Kenneth Forde is a one-man show: ‘Hots’ for Copper

His specialty? Making jewelry, plaques and souvenirs using copper, brass, enamel and leather. Each item, he said, is an original work of art influenced by Afro-Caribbean themes as well as local flora and fauna.

As a tag line or catch phrase, he has come up with, “A real Caribbean vibration,” which he relies on as he painstakingly patterns his handcrafting business.
The process of creating an exquisite design from a plain copper sheet is one that requires great skill and patience, Forde said.

It begins firstly with him drawing out a duplicate of the end product on paper.

The design is then transferred and outlined on the copper sheet. The copper is heated to make it “soft” then it is cleaned with acid to remove impurities. Creating the design itself is done by hammering the sheet on both side until the desire picture is achieved.

The final product is then placed on a teak base to give it stability and to add to its beauty. Depending on the size, one plaque takes from two to three days to about two weeks to make. Prices of the pieces start from $350.

Forde’s knack and love for copper craft started when he left the Woodbrook Secondary School in the early 70’s and began learning the art extensively. Under the guidance of renowned metal crafter, Ken Morris, his main focus was plaque making. His training continued even after he gained full employment at the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Forde’s decision to take copper craft to a professional level came after he was laid off from his job at the Ministry in the late 1970’s. His aim, he said, was to focus on copper plaques but because of the shortage of copper at the time he had to find an alternative. So he turned to jewellery.

“I went back to Morris and collected scraps of copper which he usually had left over from making his plaque’s, and that’s how my jewelry making began,” Forde said.

Word spread quickly about his work, friends talked about his designs at their work and business places.

“It started with one person taking some of my stuff to her office then pretty soon more and more orders began coming in,” he said, adding, “My clientele grew from there.”

In an effort to boost his profile and market his goods, Forde usually sets up exhibitions at Emancipation and Carnival celebrations at the Queen’s Park Savannah as well as at the annual Caribbean Craft Show, which is held in a different island every year.

He also provides accessories for Heather Jones fashion shows.

His client base, he noted, has expanded even more through the Caribbean craft exhibits.

This includes persons requesting his pieces to sell at souvenir and various other shops. Forde’s pieces are now being sold at local stores including shops at the airport.

“I get a lot of sales from tourists who wish to take back home souvenirs,” he said.
He later made a decision to broaden his craft skills, and diversified again. “I switched my attention to making jewelry boxes, plaques, book marks and awards for clients,” he said.

At the request of clients, Forde also ventured into producing custom- made items. Faced with an increased demand for his items, Forde now has to purchase his supplies in bulk from William H Scott in Port-of- Spain and from Trinidad Oil Field Supplies in South Trinidad.

The copper trade is his only income provider so he put’s most if not all of his time, effort and energy into satisfying his customers.

Sales are mainly done through his clients and souvenir shops. He thinks setting up a shop or a kiosk at a mall is just too costly.

“I would not mind doing it at all but that requires a lot of money,” he said,

“If I do decide to go in that direction I would first have to build up a bigger local and international client market so that I would not have to be dependent on the shop sales itself,” he added.

Until that plan comes into fruition, Forde would continue to capture the hearts of many with his unique, artistic designs.

“My aim now is to widen the aspect of producing a larger amount of custom designed awards for business functions,” he said.