Collaborative Project with the Wabanaki Nations

In October 2022, Martin Pierce began a collaborative project with the Wabanaki Nations to create castings for the Tekakapimek Contact Station in Penobscott County, Maine. This is the first of several pieces which will document the journey.

Project Concept

I spoke with Erin Hutton the project coordinator for the contact station who explained it’s special nature as a center drawing from the artistry of tribal craftspeople in Maine. One aspect would be the carved elements that upon arrival and throughout the center would welcome visitors. While some of the carvings would be left in wood, others were then to be cast in bronze. Before  the artists began carving, Erin wanted to ensure that the carvings created would be suitable for casting and would function well as door handles.

Gabriel Frey is a Passamaquoddy artist and maker of black ash baskets. As a basket maker Gabriel carves  hoops and handles for his baskets and not surprisingly is an outstanding wood carver. Gabriel was tasked with creating the carved patterns that we would be cast in bronze.

There would be 2 types of bronze handle, one a traditional chip carving similar to a tribal crooked knife and the second a set of circular handles with a smooth back that would feel like, as Erin described it, you were “grabbing a canoe paddle”.

 Paddle to pattern

We began the project with the entry doors, which would  have the largest handles and be a visitors first tactile connection with the center. The Initial circle paddle designs were 24” in diameter but the final carvings were 54” The size of the pattern would determine the amount and weight of bronze to be poured and directly impact the cost. The weight was less of a concern structurally as the doors were both spring and power assisted. To feel like canoe paddles the underside was initially designed to be solid and rounded but this would have required twice the amount of bronze. Hollow casting was considered but this would have required twice the number of molds and considerable labor in both welding and machining so the decision was made to make the patterns hollow and concave.

Carving Created by Gabriel Frey, photograph by Martin Pierce

 Two patterns were to be carved, one for each half circle. Since the final handles needed to act as a pair and be equal distance from the door face the wood blocks to be carved were pre-machined and routed to equal depths. However, as any carver knows, carving is an artistic process and not one measured by calipers. Upon arrival at our studio the patterns were still too deep so were hollowed out further and 3 flat areas on the back of each were created. Once cast, the mounting posts could be cut, fitted and welded to the flat areas of each half circle thereby ensuring each was the same distance from door face.

Carving Creation - Gabriel Frey, photography by Martin Pierce

Handle Design and Mounting 

The entry handles were to be mounted on one side using bolts screwed through from the back of the door into the 3 threaded mounting posts welded to the handle underside. When the project began we had planned for handles to be on both sides with no exposed bolts so we changed gear and designed complimentary push plates to conceal the bolts.

Credits and source material for this post

Photograph in the banner courtesy of :James Florio

Circle Handle Design and Pattern by Gabriel Frey

Project coordination: Erin Hutton

Tekakapimek Contact Station,Penobscott County, Maine

All Wabanaki Cultural Knowledge and Intellectual Property shared within this project is owned by the Wabanaki Nations.  

Oil Rubbed Door Handles

Light or Dark or both?

 Choosing the right finish for your door handle can be a challenge. While the English language may provide innumerable ways to describe the color of a patina and while images of pieces in situ obviously help, we often find that perception of color and noun use are incredibly subjective. Moreover, the finish of the patina in our opinion should not be monotone but should allow for variation without which the patina piece will look dull and the beauty of the bronze alloy will be lost. 

Images are useful guidelines. 

The cabinet hardware pages of our website show each piece in a light and dark oil rubbed patina. 

As you can see from the above image, each piece has different flat and recessed sections and since the fluid patina settles in the recesses 2 different pieces finished with the same chemical patina may appear quite different. Smooth surfaces will slough off the patina so our contemporary cabinet pulls are light sand blasted to roughen the surface so the chemical can adhere.

Highlights 

Our patina artist has honed his craft over the years to create subtle beautiful finishes. The nose, toes and and tail tip of the gecko are very gently buffed as are the wing tips of the butterfly to re-expose the golden bronze beneath the patina.

Choose both?

Our door sets create a mix and match option used to full advantage recently by the talented Georgina Rice.To continue the plated nickel finish of the Willow pieces in the bathroom she designed while keeping the bronze tones of the hallway we plated the Willow knob in an enamel and oil rubbed the exterior knob.

Below you will see how the Willow knob set has been used to achieve a split finish knob set.

Plans for 2025

The final quarter of 2024 was action packed with fresh patinas for candleholders; Katydom making the cut for the Culver City Film Festival and the decision to make specific art pieces available for sale from our website.

So,  continuing with this artistic vein,  Martin Pierce we will be adding more art works  to the Katydom Kingdom and Anne Pierce will be adding content to the story line that some may have previewed at the Regal Live L.A. when Maria Ramirez-Adams short was screened.

Candle Holders

Hot red and green patinas are applied to heated bronze frogs to create a mottled finish similar to the coloring used by poisonous South American dart frogs to ward off predators. A more muted oil rubbed patina is available for those looking for less drama on the dining room table.

Katydom Characters

Seeing Martin’s sculptures come to life on a big screen and writing the narrative for Katydom has helped me focus on the roles and talents of the characters in this fictional kingdom. Specifically, I will be focusing on Katydids and the history and lore they inscribe as symbols on the fossilized wings shed by Katydid elders.  Wasps, with their  mud dauber masons will be added to the content and the structures they build will be captured in bronze.

Wasps in 2025 will be explored with emphasis on their craftsman skills, a departure from the current emphasis on athleticism.

Our mainstream occupation continues to be in creating unusual and beautiful door and cabinet hardware. We work with many designers helping to realize their design concepts with our designs and with custom designs fabricated for their projects. This will always be our creative core.

Happy Holidays

Wishing you all a festive holiday season and a very healthy happy 2025.

Finalist at Culver City Film Festival

Martin Pierce’s venture into the kingdom of Katydom has not gone unnoticed and has been documented by Maria Ramirez -Adams in a short film “Katydom”  that debuts at the Culver City Film Festival on December 12th at the Regal Live LA at 6pm

In Ramirez-Adam’s film she beautifully documents Martin’s surreal bronze sculptures and paintings that together set out the story of the Katydom. In this imaginary world we see that the scale of insects and humanoids has been seismically changed with very large insects and very small humanoids, each rendered in bronze or in oil on canvas. As the video plays we learn about the Insect Race and how the sculptures come to life once a year to compete in this playful sport. We see through paintings and drawings how these sculptures evolved and we get a behind the scenes look at Martin as he TIG welds insect body parts and then applies his hot patinas.

Sunset Rider - Limited Edition Print

While this post is subjective I think you will enjoy this wonderful 7 minute short, it is beautifully filmed has keen production values and it is showing at the Regal Live LA a perfect venue. Admission is a modest $ 15 and you get to see other films that have made it to the finals at this years Culver City Film Festival.

Happy Thanksgiving

Frogs climbing aenoium stemmed candle holders were the art components for this year’s greeting.

Unique Candle Holders

It is official, we are now adding candle holders to items that you can order online . To mark the event, we have added 2 colored frogs and a simple aeonium  to our initial offering.

The frog candle holder at a height of 15” and width of 5” is a handsome piece perfect for the center of any dining table as a single piece or as part of a fun collection of candle holders. The frog is available in mottled green, mottled red or in a more muted antique oil rubbed finish. The green and red mottled frogs were inspired by the poisonous dart frogs of  south America who use their bright colors to help ward of predators. The poison of the frogs provided a useful coating for the dart heads of indigenous hunters which explains how they came to be named.

The frog is a decorative accent on this succulent inspired candle holder. The base was inspired by the aeonium plant family, while the stem was inspired by the dramatic center shoot of an of an agave plant.

The red and green markings are hot patinas of red and green dye oxides skillfully applied by brush to the  heated surface of the frog. A propane flame source is used to heat the frog to a temperature that will allow the dye to bond to the surface. Once the red or green markings are set, the contrasting black spots and stripes are applied using a cold acidic solution.

 The frog on the candle holder is created using the same mold we use to create the frog cabinet pull. At the wax stage we bend the frog’s legs and meld them in climbing position to the wax stem of the candle stick. Six molds and six waxes are used to create the candle holder, 3 for the base, 1 for the stem, 1 for the frog and 1 for the candle  holder. Once cast, the 6 components are welded together and patinaed.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

We have tried to make our dog and cat knobs a little scary by superimposing these images on a black and orange back-drop and by adding fangs, fake blood and scary eyes but should you like to see these 3 handsome characters unadorned please check out the links below.

Siamese Door Accessories - door knobs, knockers and pulls

English Bulldog

German Shepherd Door Knocker

Paso Robles Tree Inspiration

We recently escaped the urban scene of Los Angeles and took a brief camping trip into the rolling hills of Paso Robles. As many know, this area is a frequent haunt for Martin Pierce  and was the inspiration for his collection of wine cellar door handles and vine cabinet pulls.
For this visit we decided to camp and pitched our tent in the undeveloped acreage of  absentee friends who wisely were escaping the heat. The experience was challenging with  temperatures ranging from 101 degrees during the day to an almost bearable 80° at night. When the heat proved too much we drove to Cambria where the marine fog engulfed the coastline creating a chilly 70° temperature. The fog plays a critical role in the surrounding foliage bringing moisture to the trees and grasses of Paso Robles 30 miles in land.
Lichen on the local live oak trees plays a key role in this ecosystem providing food, shelter and nesting materials to deer, mice, squirrels and other mammals. Lichens are not, as I mistakenly thought, a type of plant but rather a remarkable organism made of algae and fungus that obtain all their nutrients from the air rather than soil. The fungal aspect of this organism provides a structure for the algae and the algae provides food for the fungus. Like plants, lichens use the sun through a process of photosynthesis to convert the food to energy in return giving back valuable oxygen. Lichen also removes pollutants in the air by trapping larger particles and absorbing smaller particles of nitrogen and sulfur.

Our mornings often began with the sounds of Nuttall woodpeckers tapping tree trunks to find grubs as well as suitable larders for acorns harvested from the live oaks. A more generic woodpecker was the model for our woodpecker door knocker that also functions as a door pull.

Playful Positioning of A Woodpecker Door Knocker

The bark of the live oaks has a beautiful texture and their inspiration is clear to see in the backplates and escutcheons of the lizard collection of door handles.

Playful Positioning of A Lizard Entry Lever

Brushed Stainless Steel Door Handles

A recent order prompted a return to the light box to see if we could photograph the luster of brushed rather than polished stainless steel. The lightbox had to be reconstructed to fit the 35” length of the Ergo Epic handle and even then, it was a very tight fit. The Ergo grip was photographed on a golden satin fabric using a Canon ESO Rebel with diffuse light created from overhead rows of LED light cells. The walls of the box are covered in a reflective foil to focus the light on the object and the floor and back wall are usually covered with a black or white backdrop.

How to Brush Stainless Steel

1.     Angle grinder with a blade attachment is used to cut off any gates left from the  casting stage.

2.     Angle grinder using a very coarse grit disk that removes any major surface imperfection. This sometimes will reveal a small crater or void caused by an air bubble that occurred during casting which will need to be filled with steel weld before going further.

3.     A handheld burnisher with an 80 grit sanding drum is next applied to begin buffing and refining the surface.

4.     A second burnisher machine is used with a dual grit scotch-brite sandpaper drum with successively finer grit drums.

5.     The final burnishing is done by hand with scotch-brite pads.

6.     Lastly the piece is passivated.

 Passivation

 316 Stainless steel is known for its rust resistance so what is oxidation and why is passivation necessary? 316 stainless steel is an alloy comprised of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and carbon. Chromium reacts to oxygen in the air and this oxidation process creates a protective layer on the surface of the stainless steel that acts as a barrier to corrosive forces like salt air. It is the iron component in metal that rusts and while 316 develops a protective coat, during the burnishing process contaminants can attach to the surface. Hence the final stage is to passivate the piece by immersing it  in a bath of citric acid solution which strips any iron contaminants from the surface and bonds with the iron elements to neutralize them and prevent future corrosion.

Persian Cat Functional Art Now A click Away

Having released one dog doorknob as an item that can be purchased online, we needed to placate the cats and have now set the Persian cat to follow in the footsteps of the English Bulldog.

Jackson, our feisty and loving Pitbull is ambivalent when it comes to cats, when stationary he finds them curious but when running his baser instincts show themselves. Martin has rationalized that all a cat needs to do in Jackson’s company is remain still but he failed to tell this to Arlo on a recent outing to Paso Robles but thankfully the diligent cat owner intervened to end the pursuit. Unlike Jackson, Martin Pierce does like cats, and we share a special fondness for the Persian variety.

As with our English Bulldog we are rolling out the  Persian cat door knocker, leash hook, door pull and non-turning dummy knobs  all of which are easily installed using  basic tools and by following our installation guide. The doorknob set at present can only be purchased by contacting us by email or phone as we need to ensure the set is correctly installed by a professional and the correct type of latch is supplied and would prefer to chat with you to trouble shoot the installation. While the simple tubular latch is easy  to install and is included with the door set, customers will first need to check that their door stile is wide enough for the 3” backplate and assess whether their existing knob set has a square or rounded edge faceplate, hence the need for more direct contact with the consumer.

The Persian cat is one of the oldest cat breeds and as its name suggests was bred in Persia the former name for Iran. The breed is distinguished by its snub nose and bulbous cheeks which lend it a comical and youthful countenance. Clearly soft and cuddly, this breed has sturdy legs and a thick body, and seem content  to lounge around  and be indulged by their doting owners.

Bunny Door Handles

If you are fortunate to live in the Hollywood Hills or close to Griffith Park then you will know that our bunny population is thriving. The desert cottontail bunny is our local variety and one I encounter without exception when taking the hill trail east of the Hollywood reservoir. Though they do not have social burrows they tolerate other cottontails which may explain why I often encounter 2 or 3 at a time.

As there name hints these small mammals are able to endure extreme heat and they thermoregulate by staying underground and limiting their foraging to dusk,dawn and night when it is cooler and hopefully they are less visible to predators.

Bunny from the Netsuke Collection of Animal Door Knobs

While they appear prolific they have short life spans or 12 to 18 months and are easy prey for the snakes, bobcats, coyotes owls and other predators whose habitat they share.

In the spring and summer cottontails feed on grasses, green shoots and leaves and the flowers of poppies, bush sunflowers, bluebells and any other flowering plants within their limited reach. In winter they turn to tree bark, seeds and berries and to aid the extraction of nutrients from these cellular fibrous plants they re-consume the food once it has passed through their digestive tract.

Unlike most rabbits, the cottontail does not dig it’s own burrow but appropriates the abandoned dwellings of ground squirrels. Once acquired the burrow for the does will be lined with fur from her body and soft vegetation to form a suitable nest for the 5 litters that the doe typically will have during her short life.

English Bulldog Journey

 It is official we are now starting to make our dog and cat door accessories available for purchase online. Until now we have  eschewed direct online sales as we are a small company without  departments devoted to these tasks. By virtue of being small we cannot make large quantities of products, preferring to maintain a high level of quality by making only a small quantity of pieces. We are taking our first steps with the English Bulldog that can be purchased as a leash hook, door pull, single knob or door knocker all of which are easily installed using the basic tools and by following our installation guide.

 The Bulldog, also known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog, is a dog breed that Martin Pierce grew up with. Martin’s dog, Sugar, was very typical of this breed being  hefty, muscular and with a somewhat squashed nose and wrinkled face. The breed is a descendant of the larger mastiffs which are said to have been introduced to England by the Romans. Whatever their ancestry this is one of my favorite breeds and feel their expressive jowls and wrinkles are well captured in Martin’s bronze sculptures.

At present the doorknob set can only be purchased by contacting us by email or phone as we need to ensure the set is correctly installed by a professional and the correct type of latch is supplied. While the simple tubular latch is easy  to install and is included in the door set customers will first need to check that their door stile is wide enough for the 3” backplate and assess whether their existing knob set has a square or rounded edge faceplate.

In the News

Excited to share a wonderful article in Bold Journey, an online  space devoted to story telling where the interviewees share their experiences and challenges in a question-answer format.  In the interview I discuss the winding road that has taken us from England to Los Angeles and from making furniture to making hardware and to arriving now at the start of Katydom and the sculptures therein.

Anne and Jackson Martin creates and I begin to imagine the story line

In the interview we discuss the Katydom trailer by the talented filmmaker Maria Ramirez-Adams and her soon to be released short documentary.

Bold Journey for those unfamiliar with the site has continued on from Voyage LA  a online magazine focused on trends in Los Angeles and that featured Martin Pierce when his focus was developing original door handles.

Custom Bathroom Accessories

A small robe hook may not be an obvious way to make a bathroom sparkle but with an original design and a reflective finish that is exactly the outcome. The Willow collection of bathroom fixtures is customarily finished with  an  understated oil rubbed bronze patina that accentuates the overlapping flowing leaves. When the same piece is nickel plated the reflective luster transforms the piece into a gem.

 The Willow Sprig is similarly transformed and, in the image here, was adjusted for mounting as a back- to- back shower door handle.

A small connecting bolt was used to attach the left and right sprigs. The bolt was welded into the back of the sprig on the outside of the shower door while the other end threaded so that it could be screwed on site into the back of the sprig on the inside of the shower door. Once the sprigs are tested and fitted the bolt will be locked in place by a small Allen screw in a pre-drilled and threaded hole on the neck of the sprig.

If an existing cabinet can be refaced with new doors then a centered large pull is a less costly way to make a bold statement. The large orchids below are nickel plated and mounted on a dark framed doors to a bathroom double vanity.

A new vanity opens the door to a truly custom design and in the example below we collaborated with designer  Kellie Beaubelle  to create an orchid spray that spanned all three doors of a vanity in her client’s master bathroom.

HAPPY 4th JULY 2024

From all the creatures of Katydom to all of you, may you have a happy and fun July 4th.

Some of the large insects shown here also participate in the Annual Insect Race that happens in Katydom, a fictional world where humans are small, and insects are large. The rules that govern this annual event ensure that all contestants compete on an equal footing and accordingly all are restricted to ambulatory rather than aerial participation. The Katydids are the custodians of these rules and of other historical matters that are recorded on the wings of the Katydid elders.

The story of Katydom is evolving and we will be providing updates during the year as well as when we celebrate July 4th.

The Stag Beetle below is a major force to be reckoned with in the annual insect race.

The Katydids are custodians but also competitors in the Annual Insect Race

Local Wine Country

Hiking in Santa Monica Wine Country

 As I am not a wine connoisseur, I did not associate the  Santa Monica Mountains with wine tasting and was skeptical about making a date for a 2.5 hour tour in the hills.

However, as the journey through the marine layer of the lowlands made way for the  blue sky and sun of Kanan Dume Canyon, so did my expectations. The drive up this canyon is spectacular, the rugged brush terrain is dotted with flowering yuccas, poppies and mustard brush and  Malibu beach sparkles  blue in the distance. 

“Malibu Wine Hikes” is tucked away up a small road where west Mulholland Highway intersects Zuma Ridge Fire Rd. The site sits just below Saddle Rock and with an astounding 1,000 acres and an elevation at it’s peak of 2,000 ft offers a panoramic view stretching from Westlake Village to Point Magu. Saddle Rock sitting at  2,800 is  a well-known landmark most Los Angelenos know by name if not sight and is a rock that has for centuries figured in the indigenous Chumash culture.

Recently planted vines in the foreground with Mitten Rock in the background

Saddlerock Ranch is the location of Malibu Wine Hikes and is an industrious farm and winery that was established by Ron Stemler who planted the first Sauvignon Blanc vines. When the vine population was expanded to include red grapes, the winery established its reputation for wonderful Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

The 2.5 mile hike took me through acres of vines that had been recently planted in the wake of the devastating Woolsey fire that decimated the ranch crops and buildings in 2018. Thankfully, the resilience of nature has all but removed most reminders of the fire apart from the stone ruins of the family home and some scarred avocado and oak trees.

 In the Martin Pierce collection of vine door and cabinet hardware our inspiration  for the pieces came from both the lithe green vines as well as the more woody old growth vines.

Recently planted vines in the foreground with Mitten Rock in the background

Bird inspired door handles

Even a modest garden can provide an abundance of stimulus for the patient artist. An avid bird watcher knows that patience and stillness are the main requirements for successfully observing and photographing these garden gems. But even stillness may not be enough to take a snapshot  of nesting Bewick wrens who are on their guard for anything suspicious. To take this shot, Martin Pierce had to hold his iPhone to the side of his head and avert his eyes from the subject.

Photograph by Martin Pierce

A long 400mm lens is also useful and allowed Martin to capture this from a safe distance.

Photograph by Martin Pierce

The bird house was made by Martin 10 years ago, but this is the first time Bewick wrens have turned it into a nest. Possibly the dilapidated nature of the box and debris of leaves and spiders’ webs were exactly the type of décor needed to make a less conspicuous  home. As Bewick wrens typically mate for life and return to the same nesting ground Martin is hoping to see the generations that may follow.

While observing and photographing birds is undoubtedly a rewarding past time, they are for Martin an endless source of inspiration.

When I looked back at some of Martin’s old sketch books it came as no surprise to find these quick sketches.

Living in the Hollywood Hills we  often see red tail hawks who prey on rodents and lizards which are abundant. The image below shows a red tail hawk carrying a squirrel in its talons and being pestered by a crow.

Date of Original Sketch 1990’s

Here crows are shown in flight and again mobbing  a red tail hawk.

Date of Original sketch 1990’s

 Bulbuls that are not native to California can now be seen on a regular basis in Hollywood and Martin’s patience paid off recently when he was able to catch this shot.

Photograph by Martin Pierce

While I have not seen any recent additions to his current sketch book he has divulged that a bird may soon make it to his drawing board as a model for a new Netsuke door knob. That said, the blue jay may also be a contender albeit the scale will have to be significantly reduced from the current large door pull.

Small fine art sculptures

In the world of Katydom, Martin Pierce has been focusing on the dung beetle, a central character in his fictional world of  large insects and small human-like creatures. In the most recent piece, the dung beetle’s ball is repurposed as a climbing frame by a humanoid seeking to mount the thorax of the beetle so they can compete as a team in the Annual Insect Race. It clearly takes practice to achieve a successful mount which explains why the piece is partly named “Fallen Rider”.

 In Katydom neither species nor scale are the source of power or wealth   and coexistence is the social norm. Thus, while the new dung beetle and his ball are smaller than other beetles  in Katydom they are no less valued. By contrast in the present world of commerce scale generally determines weight and when this comes to bronze explains why the smaller sculpture at 5 lbs is less expensive than it’s much larger 12 lb relative.

The dung ball’s organic appearance is reminiscent of the Morphic collection of door handles, but the uneven surface and imperfect edges give it a clay like appearance.  The dung ball will be the focus of other pieces to follow with plans to repurpose it as a fitness center or learning room or summer lodge. 

The current piece is finished in a combination of hot and cold patinas with a  green thorax and head and  dark bronze beetle body and satin brushed light antique ball and polished humanoid.

Color and luster when choosing cabinet handles

 Silicon bronze is the preferred alloy for many of our cabinet pull castings and it’s high 96% copper level explains it’s red brown tones. The remaining 4% is made up primarily of silicon which is added to increase the strength and durability of the casting.

 When choosing a complimentary pull for a cabinet while the alloy sets the stage for color the luster of the alloy plays an important part as this will determine how much light is reflected and how much color is perceived.

To a skilled designer neither the alloy color or luster are left to chance but are carefully balanced against the cabinet color and other hardware to create a pleasing setting.

Photo Courtesy of Anjali Pollack Design

Finish of Sprig Pull: Satin Bronze

 Anjali Pollack, a well known international designer based in New York recently shared with me photos she took of the Willow sprigs she commissioned in bronze for a wet bar in a Manhattan residence. When choosing, Anjali Pollack considered the sprig in light and dark patinas and lusters ranging from brushed to polished. The result is a sophisticated welcoming wet bar come art nook. The sink and faucet are both in a satin nickel finish and the top is inset with  an antique highly reflective glass.

Finish top to bottom; Polished, Satin,Light Antique patina on Satin, Dark Antique on Satin.

 The sprig pull is a collections of willow leaves that are directional and make a left or right hand cabinet door pull. The leaves form deep crevices which are accentuated when the sprig is finished with a dark patina. The dark patina absorbs light and does not reflect the color of surrounding color, contrast this with the satin lightly polished finish chosen by Anjali Pollack which beautifully picks up the surrounding green grey and tones of the cabinet and walls.

Brushed, satin and polished finishes in metal are created by applying different grades of abrasive compounds to the surface of the piece and by moving the belt sander in a circular or directional way. As you progress from coarse to finer grits, so to do the machine lines left in the surface until an extremely fine grit leaves almost no visible surface line resulting in a highly polished finish.