Photo by Joel Patterson & Bernd Zeugswetter
By Shea Parton & Luke Warner
When we recruited our reluctant friend Andy as a model this past April, he asked if it would be possible for us to Photoshop out a fresh forehead gouge. We said "of course" & didn't ask questions - we're well aware that his day job as a blacksmith has a higher-than-average injury rate. Andy Patterson is not typical model material.
Born in Southern California, Andy was raised in Orange County in the 80s. After moving around with his family, he ended up in Santa Barbara where he studied English. Eventually his parents and all three of his siblings moved to the 805 area code where they now reside within twelve miles of each other.
Although he was studying English at Westmont College, it was at this time that Andy discovered his love for rock climbing. After Westmont, he went back to school to become a guide and has lead expeditions across the country, including stints as the Wilderness Guide at several colleges including Johns Hopkins University and he continues to guide clients today. Along with his outdoor jobs, Andy has worked as a writer for Santa Barbara Homeowner Magazine and as a carpenter, but he has finally found a passion to rival his love of climbing: blacksmithing. When he’s not on a rock, or getting his hair cut for an Apolis photoshoot, Andy is committed to gaining more knowledge and experience as an artist-blacksmith.
A day in the life of this particular blacksmith usually starts with coffee and a drive out to a trail run in his dusty four door station wagon before heading to work. His day job is at the Santa Barbara Forge + Iron, a local metalworks business that he and his brothers, Dan & Joel, bought from the fraternal founders, Dan & Charles Craviotto. The shop specializes in custom furnishings, from ornate fireplace screens and candelabras to large-scale railings and gates. Each day he creates something completely new out of materials that he’s given, an experience which reminds him of his childhood days where creativity was always encouraged.
Andy represents a number of long time Santa Barbara friends that truly walk the walk and are a great resources for testing our durability. It has been a pleasure to work with Andy and we recommend Santa Barbara Forge + Iron to anyone looking for custom furniture and artisanal metalwork.
Follow Apolis Journal: RSS Feed | Twitter | Facebook | Apolis Mobile App | Correspondence
