My first raised object, this copper vessel started out as a 10 inch disc of 18 gauge copper. Having never smithed any metal prior, I was shocked by the physical and mental demands of the craft. Though more about technique and endurance than brute force, raising requires a serious attention to detail. You have to literally hit every square centimeter of the material, not once, but many times, over and over again. I was hooked from the beginning.

photo by Jeffrey Clancy

Hand raised from a 10-inch disc of 18 gauge brass, this vase was my first departure from copper raising. Significatly harder than copper, the real challenge was being patient as each round of raising yielded less overall in terms of form change. The piece evolved into an appealing pint glass shape towards the end, and I was tempted to leave it be, but a desire to push the material further led me to close it in to form the oculus.

photo by Jeffrey Clancy

Hand raised from a 6-inch disc of 18 gauge copper, this copper creamer was really fun to make. I lost count of how many times someone called it cute. I hope to slip cast it in porcelain someday soon.

photo by Jeffrey Clancy

Hand raised from a 6-inch disc of 18 gauge silver, this material was by far the most humbling of the metals to form. I had to anneal the piece in the dark, watching intently for the first sign of a dull reddish glow that is nearly impossible to see in a lit environment. Any more heat and you run the risk of creating stress fractures or even melting the piece. Nerve racking and amazing!

photo by Jeffrey Clancy