Ironwork: Charleston, South Carolina

Wrought iron has long interested me -- it is a nice combination of the apparent fragility of the object: its elegant curves, leaves, or flowers, with the strength of the iron. Many places in Europe have great wrought iron, but many fewer places in the US do.

Charleston, South Carolina has wonderful examples of wrought iron. Some of Charleston's wrought ironwork goes back to the Revolutionary war, but much has been made recently. The recent work has been done by one man, Philip Simmons, who has devoted much of his life to the creation of beautiful objects.

I was in Charleston in October 2007 and while walking down Church Street, saw this great lamp above an entrance way. I took several photographs and just recently was inspired to complete a larger drawing of the lamp (19" x 24").

Wrought iron, 2008.
Pencil on paper, 19" x 24".