Blacksmith Artisan

Blacksmith artist Jim McGee says he enjoys the heat, sweat and blisters that come with shaping iron. The custom base McGee made for this tabletop required a week of heating, bending and shaping iron.

Field reporter Joe Zanger visits with Tennessee blacksmith Jim McGee, an artist whose medium is iron.

"Pound it out." "Forge ahead." "Strike while the iron's hot." These common sayings all trace their origins to the trade of the blacksmith.

Tim McGee is a blacksmith in Dickson, Tennessee, but don't expect to find him shoeing a horse or making an iron wagon wheel. He is an artist who works with designers to create unique iron furnishings that are as beautiful as they are strong.

He begins by heating the iron in a forge. Each pass through the forge heats the iron to more than 1,000 degrees. He then bends the metal by hand without using a form.

Each piece of furniture he creates is unique. He says he takes great pride in each of his pieces, and signs and dates each one. He knows that any fame he may achieve could well come after he's gone, and only his rugged creations remain.

He has an image of perfection when he starts each project, but he's yet to build his masterpiece. Intensely critical of his own work, McGee says he's never been totally satisfied with any of his finished pieces.

Guests
Jim McGee
Iron Sculptor, Artisan Ironwear
199 Oak Tree Lane
Dickson, TN 37055
Phone: 615-740-6615
Also in this Episode

Our Place : Episode OPL-116
•	Blacksmith Artisan
•	Decorating with Iron
•	Faux-Iron Finish
•	Trade Secrets