LOVE THIS ANCIENT CRAFT.

THERE ARE JUST SO MANY REASONS TO LOVE IT BECAUSE IT’S SO OLD AND IT’S ALMOST LIKE I’M CONTINUING A LEGACY OF DIFFERENT METALSMITHS AND FEMALE SMITHS OF THE PAST, AND MAYBE SOMEDAY I’LL PASS THIS DOWN TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO IT’S ALMOST LIKE YOUR OWN LITTLE LEGACY THAT YOU’RE CONTRIBUTING TO.

>> FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF OLD NEWBURY, I SAW MEN SITTING AT ANVIL BLOCKS AND USING BIG, HEAVY HAMMERS AND POUNDING AWAY AT SILVER BARS WITH PATTERNS OF SPOONS AND FORKS ALL OVER THE WALL.

IT CAPTIVATED ME, QUITE FRANKLY, ALTHOUGH I REALIZED THAT I WAS BEING HIRED TO BE ONE OF THESE MEN.

>> SILVERMAKING STARTED, ACTUALLY, IN THIS AREA IN THE 1600s, AND THE FACT IS, IT REALLY HAS CHANGED VERY LITTLE IN CENTURIES.

THE TOOLS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME.

>> OF COURSE, WE CERTAINLY KNOW OF PAUL REVERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I’M AMUSED ABOUT IS THAT IF MR. REVERE COULD COME BACK IN THIS DAY AND AGE, I AND MY COLLEAGUES WOULD BE SOME OF THE FEW PEOPLE HE COULD PROBABLY REALLY IDENTIFY WITH, AND MAYBE, HOPEFULLY, HE’D BE PRETTY PROUD THAT THE CRAFT HAS LASTED THIS LONG.

SO I RETIRE, AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, LO AND BEHOLD, THE COMPANY DID HIRE A YOUNG WOMAN.

SHE’S ABOUT 22 YEARS OLD, AND SHE IS A MARVELOUS, MARVELOUS CRAFTSPERSON.

NOT ONLY THAT, SHE’S TENACIOUS IN TERMS OF WANTING TO WORK HERE.

>> RIGHT AFTER I GRADUATED, I CAME IN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SAID, "HI.

I’M GRADUATING FROM MAINE COLLEGE OF ART, AND IT WOULD JUST BE A DREAM FOR ME TO WORK HERE.

WILL YOU HIRE ME?"

HA HA HA!

>> I SAID, "I’M NOT REALLY SURE.

WE CAN SEE WHAT WE CAN DO," AND SHE HANDED ME THIS CD, AND I LOOKED AT IT, AND I’M GOING, "WOW, THIS GIRL IS TALENTED."

SO I TOOK HER RESUME AND HER CD, AND I SENT IT TO OUR CORPORATE.

>> I GOT A CALL, AND HE SAID, "WE’RE REALLY INTRIGUED THAT SUCH A YOUNG WOMAN WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS, AND WE’D BE REALLY INTERESTED TO MEET YOU AND TALK AND THEN SEE ABOUT HIRING YOU."

SO THAT WAS IN MAY.

EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO MEET ME AND INTERVIEW ME, NOTHING REALLY CAME OF THAT.

SO I WOULD CALL EVERY WEEK, AND I WAS JUST SO DETERMINED TO WORK HERE.

I REALLY WANTED TO DO THIS.

>> SHE WAS PERSISTENT, AND THEY HIRED HER.

SHE CAME HERE ALREADY WITH A BUILT-IN LOVE FOR THIS CRAFT, WHEREAS MOST OF US, OUR AFFECTION FOR IT GREW OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

>> WELL, I THINK THERE’S SUCH A REBIRTH OF CRAFT WITH PEOPLE IN MY GENERATION WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN TRADITIONAL WAYS OF MAKING THINGS.

IT’S THE REASON WHY I LIKE THIS PROCESS, IS BECAUSE IT’S SO PHYSICAL THAT YOU’RE USING ALMOST YOUR WHOLE BODY, ALMOST LIKE YOUR POURING ALL OF YOUR LIFE ENERGY INTO THIS ONE PIECE.

IT’S SORT OF AN INTIMATE PROCESS, TOO, JUST KNOWING THE MATERIAL, KNOWING HOW YOU’RE GONNA HIT IT, HOW IT’S GOING TO REACT TO YOUR HAMMER BLOWS.

>> WELL, I DO AGREE, THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE HAMMERING AND SHAPING OF THE SILVER, THE FORGING OF IT AND TAKING A BAR OF SILVER AND PRODUCING AN INTRICATE SERVING PIECE BY THE FACT OF YOU’RE REALLY RESHAPING THE SILVER, MOVING THE SILVER WITH THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL.

IT IS JUST A VERY SPECIAL FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED THE THOUGHT THAT JUST SITTING AT THE ANVIL ALL THE TIME AND JUST MAKING FLATWARE IS SO TEDIOUS, BUT I COMPARE THAT TO SHUFFLING PAPERS ON A DESK OR SOMETHING, AND I’D SAY THAT MAKING FLATWARE IS NOT TEDIOUS.

WITH ALL THE 28 DIFFERENT PATTERNS, WE’RE CONSTANTLY MAKING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

>> WHEN I FIRST CAME TO OLD NEWBURY CRAFTERS, SILVER WAS $5 AN OUNCE.

TODAY SILVER IS $38 AN OUNCE.

>> STERLING IS 92.5% FINE SILVER AND 7.5% COPPER.

IF YOU DID PURE SILVER FOR THIS, IT WOULD BE MUCH TOO SOFT AND NOT REALLY PRACTICAL FOR MAKING AN EATING UTENSIL.

THE COPPER DOES GIVE IT RIGIDITY, AND AS YOU HAMMER THE PIECE, IT GETS HARDER TO THE POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO STOP AND RESOFTEN THE METAL.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT FORGING STERLING IS THAT WHEN WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE PIECE, IT IS QUITE HARD.

SO IT’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS SHAPE OVER YEARS AND YEARS OF USAGE.

WE SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY LAMENT ABOUT HAVING TO POLISH SILVER, "DON’T POLISH IT.

USE IT EVERY DAY."

THIS STUFF IS BUILT TO LAST.

IT’S GOOD AND STRONG BECAUSE OF THAT FORGING PROCESS.

>> HI.

I HAVE A RUSH ORDER FOR JULIE ROWLING.

CAN YOU DO TWO TABLESPOONS BY THANKSGIVING... >> YES.

>> IF WE HAVE THE SILVER TO DO IT?

THANKS.

YOU CAN BUY A STAINLESS STEEL SET, AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT STAMPED OUT ANYWHERE.

YOU CANNOT HAVE A HANDMADE PIECE OF SILVER MADE JUST ANYWHERE, AND, AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE PRODUCING IT.

IT’S VERY EXCITING TO HAVE A GRANDMOTHER PASS DOWN HER SILVER TO HER DAUGHTER.

SHE PASSES IT ON TO HER DAUGHTER, AND THEN HER DAUGHTER PASSES IT ON TO HER DAUGHTER.

IT’S AMAZING, THE GENERATIONS OF SILVER, AND THEN AFTER THEY LOSE A PIECE OF THEIR SILVER, THEY’RE HEARTBROKEN, AND THEY COME BACK TO ME, AND THEY SAY, "WE’VE LOST THIS PIECE.

ARE YOU STILL MAKING IT?"

AND WE ARE, AND WE CAN REPLACE IT.

>> MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT WHEN THEY HAVE DINNER GUESTS, OFTENTIMES THE SILVER BECOMES THE MAIN CONVERSATION AT THE DINNER TABLE.

I THINK I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY.

IT’S INDIVIDUALS MAKING INDIVIDUAL PIECES.

>> CUSTOMERS DO ASK FOR SPECIFIC MAKERS.

THEY HAVE A FAVORITE THAT THEY LOVE, AND THAT’S WHO THEY WANT TO MAKE IT.

>> THERE ARE LITTLE TRADEMARKS OF MY WORK THAT ARE IN THE PIECES THAT I MAKE, PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT SUBTLE DIFFERENCE IN APPEARANCE OF THE BEND.

IT’S NOT A GREAT DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE ARE STILL MANUFACTURERS OF SILVERWARE, AND SO THEY ALL HAVE TO LOOK VERY MUCH ALIKE, BUT THERE ARE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES.

AS IN COLONIAL TIME, THEY MADE THE SILVER VERY SMOOTH.

THEY DIDN’T LIKE LEAVING HAMMER MARKS, AND IT WAS SORT OF A SIGN OF BAD WORKMANSHIP, AND THE OLD NEWBURY SILVER WAS MADE IN THAT SAME TRADITION UNTIL THE EARLY SIXTIES, WHEN THE STORES THAT WE WERE SELLING TO SAID THAT A LOT OF THE CUSTOMERS DIDN’T BELIEVE IT WAS HANDMADE BECAUSE THERE WEREN’T HAMMER MARKS IN IT, AND SO WE STARTED LEAVING SOME MORE OF THE SUBTLE TEXTURE OF THE FORGING IN THE SILVER.

>> THE FIRST STAMP THAT WE USE SAYS, "HANDWROUGHT" SO YOU KNOW THAT IT’S HANDMADE, AND NOT JUST MACHINE-PRODUCED.

THE SECOND STAMP SAYS, "ONC STERLING," "ONC" STANDING FOR OLD NEWBURY CRAFTERS AND "STERLING"-- STERLING SILVER, AND THE LAST PIECE THAT WE STAMP IS OUR MARKER’S MARK.

>> EVERY SILVERSMITH HAS THEIR OWN MARKER’S MARK OF THEIR CHOOSING.

THEY CHOOSE WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE STAMPED ON THE BACK OF THE STERLING-SILVER FLATWARE PIECE THAT THEY MAKE.

>> THIS UNICORN STAMP HAPPENED TO BE HERE.

SO I JUST ADOPTED IT AS MY OWN BECAUSE I WAS MAKING SILVER AND I NEEDED A STAMP TO PUT ON IT, AND SO I’VE HAD IT FOR 41 YEARS.

I’LL TAKE IT WITH ME, YES.

>> MY MAKER’S MARK IS CALLED A TRISKELION, OR SOMETIMES A TRIPLE SPIRAL, AND IT’S ACTUALLY AN OLD CELTIC SYMBOL.

I’VE ALWAYS REALLY LIKED IT JUST FOR ITS BEAUTY AND SIMPLICITY, AND ALSO PHILOSOPHICALLY, IT’S REALLY INTRIGUED ME BECAUSE IT IS SO OLD, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, IT MEANT DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE A LOT OF CELTIC PAGAN GODDESSES THAT WERE OFTEN DEPICTED AS A TRIPLE GODDESS WHERE THEY HAD 3 ASPECTS OF THEMSELVES, USUALLY AS A YOUNG INNOCENT AND THEN A MATERNAL FIGURE AND THEN, FINALLY, AN OLD, WISE WOMAN, AND THEN, ACTUALLY, WHEN THE CHRISTIANS WERE CONVERTING A LOT OF THE CELTS TO THEIR RELIGION, THEY KEPT A LOT OF THOSE ANCIENT PAGAN SYMBOLS BUT GAVE THEM A CHRISTIAN SPIN.

SO THEN IT BECAME A SYMBOL FOR THE HOLY TRINITY.

>> THAT LOOKS GOOD.

>> GEOFF IS A REALLY GREAT TEACHER BECAUSE HE IS CRITICAL WHEN HE NEEDS TO BE, BUT HE ALWAYS DOES IT IN A WAY THAT’S VERY FRIENDLY AND KIND.

I NEVER FEEL LIKE HE’S TELLING ME, "YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO WORK HERE," YOU KNOW?

THERE WERE A FEW CHALLENGES WHEN I CAME IN.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE HAMMERS THAT WE USE ARE 5 POUNDS, AND, ALTHOUGH I’D DONE A LOT OF RAISING AND FORGING BEFORE, I’D ALWAYS USED MUCH SMALLER HAMMERS.

SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO ADJUST TO BECAUSE I WASN’T USED TO THE KIND OF WEIGHT.

YEAH.

IT’S USUALLY, MY RIGHT BICEP AND MY LEFT FOREARM ARE VERY STRONG, AND THEN THE OPPOSITE NOT SO MUCH.

IT’S KIND OF AWKWARD.

HA HA!

FOR ME, I THOUGHT, "YEAH.

IT IS SPECIAL TO BE A FEMALE SILVERSMITH AND METALSMITH.

IT’S ALWAYS SORT OF BEEN A MALE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT.

AS FAR AS THIS COMPANY IS CONCERNED, I’M THE FIRST WOMAN TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY FORGE.

PART OF THE REASON WHY THEY WERE INTRIGUED ABOUT HIRING ME IS BECAUSE I’M YOUNG AND I’M A WOMAN AND THEY HAVEN’T HAD ANYBODY LIKE ME HERE.

IF I’M TALKING ABOUT WORKING HERE AT OLD NEWBURY CRAFTERS, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SOMETHING HAS TO FUNCTION, BUT IN MY OWN PERSONAL STUDIO WORK, I’M FOCUSING MORE ON AESTHETICS.

IT’S ABOUT EXPRESSING AN IDEA AND SORT OF GETTING THE IDEA OUT THERE IN A FORM THAT MAYBE PEOPLE AREN’T USED TO AND MAKE SOMETHING THAT IS UTILITARIAN BUT APPROACH IT IN A WAY THAT, FROM A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, IT WOULDN’T BE INTERACTED WITH.

BECAUSE I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT GENDER ROLES, WHAT IT MEANS TO SORT OF OWN YOUR BODY AND OWNING YOUR SEXUALITY.

VESSELS ARE REALLY PERFECT FOR THAT BECAUSE IT’S A REALLY OLD METAPHOR FOR THE BODY, THE VESSEL, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN THINGS JUST LIKE WE DO.

IF YOU’RE A WOMAN, SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHILD, AND DURING THAT TIME, IT’S LIKE YOU’RE CONTAINING.

YOU’RE THIS SACRED VESSEL CONTAINING A NEW LIFE INSIDE OF YOU.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THEM OBJECTS OF EMPOWERMENT AND SAYING, "YES.

I OWN MYSELF.

THIS IS WHO I AM, AND I’M NOT ASHAMED OF THAT."

IT’LL LOOK GOOD, STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE STILL... AND IT SITS ON THE TABLE NICELY, AND THAT’S THAT.

IT JUST SORT OF AMAZED ME THAT YOU CAN TAKE THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT’S BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG AND MAKE FUNCTIONAL WORK LIKE WE DO OR CONCEPTUAL ART, AND THERE’S JUST SO MANY APPLICATIONS TO THIS PROCESS.

SO IT’S REALLY EXCITING.

IT’S ALMOST LIKE THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.

[CAR HORN HONKS] [HAMMERS CLANGING] >> I’M TOM PULLIN, AND I’M A SENIOR FINE ART MAJOR HERE AT THE CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN, AND I’VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS IN MY ENDLESS QUEST FOR MY BACHELOR’S DEGREE, AND COME THIS MAY, I SHOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE IT, BUT UNTIL I GET IT, I WON’T BELIEVE IT.

>> STOP, STOP.

HOLD ON A SECOND.

TOM, WHEN YOU’RE HAMMERING, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO KEEP THE RHYTHM.

>> I’M TRYING.

>> IF NOT, I AM GOING TO GET YOUR HAMMER THERE.

>> OK. >> I’M TEACHING SCULPTURE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES HERE IN CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART, AND I REALLY ENJOY THIS NEW CLASS THAT WE ORGANIZED LAST SEMESTER.

WE ARE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER NEW TECHNOLOGIES WITH TRADITIONAL METALSMITHING TECHNIQUES.

>> METAL, FOR ME, NEXT TO STONE, IT’S THE MOST PERMANENT SORT OF THING THAT WE HAVE MATERIALWISE.

IT’S ALSO VERY DURABLE, AND I CAN ALSO MAKE IT VERY SHARP AND SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY PART OF MY WORK, THAT I WANT MY PIECES TO BE PHYSICALLY DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE TO TOUCH.

WELL, THE SERIES THAT I WORKED ON IS ABOUT THE TRUTH AND WHAT THE TRUTH REALLY REPRESENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MILITARY AND WAR, AND THE END RESULT IS DEATH.

THE END RESULT IS PAIN.

AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS OR CLICHÉ AS IT SOUNDS, I GUESS I WANT TO MAKE A PIECE THAT IF SOMEBODY REALLY WANTS TO INVESTIGATE IT, I WANT THEM TO FEEL THE PAIN THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY COMRADES WHO’VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY WITH ME, THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT COMES FROM BECAUSE IT’S SOME EXPERIENCES THAT WE’VE SHARED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NEVER REALLY TRULY EXPERIENCED WHAT WAR CAN BRING.

I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WAS GETTING A RIDE HOME FROM MY FRIEND’S MOM, AND SHE ASKED WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO ABOUT COLLEGE, AND I SAID, "I DON’T KNOW."

I COULDN’T AFFORD IT.

SHE SAID, "WHY DON’T YOU GO IN THE NATIONAL GUARD?"

AND SO I LOOKED INTO IT, AND BY THE END OF SUMMER, I’D GONE TO BASIC TRAINING, WAS BACK, AND 24 1/2 YEARS LATER, I RETIRED, ABOUT THIS LONG AGO.

COMING BACK HERE TO THIS SCHOOL TO FINISH, I DECIDED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BECAUSE IT’S FAMILIAR AND I CAN ALWAYS EXPRESS MYSELF THAT WAY.

I THINK COMING HERE AND BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE MORE WITH SCULPTURE AND WITH METAL, IT TOUCHES A DIFFERENT PART OF MY BRAIN, AND IT ALLOWS ME TO EXPRESS DIFFERENT THINGS THAN I COULD WITH PHOTOGRAPHY.

>> AT THE CORCORAN, STUDENTS CHOOSE ELECTIVES THAT THEY AND THEIR ADVISORS FEEL ARE GOING TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR PARTICULAR GOALS FOR THEIR OWN ARTISTIC PRACTICE.

A PERSON HAS THE OPTION OF USING WHATEVER TECHNIQUES ARE AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND BE CREATIVE.

>> ALMOST 20.

SO LET’S APPLY AND REMOVE THOSE PARTS.

THE IDEA WAS TO USE THE LASER SCANNING PROCESS IN ORDER TO CREATE A DIGITAL MODEL FROM A MAQUETTE AND 3-D PRINT IT IN THE DIFFERENT SCALE WITH A 3-D PRINTER.

I FIGURED OUT THAT THE PLASTIC, THE ABS, THAT WE USE FOR THE 3-D PRINTING PROCESS, IT MELTS DOWN LIKE WAX.

SO PUTTING TOGETHER WAX AND PLASTIC, WE CAN BURN OUT THE INVESTMENT AND HAVE THE SAME MOLD THAT WE NORMALLY HAVE WITH THE LOST-WAX TECHNIQUE, BUT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS, WE ARE USING THE PLASTIC IN ORDER TO CREATE OUR POSITIVE.

SO THE SOFTWARE GIVES THE INFORMATION TO THE 3-D PRINTER IN ORDER TO DEPOSIT THE MATERIAL LAYER BY LAYER.

THE 3-D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO CHANGE OUR LIFE.

IT IS GOING TO BE EASY TO 3-D PRINT AN OBJECT IN PLASTIC, METAL, CERAMIC, GLASS.

IT’S GOING TO BE A DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE CREATIVITY PROCESS BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN DOWNLOAD FROM INTERNET AN OBJECT OR A SCULPTURE AND MODIFY IT, MAKE IT BIGGER, SMALLER, AND 3-D PRINT IT RIGHT AWAY.

>> FOR ME, IT’S WORTHWHILE TO BE ABLE TO GET AN IDEA OUT OF MY HEAD AND TELL A STORY ABOUT IT.

SO I WAS IN IRAQ FOR OIF II AND III, AND I WAS A HELICOPTER CREW CHIEF, AND ONE DAY, OUR UNIT GOT A MISSION WHERE PEOPLE WENT OUT TO THE CRASH SITE OF WHERE SCOTT SPEICHER’S PLANE HAD CRASHED DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR.

THERE WERE SOME GUYS WITH GROUND RADAR THAT THEY DRUG AROUND TRYING TO FIND THE GRAVE.

THERE WAS A BEDOUIN GUY WHO HELPED TO EXPLAIN TO US WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

HE HADN’T ACTUALLY BEEN THERE, BUT SOMEONE HAD TOLD HIM THE STORY.

THERE WERE SEVERAL GRAVES UP THERE, AND THE GUY IN CHARGE BASICALLY DECIDED, "WE’LL TRY THIS ONE."

SO FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, BASICALLY, ME AND TWO OTHER GUYS DUG UP THIS GRAVE IN THE SAND.

IN THE END, WE ENDED UP PULLING A SKULL OUT THAT THEY TOOK AWAY IN A BOX AND ENDED UP MAKING ITS WAY TO DOVER FOR DNA TESTING.

ALL THE INDICATIONS WERE THAT IT CAME FROM ABOUT A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL, AND SO THERE HAD JUST BEEN SOMETHING POWERFUL FOR ME AND THAT MEMORY OF PULLING IT OUT OF THE GROUND AND HOLDING THE SKULL, AND IN HONOR OF THAT FAMILY.

THEIR GRAVE WAS DESECRATED, AND THE SKULL HAS DISAPPEARED, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT TOOK 4 MORE YEARS TO GO BACK TO THE SAME PLACE AND FIND THIS AMERICAN THAT WE WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT THAT DAY THAT WE DESTROYED THIS OTHER GRAVE AND JUST TRYING TO WORK THROUGH ALL THOSE ISSUES, I JUST CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF CREATING THIS SKULL TO COMMEMORATE HER, IF IT WAS A HER.

I MEAN, I DON’T KNOW, AND I PROBABLY NEVER WILL, BUT IN MY MIND, THAT’S HOW I RECALL IT.

>> IT’S GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN THE 3-D PRINTING PROCESS WITH PLASTIC ENOUGH TO USE THE WAX IN ORDER TO MODIFY THE MODEL SO YOU CAN HAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS AND WORK WITH IT.

>> GO AND GO, GO.

>> ALSO INSIDE THE SKULL?

>> YEAH.

I WANTED TO GET SOME SUPPORT.

BASICALLY, IT BECOMES ENCASED IN PLASTER, AND WITH THAT PLASTER MIX, IT DRIES OUT.

IT GETS PUT IN THE KILN FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS, AND THAT MELTS OUT THE WAX AND THE PLASTIC, AND IT’S A TECHNIQUE THAT DAVIDE SORT OF PERFECTED, WHICH IS KIND OF COOL.

SO...IT’S JUST EXCITING TO BE HERE TO BE ABLE TO LEARN THAT, HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE I’M NOT SURE ANYBODY ELSE IS DOING ANYTHING LIKE THIS JUST YET.

SO NOW I GUESS WE CAN GO OUT AND DO THIS FROM HERE.

>> WE GO TO CHECK THE QUALITY.

>> LIKE IN THE MILITARY, WHEN YOU HAVE TO COLLABORATE TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS, IT’S JUST THE VERY BASIC NATURE OF A UNIT SORT OF TASK, AND WITH METAL, SOMETIMES DUE TO THE WEIGHT OR JUST THE SHEER VOLUME, THE NATURE OF THE TASK, YOU REALLY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

IT’D BE IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK WITH METAL AND NOT HAVE HELP.

>> WE GO OVER 2,000 FAHRENHEIT TO MELT THE BRONZE.

GOOD.

TURN IT.

TURN IT.

WHEN YOU PUT THE BRONZE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY QUICK BECAUSE IT COOLS OFF VERY QUICKLY AND YOU NEED THE BRONZE VERY LIQUID.

YOU NEED TO DO IT FAST.

>> THE VETERANS COMING BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ HAVE FACED DEATH.

THEY’VE SEEN PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS THAT MOST OF US CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE, AND THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO WORK WITH MATERIAL WITHOUT A NECESSARY GOAL, END GOAL OTHER THAN THE MANIPULATION OF THE MATERIAL, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ARTISTS WHO ARE SKILLED IS BOTH THERAPY, BUT IT CAN SUDDENLY BECOME A VOCATION, AND WE’VE SEEN THIS THROUGHOUT TIME AFTER WARS, THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PROCESS DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.

>> WELL, I’M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT HOME WAS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

IT WAS JUST SUCH A STRANGE CONCEPT, AND I DRANK A LOT.

I DIDN’T NECESSARILY PROCESS A LOT OF THINGS.

I’VE GOTTEN BETTER AT RECOGNIZING WHEN THAT’S HAPPENING, AND SO INSTEAD OF JUST DRINKING THEM AWAY, I’VE TRIED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO ACTUALLY GET THEM OUT.

>> I THINK THE HARDEST PART WAS TRYING TO ADAPT TO A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE.

I EQUATE IT TO GOING ABOUT 100 MILES AN HOUR AND THEN DROPPING BACK DOWN TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.

SO IT TOOK ME ABOUT 3 YEARS TO REALLY GET USED TO THE MORE LAID-BACK PACE OF ART SCHOOL.

>> SOME WATER.

[SIZZLING] >> OH, YEAH.

>> I THINK THAT IS GOOD.

WE HAVE ONLY ONE FLASHING HERE.

>> COMING BACK TO SCHOOL HERE, ESPECIALLY, GAVE ME A CHANCE TO TAKE THINGS ONE AT A TIME AND SORT OF DEAL WITH IDEAS AND FILTER THEM INTO SOMETHING AND CREATE SOMETHING OR HELP ME TO EXORCIZE THE IDEA, AND JUST THE STORY OF THE SKULL, UNTIL I HEARD THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY FOUND SCOTT SPEICHER, I NEVER TOLD ANYBODY ABOUT IT, AND I STILL ONLY SHARED IT WITH A COUPLE PEOPLE UNTIL VERY RECENTLY BECAUSE IT JUST WAS VERY PERSONAL TO ME.

[HAMMER TAPPING] ART HAS GIVEN ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE DEEPER INTO MYSELF AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND, AND MAYBE IT WON’T HEAL THINGS, BUT IT CAN AT LEAST PUT SOME SALVE IN PLACES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THE BEDOUIN GUY EXPLAINED TO US IS THAT ALWAYS WHEN THEY BURY THE PEOPLE IN THE DESERT, A PLANT GROWS WHERE THE BRAIN IS.

BECAUSE THE MOISTURE IN THE BRAIN, THE ROOTS ARE ATTRACTED.

SO I TRIED TO INCORPORATE ALL THOSE IDEAS.

THE BASE, OF COURSE, REPRESENTS THE ROOTS AS THEY GROW DOWN FROM THE PLANT AND INTO THE SKULL OF THE BODY, AND THE PLATE ITSELF IS TRYING TO REPRESENT THE PLANE OF THE EARTH AND HOW WE DISTURBED IT, AND THEN THE SKULL, OF COURSE, IS TO REPRESENT DEATH, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT PERSON’S LIFE IS JUST-- WELL, THEIR DEATH HAS BEEN DISPOSED OF AND JUST GONE AWAY.

SO I’VE TRIED TO JUST TIE THOSE TOGETHER AND REPRESENT THAT IN THE PIECE THAT I MADE.

>> I MEAN, BASICALLY, I HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE SORT OF PERSONALITY, AND IT WAS MADE MANIFEST THROUGH THE MATERIAL.

IT’S NOT SHY, TIMID WORK IN ANY WAY.

THE PROCESSES I TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS WERE THE ONES THAT WERE MORE IMMEDIATE.

THAT MEANS THE DIRECT MANIPULATION OF MATERIAL.

INITIALLY, I LEARNED ABOUT THE METALLURGY THROUGH GOLDSMITHING AND FUNCTIONED AS A GOLDSMITH FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 YEARS.

THE JEWELRY IS AN OBJECT TO BE WORN, AND, THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CONTEXT FOR THE JEWELRY IS THE HUMAN BODY.

IT HAS VOLUME.

IT MOVES THROUGH SPACE.

IT GESTURES, AND THE JEWELRY, I FELT, SHOULD HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO THAT.

I WASN’T INVOLVED WITH FASHION.

I WASN’T INVOLVED WITH SOMETHING TO DECORATE A LAPEL.

SO, THEREFORE, THE JEWELRY THAT I DID AT THAT TIME, COMPARED TO OTHER PEOPLE, IS FAIRLY LARGE IN SCALE.

>> HE TOLD ME THAT HIS FIRST WIFE, THE JEWELRY WAS SO HEAVY AFTER A WHILE THAT SHE WOULD CANT OVER TO ONE SIDE.

>> THE WHOLE IDEA TO WEAR JEWELRY IS FOR EGO MANIFESTATION.

YOU WANT TO PRESENT YOURSELF, AND YOU WANT TO BE DRAMATIC, AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A PRESENCE, AND THE JEWELRY DID THAT.

IF SOMEONE WAS TIMID, THEY COULD NOT HANDLE IT, BUT THAT WASN’T MY PROBLEM.

MY PROBLEM WAS FUNCTIONING AS AN ARTIST DESIGNING JEWELRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE AND TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURAL PARAMETERS THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN.

IN REALITY, THE JEWELRY, BECAUSE OF THE LABOR INVOLVED AND THE MATERIALS, WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE.

SO IT WAS ONLY BEING SOLD TO WEALTHY KIND OF ARISTOCRACY, AND MOST OF ITS LIFE TOOK PLACE IN A SAFE OR IN A DRAWER.

I FELT THAT MY STATEMENT AND MY ARTWORK WAS NOT EXPERIENCED BY THE PEOPLE.

THE BIGGEST TRANSITION HAPPENED IN 1972.

THERE WAS A COMPETITION FOR GATES FOR THE RENWICK GALLERY.

SO BASED ON MY DESIGN SENSIBILITIES AS A GOLDSMITH AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF IRON, I SUBMITTED A DESIGN THAT WAS ACCEPTED.

DEALING WITH IRON ALLOWED ME TO DEAL WITH LARGER SCALE AND ALLOWED ME TO EMBRACE ARCHITECTURE.

THE EARLIER WORK IN FORGED IRON WAS BASICALLY ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS--FENCES, GATES, CHANDELIERS--DEALING WITH THE ARTICULATION OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACE.

FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS, ALL I DID WAS FORGE.

I HAVE A BASIC IDEA, A BASIC CONCEPT OF WHAT I WANT TO DO AND BEGIN WORKING AND TRYING TO LEAVE MYSELF OPEN AND TRYING TO BE AS INTUITIVE AS POSSIBLE AND RESPONDING TO THE MATERIAL.

I DON’T KNOW.

A LOT OF MY WORK HAS TO DO WITH EXPLORATION, EXPLORATION OF PROCESSES, AND WITHIN THE METAL FIELD, THERE’S GREAT DIVERSITY OF PROCESS ORIENTATION.

I FELT THAT WITH METAL, I HAD THE FLEXIBILITY OF EXPLORATION AND HAVE ANOTHER MEDIUM.

WITH METALS AND METAL TECHNOLOGY, THERE’S REALLY NO LIMITATION.

YOU CAN DEAL ON A VERY, VERY MINUTE SCALE WITH GREAT ACCURACY OR VERY LARGE STRUCTURES, AND THERE’S NO LIMITATION WHATSOEVER.

BECAUSE OF THEIR WEIGHT, SOME OF THEM WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 200 POUNDS EACH, THE FORMS WERE CREATED PURELY BY THE ELEMENT’S OWN WEIGHT AND THE USE OF GRAVITY.

A YELLOW HEAT WAS TAKEN, AND THEN EITHER LEVERING IT AGAINST THE GROUND OR JUST LEAVING THE METAL SAG WHEN HEATED WOULD DEVELOP THE FORM, THE MOVEMENT, OF COURSE, BEING ARRESTED UPON THE COOLING OF THE METAL.

IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE EIGHTIES THAT I STARTED DOING INDEPENDENT, FREESTANDING WORK.

THE STRONG SCULPTURE FOR MARGARET WOODBURY STRONG MUSEUM IN ROCHESTER, THAT WAS A REAL TRANSITIONAL PIECE FOR ME BECAUSE THE STRONG SCULPTURE IS 22 FOOT HIGH AND 36 FOOT LONG, AND I COULDN’T FORGE ANYTHING THAT BIG.

SO I TOOK THE FORGE AESTHETIC, AND I TRANSLATED IT INTO HOLLOW FABRICATION.

VERY EARLY ON, I WAS JUST KIND OF A ONE-MAN BAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THEN SLOWLY THE STUDIO GREW.

I HAVE QUITE A LARGE STUDIO.

I HAVE 18 PEOPLE THAT WORK FULL TIME.

YOU’RE GONNA HAVE HIM WELD ALL OF THAT UP INSIDE AND THE TENDONS AND THE WHOLE BIT.

IF THAT CAN BE DONE FIRST, THEN WE CAN... >> ALBERT HAS A GREAT STAFF WORKING FOR HIM.

THE WELDERS ON OUR FLOOR ARE VERY, VERY EXPERIENCED.

SOME OF THEM COME FROM INDUSTRY.

SOME OF THEM WE HIRED DIRECTLY OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY.

IT’S A VERY WELL-WORKING TEAM.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS HERE AT PALEY STUDIOS.

SO WE HAVE THE PUBLIC ARTWORKS.

THOSE ARE THE LARGE, SITE-SPECIFIC WORKS, USUALLY ON THE REALM OF 50 TO 100 FOOT TALL.

THEY TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 18 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS TO DESIGN AND FABRICATE AND KIND OF HAVE THEIR OWN PROJECT SCHEDULE.

SMALLER WORKS, THOSE ARE DONE ON SPECULATION BY ALBERT WHEN HE WOULD LIKE TO, REALLY.

SO THERE’S NO SET SCHEDULE FOR THOSE.

>> AND THIS WAS A GATE THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR AN EXHIBITION IN 1982 AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON CALLED "TOWARDS A NEW IRON AGE."

SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THIS GATE IS, EVERYTHING THAT I TECHNICALLY KNEW OF MANIPULATING THE IRON, AND ALSO AESTHETICALLY WHAT I KNEW AT THAT TIME I TRIED TO INCORPORATE IN THIS.

SO BASICALLY, THIS IS A GARDEN GATE.

IT’S FREESTANDING.

IT OPENS LIKE SO.

>> I LOVE THE GARDEN GATE.

I THINK IT SHOWS JUST A BEAUTIFUL FORGING TECHNIQUE.

I UNDERSTAND THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO IT, SO I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK IT SHOWS FORGING TECHNIQUES THAT MOST BLACKSMITHS CANNOT DO, AND I THINK IT’S ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES THAT SETS HIM APART IN THE ARTISTIC AND THE METALWORKING WORLD.

>> QUICK, GRAB THE BRONZE MANLIFT AND FLIP THAT OVER THERE.

HE’S RIGHT THERE.

WHAT THE STUDIO ALLOWS ME TO DO AND WITH THE TRAINED PEOPLE THAT I HAVE AND THE EQUIPMENT I HAVE, IT ALLOWS ME TO EXPLORE THINGS THAT I NORMALLY COULDN’T EXPLORE.

>> ALBERT LIKES STEEL BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THINGS BIG.

I MEAN, 100-FOOT SCULPTURE, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BUILD IT OUT OF IF YOU’RE GOING TO-- AND HOW MANY STONE SCULPTURES ARE 100 FOOT?

MOUNT RUSHMORE?

MAYBE THAT’S IT.

STEEL, HE CAN GO BIG.

>> WELL, THE DIFFICULT THING ABOUT PALEY STUDIOS IS THAT WE ARE ALWAYS PROTOTYPING.

WE’RE ALWAYS BUILDING SOMETHING, AND IT’S LARGE, AND WE’RE ALWAYS BUILDING IT ONCE.

IT’S A CHALLENGE.

IT’S A CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE ALWAYS WORKING VERY EFFECTIVELY NOT KNOWING WHAT CHALLENGE THE NEXT PIECE THAT ALBERT DESIGNS WILL BRING, AND HE’S ALWAYS BRINGING A NEW CHALLENGE.

>> IT’S VERY FULFILLING, AND THAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO ME, BEING CHALLENGED DAILY.

THERE’S PROBABLY 200 ITEMS ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN WHAT’S DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW, WHAT’S STARTED UPSTAIRS IN THE DESIGN AREA.

THERE’S PIECES EVERYWHERE, ALL UNDER DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.

>> YEAH.

JUST WATCH WHEN YOU’RE WALKING AROUND.

I DON’T WANT... >> HE WILL GO THROUGH AND COME UP WITH 10 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF SOMETHING AND NARROW IT DOWN TO THE VERSION THAT HE THINKS IS THE BEST FOR THIS PARTICULAR JOB.

>> WE’RE HERE, AND THEN... >> HAVING ALBERT FEEDING THE DESIGNS AND THE CHANGES, TO ME, IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.

I’M INVOLVED IN INTERPRETING HIS PROCESSES INTO SOMETHING THAT’S COMPUTER-GENERATED FOR THE ACTUAL PRODUCTION.

>> IT’S VERY FUNNY BECAUSE HE DOESN’T HAVE HIS OWN E-MAIL ADDRESS, HAS NEVER TURNED A COMPUTER ON, WOULDN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TURN A COMPUTER ON.

IT IS NOT HIS THING.

HE WOULD RATHER SIT WITH A PENCIL AND A PIECE OF PAPER, AND THAT IS WHERE HE LIKES TO WORK FROM, VERY, VERY BASIC.

>> INITIALLY, I START OUT WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED DRAWINGS, JUST QUICK, GESTURAL SKETCHES SO I CAN GET THE COMPOSITION.

I CONTINUALLY DRAW AND DRAW, AND I START TO BUILD UP A MATRIX, AND THEN WITHIN THAT MATRIX, I WILL SELECT WHAT I FEEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, THINKING ALL THE TIME I’M DRAWING TO THE STRUCTURAL NECESSITY OF THE METAL AND WHAT THE METAL WILL DO.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, THE DRAWING PROCESS CREATES ITS OWN SENSE OF LOGIC.

IT’S ONE EXPERIENCE COMPOUNDING ON ANOTHER EXPERIENCE.

THEN I GO TO A CARDBOARD MODEL PHASE BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH I’M THINKING 3-DIMENSIONALLY, THE DRAWINGS ARE FLAT.

SO FOR ME, IT’S A DIFFERENT WAY OF WORKING IN ONE WAY, BUT IT’S ALMOST LIKE SKETCHING, LIKE 3-DIMENSIONAL SKETCHING... UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS OF FORMS, ANGLES, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, I’M TRYING TO DEVELOP A VISUAL VOCABULARY AND EVOLVE THAT VOCABULARY.

>> AND HIS DESIGN SIGNATURE FROM THE JEWELRY THROUGH THE GATES AND DECORATIVE ARTS INTO THE VERY LARGE, MONUMENTAL SCULPTURES, YOU CAN DEFINITELY PICK ALBERT PALEY ELEMENTS OUT OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DESIGNS.

>> I’LL THEN GO TO A METAL MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE METAL DOES WHAT THE CARDBOARD DOES, AND AT THAT POINT, ALL THE STRUCTURAL AND ENGINEERING CONCERNS COME IN--THE THICKNESS OF THE METAL, THE JOINING POSSIBILITIES.

THINGS HAVE TO BE SHIPPED.

HOW DO THEY COME TOGETHER?

HOW DO THEY COME APART?

YEAH, RIGHT ALONG THE BOTTOM HERE.

>> USUALLY, WE GO THROUGH 3 TO 5 DIFFERENT MODELS, CARDBOARD AND METAL, BEFORE WE GO INTO FULL SCALE.

THE FULL SCALE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S DONE THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE IF IT’S NOT, YOU’RE MAKING A VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE.

[WATER BUBBLING] >> WE ARE CUTTING THE RAW MATERIAL FOR ALBERT TO WORK WITH.

WE ARE NOT REALLY GIVING HIM A FINISHED PRODUCT.

WE ARE GIVING HIM A PRODUCT THAT HE CAN BEGIN GRINDING ON, HAVE IT BENT, FORMED.

>> THAT’S IT.

I NEED A BIG ONE WITHOUT THE PROFILE.

SEE WHAT THIS ONE-- >> HE’S NEVER SATISFIED.

>> HOW ABOUT THIS ONE HERE?

>> HE’LL SAY, "JOE, I NEED IT TWICE AS GOOD FOR THIS PROJECT."

SO WE’LL MAKE IT TWICE AS GOOD, AND THAT’LL WORK FOR HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, THE SURFACE YOU GOT IS GOOD, BUT IT’S GOT TO BE TWICE AS GOOD."

ALBERT HAS BEEN DRIVING OUR QUALITY FOR DECADES NOW.

ALBERT HAS A MASSIVE FORCE OF WILL THAT’S GOTTEN STRONGER THROUGH THE YEARS.

SO IF ALBERT WANTS YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT.

I MEAN, IT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

I REMEMBER ALBERT WHEN HE WAS A STARVING ARTIST.

IT NEVER BOTHERED HIM THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY MONEY.

>> SO THIS IS FROM... >> ALL OF HIS EFFORT, ALL OF HIS MONEY, EVERYTHING WENT TO THE WORK.

HE LOST MONEY EVERY YEAR.

I MEAN, HE WOULD BE TEACHING, AND HE WOULD BE USING HIS TEACHING SALARY TO SUPPORT HIS WORK.

SO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WE REALLY STRUGGLED.

I MEAN, WE DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING.

WE DROVE CARS THAT YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BELIEVE WOULD DRIVE, THAT THEY WOULD MOVE.

>> I WAS WORKING AS A TEENAGER IN OUR JUNKYARD SELLING REUSABLE STEEL.

HE WOULD LOAD UP HIS CAR UNTIL THE BUMPER WAS ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM THE ROAD, AND THEN HE’D HAVE TO STOP, AND THEN HE’D DRIVE SLOWLY AWAY, BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN, TAKING CARE OF ALBERT IN THOSE DAYS.

>> AS FAR AS LARGE-SCALE SCULPTURES, I PERSONALLY ENJOY "THRESHOLD" IN FRONT OF KLEIN STEEL, AND THAT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE I GET TO SEE IT AND EXPERIENCE IT SO OFTEN WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH KLEIN, AND THAT BRIGHT YELLOW, IT JUST CAN’T HELP BUT TO MAKE YOU SMILE.

>> I WANTED ALBERT TO MAKE THIS SCULPTURE BECAUSE HE WOULD FIND THE ESSENCE OF KLEIN STEEL.

IT STARTED WITH OUR ROOTS USING THE SCRAP.

>> SO I SAID, "THEMATICALLY, WHAT WOULD BE GOOD IS THAT THE SCULPTURE WOULD REPRESENT YOUR INDUSTRIES."

THEY SELL I-BEAMS AND TUBING, AND THEN ALSO IF YOU WANT SOMETHING CUT, YOU GIVE THEM A PATTERN, THEY’LL CUT IT, AND THEN WHAT’S LEFT IS CALLED SCRAP, OR DROP.

IT SO HAPPENS THAT WE HAD JUST COMPLETED A PROJECT FOR THE ST. LOUIS ZOO.

SO I HAD ALL OF THESE DROPS.

I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT, BUT HERE’S A RHINOCEROS IN HERE, AND THERE’S VARIOUS ANIMAL FORMS.

IT’S PAINTED SAFETY YELLOW SO IT RELATES TO INDUSTRY, AND SO, ONE, IT HAS THE INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS A POETIC LYRICISM ABOUT IT.

>> ONCE ALBERT HAS DONE SOMETHING, HE DOESN’T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

HE WANTS TO DO A BIGGER PROJECT, ALWAYS BIGGER.

UNLESS IT’S BIGGER AND MORE COMPLEX AND HARDER, ALBERT ISN’T SATISFIED.

[CAR HORN HONKS] >> ALONG PARK AVENUE IN NEW YORK CITY, THEY HAVE A SCULPTURE PROGRAM WHERE THEY INVITE SCULPTORS EVERY YEAR TO EXHIBIT THEIR WORK.

SO WHAT I PROPOSED WAS 13 SCULPTURES ALONG THE AVENUE FROM ST. BART’S ON 51st STREET TO THE ARMORY ON 67th.

TRIED TO PICK LOCATIONS THAT WERE QUITE DIFFERENT ONE FROM THE OTHER.

FOR INSTANCE, DOWN IN THE 50s, THERE IS THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

THE BUILDINGS ARE CLOSER TOGETHER.

THE FACADES ARE MORE DENSE.

AS YOU GET UP TOWARDS THE ARMORY, THINGS OPEN UP, AND WE HAVE TWO SCULPTURES THERE.

57th STREET IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CROSS SECTIONS, SO YOU HAVE THE LARGE EXPANSE OF SPACE.

THE SCULPTURES ARE VERY GESTURAL AND VERY OPEN, AND ACTUALLY, ONE IS PAINTED BRIGHT RED SO IT HAS THIS LARGE PRESENCE TO DEAL WITH THE VASTNESS OF SPACE.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE.

THIS IS 12 FOOT HIGH AND 50 FOOT LONG.

IT’LL BE DONE IN SECTIONS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, 61st STREET IS A VERY NARROW STREET.

THERE’S A VERY TIGHT DETAILING ON THE FACADES, SO THE PIECE IS MORE VERTICAL AND MORE DELICATE SO IT RESPONDS TO THAT SENSIBILITY.

THIS WHOLE THING IS AN EXERCISE IN OPTIMISM, REALLY, SO--HA HA!

OH, YEAH.

NO.

IT’S AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT.

SO ALL THESE PIECES NOW WE HAVE CUT.

WE’RE FORMING THEM, AND WE’RE IN THE PROCESS OF ASSEMBLAGE.

>> ALBERT DEFINITELY ENJOYS IT ON THE FLOOR.

HE’S HAPPIEST WHEN HE’S DOWN THERE WORKING, HAS A TORCH IN HIS HAND OR A HAMMER IN HIS HAND.

THAT’S WHERE ALBERT IS HAPPIEST AT THE STUDIO.

>> COME RIGHT DOWN, BROTHER.

>> WANT THIS SLING OFF, BILLY?

>> YEP.

THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INSTALL IS THE TIME CRUSH.

SO PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE TO KEEP AT A GOOD PACE.

>> SO OVER HERE, I’M TRYING... >> IT’LL PUSH DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU’RE TIGHT UP THERE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT’S ON THE WRONG SIDE.

I THINK, IN HINDSIGHT, THE STUDIO HAS BECOME A LOT STRONGER BECAUSE OF THE DEMANDS AND THE DETAILING THAT WAS NECESSARY.

I MEAN, THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE.

EVEN THOUGH WE’RE NOT FORGING THESE LARGER WORKS, THAT SAME SENSIBILITY OF TRANSITION, OF COMPLEXITY, OF ALTERING FORM IS VERY MUCH A PART OF WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

SO THOSE SENSIBILITIES THAT I DEVELOPED WHEN FORGING STEEL IS VERY MUCH A PART OF MY PERCEPTION WITH THE COMPOSITIONAL ASPECTS OF THE WORK.

>> YEAH.

THAT’S IT.

>> I ALWAYS FEEL WHEN I LOOK AT ALBERT’S WORK THAT THERE’S A TREMENDOUS SENSE OF ABSTRACT PATRIOTISM THAT’S DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN WHAT HE DOES.

I SEE THE FLAGS.

I SEE THE SWAGS.

I SEE THE BANNERS.

THERE’S A SENSE IN ALBERT’S WORK OF CELEBRATION, AND SO I THINK IT’S THRILLING TO SEE THAT IN NEW YORK.

>> EVERYBODY ASKS WHAT THE DRIVING FORCE IS.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M CAPABLE OF DOING.

IT’S ONLY THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT MY POSSIBILITIES ARE AND WHAT MY LIMITATIONS ARE.

IF I DON’T CHALLENGE MYSELF, I HAVE NO IDEA, AND THE IDEA OF NOT KNOWING IS-- I HAVE ONE TIME TO DO THIS, AND THIS IS IT.

>> ORIGINALLY, WE’RE FROM MEXICO.

WE CARRY THAT CONNECTION IN OUR BRIGHT CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.

>> WHAT I’M DOING IS THE SAME TRADITION THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME.

PEOPLE CARVED WHAT THEY KNEW.

>> I STARTED MAKING HANUKKAH MENORAHS, AND IT WAS LIKE, "WOW, I LOVE THIS."

>> CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS ON THE NEXT "CRAFT IN AMERICA."