Contemporary Tradition

I sculpt metal.

My name is Celeste. Welcome to my life as an artist blacksmith. I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. After receiving my BFA in Sculpture from the Academy of Art University I continued my education at The Crucible, where Chris Niemer, head of the blacksmithing department was my mentor for more than a decade. I spent a dozen years teaching blacksmithing, while I built a thriving business creating ornamental metalwork.

My blacksmithing skills have brought me many unexpected opportunities. I have been featured in Make Magazine, SF Chronicle, La Nacional (Argnentina), The Anvil’s Ring and many others. I have worked for NBC Sports, Disney, Audi, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Inglenook winery.

Recently I have been teaching others how to forge metal by running classes and team building events. We are striving to build a connected artist blacksmithing community closer to The Bay Area. I continue to develop my own skills and artistry to create more beautiful and refined creations for homes.

It’s a challenging business, but I do what I love.

I love commissioned work

I love commissioned work. For me it’s a collaboration between myself and the owner. I love the boundaries of style, era, and space that are inevitable in a site specific project. I love matching my vision as an artist to the home and to the owner. It’s a very challenging and rewarding process that drives me to continue to learn and push the boundaries of my abilities.

I have the best job.