With a BFA in sculpture, an MFA in Metalsmithing & Blacksmithing, and tenures as Artist in Residence at the National Ornamental Metal Museum, Tennessee Tech University, and the renowned Penland School of Craft, just down the road from where he crafts today, Andrew Meers’ experience and breadth of knowledge are matched only by his natural eye for beauty.
Born in South Korea and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts, Andrew was introduced to knives by his grandfather by way of a gifted family heirloom as a boy, and that same grandfather has played an outsize roll inspiring Andrew and his work since. Memories of his grandfather, including those of him reading Rudyard Kipling, T.S. Eliot, and other masters form what Andrew calls his surrogate heritage; his grandfather’s taste in literature has a direct connection to the storytelling Andrew imbues in his works of functional art, from animal narratives to botanical imagery as focuses of engraving and enshrinement found throughout.
Andrew’s life in the arts began as a painter, a medium which he pursued along with sculpture into his twenties. Becoming disillusioned with art, the timing was ripe for a change, and it was then that he was given the book “The Craft of the Japanese Sword” by Lion & Hiroko Kapp. It wasn’t long before his paintbrushes were traded for heavier implements as Andrew pursued the art of the katana. Soon after this foray into metalwork, he met ABS Mastersmith J.D. Smith, renowned in the world of museum-quality knifemaking, and the stage was set for Andrew’s career as a bladesmith to blossom. J.D. became a surrogate father and mentor to Andrew, and his abilities continued to advance.
Having received his Journeymansmith Rating in 2013 and his Mastersmith Rating in 2015 from the American Bladesmith Society, Andrew has been honored with a variety of awards in the years since, continually evolving as an artist and innovating at the highest levels. With a unique style that he describes as improvisational and illustrative, Andrew embellishes and adorns his works using techniques such as chasing and repousse, inlaying, and engraving. He has even been known to incorporate hidden compartments into edged tools where he enshrines mementos such as hair, animal teeth, found gemstones, or inlays.
Each knife Andrew creates begins with a sketch, followed by layout drawings before the metal begins to move. House-made damascus patterns and finished works are completed using a mix of traditional and hand techniques, from hammer and anvil to hydraulic press, to the use of dies and set-tooling, pantograph, milling, and hand filing methods. Andrew’s inspiration is drawn from varied cultures and spaces, from African blacksmithing, to traditional Japanese inlay, the philosophy of Bruce Lee, skateboarding, and memories of his grandfather reading T.S. Eliot, and we, in turn, draw inspiration from Andrew.
