Pine Cone Chandelier

Hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

©All Rights Reserved.

We have so many interior designers and clients alike, especially in the Colorado area, looking for "something elegant, yet rustic and outdoorsy instead of cheap and cheesy" for their beautiful homes and cottages.

I have designed this beautiful hand wrought iron chandelier, adorned with pine cones and needles, with these individuals in mind.

The texture on the branches is skillfully executed for a very life-like appearance.  Each pine cone and needle is individually forged and therefor no one is like the other.  As in nature, some are closed, partially and totally open.  We have tried to capture the exquisite feeling of outdoor wide open spaces and bring it inside, where you feel the luxurious and cozy sense of a well designed and executed space.

Potter Art Metal Studios designs and hand forges anything you can dream of: www.PotterArtMetal.com

We Wish You All A Happy New Year!

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Getting ready for Gate Installation

It was such a pleasure designing these drive gates; can't wait to see them up.  The guys worked really hard forging each scroll and knocker, each decorative hinge, down to the smallest details like the hammer heads.  And this is only one of the two, custom designed and built, beautiful wrought iron gates crowning the entrance of a gorgeous Coppel home.  If you like this style, check out Kelli Otey; she's the interior designer for the owners.
_______________________________________________
UPDATE:
The gates are getting hung!  Now the columns have to be finished out and we'll get our lights put up on the fronts of them.  A few touchups, adjustments, the sand will be swept away to reveal the lovely cobblestone driveway and everything will look so beautiful.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Beautiful Solid Brass Coffee Table

One of our clients wanted a lovely, delicate, coffee table base.  This is the design I put together for her and she fell in love with it right away.  We custom built the table base our of solid brass, which has a very wonderful translucent quality to it; especially when antiqued.  Joan decided on glass for the top of the base; it was the perfect touch for the room.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Gold Leaf Your Stair Rail to Fabulous

Add a little panache to your wrought iron sair railing.  We custom built this one for one of our clients who had the details gold leafed.  It's a simple way to give your metalwork an extra bit of style.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

A great lantern design by Leo Dowell

Gas Lanterns we created for Leo Dowell Interiors

We are currently building several light fixtures for Leo Dowell, of Leo Dowell Interiors.  He designed one of the bunch and I just had to show it off.  With the exception of wrought iron for the bottom scrolls, the entire light fixture is made in solid copper and brass.  Of course it's hand made to Leo's specifications; all the way down to the smallest details like the fish scale roof and the adorable rivet heads holding the straps.  I think it's one of the most interesting fixtures out there... and they're so adorable.

Leo has been creating everything from individual rooms to complete luxury homes for the past 35 years and his company specializes in European style furnishings and building materials as well.  He adds a touch of drama while keeping spaces comfortable to live in.

UPDATE: I sent Leo photos of his design and got such a fabulous letter back:

"Wow! It is such a pleasure to have a design interpreted in such a way that surpasses your expectations.  I got into this business in order to try to prove that I could provide design ideas that would be innovative and classic. It doesn't matter if I am doing a multimillion dollar Estate or designing a light fixture, I put my heart and soul into it. I just can't tell you how rewarding it is to find a kindred spirit. The lanterns are unbelievably fantastic! And I don't say that very often. I think we should market these nationally, what do you think? Let's do a signature collection...

Leo"

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Simple Wrought Iron Fireplace Andirons

Andirons hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

©All Rights Reserved.

We just made a pair of really nice and simple fireplace andirons.  They were hand wrought and have a old world rust finish.  I like them because the beauty is in the texture.  We made them look as if they have been around for quite a few years.  Simply put, they look "lived in."  

written by: Izabela Wojcik

AIA award reception

Last night we were presented with the Texas Society of Architects | AIA award for TSA Citation of Honor - Artisan Award by the AIA Dallas Chapter of The American Institute of Architects.  A great honor.  We thank you.

Richard Potter and Izabela Wojcik (me)

Our beautiful award

Richard Potter accepted the award for Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Beautiful 3 Candle Table Centerpiece

Grapevine centerpiece designed by Izabela Wojcik.

Hand forged by Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas. ©All Rights Reserved.

The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming! Take a look at one of our organic vine centerpieces. I designed this 3 candle piece as a smaller table version of our grapevine chandelier which we donated to the Cattle Barons Ball this year. This particular piece will benefit the Dallas Center for Architecture.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

About City Living Tour

Richard and I went to The House at Victory Park tonight, where the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League was proud to present the City Living Tour.  It was a designer show-house in a high rise setting.  All of the pent houses on the 18th floor were on display... fully finished by local designers.  We had a great time checking out what's new and hot in the design world.
Here are all the fabulous designers who worked on the About City Living Tour... many of them we have worked or are currently working with so it was extra fun spending time with them.
Check out whose work was on display:
Amy Thomasson, April Warner, Catherine Dolen, Charlotte Comer, David Cadwallader, Jaynelle T. Ip, Jessica Savage, Joanie Wyll, John, John Holstead, Julie Reynolds, Kathy Adcock-Smith, Kay Trout, Linda Fritschy, Margaret Chambers, Meri-Kay Star, Michelle Meredith, Peggy Zadina, Rhonda Vandiver White, Richard Trimble and a special presentation by Dwell with Dignity.

Click on the photo above to check out the amazing view from The House at Victory Park in Dallas Texas!

written by: Izabela Wojcik

The Gent's Place Art Nouveau Fandelier

This is the first fandelier I designed for Potter Art Metal Studios. It's hanging at the Gent's Place, wich is; membership based men's grooming and lifestyle club in Frisco, TX... The Gent's Place;quite simply put: "...provides the good life to discerning gentlemen. We created awesome antique copper lily flower candle cups for this fixture, it also boasts of lush hand forged Art Nouveau scrolls at the sides and bottom of the light fixture / fan enclosure. This is what makes custom metalwork so great! I can think of it and the guys will make it! Makes me want to sneak in, get a manicure (not like the boys call it that,) sit back and enjoy the view!

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Texas Society of Architects Award

Double happiness today! We got a really nice letter from Joe Buskuhl, president of the Dallas chapter of AIA:

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Samuel Yellin Lights

We are so excited today!  We finally got the Samuel Yellin light fixtures in!!!  We'll be converting them into gas fixtures and adding really cool dragon head brackets to them... no easy task in general, but these are super special on top of it.  I'm so glad Project Dynamics trusted us with these... they're such a treasure! (and he's Polish... just like me!)

In case you didn't know who Samuel Yellin was, here is a little wiki read:

"American master blacksmith, was born in Galicia Poland where at the age of eleven he was apprenticed to an iron master. By the age of sixteen had had completed his apprenticeship. During that period he gained the nickname of "Devil", both for his work habits and his sense of humor. Shortly after this he left Poland, traveling through Europe to England, where, in 1906, he departed for America. By 1907 he was taking classes at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and within a year was teaching classes there, a position that he maintained until 1919.
In 1909 he opened his own shop and in 1915 the firm of Mellor, Meigs and Howe, for whom he designed and created many commissions, designed Yellin a new studio at 5520 Arch Street in Philadelphia where he was to remain until his death in 1940. The building continued to act as a functioning business under Yellin’s son Harvey’s direction. After his demise it served as the Samuel Yellin Museum.
During the building boom of the 1920s Yellin’s studio employed as many as 250 workers, many of them European artisans. Although Yellin appreciated traditional craftsmanship and design, he always championed creativity and the development of new designs. He was no slave to the past. Samuel Yellin’s handiwork can be found on some of the finest buildings in America."

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Check Us Out In FD Luxe Today

So we made FD Luxe Today! Yeaaa!  Below is the full article.  You can also click on the photo.

Local color

FROM THE REVIVAL OF A HISTORIC MINERAL WELLS HOTEL TO A DESIGN-OBSESSED DALLAS BLOGGER'S LATEST FAVES, WE'VE GOT THE INSIDE LINE

BY KRISTIE RAMIREZ

Irom men

For the detail-obsessed there's no better place to turn for house jewelry then Potter Art Metal Studios (potterartmetal.com).

Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the fourth-generation-owned metal studio hasn't changed much in the way it hand-forges sconces, gates and chandeliers, save for moving from its home on Henderson Avenue to bigger digs near the Design District in 2007.  The family tradition was passed to owner Richard Potter Jr. (his triplets work alongside him every summer), who remains deeply dedicated to the craft of custom-only pieces for clients.  The heirloom designs are so deeply woven into the fabric of Dallas that they turn up in both amazing variety and vast in different neighborhoods - cinematic swirls of stair railing in Lakewood, painstakingly detailed iron gates in Highland Park and intricate light fixtures in Fair Park.  Guests of the 37th annual Cattle Baron's Ball on Oct. 9 will have a chance to bid on a bespoke vineyard-inspired chandelier (left) from the lauded metal studios as part of the evening's fundraising auction.

(A little PS. This is really neat.  There is an article on the next page, The fabulous Baker reborn, which talks about the 80 year old Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells which is going to be renovated.  Anyway, they talk about the Stoneigh Hotel in Dallas which was also renovated by Jeff Trigger... so the neat part is that Richard's grandfather originally did the metalwork for it and the Baker Hotel in Dallas (not sure about the Mineral Wells one)... and we recently re-furbished the Stoneligh Hotel Metalwork and added another stair rail section to it.  Just a bit of neat!)

ART DECO THEATER SCONCE

CUSTOM ART DECO THEATRE STYLE WALL SCONCE IN BRUSHED ALUMINUM WITH MULTI COLOR CHANGING LED LIGHT SYSTEM

This contemporary wall sconce will brighten your space in more ways than one. It features a hand-brushed aluminum body as well as a remote control LED lighting system that allows the user to choose from a range of different colors.  It can also be programmed to follow a particular color pattern and even adjust it's speed.  Custom sizes, configurations and designs are available. Custom finishes are available as well.

*All images and designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Contemporary Chandelier

We hand forge just about anything in just about any metal and style.  Here is one of our latest contemporary style chandeliers; I gave it three tiers, but this design could also work for a ceiling mounted single or more tier fixture or a really neat sconce.  This design also works wonderfully in many different sizes; depending on your room.

*All images and designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Wine Barrel Sconce

We just finished working on a really cool sconce.  The backplate is a wrought iron wine barrel, with a real cork.  The arm of the sconce is wrapped with vines and adorned with grapes and grape leaves.  The shade is a real wine bottle.  It's just too adorable!  A must for any wine room.

*All images and designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Dallas Business Journal: Ideas in Action

Ideas in Action: Potter Art Metal Studio grows 90-year family business

Dallas Business Journal - August 6-12, 2010


IDEAS IN ACTION


Iron Man


POTTER ART META STUDIO FORGES WORKS OF FUNCTIONAL ART WHILE GROWING A 90-YEAR-OLD FAMILY BUSINESS LEGACY
BY CHRIS CYREK | STAFF WRITER


Showers of sparks, the clank of hammer against anvil, the whir of a high-speed circular saw. These are some of the sights and sounds in Richard Potter’s Potter Art Metal Studio, a 90-year-old family enterprise. The high-end metal shop, started by Potter’s grandfather Henry in 1920, has developed a reputation for quality and artistry.


Evidence for this can be found on the bustling work floor: soaring stair railings that appear to be entwined by flaring pine cones, driveway gates that close to form the branches of an oak tree, a chandelier that looks as if it was spirited away from a hobbit’s hole.


“The quality and detail that I put into a thing,” says owner Richard Potter, a fourth-generation metalworker, “is, I think, fairly reflected in the price.” 
The focus on high-end work has allowed the shop to grow despite prevailing economic pressures. “Plus, people are coming directly to the manufacturer, so they’re not dealing with a retail store markup.” Potter sells directly from the shop to customers nationwide.


The Metalwork – a typical fan/chandelier installation can run up to $10,000 – has helped Potter Metal withstand the recession.  Lean times were met with shared sacrifices as costs were cut.
A rebuilt website, new advertising initiatives and positive press concerning recent high-profile projects – such as an 11-foot tall chandelier built for the council chambers in University Park and a strikingly original fireplace built for longtime friend Trammell Crow – also are helping the studio get Potter’s name out.  “More and more contacts are from out of town and out of state,” Potter says.
Potter grew up in the shop, once located on Knox-Henderson at Central Expressway.


“When I was a kid, we didn’t have computers, barely any TV.  The fun thing for me was coming down here and spending time in the back, watching the guys making different things,” he says.


Potter took over the shop in the 1970s, continuing a business his father, grandfather and great-grandfather worked in.  Three years ago, Potter moved the shop to a larger location off of Interstate 35.
The addition of creative director Izabela Wojcik in 2005 shaped a new direction for the studio, although Potter points out that many of their techniques his crew uses would be recognizable to his grandfather.


Founder Henry Potter began the business after meeting a salesman for Sanger-Harris (now Foley’s), who ordered 100 light fixtures after seeing Potter building lights for his house.  The business quickly grew, and some of the original work done by Henry Potter can still be found around Dallas, such as lighting fixtures that dot Fair Park.


World War II brought a new focus for the business, which shifted production to building aircraft parts.  The company’s payroll swelled to hundreds of employees, and the good times continued into the post-war boom, as the Potter studios left its mark on large churches, country clubs and homes throughout the ‘50s.
The family legacy continues today, says Richard Potter.  His three children – triplets – spend their summers in the shop, learning the family craft.  It’s a point of pride for Potter.


“I’m not here (working) as a hobby,” he says.  “I’m putting out the best product, made in the most efficient way.”


Customers at Potter Metal tend to come back, time and time again.  “We get clients that are around for years,” says Wojcik.


“They definitely do stand out,” says Kathy Hatcher, an interior designer wo has worked closely with Potter for a number of years.  “Their metalwork is unsurpassed.”  Hatcher praises the metal studio’s versatility and ability to work in styles and materilals as varied as art deco, Spanish and alabaster.


“Every last bit of what they do is hand-forged, and it’s made to last for centuries, and for generations,” she says.


Potter is proud of his shop’s legacy and of its ability to custom-build products to specification.


“The only thing that I won’t do is drop my quality,” Potter says.  “I’ve had some places that I as doing fixtures for, and they asked if we could do some cheaper pieces.  I said no.  Look, I am constantly on top of my guys to build things the best way possible.  The last thing I’m going to tell them to do is to go do the opposite.”

Read this Dallas Business Journal Article Online

A thank you letter to remember: tree texture railing

We just got the sweetest thank you letter from one of our clients.  I thought I'd share it with you:

Dear Richard,

Enclosed are the pictures of the beautiful stair railing you made for our new home.  I have tried to take pictures from all angles of both the upper and lower sections.

Sending these pictures gives me the opportunity to tell you again how much Jim and I love the stair railing. It is truly a work of art and has received many positive comments from people who visit us.

As you are aware being in the construction business yourself, working with subcontractors is not always a good experience and in fact can be rather trying and frustrating.  Our experience with Potter Art has been a wonderful experience from the time we walked in the door.

Izabela Wojcik drafted what we wanted and seemed to have an intuitive sense of what we were trying to create.  She gave our ideas life and was a delight to work with .  It was fun and educational to visit and see the work in progress as our railing was made.  Your employees are all truly gifted.  From the beginning of the idea to the completion and installation everything with extremely well which is a credit to the business you operate.

Thank you so much for the lovely piece of art that graces our home created by Potter Art Metal Studios.  How many people can call their stair railing art?  We get to enjoy it every time we use our stairs.

Sincerely,

Alexandra P.

*All images and designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

French Pendants

Custom made French style pendants.

The brass acanthus leaves have been gold plated and rest of the light fixture is wrought iron.

*All images and designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Park Cities News

Park Cities News:

Potter Art Metal Studios celebrates 90 years of providing jewelry for the home

Did you pick up your copy of Park Cities News today?  We just got ours!!!  Check us out on the Front Page, as well as page 8.  Such a great writeup.  Thank you Marj, Ashley, and Brynn.

Click on the photo above for a closer look at the Thursday, July 1, 2010 article.

and Happy 4th of July Everyone!!!

Cattle Barons Ball

2010 CATTLE BARON'S BALL

Potter Art Metal Studios feels privileged to be able to donate a beautiful vineyard-inspired chandelier to the Cattle Barons Ball this year.

We hope that lots and lots will be rised for cancer research.

37th ANNUAL CATTLE BARON'S BALL

with entertainment by Alan Jackson and Jack Ingram

Saturday, October 9, 2010

As the world's largest single-night fundraiser for cancer research through the American Cancer Society, Dallas' Cattle Baron's Ball has made it's mark on both Texas culture and history. The Cattle Baron's Ball has raised nearly $40 million in just 36 year in its ongoing pursuit of a cure for cancer. One hundred active volunteers are responsible for raising the funds that my make the ultimate difference in the lives of those who are coping with cancer.

*All metalwork designs are the property of Potter Art Metal Studios

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Uncover Your Hidden Treasures

Potter Art Metal Studios may be famous

for beautiful scroll work  & custom gas

and electric light fixtures, but we can also

help you uncover hidden

treasures by refurbishing your metal pieces.

Refinishing

Rewiring

Repair

Refurbishing

Brass Polishing

Historical Restoration

4827 Memphis Street

Dallas, Texas 75207

www.PotterArtMetal.com








written by: Izabela Wojcik

Antique Brass Gothic Gas Lantern

Aren't they beautiful?  I finally got around to taking a photo of the custom French Gothic Lanterns we made for one of our clients.  They are solid brass with wrought iron brackets... we antiqued everything so that they look as if they have been around for quite a long time.  A beautiful design which will be enjoyed for generations to come.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Wrought Iron and Copper Floor Stand Candelabra

Hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

©All Rights Reserved.

This custom design is one of three variations we forged for one of our clients.   Designers simply love the detail candelabras provide; they not only give extra light, but create a wonderful ambiance in any room.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Dallas Morning News: Wrought with possibilities

Check us out on page 4E of this Saturday's Dallas Morning News.  Click on the pic above to read (for the out of town souls who don't get the DMNews.)  Awesome article by Rita Cook.

Be Green: Restore your hidden treasures.

So many times we hear: "This looks like junk, do you think you can do something with it?", and it turns out that the junk was actually a hidden treasure.  We have taken many old, rusty, or patina and grime hidden pieces and turned them into something beautiful.  We are UL certified, so no need to worry; we can re-wire old fixtures too... like this one...

We knew exactly what gem was under that old fixture when we started working on it... and now so does everyone else; it's back to its original glory at the University Park courtroom chambers.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Gazebo Summer Fun

Summer is almost here...  I think we should take a minute and imagine ourselves sipping freshly squeezed iced lemonade while reading a great book in the peaceful shade of a beautiful gazebo.

This particular custom made gazebo has a solid copper roof and beautifully decorative ironwork surrounding it.  The table in the middle looks like a tree trunk, but in reality it is also made of repousse'd copper with wrought iron vines "growing" on it.  Another really impressive detail is the wrought iron vine fandelier, a beautiful chandelier with a fan concealed inside if it.  The candelabra sized electric candles give the summer parties a beautiful ambiance while providing an extra gust of wind on the hot summer nights.  

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Final Touches on the Wrought Iron Gates & Gas Lanterns

So exciting! We are finally doing the last touch-ups on the gate, and I have to say it looks spectacular.  It's 12' tall!  (If you click on the photo, you'll see a larger version of it where you can see men standing behind the right panel of the gate, for scale.)  The owner tells us that people constantly stop by his home, get out of the car, start taking photographs and ask who did it.  Talk about a complement!

We also made the fabulous gas lanterns on the face of the columns and on the house.  The bodies are made of heavy duty solid copper, with solid brass cast acanthus leaves and wrought iron brackets... We like to build beautiful things which will stick around for generations to come :)

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Celebrating over 25 years in White Rock

Read the White Rock Lake Weekly article by Shari Stern: 

Celebrating 25 Years or More in White Rock

Walking into Potter Art Metal Studios is like being transported to another country – Italy, Poland, maybe Germany. That’s because the craft dates back to the Old World. Graceful stairways, idyllic fountains, rustic lanterns, spectacular light fixtures, functional tables that are works of art, dramatic etageres, life-like animal sculptures, unique sconces, bird houses, pot racks and so much more in this treasure trove evoke pure awe. It is a melting pot of cultures, just like our city. When Alexander Potter stepped off the boat into America, he brought his knowledge of Old World hand metalworking with him, settled in East Dallas, and passed the craft along to his son, Henry. Neighbors of the pioneering artisan admired the lights he crafted for his porch, and wanted to purchase his lanterns. Not being a trophy wife, Mrs. Potter showed the product to a buyer at Sanger Brothers Department Store (precursor to Sanger Harris), who placed an order for 100 lanterns. The Potters had turned Henry’s hobby of making small wrought iron lanterns in his East Dallas garage into a thriving business. 
Today, Alexander’s great-grandson, Richard Potter, is president of the privately held company, celebrating 90 years in business this year. This family has the formula down. A fifth-generation Dallasite, Richard lives by White Rock, where, while biking around the lake, he enjoys seeing his studio’s art as part of the tranquil scenery. Potter chief artist and designer, Izabela Wojcik, who is originally from Poland, also lives by the lake, and is a graduate of Lake Highlands High School. 
Some of Potter’s pieces at White Rock Lake, many of which have been there for generations, include bridge and post lanterns, sconces for the Sunset House, and sconces for the Big Thicket, along with its chandeliers, which were created by Richard’s grandfather, and restored by Richard. Recently, the original lights on the bridge at Garland Road that Alexander built were not working because vines were growing inside them. So Richard kept after the City to trim the vines until the lights worked again. Potter does its own gas and electrical wiring.
Potter’s art graces some of the most recognizable Dallas homes, as well as high-end residential and commercial projects, including homes, municipal buildings and churches around the country. One of the oldest metal studios in the Southwest, Potter Art Metal Studios’ work can be seen at the historic Clifford Hutsell and Charles Dilbeck homes in Lakewood, Trammell Crow’s home, the Highland Park Library, the Town of Highland Park and Fair Park. Other projects include Highland Park United Methodist Church, the Hunt Oil building, Stoneleigh Hotel and Christ the King Catholic Church. Much of this décor, fashioned from steel, brass, bronze, copper and aluminum, will become heirlooms through the years.
Filling orders around the country, Potter sends a team of artisans to a location where they work as long as it takes to get the job done – sometimes a few weeks, with a recent project in Aspen, where they created and installed copper lighting, chandeliers and fireplace screens. For a job in San Francisco, a team first went to take measurements.
They came back and built an interior stair railing and exterior balcony and stair rails in the shop, then went back to install them. They had a Golden Gate Bridge view while working, which took most of the summer. Somebody’s got to do it!
“The metal artisans enjoy what they do. They like working with raw metal, copper, brass, glass and creating functional art. They are nit-picky on quality. I let them make their own decisions,” Richard said.
“I have enough trained artisans to oversee helpers.”
Of Potter’s 30 employees, one of whom has been with him for 15 years, most are from European countries, including Poland, Germany and Czechoslovakia.  
“We work with so many different kinds of people. We created the six-foot-tall bell tower, crafting copper finials on four corners, on the Cathedral of Guadalupe downtown on Ross and Pearl, where my grandfather got married.” Potter continued, “I’ve carried on working for churches in which my grandfather built the original altars.”
Potter said the business’ mission is to continue to design the finest in metalwork and functional art – “jewelry for the home.”
Potter, who flew helicopters right up until he crashed one, attended St. Marks School of Texas, before graduating from Highland Park High School. He earned a business degree from SMU.
He grew up in his grandfather’s, then his father’s shop, creating his first metal art when 11-years-old. He lost his grandfather while in his early 20s. Potter’s 21-year-old triplets work in the studio during the summer. His daughter, who graduated from Bishop Lynch High School, is at the University of Colorado. One son goes to Texas Tech and the other attends Richland College.                “I know I’m fortunate to work at what I enjoy, and to have people around me who love their work, too. I have a great team of talented, loyal artisans who bring unique backgrounds and finely-honed skills to our creations.”
Potter Art Metal Studios is located at 4827 Memphis Street, Dallas, Texas 75207.  The showroom and studio are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit www.potterartmetal.com or call 214-821-1419.

Live Local!

Cool! We're on LIVE LOCAL!  Ashley, thank you for pointing that out; super sweet of you.

Click here to see us in the Lakewood Advocate Mag

Potter Art Metal Studios, longtime neighborhood designers and fabricators of ornamental metalwork and lighting, is celebrating 90 years of custom creations. Not familiar? You’ve probably unknowingly seen some of Potter’s work on high-end residential and commercial projects, including the famous Clifford Hutsell and Charles Dilbeck houses in Lakewood, as well as the Hunt Oil Building Downtown, the Stoneleigh Hotel and Highland Park United Methodist Church. The studio’s heritage dates back to the 1920s, when Henry Cornwell Potter turned his hobby of making small wrought iron lanterns in his East Dallas garage into a thriving business. In 1924 Henry established his commercial studio on Henderson, where the business flourished for 80-plus years. (Drivers heading north on Central Expressway toward Henderson can still view the faded Potter sign on the former exterior.) After outgrowing this space, the shop moved to its current 12,000-square-foot operation at 4827 Memphis near Inwood in 2007. Richard Potter, Henry’s grandson and current owner, continues his grandfather’s legacy, and often involves his 20-year-old triplets during the summer months in hopes that they may one day carry the family torch. For information, call 214.821.1419 or visit potterartmetal.com.

Wrought Iron Gates

Finishing a pretty new pair of wrought iron drive gates.  We also did another matching pair of straight top gates for the same home, two pedestrian entry gates, and two small garden gates.  Plus I designed a really cool gazebo top that matches the lattice work on all the gates, plus has some really neat design-work around the bottom perimeter which was taken from the stonework design around the house; hope we get to do it... it would be a real challenge. 

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Park Cities People: IRON MEN by Georgia Fisher

Pick up a copy of Park Cities People today [May 14, 2010.]  Georgia Fisher wrote a wonderful article on Potter Art Metal Studios.  You can also click on the pic above to get a better view, and on some computers you'll get to click on it once more so that it will zoom in all the way.  Don't you just love the  Wrought Iron Fandelier photo?  It takes up the whole page! So Exciting!  Thank you Georgia for doing such a superb job.

Graceful Vine Chandelier

Grapevine chandelier designed by Izabela Wojcik.
Hand forged by Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas. ©All Rights Reserved.

UPDATE: I just saw a chandelier by Isabella Wolfe a furniture company established by interior designer Nicole Fuller, which sooo reminded me of my organic designs, even though her version is super contemporary... which I also love to play around with.  It seems like everyone is getting on the organic shape wagon lately; it's really interesting how that happens.

(I must say goodbye to our wrought iron grapevine chandelier.  It was a blast having it hang over our showroom table, but now it's gone.  Hopefully the new one will be just as much fun to have around.  I'm currently designing a pine cone chandelier in its place; Okay, feeling better already.)

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Wrought Iron Console Table

The guys are currently working on a very lovely wrought iron console table; it's almost complete.  Just a little idea; hope you like it.  Meanwhile, our showroom vine chandelier was purchased by a client recently and has been taken off; it's so empty without it... I have to hurry up and design that pine cone chandelier in its place.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Vin Villa Wrought Iron Doors, Hinges & Torchieres

I think I mentioned these doors before, but I thought you might want to see them installed.  Everything is custom; hand forged as always.  The hinges are super awesome; they are made to look like grape leaves with some grape clusters... all very much 3D.  The pulls are "VV" for Vin Villa.  The torchieres actually light up... all totally cool... it was a blast to design, and our guys had so much fun putting it all together.

Vin Villa is on Pelee Island, Ontario.  Located in the middle of Lake Erie, south of Detroit Michigan, it is the southernmost inhabited land mass in Canada.  Clayton Walls' great great grand father, William McCormick purchased a 999 year lease, from the Indian trader who owned it 200 years ago.  It is where Vin Villa, Canada's oldest commercial estate winery was founded in 1866.  There are two 18' x 60'  underground wine cellars constructed of hand laid limestone on the site that is currently being reclaimed and refurbished as part of a master plan to construct a facility that will eventually hold fund raisers for charities.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Wrought Iron Drive Gates

I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to keep up with the blog; today I found a really good reason to.  This is just half of the two sides of the drive gates we are currently making.  All custom, all fabulous!  The guys have been working non-stop to get these finished up for the client; every single scroll was forged to a tip and scrolled by hand.  The gates were designed by Richard Drummond Davis, who is a wonderful local architect.  We decided to use larger material sizes; not easy to forge out, but it's wort it.  Can't wait to get the finished photo; they will be so impressive!