Haw Creek Forge
Catherine’s welding expertise was acquired on the job years ago as a construction welder in the southwest. Here she also had her first taste of working with copper. It was love at first weld. "When I put my torch to that copper and saw all of those colors I knew I found my material. I started out in blacksmithing, but it is not at all forgiving and I didn't want to work that hard!" she explains. "Unlike steel, copper is very claylike - you can go far with it and still go back."
After taking her first formal metal art class at John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, Catherine began making items for her own garden out of her home in Haw Creek, NC and the business grew from this (hence the name). Today, Catherine’s outdoors-inspired designs are created by a small group of talented artisans in an old textile mill in Asheville, NC.
Finished pieces are coated with UV resistant paint or patina to create an aged effect. Each piece also receives a durable clear coat to keep it looking great for years to come.