About Us

Eric West has been creating jewelry and sculpture for over fifteen years. He got his start working at Billings Bronze art foundry, eventually working his way up to the head of the ceramic shell department.

Eric then moved to Philadelphia and became part of the staff at the Johnson Atelier Institute for Sculpture - a foundry which also was a school. At the Atelier he worked on sculptures as large as 40 feet tall and 20 tons of bronze. In this position he assisted artists like George Segal, Seward Johnson and Kiki Smith. Eric did restoration work on many sculptures including several Henry Moores.

Eric West with the crew of the Johnson Atelier Institute of Sculpture.

Eric West in Glacier National Park

Upon moving to Fresno, California Eric's work shifted from metal casting to metal smithing and blacksmithing. During this time he received a diploma from the prestigous Revere Academy in San Francisco and was an artist-in-residence at the Mendocino Arts Center. Eric has also attended numerous workshops specializing in anticlastic forging and asian metal working techniques such as mokume gane and kuem bo.

Eric West is currently working creating both jewelry and sculpture. His sculpture continues to have cast metal as a central element and much of that work uses cast iron and bronze. Eric West has co-presented workshops on cupola casting iron across the United States and has even participated in an expedition to be the first people to cast iron art north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska.

Eric West during expedition to cast iron art north of the Arctic Circle.

West Metalsmithing