John Haley III

I began my blacksmithing apprenticeship in 1993 after having tried to “find my voice” in several other mediums: painting, video, photocopy art, music, etc.

I love the inherent organic and bi-polar nature of forged iron, the physicality of the work and the numerous steps required to create the simplest of objects. Initially inspired by the the works of Hector Guimard, Victor Horta and H.R. Giger, I eventually rejected the organic and spent several years creating a series called Cityscapes heavily influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, where less is more.

I have since come full circle, spending a lot of time in France and Belgium studying the world of Art Nouveau and profiting from a culture that appreciates craft as much as they do art. I enjoy creating functional work (tables, gates, lamps, etc.) as well my current series “Les Créa-tures”.