Photo: John Nation

Artist

Forge

Gallery

Kaviar Forge is a blacksmithing studio that runs on waste-vegetable oil. Operating since 1984, it has been a fixture on Frankfort Ave. Both tours and classes are offered. Candlesticks and wine racks available with free shipping.

Kaviar Gallery showcases fine arts and crafts including ceramics, metalwork, glasswork, painting, kitchenware, and jewelry. The gallery features many local Kentucky artists. Rotating exhibitions are displayed.

Craig Kaviar is a blacksmith and sculptor who produces metalwork, including ironwork, by welding and from the heat of the forge. His portfolio of experience ranges from furniture to architecture to fine art.

Artist

Biography

Craig Kaviar Blacksmith/Sculptor

Blacksmith Craig Kaviar has been producing forged iron and bronze sculpture, architectural elements, and furniture in Louisville, KY since 1985. Kaviar is an alumnus of Tufts University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and has studied at the Boston Museum School. Kaviar has been passionately making metalwork for over 30 years. With eco-friendly values, his process involves heating the metal in his waste vegetable oil forge fueled by a neighboring business, North End Café.

Kaviar also repurposed his tools: the 200 pound Chambersburg Air Hammer that was originally built to be carried on a World War II battleship and a 200 ton press purchased from the Charlestown Ammunition Plant. "I like feel that by reusing this machinery of war for the making of artwork I am in a small way helping to turn swords into plowshares, said Kaviar.

He not only works with temperatures nearing 3000 degrees to shape unyielding materials as if they were clay but also shares this mystical experience by teaching others. He works with apprentices on a daily basis, leads weekly tours, and teaches classes twice a year. While he is influenced by contemporary sculpting giants Diego Giacometti and Alexander, his process derives from ancient metalworking methods. His work is a combination of elegant lines and hand-wrought texture that turns each creation into a work of art. The organic forms of birds and leaves are often showcased in his art, particularly his landscape architecture and glass-topped tables and chairs.

Kaviar now ranks as one of the Commonwealth's most prominent artists. His work was featured on the Home and Garden TV network show, "Modern Masters" and has appeared in a number of books illustrating the art of ironwork. His work has been on display at the Worlds Fair in Japan, located in the United States Pavilion. In 2000, the Sister Cities program sent Kaviar on a cultural exchange to Mainz, Germany to help celebrate Johann Gutenberg's 600th anniversary. In commemoration, he created a three-dimensional Gothic "G" with Gutenberg's portrait carved into in. He also made a limited number of coins for the occasion.

His work adorns many of the most prominent public and private spaces in Louisville, including the First Unitarian Church, The Jewish Community Center, The Temple, Bellarmine University, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft and the Kentucky Center. He has recently sculpted a series of grills and gates for the courtyard garden of the newly restored Christ Church Cathedral. Brown-Forman has long been a patron, commissioning some of Kaviar's most important work, including the entrance gates to the Labrot & Graham Distillery; "Oak Tree Melody," the sculptural entrance to a walking tunnel; and "Corinthian Column," a sculpture in the company's garden. His work has now moved from the homes, gardens and public spaces of Louisville to its galleries, where exhibitions of Kaviar's work have been mounted at Swanson-Cralle Gallery, Images Friedman Gallery, the Bernheim Arboretum, the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, and Galerie Hertz.

He also owns Kaviar Gallery, located on the same premises as the forge, in the Clifton neighborhood where the public can see examples of his own work as well as fine paintings, ceramics, jewelry and other works by over 100 professional artists. Over 30 of the artists represented are local to Kentuckiana. With rotating exhibitions exemplifying various media and newly forged architectural installments, Kaviar continuously changes the space in a myriad of ways.

Portfolio

Furniture
Architecture
Sculpture

Furniture

Click on the enlarged photo to see a slideshow view with full size images.

Many of these pieces can be seen at Kaviar Forge & Gallery. Custom designs are also available.

Forged Iron Chess Table
Wrought Leaves End Table
Light As Air End Table
Natural States End Table
Twist and Curve Console Table
Dual Shelving Console Table
Lean Console Table
Nesting Vine Console Table
Gardening and Potting Table
Fastened Coffee Table
Black Concrete Coffee Table
Tan Concrete Coffee Table
Interlocking Leaf Coffee Table
Interlocking Leaf Coffee Table
Perched Coffee Table
Round Coffee Table
Broken China Mosaic Tea Table
Cafe Table
Wheat Dining Table
Berhneim Dining Table
Interwoven Bronze Chair
Wrought Leaves Stool
Forged Iron Outdoor Loveseat
Cushioned Bench
Concrete and Forged Iron Desk
Everglades Bed Frame
Birds and Leaves Bed Frame
4-Shelf Display Case
Two-Toned Chandelier
Strapped Chandelier

Forged Iron Chess Table
Wrought Leaves End Table
Light As Air End Table
Natural States End Table
Twist and Curve Console Table
Dual Shelving Console Table
Lean Console Table
Nesting Vine Console Table
Gardening and Potting Table
Fastened Coffee Table
Black Concrete Coffee Table
Tan Concrete Coffee Table
Interlocking Leaf Coffee Table
Interlocking Leaf Coffee Table
Perched Coffee Table
Round Coffee Table
Broken China Mosaic Tea Table
Cafe Table
Wheat Dining Table
Berhneim Dining Table
Interwoven Bronze Chair
Wrought Leaves Stool
Forged Iron Outdoor Loveseat
Cushioned Bench
Concrete and Forged Iron Desk
Everglades Bed Frame
Birds and Leaves Bed Frame
4-Shelf Display Case
Two-Toned Chandelier
Strapped Chandelier

Architecture

Click on the enlarged photo to see a slideshow view with full size images.

Architectural elements designed and forged by Kaviar can be seen around Louisville and across the US, in both public spaces and private homes.

Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Railing
Forged Iron Hand Rail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Iron Vine Pool Side Handrail
Forged Iron Vine Leaf Fence
Forged Iron Gold Leaf Railing
Bronze Fence
Forged Iron Gate and Fence
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Gate
Forged Iron Gates
Forged Iron Gate
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Balcony Railing
Forged Iron Balcony Railing
Bronze Door Handles
Bronze Door Handle
Forged Iron Door Handle
Forged Iron Firescreen
Forged Iron Firescreen
Firescreen and Tools
Forged Iron Firescreen
Burning Bush Firepit
Quest Outodoors Sign
Terra Bella Sign
Kaviar Forge Sign
Whimpering Knees sign

Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Railing
Forged Iron Hand Rail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Staircase Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Forged Iron Handrail
Iron Vine Pool Side Handrail
Forged Iron Vine Leaf Fence
Forged Iron Gold Leaf Railing
Bronze Fence
Forged Iron Gate and Fence
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Gate
Forged Iron Gates
Forged Iron Gate
Forged Iron Entrance Gate
Forged Iron Balcony Railing
Forged Iron Balcony Railing
Bronze Door Handles
Bronze Door Handle
Forged Iron Door Handle
Forged Iron Firescreen
Forged Iron Firescreen
Firescreen and Tools
Forged Iron Firescreen
Burning Bush Firepit
Quest Outodoors Sign
Terra Bella Sign
Kaviar Forge Sign
Whimpering Knees sign

Sculpture

Click on the enlarged photo to see a slideshow view with full size images.

Kaviar creates both functional and aesthetic sculptures from iron and bronze.

Seven Sisters
Rose's Lament
Oak Tree Melody
Forging Ahead Bike Rack
Mayor Abrahamson's Award
Gutenberg's 400th Birthday
Peace Pewter Reprosse
Samuels Pewter Reprosse Award
MediStar Pewter Reprosse
Grasshopper
Wrought Iron Armillary Sundial
Zenith
Nursing Tree
Star of David Headstone
Cemetery Bench
Tri Equilibrium
Dancing Man
foutai7.gif
Bronze Vase
ewe dell sculpures
Fountain
Euphony Fountain
Ark
ewe dell sculpures 018.jpg
In the Eye of the Beholder
Downspout Fountain
Copper Mask Sculpture
Wall Sculpture
Lock Box
Fountain with Leaves
Chimney Sculpture
Fountain

Seven Sisters
Rose's Lament
Oak Tree Melody
Forging Ahead Bike Rack
Mayor Abrahamson's Award
Gutenberg's 400th Birthday
Peace Pewter Reprosse
Samuels Pewter Reprosse Award
MediStar Pewter Reprosse
Grasshopper
Wrought Iron Armillary Sundial
Zenith
Nursing Tree
Star of David Headstone
Cemetery Bench
Tri Equilibrium
Dancing Man
foutai7.gif
Bronze Vase
ewe dell sculpures
Fountain
Euphony Fountain
Ark
ewe dell sculpures 018.jpg
In the Eye of the Beholder
Downspout Fountain
Copper Mask Sculpture
Wall Sculpture
Lock Box
Fountain with Leaves
Chimney Sculpture
Fountain

Curriculum Vitae
Default Frame

Curriculum Vitae

Work Experience:

1985-present Sculptor, Blacksmith, Gallery Owner, Kaviar Forge & Gallery,

Louisville, KY

1979-1984 Sculptor/Blacksmith, Kaviar Forge, Harvard, MA

1978-1979 Executive Director, Gardner Historical Museum, Gardner, MA

1976-1978 Staff Blacksmith, Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA

Education:

1974-1978 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Tufts University, Medford, MA

1978 The School Of The Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

1970-1973 Apprentice to Sculptor Phillip Darling, Port Washington, NY

Professional Experience:

2003-2009 Board of Directors, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY

2006-2009 Artist Advisory Chair, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY

2008 Speaker, Crafting Your Success, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft,

Louisville, KY

2005 Speaker, CODA Conference, Berea, KY

2004 Teacher, American Craft Council Southeast, Louisville, KY

Conference Chair Forging in the Forest, Berheim Forgest, KY

Teacher/demonstrator various ABANA Affiliates, USA

1986,1999-2000 Founding President Kentucky Blacksmith Assocation

Awards and Bibliography:

2009 Louisville Life, KET

2007 Hot Stuff in Louisville, NOV, Southern Living

2007 Artists in Their Studios, NOV, Louisville Magizane

2007 Fiery Hot to Classically Cool: Kaviar Forge & Gallery,

SEP, Kentucky Homes and Gardens

2007 The Mystical Gate, Spring, Angelo

2005 Cover and feature article Arts Across Kentucky Summer Issue

2005 Honors Award, American Society of Landscape Architects

2004 Softening the Look with Iron, Todays Woman

2003 Kentucky Society of Landscape Architects, Merit Award, Labrot &

Graham Distillery

2002 Featured on ModernMasters episode 702

2001 Architectural Ironwork Meilach

2000 The Contemporary Blacksmith&Decorative & Sculptural Ironwork

Meilach

1999 Boston Society of Landscape Architects Honor Award

The Courier-Journal 6\28 "Blacksmith Craig Kaviar's art and career

take on..."

1997 Artistic Award Winner, Corn Gates, American Galvanizers Assoc.

1996 Honored, Artist Blacksmithing Assoc. of North America, national

conference

1992 Artistsan-Craft award Atlanta Merchandise Mart

Finalist Niche awards Metal Decorative

1991 Southern Accents, FEB

1990 Southern Accents, April Tour de Forge

Exhibitions and Completed Commissions:

2011 Moving Forward, Circling Back: Celebrating 50 Years of the Kentucky

Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Exhibit, KMAC, Louisville, KY

2011 Powering Creativity: Air, Fuel, Heat, Carnegie Center New Albany, IN

2011 Memorial Bench, St. Francis High School, Louisville, KY

2011-2008 Walden Theater's Unicorn Awards, Louisville, KY

2010 Forged Iron Mayors Award, Louisville, KY

2010 &11 Reprosse Medical Awards, Louisville, KY

2009 Holidazzle Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft,Louisville, KY

2009 Holidaze Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, KY

2008-2009 Suclpture in the Dell Yew Dell Gardens, Crestwood, KY

2005 Origin of Man exhibit at the US Pavilion, Worlds Fair, Aichi, Japan

2005 Co-Curator Forging Ahead: Contemporary American Blacksmiths,

Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY

2002 Forged Fountains and Sculpture one man show, Galerie Hertz,

Louisville, KY

2001 Forging Ahead forged bronze sculpture, Kentucky Center For the

Arts, Louisville, KY

2001-2004 Enhancements Handcrafted functional objects, Chess table in

traveling exhibit

2000 Sculptural gates and grills for the Cloister at Christ Church Cathedral,

Louisville, KY

1999 Exhibition at Berheim Arboretum, Claremont, KY

1999 Oak Tree Melody Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, KY

1998 Fireplace, Sculpture/screen, Bellarmine College Library, Louisville,KY

1998 The Regionalist, Owensboro Museum of Fine Arts, Owensboro, KY

1998 Garden Show, KY Art and Craft Foundation, Louisville, KY

1997 Entrance gates, private residence, Shelby County, KY

1998 Contemporary Works of Faith, Liturgical Art Guild, Worthington, OH

1999 Rail/Fence, private residence, Glenview, KY overlooking Ohio River

2000 My Old KY Home, KY Art and Craft Foundation, Louisville, KY

2001 Corn Gates, Labrot & Graham Distillers, Woodford County, KY

American Craft Council, Craft Fair Baltimore, MD

1995 Entrance to Medical Arts building, Alliance Medical, Louisville, KY

1996 Restored Olmsted Fence around Parking Lot at Brown-Forman Corp.,

Louisville, KY

1993 Memorial Menorah Gates, Jewish Community Center, Louisville, KY

1991 Corinthian Column Mobile, Brown-Forman Sculpture Garden

1992 International Contemporary Furniture Exhibition, NYC, NY

1993 Exhibition Swanson Cralle Gallery, Louisville, KY

1994 Court yard fence, gates, grills, & door hardware, First Unitarian

Church, Louisville, KY

1987-89 Traveling exhibit, Contemporary Iron, Southern Arts Federation

1981-85 Traveling exhibit Blacksmithing-German-American Goethe Institute

Photo: Geoff Carr

Contact

Contact Information

Craig Kaviar

Phone: 502.561.0377

Email: ckaviar_gmail.com

Kaviar Forge

137 Stevenson Ave

Louisville, KY 40206

Kaviar Gallery

1718 Frankfort Ave

Louisville, KY 20406

Find Kaviar Forge & Gallery on

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Biography
Portfolio
Curriculum Vitae
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Forge

Gallery

Kaviar Gallery

Hours: 12-6 pm Wednesday-Friday

12-4 pm Saturday

Kaviar Gallery is a dynamic art gallery showcasing some of our nations finest arts and crafts, including jewelry, glasswork, metalwork, pottery, ceramics, kitchenware, textiles, and paintings. Over 30 local artists are represented:

Erica Kirchner of Creature Comfort

Jack Brubaker

Kyle Ellison of Kentucky Springs

Mark Whitley

Dick Scheu

Lonnie Combs

Lindsay E. Frost

Laura Roth

Jennifer Zingg

Lloyd Kelly

Sharon Matisoff

Rick Wilson

Steve Eilers

Kerri Horine

Casey Hyland

Roxann Slate

Clair Raabe of Clair Raabe Glass

Sergio Vettori

Tiffany Ackerman

Sue Shofield of Inherited Leather

Chrye Boardman

Mercedes Nibur

Laura George Lynch

Dave Fry

J. Wright

Davie Reneau

Tonya Johnson

Tami Moran

BYG Designs

Page Candler of Candler Ceramics

Fong Choo

Linda Bowman

Amy Elswick

Suzy Hatcher

Greg Seigel

Matthew Gaddie

Terri Gimmel of Earthen Vessels Pottery

With rotating exhibitions the space changes in a myriad of ways: as new exhibitions are installed, the space evolves highlighting the complexity of the artists' work treated with a fresh eye.

Located in the hip Clifton neighbordhood, visitors get to experience the vitality of Louisville's eccentric art scene where freedom and originality thrive! Located on-site is the studio of artist/blacksmith Craig Kaviar. Take a walk through the sculpture garden and take in the view of trees and flowers while appreciating art.

Past Exhibitions

Chinese Turkestan

Ryan Pyle, a regular photo contributor to The New York Times and Newsweek, has kept his eye and his lens on this vast expanse of deserts and mountains that has "seemingly always been at a crossroads between cultures and time." For centuries, criminals, holy men, and traders alike traversed Chinese Turkestans Silk Road. Since Pyle moved to China in 2002, he has seen the diverse regional culture slowly start to fade away in the land revered by locals as Chinese Turkestan, but officially named Xinjiang province, and the ensuing controversy. The herdsmen, farmers, skilled craftsmen and shop owners, who buy and sell animals and fuel made from animal waste at former Silk Road trading posts, go to mosque, and watch cock-fighting competitions in the local marketplace are at odds with the hotels, highways, and airports sprouting up as China emerges as a global economic leader.

Pyle sees value in recording the traditional lifestyles and landscapes through photographs and has been capturing these images since 2006. He has immersed himself into the culture of the region not only as a PDN-winning photographer but he also took a 65 day 18,000 km - Guinness World Record breaking motorcycle journey with his brother across China.

Chinese Turkestan

Events

Leather in Kentucky

Leather in Kentucky

Reception Photos

seat 3

seat 4

seat 5

Upcoming Exhibitions

FiguredOUT explorations of the human form

March 1 - May 19, 2012

Chyre Boardman

Claudia Hammer

Clinton Hobbart

Craig Kaviar

Lloyd Kelly

Sharon Matisoff

Mark Selter

Penny Sisto

Sergio Vettori

Libertine Solid Ceramic Chyre Boardman

Rites of Passage: A Celebration of Louisville Artists

June 1 - September 1, 2012

Ed Hamilton Oil Painting Sharon Matisoff

Contact

Contact Information

Events Chinese Turkestan

"Chinese Turkestan" Events

Reception at Kaviar Gallery on Friday, September 30 from 6-9 pm during F.A.T Friday Trolley Hop

Reception at Kaviar Gallery on Saturday, October 22 1-4 pm. Attend on

Lecture with Ryan Pyle, Barrie Wentzel, Russell Monk at Mellwood Art Center on Sunday, October 23 from 11:30 am-1:45 pm tickets available for pre-order from Mellwood Art Center or at the door. Attend on

Special Opening at Kaviar Gallery on Sunday, October 23 from 2-4 pm

Events Leather

Friday, November 25 from 6-9 pm during F.A.T Friday Trolley Hop

"Leather in Kentucky" Reception

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Hand-Forged Candlesticks

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