Our story

What do you get when you have a mechanical engineer + vocational teacher + CAD instructor + dad + saxophone mechanic + 2x patent inventor + blacksmith? = They equal Keene Metaling, Christopher Keene's storefront for hand-forged artisan sculptures. Working out of his backyard blacksmith shop, Chris combines form with function as he explores the technical and artistic challenges of blacksmithing. Steel, iron, and brass gives him a pallet of colors, textures, and physical properties to work with. Each material comes with its own long history within the context of the human experience. They are complex, rewarding materials that he continues to explore as a metalworker. Adding resin has added a new dimension to his work, bringing color into the creative process. Chris also uses found objects such as upcycled wheelbarrows, discarded metal objects, and other utilitarian items which add environmental positivity to his creations. His work also has natural and spiritual undertones such as totems, birds and fish. 

When not hammering and forging, Chris noodles around on the saxophone, playing at blues jams and helping to fix his friends' instruments. His son Adam is his blacksmith apprentice and helper and his wife Cindy does her best to throw away or move anything that Chris is looking for, bringing a frictional dynamic to his inventiveness. His stepson Ken is Chris' sounding board and go-to tech guy and Astro the Portuguese Water Dog is the shop mascot always looking to be pet. Part of the proceeds for Keene Metaling go to Cindy's Chanel bag collection (1) and the other to Adam's college funds. But seriously, we appreciate your support of keeping the age-old art of blacksmithing alive and buying local and supporting our small cottage industry of hand crafted items. We value craftmenship over ruthless efficiency; humanity over machines; individualism over mass production. "That's the thing about handmade items. They still have the person's mark on them, and when you hold them, you feel less alone." – Aimee Bender, The Color Master: Stories

Brick and Mortar Store

Visit Keene Metaling at 17 Mount Pleasant St., Rockport, Mass. 01966

Call 617. 383.4926 or Email Keenemetaling@gmail.com

Custom orders

Designs and consultation available on request.