The Metal Arts Guild (MAG) is an independent, non-profit, educational organization
of people who are skilled, interested, or share in the production and exhibition of metals.
Our Community
Everyone is welcome to join: from the beginner to the master craftsperson, teachers and students, metal arts collectors and more. Each member is a vital part of making the Guild work for our community.
We support the work of outstanding metal artists by organizing exhibitions, lectures, and workshops, awarding an annual MAG Community Project Grant, various student scholarships, and offering resources and opportunities for our members.
Featured Member
Each month a new Featured Member is chosen from the completed member profiles on our website. Their interview and work is highlighted on our blog and social media. Visit our archive of past Featured Members.
August 2020
Harold O’Connor, “Timeless Watch: Conference Time” donated to the Metal Arts Guild permanent collection in 1991 by the maker.
Harold O’Connor
Websites: haroldoconnor.com ;
klimt02.net/jewellers/harold-oconnor
Instagram: harold.oconnor
Tell us a little about yourself.
Harold O’Connor was born in upstate New York in Utica in l941; Graduated from high school in Rochester, NY and went west to Gunnison, CO to study psychology and Sociology. Through influence of a Professor,Harold got transferred to Univ. of New Mexico to study anthropology.
In his last year at UNM he dropped all clauses and just took all the classes he could in jewelry/metalworking. (I got tired of academics and wanted to use both my hands and head together). This was the point where he decided that he wanted to spend the rest of his life in metalworking.
From the influence of his artist mother, he was always good at constructing things and working with various materials. He sought out some of the outstanding schools in Europe for protecting his design and fabrication skills. Enameling art the national school of arts and crafts in Copenhagen, Denmark; design and metalsmithing at the national arts school in Helsinki, Finland; and his most valuable experience at the Kunst und Werk Schule in Pforzheim, Germany studying design under Prof. Reinhold Reiling.
School hours were intense with 46 per week in classes of stone cutting, stone setting, engraving, repose, and gold fabrication. (some years later he was to have Alan Revere as his first private student at Instituto Allende Mexico).
After returning to the US with brief time at Penland School in NC as their first resident metal craftsman he settled in Crested Butte, CO and set up studio in the ski town. In 1970 he went to San Miguel de Allende to get a MFA so the he could teach colleges in Canada in Calgary at the Alberta College of Art. Several years later he returned to Crested Butte again, then to Denver for 8 years. From Denver to Taos, NM for another 6 years, He has resided in Salida, CO for 27 years.
Harold has been a producing metalsmith /teacher/author for 58 years. He authored 5 books including ‘The Jewelers Bench Reference- still going after 43 years: The flexible shaft machine-jewelry techniques. His works are in 23 museums worldwide, conducted nearly 300 workshops in some 20 countries and is represented in galleries in Taos, NM; Santa Fe and Cambridge, MA.
