A Storied Life – with Jeff Fetty

This week's adventure is taken in the company of Jeff Fetty, one of the most interesting, varied and eclectic men Taylor has ever know and spent time with. Jeff is an inspiration to Taylor to be quirky, outlandish and to live by one’s heart. Jeff has been a blacksmith for 30-40 years and has worked for huge clients including Tom Clancy, The Whitehouse and Yves Saint Laurent. As well as this he is a photographer, a traveller and he has an irreverent reverence for being alive on this planet right now.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Blacksmithing found me: As soon as I saw someone hammer a hot piece of metal and transform it into something that’s going to last forever, I was hooked. This was my then girlfriend’s – now wife’s – father and I started spending more time with him when picking her up for dates! Some of the great things about living in a rural community are it’s so gratifying to know what you’re eating, to mill the lumber and dry it myself, build our own stone walls from rocks from the river. The results are so much better than you can buy. And it’s better than going to the gym! One of the reasons I became a better photographer is that a lot of people in my community will never be able to travel in the way I’ve been lucky to. So, I became a photographer was to document my travels so I could show people back home. Also, it makes you see the world in a different way and be more appreciative of what you see in the world. I got my hand caught in a hydraulic press and almost lost three fingers. I sit my little finger in half – the long way. I was afraid that my career was going to be impacted and as soon as I looked at my hand I saw a photograph, so I had one of my assistants bring my camera to the hospital and I documented the hand before and after, with every stitch that went in. I asked the surgeon to move the light so I could photograph properly. It served as a warning to the blacksmith community, I’m an experienced guy and this can still happen. I know a lot of blacksmiths who have those photos attached to their machines to this day. My son and I were really interested to check out a holly roller service. We were told we were allowed to document it on video after proving we weren’t with the press. I’ve been to a lot of wild parties, but I’d never seen anything on this magnitude. It was a tiny, rickety wooden church on the edge of a cliff, the church band were incredible and the place was rocking and shaking. They had boxes with Copperheads and Rattlesnakes which they set lose, one guy spun himself into intoxication dancing to the music. After three hours of that service we looked at each other and asked ourselves if it had really happened. Not too many people get to experience that.   BEST MOMENTS ‘I always fantasied about living hundreds of years in the past making tools in my community. I love going to rural areas where the blacksmith is still a focal part of the community.’ ‘You’re referring to my smashed hand? It was not a great morning. Talk about feeling silly!’ ‘If you’re going to do something, do it right. Even if it’s a banana peel throwing contest.’ ‘I’ve got a lot of mileage out of Mr Rattlesnake.’ ‘I love making furniture, but I also love making large-scale sculptures, like the 20-foot tulips I’m making for the local hospital.’   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Adventures Of Self Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.adventures.of.self/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Adventures.of.Self   ABOUT THE GUEST Working at his forge in Spencer, West Virginia, artist-blacksmith Jeff Fetty has been forging for nearly 40years, coaxing hard, cold iron into delicately wrought objects. Fetty's works abound with flowing organic forms and amazingly accurate renderings that are gently entwined with vines and flowers in such a subtle way that the casual observer forgets it's actually steel. For Fetty the appeal of working with iron lies in the traditional role of blacksmiths and the permanence of their work. Historically, blacksmiths contributed to the well-being of their neighbors by creating the tools that sustained the community. Their implements and art served and gave pleasure to many generations. Fetty is thankful that he is able to share his work with a broad range of viewers. His hope is that his art contributes to their well-being. Fetty has built a global reputation, having created metalwork for writer Tom Clancy, the Clinton White House, fashion designer Yves St. Laurent and the Globe Theatre in London. His affinity for art nouveau and his studio's natural setting led Fetty to the floral themes prevalent in his work. http://www.jefffetty.com/   ABOUT THE HOST Taylor Roark is the founder of Galliant Trainings, which guides and facilitates individuals and organisations in Creative Purpose. He has worked variously as a school bus driver, a blacksmith, a Wall Street lawyer and a developer of offshore wind farms. He has lived on 3 ...