A Honda Civic is a very good car. A Maserati (just throwing out one everyone is familiar with) is also great car. Both are owned by people with great taste.
Now, I might be presumptuous here, but add the means to the taste, and from the choices above, most of us would be driving around town in the Maserati. All you have to do is look at the two next to each other and you'll feel the difference.
Same applies to metalwork.
I will be the first to say that I can not afford the metalwork I design and desire, but have a great appreciation for the skill it takes to make it and the feeling it gives me to see true beauty. This is why I love getting a new house, new style, new set of challenges to work on. I treat each project as if it was my very own, and always strive for it to reach its full potential. It drives me sooo crazy when I see a beautiful home filled with less then worthy of stair railings, chandeliers, doors, drive gates and so on.
For the most part, I can't blame the owners of the homes, as they are simply used to seeing the above described metalwork all around them, and simply don't realize that there is something which is worthy of being called an heirloom of the future; an antique. Not to mention that so many metal shops carelessly throw around labels such as "the finest", "hand wrought", and "attention to detail." Words like this should be chosen carefully; at least in my opinion.
This weekend, I will organize some photos so that I can visually explain the difference in metalwork, and true beauty.
***For more information on my designs and the ornamental ironwork and lighting our metalworkers fabricate right here in Dallas, Texas go to www.potterartmetal.com