About Pat Downing
Pat Downing has always been creative. His career as an artist has taken many twists and turns – first as a musician and photographer, then as a goldsmith, and later a woodworker. It wasn’t until 2001 when he was invited to hang out with a group of knife makers that he discovered the things he could do with fire and metal. He has been obsessed ever since.
Pat is now a full time metal artist working out of his home studio in San Diego where he creates unique sculptures of all shapes and sizes. Some are functional. Some simply look cool, but all are as unique as the artist who created them. Inspired by everything from movies to architecture to nature, Pat always incorporates some element of the unexpected into his work from uniquely colored patinas to glass, marbles and stones, creating a style that is distinctly his.
Pat fuses traditional blacksmithing with contemporary techniques and is quickly becoming one of Southern California’s leading experts on Foldformig, an origami-like process folding sheet metal into dramatic shapes.
Though his work is far from traditional, Pat is very aware of the storied roots of blacksmithing, having spent years demonstrating traditional blacksmithing techniques to tourists and school groups in San Diego.
Pat also teaches classes on copper Foldforming and copper, bronze and steel patina. His work is available at galleries and events throughout southern California and online in his Etsy Shop.