Michael Glennon is a blacksmith from central Illinois exploring the sculptural character of hot forging metal. In marked contrast to many techniques, where mass is either added or taken away, a blacksmith moves and shapes a raw volume of material into what he has envisioned. The sum of his effort is captured. Moments in time, where thoughts and emotions were experienced, are forever chronicled in the hammer marks left by him on the completed piece.
Greatly influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement of the last century, Glennon approaches his medium with a few simple hand tools, an appreciation for traditional methods, and a dedication to craftsmanship. For the most part, his work is truly hand-wrought, accomplished without the use of power forging equipment. He believes it is important that the line between what is handmade and what is manufactured does not become too blurry.
To this artist, the significance and innate beauty of a composition is as much the tangible process followed during its creation as the final aesthetic achieved.