Modfire

"I believe in moments of divine inspiration.  The best designs make your pulse quicken, speak to your soul and come into existence almost effortlessly."
~ Brandon Williams 

ModFire

A couple of weeks ago I was on the  Etsy website, just looking at beautiful things when I stumbled across a an enchanting fire vessel. It caused me pause.  I looked and looked at images of this beautiful creation.  I was intrigued by the design, the material and the fabulous colours.  I had to track down the artisan and find out more about his work and about the vessel.  I was also most interested to know just what inspired him to select those awesome colours!

Today I would like to introduce you to Brandon Williams.

Brandon is a designer/fabricator and owner of ModFire.  Last week we began a dialog and I want to share with you his work, his inspirations and his passion for his creations. 


First a little background:

Inspired by what he saw as a dearth of creativity on the American scene for a truly cool and modern outdoor fire feature, Brandon resolved to combine his substantial metal craftsmanship with his eye for the intrinsic beauty of simplicity to create a uniquely imaginative and functional design manifested in the products offered by ModFire.

Straddling the tension between the chaotic processes involved in metal fabrication and the zen of evolving designs that distill to their innate forms, Brandon produces a magnificent outdoor fire element whose design is, at once, at peace with itself and its intended surroundings.  In my opinion, the divine spark is alive and well and manifested at the fingertips of this most talented artisan.

Last week I interviewed Brandon by e-mail.  Below is a transcript of that interview.



The Interview:

Clearly you have a background as an artisan. Can you explain that a little bit for me..  

"I’m fortunate enough to have been a working artist for in one way or another for over 22yrs. My creative roots started in a 2-D world, drawing, sketching, and designing things I wanted to make. I made the jump to physical form my early 30’s. Just a basic welding class and the desire to expand as an artist became a potent combination of just the right elements"

What inspired your works?

My passion is in functional objects, interior or exterior, sculptural yet useable. I think

what really inspires me across the board is great design. I try to keep a minimalist mindset but couple it with the optimism and dynamic nature of art deco and my style pours out very mid-century modern with the emphasis on modern.

In Raw Form

You must have tried other designs before you settled on this one, why was this the winner?

I couldn’t get this shape out of my mind…The Modfire is virtually identical to the original rendering; no changes had to be made.  What I love about it is the ability to contain such a primitive, chaotic element in a form so sleek and modern.

  





Is there an artist you relate to?


I tend to follow styles or eras rather than artists by nature but Charles and Ray Eames come to mind, both so incredible and productive in creating their vision of useful items.

Organic Modern being created

What would you call your style?

How about something catchy like “Organic Modern” 

















How long have you been working with Steel and is there any other medium you would like to explore?
 
I knew I could never master metal and for me I think that was the point, I need to be challenged, it brings my best. Metalwork is something I can could do for a lifetime and never learn it all. I’ve been working in steel for over 16 yrs. and constantly discover new ways to approach my craft. I do love blending materials however, I’m just learning how to work with wood so I can eventually incorporate that into my pieces.





Do you have a philosophy?

Yes, “Do what you love and the money will follow” and “leap and the net will appear”

The current the colour selection  .. Please contact ModFire  with any questions regarding these gorgeous sculpted fire features..  They can do custom work too !!! Love custom work!

Current colour selection 

As you can clearly see, Brandon is a talent to watch.  I can't wait to see his next creation.


Jane