This inspiration that started this piece was listening to rain water from the roof filling water barrels in the spring. I was struck at how the sound changed as the water level raised. Here a series of large tubes act as trumpets to amplify the sound of the water. Beaten copper forms the body of a jelly fish like sea creature, who's arms channel the ribbons of falling water. The copper has been left with its natural finish, and will take on a natural patina with time. Altering the level of the water inside the base changes the sound - effectively letting you 'tune' the sound produced. The heavy duty CSA approved pump set in the base recycles the water. The large plastic bucket can sit on a deck, or be dug into the ground.
This is not a forged piece, as the main tubes are ABS plastic and the Jelly Fish is solid copper sheet. One advantage is none of the elements are effected by the water. Ideally this piece should be moved indoors for the winter, and should be able to be enjoyed as an interior sculpture as well.

This is the latest in the 'Broadleaf' fountain series. Here the main structure is formed from six tubes that create the Calla Lilly shape. These are finished in a dark green, with white and yellow highlight inside to brighten them. There are five tapered broad leaves made from aluminium. These are set in a series of reversal curves on a copper tube upright that carries the water. For this fountain, the water spills from the copper tubes down over the leaves. This creates less splashing, right now I have the fountain set into a roughly 3 ft diameter pond quite effectively. The self contained pump is equipped with a 10 ft long cord.

This slightly larger fountain is designed for a small pond. It uses another variation on the 'copper broadleaf' theme. Here each cluster is made up of four copper leaves. In the centre of each cluster is a copper tube, perforated to allow multiple jets of water. With three such bundles, water sprays and drips over an area about one and half meters (about four feet) in diameter. From the centre soars a set of three tapering rods ending in large rush shapes. The support frame and self contained pump are disguised with wave rounded stones in this installation.

Copper Rushes is now installed as a static sculptural piece in the pond at the Wareham Forge.

I was particularly pleased with how this fountain ended up sounding - as much as how it looks. Originally I had intended the trumpets to be made of brass, sealed so the water would fill up and spill over the top. I was not happy with how they turned out, so replaced them with the beaten copper shapes seen in the detail. The water fell down back into the tubes, creating a very good volume of sound. The supporting frame is forged from channel, punched, folded and ends split and curved. The containment here is a heavy rubber dish. It was purchased by a couple from outside Cambridge, Ontario, who will dig the bowl into their garden.

This fountain is the 'signature piece' for a new technique - what I'm calling 'the feather'. The shapes that make up the upper portion of the fountain are created from aggressively forged angle iron. This is a tub based fountain, with beach polished stones supported over a stainless steel plate. Again copper is formed to leaves and tubes form stems (and conduct the water). This fountain was purchased as the focal point in small arboretum in an upscale condo in Toronto, Ontario

Here the water spills down over two wide copper leaves with sinuous curves. The frame is forged angle iron - again echoing the curves of the copper. As with all of this series, the pump is a CSA approved submergible type. The water reservoir holds about 40 litres (10 gal), with the water recycling up and back.

This fountain features wave polished granite stones from North Superior, the first fountain I created in the 'self contained' style. The second image shows one of the upper flower segments, which are hot forged from copper bar (a new technique for me). The leaves use techniques normally used for repose' on Baroque gates, seen in the last image. I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. This fountain was purchased by a couple for their home in Goderich, Ontario

As an artist, teacher (and member of the Celtic Underground) I have been heavily involved with the 'Earth, Air Celtic Festival in Goderich, plus the attached Celtic College. The artists of An Droichead have held a design competition for the students of the College for a number of years. Each year we pick a specific artifact from ancient Celtic culture. Students are invited to submit an original design based on the prototype. This may be a completed object, or a concept piece on paper. Obviously the pressure is on the instructors to also complete the Design Challenge. For 2002, the object selected was this Hallstadt era bronze cauldron on a forged iron stand.

For my part, I chose to make a fairly direct conversion of the form of the artifact into a modern object. The forged dragon heads are made from cut and formed channel and angle, this material extends to create the base. A large cauldron was made of beaten copper sheet, riveted for strength and soldered to tighten. This cauldron forms the bowl for the fountain. Water is drawn up through copper tubes that form the tongues of the dragons. Each then 'spits' the water back into the bowl. Inside the bowl there is a polished stainless steel disk that forms the mirror. The water depth is such that the water streams form a set of interlocking ripple patterns on the surface of the mirror. This distorts the faded image seen by the viewer as they gaze into the mirror.

This fountain now part the garden at the original inn at Neudstad Ontario (now a private home).

For a good chunk of both 2000 and 2001 I had been quite busy with museum work related to the Viking Millennium. For my main shows in Goderich and Owen Sound last summer, I wanted to both expand into larger pieces for the garden - plus try out some ideas I had been thinking about for a while. One of the most satisfying was this garden fountain, designed to be placed in a small pond. It incorporates three concepts : water / forged copper / stone held by forged tubing.

The rough form of the piece started the design process. I wanted to use a series of uprights that splayed like a hand to hold a heavy copper dish. The central bowl was created by hot forging 1/8" thick solid copper plate. Next I combined my work with tubing, here cutting the ends of the steel tubes, then splaying and contouring the fingers to hold wave polished stones gathered off the beach at Goderich. The last problem was how to conduct the water. I decided to use a series of copper tubes that twine like vines from the centre base, up through the bowl and then up and around the main tubes. Water is collected at the submerged base, is pumped up the tubes, and splashes out near the top to dribble into the bowl. From here there is a secondary flow from the edges of the bowl back into the pond surface. Each of the five individual copper tubes drips at a different rate and sound, adjusted by slightly changing the shape and position of the tendril like terminals.

the Beaches of Goderich is now on perminent display at the Algonquin Art Centre.