The Western Design Conference in Jackson, Wyoming is billed as the “Preeminent Functional Western Art Show in the Nation”. On my juried acceptance into the show in 2011, I was awarded “Best in Class for Home Accents” for a grouping of my functional pottery in my turquoise glaze, copper lids and antler handles. While in Jackson that September, I saw an original 1912 Dirk Van Erp copper lamp with its original copper and mica shade that was displayed by Fighting Bear Antiques. I was awe struck by the craftsmanship the lamp embodied, and it changed my creative path from that point forward.
The style of copper work that I create is a mixture of Craftsman, Mission, Prairie, and occasionally a touch of Art Deco. Microsoft Excel (which is basically a fancy set of graph paper) is what I use to create and print my patterns. It was readily available when I first started this journey in September of 2011, and was a program that I was already familiar with.. After laying out the plans in Excel, I then print my patterns on a wide format plotter and apply the paper pattern to the copper for cutting and marking. I do not use any CAD programs or any automated cutting or bending machines.
Each piece of copper and mica for my copper and mica shades and lighting fixtures are hand formed and hand finished by me. Each edge of every piece is sanded and buffed to a smooth finish, then hand waxed to preserve the natural fire patina created when I temper and hammer the copper. After the copper pieces are hand formed to fit each specific part of the shade, I hand drill each individual hole, hand place each rivet, and bind the copper & mica together with copper rivets, forming each individually crafted piece.
The pottery I create is to be used; I hold it and carry it, testing to see what it will feel like in your hands, striving to make pieces that are comfortable and familiar to each of us. Each piece is uniquely designed to compliment the natural beauty that Mother Nature bestows upon us.
Robin Wolf Studio is located on our family farm/ranch about 45 minutes northwest of Oklahoma City. I work by myself in my studio using a Lockerbie kick wheel, fire my work in a 27 cu. ft. gas kiln that we built and an electric kiln. I use standard hand tools and hand operated sheet metal tools to create my copper fixtures
"L2K" is the mark that I stamp on all of my work. It is created for the people that have made this possible; my husband Larry and my daughters, Lexie, Kian, and Kaily, 2 L's and 2 K's.
