Celeste Flores

Welcome to my life as a blacksmith. I began my journey years ago as a child, following my drive to express myself through art. While growing up I obsessively studied drawing and painting. I attended The Academy of Art University in San Francisco, concentrating on fine art sculpture. There I was introduced to a hammer and anvil. I was hooked. Eventually I became an intern at The Crucible in Oakland. Currently, I teach blacksmithing there. I worked briefly at a small well known bronze studio in Berkeley forging architectural bronze. Together at the shop we took two trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina where we had the opportunity to teach new blacksmiths in South America. Currently serve on the board for the California Blacksmith Association and the Executive Team at The Crucible. I keep very busy growing my business forging custom objects for customer’s homes, gardens, and businesses.

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I love commissioned work. For me it’s a collaboration between myself and the owner. I love the boundaries of style, era, and space that are inevitable in a site specific project. I love matching my vision as an artist to the home and to the owner. It’s a very challenging and rewarding process that drives me to continue to learn and push the boundaries of my abilities.