About The Artist

Jerry Merz turns steel into delicate florets, elegant vines, and geometrically precise latticework with a deftness that seems almost magical, given that this refinement emerges from an atmosphere of fire, hammering, and ear-splitting noise.

Merz first discovered metalwork 22 years ago, when he dropped into an open-forge night held by Methow Valley blacksmith Roger Olsen. He was immediately captivated. “Sometimes, something in life goes beyond grabbing your attention. I knew nothing about it – I just saw a candlestick someone had made at an open-forge night. I was amazed.”

Soon, he was a regular at the open forge. He’d arrive early and have to be sent home because he stayed so late. “It was awe-inspiring. I had never contemplated the concept of cutting, twisting, bending, and drilling steel with other forms of steel,” he said.

Initially, Merz specialized in custom lighting, from ornate chandeliers to Craftsman-style sconces. But as he started to get commissions for drawer pulls, towel racks, and railings, he branched out.

Today, he makes small, decorative pieces like ornamental hardware for cabinets, and large items like chairs and architectural ironwork. He gets a lot of demand for gates. Some are geometric, but many incorporate elements from nature, including lacy vines and tendrils, flowers, and craggy mountains. In one challenging project, he bent metal railing to follow the contours of two sinuous branches for a banister.

Read the full article about Jerry Merz, who was Methow Arts Spring 22’ Featured Artist! 

To visit Jerry’s studio at Twispworks email: jerry.merz@gmail.com to arrange an appointment.

or call:  #509-341-4810