One of the first things that becomes clear when talking with metal artisan Ron Savage is that he is someone who has a deep curiosity in all forms of artistic expression. Ron recalls that he first began to develop an interest in fine art and hand-crafts as a young teen, and he has had a long and varied career working in many mediums – as a painter, woodworker, in leather craft, and as a metal smith.
Ron grew up in a military family and experienced living in many different places across the US and around the world. This early exposure to a variety of cultures and aesthetic traditions has influence Ron’s broad interests in both modern and ancient design. While he describes his family as creative, Ron was the only member of his family to attend art school and pursue a life-time of work as an artist and craftsman. Ron painted for years, exhibiting in galleries in New York City and Connecticut, and also had a business in Connecticut specializing in hand crafted leather goods for nearly a decade.
Ron made his first knife over twenty years ago, but has increasingly turned his attention to working with metalson a full time basis for the last seven years. His current interests include making knives and other hand implements along with jewelry that use a variety of techniques and decorative elements inspired by the many places Ron has lived and worked over the course of a lifetime.
While painting can be mentally exhausting, Ron describes working with his hands as restorative- the perfect intersection of art and physical engagement. Ron’s knives are hand-forged or shaped from stock steel. He uses both forms depending on the purpose of the implement and the type of embellishment he envisions for the blade and the handle.Handles are carved from small pieces of scrap wood collected over the several years Ron spent working as a cabinet maker, and inlaid with ivory or exotic wood or stone to create unique one-of-a-kind pieces. When we discussed the range of knives and implements created, a carving knife, chef’s knives, and small paring knives are all items Ron typically produces over the course of a year along with specialty and custom pieces.
Using an old hand-cranked blower found in a junk store, Ron was able to build a small forge behind his home. He has to time his production to the seasons as finishing a piece can take many hours of work in an unheated space. While some raw steel stock is purchased for use, Ron makes a special effort to use reclaimed steel from a variety of sources including the use of old leaf springs from a junked car. He has even pulled the springs from an old sofa to create small hooks and other utensils. Extremely knowledgeable about the various grades of steel, Ron makes a great effort to minimize waste through careful processes and the creative re-use of raw materials.
Ron doesn’t currently teach any classes, but he does offer one-on-one instruction to people who have an interest in learning the craft of metal work. He emphasizes that along with a creative and open mind, patience, quality, and attention to detail are critical attributes for an artisan to find success.
Ron and his wife Kitty live and work in New Haven CT.
You can see more of Ron’s work by visiting his products page on our e-commerce site, or contact him directly at ronsavage999@gmail.com for more information about custom pieces.
This profile written by Elizabeth Conrad, Common Good Market, Copyright 2011
