Blog
thrill is in the air (and a lot of fungi)
greetings friends! It’s a bit soggy up here on the hill. The rain keeps gushing down from the sky. Besides a driveway that would rather be a creek- we’re doing well. Our neighbors in Bloomsburg are still cleaning up after a devastating flood. It is overwhelming to witness the power of nature. Some houses in town look like they were nearly swept away. Unbelievable.…
All New Work by Ben & Kate Gatski
Here is a sampling of our new work. We were inspired by some metal we had here, the idea of “reverence for trades & industry” and a desire to make something with our old pick up truck. Feel free to peruse here on The Steel Fork or have a peak at our Etsy shop to check out all that’s new! 1. Wall Tile Tools…
Start to Finish- From Truck to Table
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALVWYZR607E[/youtube] This is our very first video “live from the shop.” Watch Ben take off the bed from our old pick up truck and make a coffee table and two side tables with it- start to finish. This will give you a feel for what happens every day here in the shop. Enjoy!
Rural Adventures- The Tractor Pull
I love reading about what you’re doing these summer weekends. From what I “hear,” you’re going to farmers markets, carnivals and arts festivals. You’re eating ice cream, gobbling berries and enjoying big breakfasts. Hooray for you! It is summer after all– and summer is so delightfully indulgent. Let’s go at it with gusto! For some, this idea of “full throttle” livin’ is quite literal.…
News from Gatski Mt. Heaquarters “The Shop”
happy summer! We can’t believe it. It’s high time we bring you some news from Gatski headquarters- [home of Gatski Metal and The Steel Fork]. Winter was cold, cold, cold which morphed into wet, wet, wet and then BAM! Summertime! Spring nearly passed us by with an endless stream of orders. Over 100 metal deer and moose heads were hand hammered, welded, packed and…
New Work by Ben & Kate Gatski
Introducing our new work! We emerged from our winter slumber to do some imagining, sketching and creating. Here are the results… 1. Box Shelf Table 2. Hewn & Hammered Beam Table 3. Beam Shelves 4. Big O Console Table 5. Steel & Barn Coffee Table We’ve had lots of fun trying out new table designs. The addition of wood elements [reclaimed barn wood] has…
New Year, New Baby, New Work
Happy New Year my friends! We enjoyed a busy holiday season here on The Steel Fork- scurrying about to get your orders to you on time. We may have “over-scurried.” We all got a little sick post-holiday. Thankfully, we’re now well rested and ready for business. First off, our most exciting news… we’re expecting our third child in late May! In the meantime, we’re…
All New on The Steel Fork
Happy Autumn Friends! I hope this note finds you well. The fall foliage has been gorgeous up here on the hill. Besides gazing at the vibrant leaves, we’ve been occupied with orders for moose heads and deer heads and…. new work. Wait no longer, here are some of our fun new designs. 1. Ford Tractor Hood Side Table 2. Hanging Story Quilt 3. International…
Art & Agriculture- Deborah Nicholson
I recently discovered the work of Deborah Nicholson. I love it! These are her words, ” I want to create works that encourage us to look at the creatures most of us don’t think about- the ones that give and become the products we use daily.” What a beautiful purpose. Read her blog here. This is Cow Grazing This is Cow 75 Small
Memories of a Place- A Farm & A Family
A beautiful essay by Ben’s sister, Allyson Jacobs currently residing in Providence, RI with her husband, Matt and her two children. Thank you Allyson. This summer while visiting the farm, I headed up the long field road to my brother’s house. It is pretty hard going uphill and I found myself concentrating on my feet and the baby on my back. When I got…
Gatski Metal Featured on Keystone Edge
It’s a good day. We’re featured on Keystone Edge! Thank you so much!
The Fair
Do you have any fair traditions? What do you make a beeline for? We enjoy one or two small country fairs each year. They feel timeless- it could be 1972, 1998 or by golly 2010. There is something peaceful about something that never seems to change. The down home goodness of these fairs is so endearing. I can’t get away without mentioning the food.…
Supporting the American Folk Art Museum
The American Folk Art Museum forged the beginning of us – as Gatski Metal. In their tiny gift shop they have sold an incredible (to us) amount of Gatski fish (among many other pieces). We gained the footing and confidence to continue our artistic pursuits through their support of our work. We are very grateful. I gathered today that the Museum could use some…
All New Work- Family, Design & Tradition
Introducing our new collection of work. We [Ben & Kate] teamed up with our brother-in-law, Matt Jacobs, to create a new collection featuring recycled farm steel and reclaimed wood [barn beams rescued from a local barn]. Matt is a 2nd generation woodworker and currently an Architecture student at Rhode Island School of Design. Our new work is a natural extension of who we are-…
The Process of Handmade, Self-Taught Design
Ben, our brother-in-law, Matt [shown above] and I are in the process of working to bring you new sculptures for Gatski Metal, furniture and handmade gifts for The Steel Fork shop and our Etsy shop. We give ourselves about 2 weeks to do the following (for each and every new piece)… Brainstorm Design Discuss Attempt Design Discuss Revise Design Discuss Attempt New Direction for…