ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
In 1971 while studying at the University of New Hampshire I was enrolled in a course on Early American Architecture. I got a few questions on the final exam that was related to early Portsmouth architecture incorrect. Convinced my Professor was wrong, I decided to come to Portsmouth myself to see the Wentworth Gardner House. After seeing the house and realizing my Professor was indeed correct, I decided maybe I could find a job and learn a few more things. Thus, I stopped into Strawberry Bank to inquire about a job. Turns out I ended up running the blacksmith shop there for the next seven years. Over thirty years later, I was installing a railing in front of the Wentworth Gardner House. I drilled multiple holes into granite for two days with equipment that seemed to have been around as long as when I had first visited Portsmouth. While sweating in the summer heat and drilling too many holes, I had an epiphany. If I had not ever visited the Wentworth Gardner House I would not have had to drill so many holes. Moreover, I would not have pursued a career in blacksmithing. At this point I have been in the blacksmithing business for thirty-eight years and counting. I find one of the advantages of being self-taught is that it takes less time to figure out how I solved the problems the last time I produced a similar piece.
