Elizabeth is a blacksmith, educator, the owner of Black Widow Forge, and the Blacksmithing and Metals Coordinator at John C. Campbell Folk School. She was the blacksmithing apprentice at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, for two years, where she trained under master smith Jim Masterson. Elizabeth was a craft education intern at North House Folk School, a resident artist with the Science Museum of MN, a Creative Catalyst fellow, and has spent much time at craft and folk schools nationwide. Elizabeth has shown her work, competed, and taught blacksmithing throughout the United States and internationally. She has recently finished a year-long artist residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Elizabeth sits on the board of the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths, an international nonprofit committed to building equity and diversity in the field of blacksmithing.
What started as a fascination with insect anatomy quickly evolved into an exploration of their narrative qualities and representational nature through the use of metal. By distilling the appearances of different species into general shapes, I push the limits of what is identified as “insects” while urging others to consider how astounding insects truly are. I use steel to capture these creatures through a detailed process involving both forging & fabrication techniques.
