Clay and Steel, LLC - Richmond, California

Vita Rey

Celeste was incredible to work with! We have been wanting to commission her work for years, ever since we met her teaching at the Crucible. Finally we had an opportunity to update our boring existing railings and we worked together to come up with an idea to emulate the leaves of a canna lily. I sketched a very rough idea of how I wanted the open minimal lines of the railing to look and she took it and made it her own. As you can see, it's a work of art! I completely entrusted her with the design and she was very thoughtful about the shaping and placement of the leaves to look natural and also so that they wouldn't snag anyone, and she made sure the handrail was very sturdy and utilitarian despite my desire for a super minimal appearance. I was worried the curved shape of the stairs would be a challenge to bend the rail to match, but it was no problem for her and her team. HIGHLY recommend!! Thanks Celeste!

Simone Christen

I took the bracelet forging class with my partner and a couple of my buddies and had a total blast! Celeste is an excellent teacher and does a great job balancing hands-on learning and corrections as necessary for your technique. I highly recommend taking a class here, even if you're like me and have no innate artistic talent nor any hand-eye coordination. I had a wonderful time. Already planning when we're going to take our next class.

Erica Ching

Had an amazing time learning how to make a bronze bracelet with Celeste. Highly recommend taking one of the beginner classes, she's a patient teacher and walks you through the entire process (including safety!). Fun experience of learning blacksmithing techniques while creating something you can take home. I'll be taking more classes soon!

Brenda Putnam

Celeste is a true artist. I have an unorthodox curved stairway up to my front porch. The material of the steps are a combination of redwood, stone, and a concrete base with paver stones. I wanted an iron railing with an artistic flair that would blend in with what was already there. Celeste was recommended by a master blacksmith in the area. She was collaborative with creative ideas. The result was simple but elegant. It’s not just the railing that curves with the stairs but the top of the railing curves with your hand as you walk up the stairs. It flows and feels so organic. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the result.

Sam Nemo (shmeno)

She is a fantastic teacher in an excellent facility. The small class sizes give you seamless access to the tools and the instructor's attention. Whether scientist, artist, or general inquirer fostering a nascent interest, Celeste observes and guides you to gain familiarity and intuition with the metal. 100% recommend, online and IRL. (Edit: I made a coat-hook! It's pretty AND technical!)

Brandon Murphy

Celeste is a great teacher! I recently took her chisel making class and 1) am stoked to have made my own tool to keep and 2) am impressed with her ability to guide us effectively through from concept introduction to application while presenting an engaging mix of techniques and theory in a safe workshop environment.

Jon Kennedy

Celeste is my wife and she's in love with the art of smithing. She worries about the details of her latest project with me and always gets it right in the end. She gets the cutest soot marks on her face at the end of the day. 5/5

It's cute to see a review like this but really: Celeste is the real deal. A very honest, upfront, hard working blacksmith like you're imagining her to be. Gorgeous artwork that *actually will* last a lifetime. Property values ++ from a safety device? Yes indeed!

Steven Aelfcyning

My wife and I saw some of Celeste's work on her website and invited her to design a handrail for my front yard, next to a step down from the garden to a wooden deck. I had some general ideas but asked her to have fun with it, too. She came up with a few alternatives that picked up on a botanical theme that ties in with some path lighting near by. I couldn't be more pleased with the results. The handrail fits beautifully with the overall feel of the garden and has a timeless quality that fits with the Berkeley Hills. Highly recommended!