Ramsey Pualwan | Metalsmith

Traditionally, a tinsmith is one who works with tinplate: the 19th century household material of choice for virtually anything functional and utilitarian, especially so in the kitchen because it is non-toxic and leaves no aftertaste. In 1976, at the age of 19, I began working in the tin shop at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum in Massachusetts. This experience led me to a lifelong passion for this artform.

All the work begins from a flat sheet of metal. I hand cut the components of each and every piece and form them to the desired shape with hand and foot-powered machinery without the use of heat. This is called cold-forming. I then attach the components to one another using lead-free solder. Over time, I have applied this technique to copper and brass as well, stepping outside the parameters of Sturbridge.

Today my work includes elements of Early American, Traditional and Contemporary styles, as I strive for designs that are as pleasing to the eye as they are functional