Page 162 - Cityview Jan-Feb 2017

IN THE BACKPreston FarabowStory by Noelle Harb Photography by Nathan SparksMETALWORKER PRESTONFarabow’s last name isderived from the French Ferrebeau, meaning “beautiful iron.” As the genealogy of his name suggests, Farabow’s work is in his blood, exhibiting a richness and depth that suggests ancient times. More than just his wayof earning a living, Farabow’s metalwork gives him a contextfor his own life experiences. For Farabow, working with metals is a redemptive process—using heat to turn discarded materials and his own mistakes into something both beautiful and functional.Farabow has a passion for the alchemy of bestowing beauty on forgotten, neglected mistakes.This passion bleeds over from his work into a larger vision for hislife. Farabow hopes to establisha non-pro t organization, where vulnerable and marginalized members of the Knoxville community can experiment with metalworking and hopefully learn a larger redemptive process.Ironwood Studios has an open door policy. You can visit the shop at 119 Jennings Avenue.METAL HAPPENS TO BE THE MOST FORGIVING MEDIUM OUT THERE. NOTHING THAT I DOIN METALWORK IS IRRECONCILABLE.IF I CUT A PIECE OF IRON TOO SHORT, I CAN WELD IT AND TRY IT AGAIN. LARGELY, METALWORK IS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGING THE SHAPE OF THINGS.160JANUARY FEBRUARY 2017ARTS