Potter Art Metal Studios

World-class metalwork made by a local legacy: D Home Design Book 2012

2012-01-30T13:20:00.000-06:00

Potter Art Metal Studios.
World-class metalwork made by a local legacy.

To tour the Potter family's body of work in Dallas - the intricate, wrought iron gates, copper awnings, and brass lanterns - is to discover the history of the city itself. Four generations worth of craftsmanship adorns the city's oldest churches, guards the most beautiful homes, and lights the grounds of Fair Park. Using the same traditional methods Richard Potter's grandfather used in the 1920's, Potter, creative director Izabela Wojcik, and the team of artisans design and hand-forge the highest quality metalwork in the world. From sconces and chandeliers to stair railings and furniture, the array of unique items Potter Art metal Studios can create is limitless. For example, the "fandelier" - a modern solution to a common design dilemma - is a ceiling fan concealed within a stunning chandelier structure. "It's all custom-made, not mass-produced," says Richard Potter. "Everything we do is refined, finished, and detailed." And to that end, the Potter studio invites everyone to visit the Design District shop to see today's master craftsmen at work.

Potter Art Metal Studios
4827 Memphis Street | Dallas
214-821-1419
potterartmetal.com
D Home Design Book 2012
page 24 - Design Materials and Services.

IRON MAN - Dallas Modern Luxury

2012-01-30T13:15:00.000-06:00

IRON MAN
Dallas' own Potter universe is the hot spot in metal wizardry.
By Rebecca Sherman
Photography by Nick Prendergast

At 60 and working in what is generally considered to be a dying art, metal artisan Richard Potter Jr. is still in high demand. He just completed a quartet of art nouveau-inspired entryways for The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton new Regency Row Homes in Uptown that include hand-forged steel and glass doors, aluminum and glass canopies, and brass lanterns. He's also busy restoring dozens of ’30s-era bronze, copper and brass lanterns and chandeliers for Woodrow Wilson High School and J.L. Long Middle School, which will be reinstalled this spring. The lighting ﬁxtures for the schools were originally crafted by his grandfather Henry C. Potter, who founded the family metalwork studio in 1920. Reviving the handwork created by his grandfather and father decades earlier is a situation in which Potter increasingly finds himself. After all, the patriarch of the Family was responsible for much of the ﬁne ironwork found throughout the city, including homes designed by celebrated architects Charles Dilbeck and Clifford Hutsell, and the light ﬁxtures at Fair Park, White Rock Lake, downtown Dallas and Highland Park Village. “Seems like I'm always working on something that my grandfather did years ago,” says Potter, who began learning the Family trade at ll. Potter Art Metal Studios does all its heavy forging on-site and includes a design workroom and Full-time metal sketch artist. The company is one of the few in the country capable of producing a broad range of products, including lighting, stair railings, gates, doors, windows, furniture and gazebos in an array of metals. Many of the company’s 20 employees were trained by one Potter or another. The current Potter executive personally oversees every piece that's produced, and workers are highly skilled in hand repoussé, custom brass spinning and hand-forging of wrought iron. Some requests are intricate, like gargoyles, dragons, tree limbs or grapevines. For developer Trammell S. Crow, Potter Studios created a nature-inspired, polished steel ﬁreplace surround with hidden compartments that took six months to make. Other projects are so complex that they’re in the works for years. A new client who is building a turreted castle on the Red River just hired the company to create hundreds of ironworks, including more than 50 chandeliers, 30 sconces, 30 lanterns, driveway gates, doors, drawer pulls, hinges and a pair of two-story iron trees that will support a room above. At this rate, another generation or two of Potters stands ready to take on restoration work should the massive project eventually need it. It's a good thing, then, that Potter's two sons and daughter already work at the company, and his 22-year-old triplet grandsons are learning the ropes during the summer. “There aren't schools for this kind of craftsmanship any longer. You almost have to grow up in the business to be able to do it,” he says.

Potter Art Metal Studios, 4827Memphis St., 214.821.1419,
potterartmetal.com

Ponder The Muse: a blog by Nick Prendegast

2012-01-30T11:26:00.001-06:00

A fun little blog post written by the photographer who shot our studio for the current issue of Modern Luxury Dallas:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

Potter Art Metal Studios for Modern Luxury

I shot Richard Potter Jr and his fantastic crew for the current issue of Modern Luxury Dallas. Their facility is filled with thousands of interesting projects in various states of completion, and watching these works being made was absolutely compelling. This assignment was especially satisfying for me because it fit right into the personal series I am shooting about artists and craftsmen in their workspaces. My thanks to Richard and all the fine folks over at Potter Art Metal for their time and generosity. Such a blast...

(all images © Nick Prendergast)

2012-01-30T11:18:00.001-06:00

Potter Art Metal fixes fixtures 80 years later

Brothers Baron Potter and Richard Potter III work on light

fixtures at their family business, Potter Art Metal Studios.

The 90-year-old company is restoring lights it

crafted generations ago. Photo by Can Türkyilmaz

Woodrow Wilson High School cost $700,000 to build, between 1926 and 1928, and it was the most expensive school building in Dallas. The school board hired Potter Art Metal Studios to craft detailed pendant lights and lanterns for the school’s exterior to give it distinctive ornamentation. And when J.L. Long Middle School opened in 1933, custom Potter fixtures graced its exterior, too.

Now both schools are undergoing renovations, and once again, the architects called on Potter to refurbish the light fixtures the family-owned company created more than 80 years ago. Richard Potter, the company’s third-generation owner, becomes animated talking about the project. Aside from approximately 30 outdoor fixtures for both schools, Potter also is refurbishing 21 lights from the Woodrow auditorium.

“They’ll be gorgeous,” he says. “You couldn’t appreciate the detail before.”

Workers clean and repair the pieces before adding a chemical patina to darken the details and finally, seal them with an acrylic lacquer. They’re also being rewired. A few of the fixtures must be replaced, and workers are replicating the 1920s designs.

The fixtures at Woodrow, built in the Elizabethan style, are gothic. And the fixtures from Long are art deco. The project is estimated to cost about $100,000. Potter says he doesn’t know how much the lights originally cost.

This isn’t the first time Potter has been asked to restore its own work, which appears in landmarks such as government buildings and White Rock Lake, as well as countless homes.

Unfortunately, the renovation project doesn’t have the funding to refurbish 10 art deco pendant lamps in the J.L. Long auditorium. They would cost about $5,000 a piece to restore, and the architects have opted to instead purchase new lights. But Potter and designer Izabela Wojcik are hoping that Long boosters might unite and somehow raise $50,000 to save the old light fixtures. For almost 80 years, Long students have been looking up at those artfully crafted pendants, and it would be a shame to replace them with something inferior.

“Off-the-shelf fixtures are not going to look as good,” Wojcik says. “These looked good 100 years ago, and they’re always going to look good.”

by Rachel Stone

February 2012

Advocate Magazine

Living Local in Lakewood/East Dallas

When The Best Require The Finest

2011-10-27T23:35:00.008-05:00

Potter Art Metal Studios is proud to present the metalwork

and lighting we created for the Regency Row Homes at

the Ritz Carlton in Dallas. With their stunning display of

elegance, the entrances to each of the four six million dollar

manor homes will provide a taste of the early 19th century

architecture for generations to come.

Click here to view the entire blast.

Pine Tree Wrought Iron Gate

2011-10-24T15:31:00.000-05:00

Seems like everyone wants an organic design for their lake house these days. Here is a design I drew up for a 7 acre property entrance. If you look up close, you can see that the gates will split in the middle. The lake house is surrounded by pine trees, hence the name, PineKnot. The columns will be forged out to look like tall pine stumps, and the gates themselves will look like shorter branches of the trees. We will also forge out the pine needles and a few pine cones. The entire design will be custom forged out in wrought iron. We will also custom design and produce the matching electric lanterns which will hang on the tree stump limbs on either side of the gate. The final look will be quite whimsy and artistic; very unusual, which is what we were going for. Can't wait to see it in metal.

Contemporary Display Shelves

2011-10-21T13:48:00.005-05:00

Check out the custom metal/wood mix display shelving units we just fabricated for the Convention Center Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Aren't they neat? I think that Katie from Vivian | Nichols had such a great concept; they are interesting, clean, and very functional. We made the units so that each shelf could be adjusted up or down, depending on what was placed on them. Yet another great project for the Omni!

Custom made display shelving units for Omni Hotel Dallas.

Photo taken from the Dallas Omni website.

Wrought Iron Tree Gates

2011-10-18T15:55:00.008-05:00

Another one of my designs we forged out right here
at Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas, Tx.

A lot of our clients are looking for something unusual, but they have no idea where or how to get what they want. I recently had a client who has been looking for someone to design and make a tree gate, but all she kept finding is metal shops where she'd be given a bunch of catalogs to look through and piece together what she wanted. Almost all of the ironwork shops out there buy off the shelf materials and splice them together; this is why you can alway tell which metalwork comes right off the shelf. We actually like to start from scratch and forge out what ever is necessary for the completion of a design, no matter how complicated. The tree gate was actually sort of a funny story, because we just finished working on the tree gates pictured above, so she had something to look at and get inspired by right here in our showroom... on top of all the other pieces and textures we make and have in house that is. The texture of the tree is very realistic, and hammered out by hand; makes for an impressive functional work of art.

Wrought Iron tree gate I designed for one of our clients.

We can design and forge out your custom wrought iron gates in any material, size and style. We are located in Dallas, Texas and have clients all over the country, so installation is not a problem. Potter Art Metal Studios is a fully functional design and custom metalwork fabricating studio.

Wrought Iron Table Designs

2011-10-17T09:41:00.001-05:00

Ever seen a table base you liked but it was simply too small or of poor quality? Think custom! We can take the elements of the design which are to your liking and re-draw to suit your needs. We can then make the piece out of wrought iron, brass, bronze, aluminium, nickel plate or what ever else you might want, and in the appropriate material sizes so that the piece is in proper proportion. Remember, proportion can make or break your design, so lets get it right.
Here are a few ideas:

ROCKITECTURE 2011

2011-10-12T10:08:00.001-05:00

It's that time of the year again! We just received our invitation for ROCKITECTURE 2011!

It's going to take place on October 26th, 6pm, at the iconic Filter Building at White Rock Lake with catered silent auction and hip tunes spun by DJ Lucy Wrubel.

The event is benefiting the Dallas Center For Architecture. VIP's will be able to take in the sunset and toast White Rock's 100th birthday before the auction begins, regaled with tales of the lake's history told by Sally Rodriguez, author of the book, White Rock Lake - Images of America.

Thanks for the invite Brynn!

Should be really exciting!

Princi | Italia: Contemporary Ironwork

2011-10-07T15:54:00.003-05:00

What do you think of when you hear Potter Art Metal Studios? Most will say Old Wolrd custom metalwork. It's a fact that we are known for the fancy and the elaborate, but we like to switch things up and get our hands into contemporary projects too. At the end of the day, it's just metal, and the final look depends simply on what you do with it. I happen to have an appreciation for all styles, and simply adore working on new things; it's fun to switch things up!

Our latest contemporary project? Princi | Italia (located at the NW corner Preston Road and Royal Lane in Dallas)

We worked on the iron doors, windows and the pergolas ...everything looks mighty good! I think I'm going to stop by for a cup of coffee and a plate of something delicious tonight.

iron pergolas for Princi | Italia

custom contemporary iron doors
for Princi | Italia

custom iron doors, windows, and pergolas at Princi | Italia

Now that's a large chandelier!

2011-10-06T11:35:00.001-05:00

Sparks are flying, as always, at Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas, Texas. We are finishing up an oversized wrought iron chandelier for Debbie Perry's, a local interior designer's residential project. The unusual thing about this fixture is that it's a reverse-tier, which by the way is one of Richard Potter's favorite configurations. Usually wrought iron chandeliers have a smaller tier on top and a larger one on the bottom; this one will give the room a softer feel.

The finishing touches on this fixture include custom cast brass leaves which will follow the curves of the perimeter scrolls on which matching brass bobeches will be placed. Twenty four electrified candles will crown the fixture. I can't wait to see it all done!

The interior designers visiting our showroom have had nothing but positive comments on the chandelier, and a few have told us that they'd love to have oversized fixtures like this one for their commercial projects such as a hotel one is working on. We have worked on several hotels, but I think it woud awesome to do it again, especially since we have had nothing but positive experiences in the past.

We adore interesting projects!

All the detail in the gates...

2011-09-22T15:15:00.000-05:00

The lanterns are finally hanging on either side of the gates we forged a while ago for one of our clients! We designed and custom made both, of course. Our client wanted them to be totally, naturally, rusted... which was an interesting process in itself.
Here is the final look, but what I really wanted to show off is all the detail we put into the gates before we rusted them; so beautiful.

Gates designed and forged by Potter Art Metal Studios.

Gas lanterns; copper and brass mix.

What's so special about Potter Art Metal Studios? It's all in the details. Take a look at just about anything out there and then take a second glance. See the difference? We love the beauty of metal and what can be done with it... the way it feels to the touch and how the brain processes the textures and colors. Plus, if you don't do it right, why do it at all? The wonderful, hand worked pieces are slowly disappearing, being taken over by pre-fabricated pieces which hurt my eyes... it's such a shame!

Lantern detail

Gate detail: rusting process starting

Gate detail: rusting process continues

The Mind of Leo Dowell

2011-08-19T16:02:00.000-05:00

I asked Leo Dowell to snap a few photos for me of the lanterns we custom made for him in the surroundings of the home he designed, because I'm simply in love with his fairy tale like architectural details he creates. I have to say that the wait was worth every minute! As soon as I looked at the photos attached to my e-mail, a large smile appeared on my face and my heart warmed with feelings of happiness!

Leo creates these fabulous French Country Estates as authentic as possible, but his little extra touches are what makes the homes that much more special. Take a look at the adorable hand painted wooden shutters, don't they look like they came straight out of a fairy tale? That's exactly what I'm talking about!

The lanterns we bult for the front doors needed an extra special bracket, since the gas line had to come out of the top of the lanterns and attach way above it and to the side, as you can see in the photo above. Yet instead of dropping pendants from those locations, Leo came up with a way to still have beautifully mounted bracket lanterns; no detail is too small in Leo's world! He thinks like us in that way, and that's one of the many reasons why we love him so much.

Now, if there's one custom made copper and wrought iron lantern you must see, it's this one! Leo designed it and we fabricated it with delight! Isn't it the most adorable design you have ever seen? Next time I'm in Charlotte, (NC) I'll be sure to visit him and hopefully see some of his work personally!

Dropped by the Ritz today...

2011-08-12T15:18:00.010-05:00

Most of our job sites are very far from our showroom and shop, but it just so happens that the Ritz is super close. Today Richard and I dropped by to see how things are coming along. Everyone at the Ritz is thrilled with the four entrances we made for the Residences, and that's the way we like it!
And to think it all started with an idea by Kyle Crews, a design inspiration by Richard Drummond Davis, and a few extra thoughts from the entire Crescent Real Estate and their Tower Residences Sales Team, including Travis, who kept everyone on track and everything moving along beautifully; ha! It was so much fun... I had a blast designing the pieces and turning them into reality. Our Potter Art Metal Studios artisans did a fabulous job forging the wrought iron doors, creating the fabulous awnings, and bringing to life the lantern designs. What an accomplishment! Everyone should be really proud of themselves!

Thank you all for a job well done!

Izabela Wojcik

Potter Art Metal Studios

One of the four entrances we custom made the
doors, awnings and lanterns for the Ritz in Dallas.

Street view of the building; you can see all four entrances.

glass top decorative metal awning

closeup of one of the wrought iron door kick-plates

close-up of the wrought iron anthemion
with solid brass details.

One of the original Regency Style inspired
drawings I made for the Ritz.

And just in case you were wondering, this is how all 4 units looked like before... quite a difference:)

Contemporary Table Base Design

2011-07-19T10:52:00.002-05:00

Most people know Potter Art Metal Studios for the old world metalwork and lighting... that's what we are famous for! ... but here's a little bit of secret info: We do contemporary just as well!

I absolutely love it when a client walks into our showroom asking for something fabulously sleek!

The other day just a client like that waltzed in with a life size template and a photograph of a gorgeous black walnut piece he's using for a table top; he wanted a neat metal base to complement the wood; which automatically sparked the imagery of George Nakashima's work. And the really cool part of the story? My new best friend actually knew and worked with George!

The generous size, plus the beautiful shape and details of the slab got me super excited and my brain was flooded with ideas. After creating a few quick drawings, I decided that I liked the idea of the traditional butterfly joints, which Geroge Nakashima was known for. So, instead of using wood, we would create the sleek shapes from smooth steel, with nice sharp edges, and then plug the butterfly joints right in, which would allow for a sharp space between the pieces of metal. Maybe I'll even drop that top horizontal piece into the bottom one just a little bit... (just thought of it while writing this.) Anyhow, I have a nice rubbed patina in mind for the overall finish, and a smooth black patina for the joints. Love it!

I sent the designs over for approval... I do hope he picks my favorite!

Wow! Building Big Drive Gates...

2011-07-14T10:17:00.002-05:00

Can you do big gates? A client asked me the other day.

Of course we can!

This made me think of the European style slider gates we did across the street from the The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.

European style slider gate design by Potter Art Metal Studios

I opened the file on my computer and went down memory lane...

See the little spears on top of the gates? Now look at what
I'm holding... not so little after all...

The giant wrought iron gates and fence were custom designed and hand forged with nothing but love. I love the metal columns too... most of the time you'll see stone ones, but wrought iron is so unusual. All of the spears, rosettes, acanthus leaves, double hammered banding, and other details, like the flames of the urns, were cast in brass and polished. We are super proud of them.

Can we build large gates? Check!

So today I'm designing a brand new, beautiful, grand gate for the client...

Pretty in French: Lanterns & Gate

2011-06-30T13:04:00.000-05:00

Since we drove out to a client's house in Tyler, Texas, we decided to stop at his neighbor's home and snap a few photos of the gates and lanterns we custom made for them a while ago. ...And what perfect timing, now that all the bushes and such have grown in and everything looks so pretty.

French style custom wrought iron drive gates; Tyler Tx.

French style custom gas lanterns; copper and brass.

The Sparks Are Flying at Potter Art Metal Studios

2011-06-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

wrought iron panels for custom arch-top doors

I was just checking up on a table base we are currently building when I saw the neatest sparks display; I grabbed the IPhone and quickly snapped a photo. Thought I'd share it with you guys... it made me happy.

The wrought iron panels will be placed inside custom made arch-top doors.

French Impressions by Betty Lou Phillips

2011-06-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

We just got a letter from Julie Peterson at Gibbs Smith; apparently Betty Lou Phillips has done it again! We are in her new book: French Impressions. Can't wait to see it!

And just in case you don't know about Betty; she is the sweetest person ever! She's a renowned best-selling and award winning author and a fabulous interior designer who is totally into France and everything French, and she has a great appreciation for Spanish design as well. Her books are a must in every interior designer's library!

This was such a surprise! Thank you Betty! ...from the bottom of our hearts!

Izabela Wojcik and Richard Potter

Regency Style Lanterns

2011-06-21T13:28:00.002-05:00

The lanterns are finished and looking great! The over 4' tall solid brass and wrought iron beauties will be replacing the current light fixtures soon! Yes!, we are rockin' and rollin' on the Regency Row Homes in The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton neighborhood. The sparks are flying, as the doors and glass-top awnings are taking shape too!

The kick-plate panel decoration has been hand forged now also, which I am very excited about... it came together even prettier then on the drawing I had penciled in for our artisans! I can't wait to see it on the doors. Hopefully I will be posting finished photos soon. I know that I have been slacking a bit on the posts, but I've just been super busy. I'll try to be a little bit better in the future:)

We have the best looking clients, don't we?

2011-06-17T11:37:00.004-05:00

If the names sound familiar, it's probably because you have sat in one of their fabulous restaurants (Steel, Cru, Ferre, or Victory Tavern) while enjoying a delicious meal and a glass of wine. And now they're doing it again! Patrick and Catherine Colombo are about to open a new Italian Restaurant in Preston Royal!

The former Popolos space is currently getting a total makeover, and from what I can see on the plans, it's going to be awesome! A modern twist on a Tuscan farmhouse-style restaurant is just what the doctor ordered. I am especially excited about the European style outside patio; Dallas soo needs to get in gear about that! There is nothing better then sitting outside, under an old oak tree and enjoying a cup of what ever is your thing... and that's exactly the feel of (the name is still a secret; I can't spill it for a little bit longer), as it will be called.

By the way, you remember chef Kevin Ascolese from Salve, Mi Piaci, and Ferre in the West Village, don't you? Well, he'll be the official chef of the new restaurant! Exciting! I certainly hope to be one of the first to taste something fabulous from the menu as soon as the doors open toward the end of August!

Above: Catherine and Patrick Colombo posing beautifully on their main stair. The wrought iron railing, seen in the photograph above, was such a pleasure to build for them, and Catherine wrote me the most adorable little note on Facebook: "Izabela, it was amazing watching you, Richard the metal workers take this concept and materialize it so beautifully. I'll never forget the day you all installed it, I thought for sure someone was going to get crushed! You all ROCK!" Her main railing was so graceful, with its beautiful flowing lines, and at the same time just huuuge, to say the least. It certainly was a spectacle to see the guys installing it all; I don't know if anyone out there has a better crew of metal artisans who can also turn into He-Men the very next day!

Regency Row Homes at the Ritz-Carlton

2011-04-28T22:17:00.004-05:00

Kyle Crews contacted us recently about making new awnings, doors, and lanterns for the front entrances of the Regency Row Homes at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. And if I may say so myself, designing everything was truly a fun experience; we had a large group of minds sitting around our showroom table throwing out ideas for the project. Our group even included architect Richard Drummond Davis, with whom I had the pleasure of working in the past of course. After several hours of discussions, drawings and re-drawings, we finally decided on the designs and they are beautiful! I can't wait to see everything up... we already started on all of the pieces. Here is a sneak peak at the table lay-out of work in progress; a wrought iron door panel detail Richard designed. I hope you like it.

Copper Table Top

2011-04-28T21:42:00.003-05:00

One of our clients had a little mishap with her copper table top; it was completely destroyed. She brought the table over so that we could take a look at it and decide if something could be done to rescue the piece. We think restoration is a wonderful way of saving older pieces of metalwork and our clients are always pleasantly surprised when they see the finished work. After they have lived with the now damaged by time pieces, I suppose it's hard to imagine the potential, yet each time they leave our shop with smiles on their faces. It's also fun to change the feel of your home by giving your pieces a completely different finish; it's like shopping for new accessories at a fraction of the price. We gave this table top a new modeled patina look.

Front Entrance Step Rails

2011-04-12T15:52:00.002-05:00

Yet another happy couple! We custom designed and hand forged these little entry rails for one of our recent clients. They loved the velvety feel of our brass hand rail, which we ended up putting on top of their railing, as opposed to sticking with wrought iron all around... brass just feels so nice to the touch. We didn't want to leave the brass bright however, so we created that lived in feel by adding an antique finish with our dark patinas. We also gave the railings other little brass details throughout. The new pieces will provide extra safety and a warm welcome to this home for generations to come.

Do Storefronts Have To Be Bulky?

2011-04-11T14:08:00.007-05:00

Of course not!

Here is a nice, custom designed, storefront we made for the Crú restaurant in Houston. One of our guys snappend a quick cell phone photo for me after they installed it; I'll put up a nicer photo as soon as I get it. Crú is opening soon in Houston's popular River Oaks neighborhood in the new West Ave development at Westheimer @ Kirby. Can't wait to see it all finished!

We made the windows as well as the doors; one lovely package. I think the sleek wrought iron pieces make the storefront look so much nicer then the old fashioned 80s and 90s style bulky aluminum parts, don't you think? Everything looks so nice and airy. We're going to start on a restaurant here in Dallas pretty soon too... I'll get some nice pics of that one for sure!

Contemporary Wrought Iron Doors

2011-04-11T13:54:00.001-05:00

As long as we're on the subject of contemporary, here are some nice, easy on the eye, simple lines. We made a pair of these front doors for a client of ours in Dallas, Texas. The house is gorgeous and I love the simple dark against light palette which is carried throughout the entire home. Sometimes simplicity is just what the designer ordered.

Pine Cone Tree Stair Rail: I have the photos

2011-04-06T00:03:00.002-05:00

One of our clients lives amongst the piney woods and wanted to bring the outside into her home. I designed this pine cone tree railing especially for her.

The newell post looks like a tree trunk with the tree roots "growing" around the bottom stair tread. Each pine cone, needle, and tree branch texture is wrought iron; hand forged of course.

The detail in this design is impecable; to the left is a photo of a section of the railing about two third's way finished. As you can see, every single layer is made piece by piece and then welded together to make a pine cone or needle. Each pine cone has its own personality; some are closed, some open, some are larger, some smaller. This section was made so that we could show the client all the little details we were proposing; we ended up not using almost all of them in the actual railing.

I love it when we get a client who is thinking outside of the norm; it's so much fun to come up with unusual metalwork designs. Based on this design, we also ended up making a tree-like chandelier, as well as a three-tiered, 10' tall fandelier. It's amazing how one thing inspires you to push the design further and dream up a brand new concept which is then fulfilled in wrought iron, brass, copper or aluminum.

View From The Window

2011-03-22T13:37:00.001-05:00

Lately I have been asked by a few interior designers if we can make windows... Of course we can! As long as it's designed in metal, we can custom forge anything your heart desires. I like the feeling of the window below; it takes up the entire kitchen wall, creating a fresh feeling of being outdoors.

Wrought iron window-wall for a Dallas, Texas private residence.

If you feel like dropping by, we are actually right in the middle of making an entire store front for a restaurant in Houston, Texas. The project includes the windows as well as the doors.

10' Pine Cone Fandelier

2011-03-16T14:45:00.002-05:00

It's not quite finished; we still need to clean up the remaining weld marks and put a nice color on it, but I really wanted to show it off. This is an all custom pine cone and needle, three tier fandelier we are finishing up for a client in Henderson, Texas. It's 10' tall. Our client, Debbie, wanted a fan which would double as a chandelier and look like a piece of artwork. She also wanted to bring the outside into her new home. We made a similar chandelier earlier this year, which Debbie fell in love with, but that one looked like an actual tree; Debbie and her husband simply had to have a fan inside their chandelier. I suggested taking the elements they loved and coming up with a brand new design which would fit their needs. They loved the concept and the rest is history. I can't wait for them to see it... they'll be so thrilled.

The entire fandelier is hand forged, of course. Each pine cone is made of multiple layer which have to be hand cut and textured and then fashioned into the final cones. Same goes for each needle, each baby pine cone inside the needle bunches, and the bark texture which looks so real it's almost as if it was just pulled off the tree. The price tag for this beautiful piece of functional art? $20,000. Why not $40,000 and above? The work is being done right here at Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas, Texas.

Custom Sink Pedestal: How fancy!

2011-02-15T10:48:00.004-06:00

Today I got super excited about designing a custom sink pedestal for a lovely powder room. The sink is hand carved out of some sort of stone; it looks very old... like it came out of Europe; I'll have to ask about it; it's super thick and heavy. I'm picturing a very lush stand with lots of hand forged details... Can't wait to see if the client likes the design... can't wait to see it in metal!

Clean Lines and Fine Design

2011-02-08T13:25:00.002-06:00

Our first e-blast of 2011! Hope you like it.
Click on the image below for a working copy, where you can "Like" our designs.

Contemporary Twist on a Traditional Swing

2011-01-28T15:58:00.002-06:00

Talk about a fabulous way of designing spaces! Kathy and Lee of Hatcher Design Group came up with a great way of adding extra seating, without taking away the space or the view. I designed these swings for them so that they have a traditional Spanish flare, but have nice clean lines at the same time for a bit of a contemporary feel. The metalwork is hidden inside the pillow so that nothing interferes with the cushion design; simple, sleek, and beautiful.

Potter Art Metal Studios recieves citation from Texas Society of Architects

2011-01-13T10:54:00.001-06:00

Potter Art Metal Studios’ work decorates some of the loveliest homes and most famous landmarks in East Dallas. The 90-year-old company started in East Dallas, and has since moved to theDallas Design District.
Architects known for their Lakewood homes — Charles Dilbeck and Clifford Hutsell — commissioned potter to design metal stair railings, light fixtures and gates. Potter also designed the light fixtures at White Rock Lake and Fair Park.
The company, which is run by a third generation of the Potter family, recieved a Citation of Honor-Artisan Award from the Texas Society of Architects. The award recognizes Potter’s dedication to architects and architecture and enhancement of the quality of life in Texas.

Posted by: Rachel Stone on January 12th, 2011

The Birth of Potter Art Metal

2011-01-13T10:48:00.002-06:00

I found a neat Lakewood Advocate article today:
This article is 4 of 15 in the 11.2007 issue.

The next time you’re at White Rock Lake, take a look at the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings of the Big Thicket building. Or the lanterns topping the stone posts at Plaza Solana. Or the lights along the stone bridge at Garland Road and East Lawther. Each piece of hand-forged metalwork was designed by a member of the Potter family, and more can be found throughout the neighborhood, from the lanterns at Woodrow Wilson High School to the staircase rail at Lakewood Theater.

The business began in Henry Potter’s back yard when he built a set of metal lanterns for his home. As neighbors and local businesses took notice of his handiwork, special orders came pouring in. Henry hired some extra help and in 1924 moved the business out of his back yard and into a factory on Henderson Avenue in what is now called Potter Square.

The venture proved to be extremely successful — and busy. So Potter hired his father to carry some of the load. He also supervised his daughter, Eva Potter Morgan, as she began designing some of the metal art. Potter’s son, Richard Joseph I, didn’t have much interest in the business, but he did help with the sales. It turned out to be Richard’s son and namesake, Lakewood resident Richard Joseph II, who became a “true craftsman” Morgan says.

The younger Richard Potter learned the craft spending his summers and school vacations at his grandfather’s shop on Henderson.

“We didn’t have computers, or rollerblades, or anything. My fun was coming down to the shop and watching the guys work,” he says.

In 1971, Richard finished college and began working for his grandfather. Three months later, Henry Potter passed away. His death filled Richard with anger and regret, knowing that he had so much more to learn from Henry. But he stuck with the family business until his father’s death in 1979.

“I had grown up around this business and had been doing it forever. I always planned on opening it back up, but I took a little break when my father died to do some other things for awhile,” he says.

Richard had experience as a recreational pilot several years earlier, so during his break, he opened a helicopter company for flight training and aerial advertising. His temporary business venture was going well until he crashed one of his helicopters in 1992. It wasn’t too serious, but the close call turned out to be a wake-up call.

Richard took one of the helicopters out the very next day “just to get it out of my system,” he says. “I came back and sold everything — the helicopters and everything. I realized I wanted to open up the [metal] business again.”

Richard had refused to sell his grandfather’s shop on Henderson for more than a decade, despite many interested buyers. So he reopened the warehouse and started cleaning the old machines while his wife Debbie swept the floors and answered the phones.

“He didn’t really need a Girl Friday because at first the calls were coming in drips and drabs,” she says.
One of the first calls came from an original customer.

“It was really wild because the first job was the people from the Wynne Chapel wanting more lights that my grandfather had done 50 years ago. Another church in Richardson wanted a communion set. A Greek Orthodox church wanted lighting fixtures. Right off the bat, it was three jobs for three churches, and people started hearing that I was open again and just came looking for me,” Richard says.

Potter Art Metal Studios Inc. has since moved to a new workshop near Inwood and I-35, where Richard employs 25 welders and designers to hand-forge everything from sconces to staircases.

“I call it extreme metalwork because we go to the extremes and do all kinds of different things,” he says. “Really, we’re a group of artisans.”

Much of the original work still stands in Dallas churches, parks, shopping centers, and hotels. Here in our neighborhood, Potter metalwork adorns parks at White Rock Lake, homes on Swiss Avenue, the Arboretum’s DeGolyer Mansion, and Hutsell homes on Lakewood Boulevard and Avalon Avenue. Richard has reproduced some of his grandfather’s work that has deteriorated or disappeared over the years, including the chandeliers and sconces inside the Big Thicket building, and much of the iron railing and light fixtures in our neighborhood’s historic districts.

Brian and Lynne Boyd’s Lakewood Boulevard home is one these projects. They own Clifford D. Hutsell’s family home from the 1930s and have been restoring it for the past 12 years.

“I’d say about 90 percent of it is original Potter metal — the stair banister, the decorative window screens, the arched gate leading into the courtyard. We have several pieces,” Brian Boyd says. “Richard’s been over to the house several times and enjoys looking at the work. We plan to re-do the original staircase inside the house.”

The Boyds are lucky to have the original Potter metalwork in their home, Richard says, because many of the original owners take their metal artwork with them when they move. But he doesn’t mind having to reproduce his grandfather’s work.

“I love having the satisfaction of building something that is well-designed and well-built and knowing the customers are so happy with the product,” Richard says. “We know they are because they come back after all these years. Or their children come back, and bring their parents who worked with my grandfather.”

He had three more good reasons to forge ahead with the family business — his triplets, Sabra, R.J. and Baron. Now 18, they work for their father and already have deemed the family trade “our business.” They were 3 when Richard’s helicopter accident shook him up, and part of his decision to reignite the torches was to “teach the triplets so they could learn while I’m still here,” Richard says, reasoning that, after all, “metalwork is a lost art.”

Issue Navigation
«Junius Heights’ home tourTree liaison Kurt Kretsinger»

Posted by: Advocate Staff on November 1st, 2007 in Arts, Feature Article, History

A bit of Potter Art Metal History at Hector's on Henderson

2011-01-07T10:40:00.002-06:00

We are so pleased that Hector's on Henderson in Dallas has such an appreciation for our work; yet another piece of history saved so that future generations can continue admiring the timeless beauty of the functional art created by Potter Art Metal Studios.

Pine Cone Chandelier

2010-12-30T15:03:00.007-06:00

Hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

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!

Getting ready for Gate Installation

2010-12-20T15:39:00.006-06:00

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.

Beautiful Solid Brass Coffee Table

2010-12-20T15:15:00.004-06:00

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.

2010-11-29T20:16:00.001-06:00

Gold Leaf Your Stair Rail to Fabulous

2010-11-29T10:35:00.003-06:00

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.

A great lantern design by Leo Dowell

2010-11-22T14:28:00.005-06:00

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"

Simple Wrought Iron Fireplace Andirons

2010-11-16T13:47:00.003-06:00

Andirons hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

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."

AIA award reception

2010-11-16T11:09:00.001-06:00

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

Beautiful 3 Candle Table Centerpiece

2010-11-05T11:09:00.002-05:00

Grapevine centerpiece designed by Izabela Wojcik.

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.

About City Living Tour

2010-10-27T22:41:00.005-05:00

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!

The Gent's Place Art Nouveau Fandelier

2010-10-27T14:46:00.001-05:00

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!

Texas Society of Architects Award

2010-10-22T15:01:00.001-05:00

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

Samuel Yellin Lights

2010-10-22T14:21:00.002-05:00

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."

Check Us Out In FD Luxe Today

2010-10-06T16:09:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-31T14:59:00.002-05:00

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

Contemporary Chandelier

2010-08-12T13:55:00.004-05:00

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

Wine Barrel Sconce

2010-08-10T15:48:00.002-05:00

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

Dallas Business Journal: Ideas in Action

2010-08-07T17:48:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-21T12:21:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-20T12:29:00.002-05:00

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

Park Cities News

2010-07-01T15:53:00.001-05:00

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

2010-06-30T20:33:00.005-05:00

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

Uncover Your Hidden Treasures

2010-06-16T14:06:00.003-05:00

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

Antique Brass Gothic Gas Lantern

2010-06-11T09:10:00.001-05:00

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.

Wrought Iron and Copper Floor Stand Candelabra

2010-06-04T13:26:00.002-05:00

Hand forged by

Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas.

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.

Dallas Morning News: Wrought with possibilities

2010-05-29T13:29:00.003-05:00

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.

2010-05-27T13:53:00.001-05:00

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.

edit

Gazebo Summer Fun

2010-05-27T10:13:00.003-05:00

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.

Final Touches on the Wrought Iron Gates & Gas Lanterns

2010-05-21T22:14:00.003-05:00

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 :)

Celebrating over 25 years in White Rock

2010-05-21T10:01:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-05-20T15:43:00.001-05:00

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

2010-05-19T09:22:00.002-05:00

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.

Park Cities People: IRON MEN by Georgia Fisher

2010-05-14T14:57:00.002-05:00

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

2010-05-11T15:36:00.007-05:00

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.)

Wrought Iron Console Table

2010-05-11T15:31:00.003-05:00

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.

Vin Villa Wrought Iron Doors, Hinges & Torchieres

2010-04-28T16:00:00.001-05:00

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.

Wrought Iron Drive Gates

2010-04-27T13:34:00.002-05:00

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!

Magnolia Fireplace Screen

2010-04-06T15:54:00.002-05:00

I'm sure that I have said this more then a few time before, but we love clients who come in asking for beautiful and unusual things, like Bonnie Cole from Duncan Design Group. She and her client stretched their imagination to the next level and came up with an awesome idea: a stylized magnolia fireplace screen. We used solid copper to create the flowers and wrought iron for the magnolia twigs. The screen is very three dimensional, which adds charm to the space, and this screen is a charming little piece for sure.

Park Cities Home Tour shows off five homes with character

2010-04-02T15:58:00.001-05:00

As seen in the Dallas Morning News:

Park Cities Home Tour shows off five homes with character

11:02 AM CDT on Thursday, April 1, 2010

BY CHRISTOPHER WYNN / Staff writer

Can a red Radio Flyer wagon gracefully share the living room with an antique Steinway baby grand? Find out April 10, when the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society's 8th Annual Home Tour makes a good case for living history.

MEI-CHUN JAU/Special to DMN

Iron chandeliers by Dallas' Potter Art Metal Studios and a carved-stone mantel are among the original touches in this 85-year-old Drexel residence (above and far right), one of five historic homes on this month's Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society tour

In an age of tear-downs and do-overs, this year's five quite different residences – 4611 Arcady Ave., 3501 Beverly Drive, 3404 Southwestern Blvd., 3510 Drexel Drive and 3409Harvard Ave. – manage to retain their original character yet still boast Viking stoves, flat screens and humidity-controlled wine cellars.

At one end of the tour's casual-to-grand range is the prairie-style home on Harvard, where a wide-plank front porch gets heavy use by the young family that lives here. (Marine-grade paint is perfect to seal 1920s wood from the weather and stroller scuffs.)

At the other is the Drexel address, a majestic 1925 Spanish-Mediterranean by Fooshee & Cheek (the architectural duo behind Highland Park Village), which boasts Henry Mercer-style arts and crafts floor tiles, ironwork chandeliers from Potter Art Metal Studios and hand-plastered walls so thick it's tricky to get a cellphone signal. Furnishings from the Althorp Collection are licensed from the estate where Charles Spencer and his sister, the future Princess Diana, grew up.

A portion of proceeds from the tour, co-sponsored by FD Luxe, benefits preservation and maintenance of the Park Cities House at Dallas Heritage Village.

Vin Villa: Small Decorative Fireplace Hoods

2010-03-30T14:34:00.001-05:00

These decorative fireplace hoods are going to be placed on both openings of a fireplace at Vin Villa; the oldest winery in North America. Vin Villa is located on Pelee Island, Canada; in the Western Basin of Lake Erie, just above the Canadian-American border. The winery being transformed into an international fund rising facility & beautiful place for business retreats. We also designed and hand forged the winery doors, beautiful grapevine hinges, along with the sconces on the side panels. But the most elaborate thing we forged was a 37' long grapevine chandelier over a 35' long solid oak table. The vines were creeping down the stone, arched, ceiling... twisting down into 5 separate chandeliers over the table; spectacular. But that's another post.

Art Deco Chandelier: solid brass with alabaster shades

2010-03-29T10:36:00.007-05:00

I designed this chandelier to match the Art Deco sconces (one of the previous posts;) it's all custom of course, all solid brass with Italian alabaster shades. It's super unusual, beautifully hand crafted and I've been told by several designes that it is "so Architectural Digest." It's another one of these pieces you just have to see for yourself in person; it's a knockout.

Without the Fuss: fireplace screen

2010-03-19T15:27:00.001-05:00

One of our clients wanted an airy and pretty custom fireplace screen, but without all that fuss everywhere...

The design-work on this one lets her see the fire without any obstructions. The really neat thing about this screen is that it will fit into many different types of homes too. It's entirely hand wrought in iron.

A breeze of cool air in your gazebo...

2010-03-08T15:19:00.001-06:00

This is one of our wrought fan enclosures being worked on...it's about 90% finished... the client wanted the first letter of each of the family member's names designed into the piece. We put the letters among the scroll work... it's one of these neat little things you can do to have a conversation piece in your gazebo... a lovely traditional design with a hint of "WOW... is that what I think it is?"

Pine Tree Stair Rail

2010-03-05T11:30:00.001-06:00

We are super excited about a new project we are starting; it's going to be an extremely cool stair rail. The newel post at the bottom will look like a trunk of a pine tree; wrapping its roots around the 1st tread... then the branches will start flowing up the entire stair rail. This is just a small piece of it; we are trying to work out the textures and so on. We are hand forging all of the pine cones and the pine needle bunches (with little baby pine cones inside them.)

I will take pictures of the project as it moves along and post them on here... can't wait!

Contemporary Slinky Chandelier

2010-03-05T10:55:00.003-06:00

sWe made this contemporary in feel, slinky chandelier, for Alana at Dallas Design Group; it covers 3 floors; 1st, 2nd, and basement. The contemporary style candles are not installed yet, but it's going to look magical once that happens. I'll make sure to re-post the photo once I get the finished project pic.

Classic Look / Clean Look

2010-03-05T10:51:00.001-06:00

You can have both... This is a wrought iron pendant with solid brass leaves we designed for one of our clients. She wanted something with a classic feel but at the same time she wanted to keep the look of her home very clean.

Ever heard of a ceiling fan enclosure?

2010-03-05T10:44:00.001-06:00

We have been creating them for years; our clients simply adore the idea. How about a contemporary style ceiling fan enclosure? Most people love the idea of a ceiling fan, but hate the way they look; a fan like this solves all the issues, plus we can build it to any look, size, etc.

Adorn your garage doors with wrought iron hinges:

2010-03-05T10:39:00.001-06:00

Going from ordinary to something special; start with the simple little tings you can do, like dressing up your garage with hinge straps or faux door knockers. It's inexpensive, relatively speaking, but it sure changes the look of things. We also made the light fixture over the garage. These changes took this particular client's home to a whole new level; from traditional to a taste of the Mediterranean.

Dress up your Sub-Zero

2010-03-05T10:37:00.001-06:00

Dress up your Sub-Zero with awesome wrought iron pulls:

University Park Antique Fixture Restoration

2010-03-05T10:33:00.001-06:00

Potter Art Metal Studios also restores antique light fixtures as well as other metalwork. 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.

Art Deco Sconce: solid brass with alabaster shade

2010-03-05T10:28:00.001-06:00

This is a sconce I'm super proud of; I designed it for Kathy & Lee Hatcher (for one of their clients... there is also a chandelier to match, which is being built right now)... It's all solid brass, all hand made of course to a custom size. What is even more special about this one is that we ordered chunks of alabaster from Italy and turned the shades ourselves, right here at Potter Art Metal Studios... never thought we'd be doing that; but if you can't find something, you have to get creative. We also are currently turning our own alabaster candle covers; exciting!

Christ The King church metalwork restoration.

2010-03-05T10:16:00.001-06:00

Christ The King restoration. Potter Art Metal Studios of Dallas Tx

restoring the churches steeple cross which was originally built by

Richard Potter's grandfather in 1954.

Glass Sconce adorned with antique copper design work.

2010-03-05T09:44:00.002-06:00

The entire piece is custom made; from the glass to the copper buttons; this is what we do. We can make sconces like this in any size, color, or ornamental variations. For a sleek contemporary home, we can let the glass speak for itself, with maybe a square button, or we can completely cover the face of the glass with ornamental design work for an Italian home... the end product is up to you.