Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kenneth Spivey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kenneth, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
To ensure my creativity stays alive, I actively explore new avenues for expressing fresh ideas. I constantly seek new perspectives and I find inspiration in various sources like movies, history, mythology, video games, and within nature. Additionally, I observe work from other artist and wonder how they might tackle issues, which often help springboard ideas or solutions for my own creations.
One method I use to help creativity flow is to tackle a new skill set which I can incorporate into work. This approach often arises from necessity or when a project demands a particular skill or unexplored craft. By continually expanding my capabilities through the mastering of new crafts, tools, and exploration I not only enhance my capabilities but also generate a wealth of ideas for further ventures. This constant cycle ensures that there is always something novel to pursue.
In any job, monotonous jobs or prolonged task dedicated to a single project can easily cause burn out. Although I strive to avoid such situations, sometimes it is inevitable. During these challenging periods, I find that I’m fueled by the sense of satisfaction I know I receive when I complete a difficult task. This personal fulfillment can serve as a powerful motivation.
The best advice I can give to combat burnout is to keep moving forward and try where possible, from repeating yourself. As long as you continue to progress and explore new creative outlets that can be implemented the work remains engaging and captivating.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Well, I’m a mid 30s single craftsman living in the south with a love for creativity and a passion for making. I come from a linage of craftsmen, engineers, and blacksmiths from my fathers side of the family, and from my mothers side a whole bunch of educators. Much of the skill feels innate due to my up bringing where education and creation were valued and supported. It is why I create, research, preserve processes, and teach the crafts today.
Defining my job on the other hand is challenging, as what I do is broad and my crafts diverse. However, if I were to choose, I think an artisan metal smith, craft educator and conservator who dabbles in entertainment is appropriate. Specifically I work as a blacksmith making custom works with a focus in artisan knives, swords, armor, and custom art pieces. The range of my work is almost limitless going between historical museum quality pieces and displays to the fantastical stage props used in movies or brought to life from videogames. I also do a fair bit of jewelry and engraving with use of precious and Simi precious metals and stones. I’m no stranger to other crafts being quite good at woodworking, traditional stained glass, leather smithing, and stone carving! These crafts are all used primarily in knife and sword making which warrants the mastery of these independent crafts.
With years of hands on experience at my disposal I perused a career as an educator to preserve these crafts and pass on the knowledge . With the skills I had mastered I thought it would be wise to peruse an mastery in education as well as art. I obtained a double master one allowing me licenses to teach and another in Fine Arts so I could bring it to a collegiate level. Now, I Independently teach these crafts on the side of my main business. I offer and list most of my blacksmithing and stained glass classes through Red Mountain Makers in Birmingham AL.
This career path has many challenges as well as rewards. One of the most exciting but demanding aspects of what I do is work on Movies and TV Shows. Its highly demanding with short turnaround times, but it’s a dream job for me. I’ve even had the Privilege to work on renowned films such as the Marvel, Avengers films creating and working on props that are recognizable the world over.
Now having said all that I certainly don’t want people thinking that this is the norm for a metal smith. I’ve gone out of my way to learn these skills and perused these jobs and crafts from the best in the field and industry starting extremely young. My fascination with fabricating came from growing up around my father and grandfather who worked on antique aircraft. At the age of three I was small enough that I could fit in the small or tight to reach areas but old enough to follow directions. So I was useful in the shop thus I was always around tools and equipment.
What truly inspired me were the movies, video games, cartoons, and comics I grew up with. The unique Items, gadgets, or plot devices they featured especially captivated me. For a child with a vivid imagination, these became “objects of desire”. Like any child perhaps I attempted to replicate and create my own entertainment using cardboard and duct tape. As I grew I gradually progressed to wood then sheet metal and beyond, driven by a desire for exact replication. At the age of 15 I joined a metal artist apprentice program at Sloss Furnace in Birmingham AL. my hometown, during the summer I learned mold making, metal casting, and forging metal. It was around this time I found my calling as a blacksmith. However, I soon realized that mastering metalworking was only the beginning. To create well-rounded pieces, I needed expertise in additional crafts. These included, leather, jewelry work, stone carving, lapidary, glasswork, hand engraving,
I started a business as a blacksmith at age 16 and dedicated my life and earnings to mastering these crafts to achieve what is known as sole authorship. This means that one individual executes every aspect of a piece, from its conception to its creation. This journey took many years earning my Masters of education and Masters of Fine Arts in addition. Going the extra mile ensured that my skills were not just theatrical but practical.
Currently I still run my business called Fire & Brimstone Forge but its about to become a subsidiary of a larger business I have in the works called Eitri Studios. This studio is meant to accommodate the growing needs of the entertainment industry and a central hub for my work. I plan to have a public gallery, and venture into online teaching and film creative processes perhaps as a series. Once finished I will be located within a 20 min drive south of Atlanta GA. In, Tyrone GA. For anyone looking to contact me my business email is the best way.
As for what I’m currently working on I have two big projects in the works. The first one involves creating a collection of work that showcases my skills and capabilities to prop masters, directors, and the wider world. This will be done though an open gallery, where I plan to replicate famous and recognizable pieces from film history, often adding functionality were the original lacked. I hope to film this endeavor episodically, offering educational and historical incite into the piece being made, the crafting processes, and tools of the trade. For the first time I am entreating the idea of collaboration so if there are any studios, filmmaker, or directors they should contact me.
The other project is more of a labor of love and literally draws inspiration from my childhood experiences. Growing up I witnessed the transition of art and animation into the digital realm, though innovative, fast, and convenient, its total reliance has left behind the artistry, processes, and methods that characterized traditional hand-drawn works. Many techniques and practical effects survive only by those who use to do them. Unfortunately corporations don’t usually prioritize creativity. This has significantly stifled original story telling for sure. It is my belief that it’s left a creative void waiting to be filled much like the revolution started by respected figures such as Stan Lee and Don Bluth. While I don’t compare myself to them, I have been working on a collection of original stories that blend lesser known mythology, religions, and historical figures with my entertainment studies. This has culminated in a classic comic-style graphic novel and a series of books that are to be released. My passion for this project has driven me to invest years of time, energy, and resources into its development at my own expense. I hope once its finished it pays tribute to the history of art and pop culture while revitalizing classic art styles, characters designs such as anthropomorphic characters, and original storytelling. If all goes well I even plan to release a free online voiced acted series, but tiny steps first. If anyone is interested in helping preserve and support the creative process then I suggest becoming a Patron the of the arts.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In my personal pursuit of mastery in blacksmithing, I adopted a specific technique. I chose to forge railroad spikes into blades. The first attempt yielded a subpar result, but I persevered without giving in to frustration. Instead, I focused on identifying and rectifying the most glaring issues with each subsequent knife. This cycle of improvement continued until there was nothing left to correct. Through this relentless commitment to honing my hammering and material manipulation skills, I achieved mastery in my craft. This came from experimentation, research, and repetition
Experimentation of processes, understanding the intricacies of materials and their reactions becomes paramount. This knowledge helps you grasp the limits of a material and empowers you to exert a more deliberate influence over it. it becomes clear that a significant part of mastering a craft, or any skill for that matter, is not solely derived from one’s successes, but rather from embracing and learning from failures. These missteps serve as invaluable stepping stones on the road to growth and proficiency
diligent research is a linchpin of progress. By building upon the existing wealth of knowledge available, you can expand your horizons and find innovative approaches to your craft.
Repetition is another cornerstone of skill refinement, much like the repetition of exercises in physical training. Just as working out hones the body, repeating processes sharpens and refines your skills.
I would caution those looking for expertise’s online. While the Internet provides many resources, I opted for physical learning, through mastering crafts through hands-on experiences and rigorous training. In an age where anyone can claim to be an expert, I’d strive for genuine mastery with the documentation to back it up.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
Being a well-rounded individual has its rewards, and a prime example of this principle arises from a project involving the creation of oversized and otherworldly props. This endeavor posed a unique challenge, as not only did the stitching and hardware need to be oversized, but they also had to exude an unrecognizable, alien aesthetic.
Leveraging my diverse skill set, I tackled this challenge with relative ease. I wove together threads and forged a colossal needle to handle the stitching. Custom hardware, designed to appear distinctly alien, was forged as well. To apply this unique hardware, I had to craft custom tools, essentially creating tools to produce hardware and tools to affix it to the props. This intricate process gave birth to yet another tool, one that looked like it belonged to an entirely different world.
The advantage of being well-rounded and knowledgeable in a multitude of crafts became evident in this endeavor. While I firmly believe in being a jack of all trades, I also recognize the importance of honing one’s expertise. This way, there is always a solid foundation to fall back on, offering familiarity and security in the face of diverse challenges
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fireandbrimstoneforge.net
- Instagram: Eitristudios
- Facebook: Kennen Spivey
- Other: Red Mountain Makers https://redmountainmakers.wildapricot.org › … CLASSES – Red Mountain Makers
Image Credits
Pictures provided by Kenneth spivey
