Tina Fried Heller Distinguished Artist Series with Chris Shea: Demonstration James Renwick Alliance for Craft
Join JRACraft for our upcoming Tina Fried Heller Distinguished Artist Series program with artist and blacksmith Chris Shea. In this part of his two-part program, experience his work up close during an in-person demonstration, where he will share the traditional forging techniques and thoughtful design process behind his sculptural furniture and architectural metalwork.
Working primarily in iron, bronze, and copper, Shea creates pieces that bridge function and sculpture, drawing inspiration from the natural world, historic craftsmanship, and the expressive possibilities of forged metal. His work transforms familiar forms into intricate, organic structures that evoke insects, crustaceans, and other natural phenomena while celebrating the enduring traditions of blacksmithing. Register for his demonstration here, or by completing the form below.
Chris Shea
Chris Shea designs and creates furniture and architectural metalwork at his studio in southern Maryland, outside Washington, D.C. His work is included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery and in numerous private collections around the country. Shea’s work has been shown at the Fuller Craft Musuem, Woodson Art Museum, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, the National Ornamental Metals Museum, the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston, the Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia, and at SOFA Chicago with Maurine Littleton Gallery. A native of Marblehead, MA, Chea studied metalsmithing at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Tennessee and at Penland School. He holds a BA in English Literature from Cornell University and, before embarking on his current path, worked for five years in Educational Programs at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. Chris Shea’s glasswork is created in association with the talented artists of the Washington Glass Studio.