麻豆传媒

Last weekend, Island Grove Regional park hosted the Home and Garden Show. It features different businesses from around northern Colorado. There were over 150 businesses present in over 30 different categories. 

However there was only one business in the metal work category: Innovation Forge. Innovation Forge is located in Berthoud and was founded in 2018 by Otto Engel. 

Engel has participated in the Home and Garden show for 4 years and keeps coming back for the experience and community involvement. 

鈥淚 like to see the variety of booths and especially working with all these people that are kinda local to us,鈥� Engel said. 鈥淪o we get interactions with those who are nearby, kinda our neighbors.鈥�

Engel was introduced to The Home and Garden Show by his old teacher, David Nourie. 

Nourie also gave him the workshop space when he closed his shop. Before meeting Nourie, Engel was introduced to metal work by his landlord and fell in love with it. He quickly started studying forged architectural ironwork and grew his skills. 

Innovation Forge makes gates, railings, hardware, furniture and sculptures. Engel's favorite piece to make is anything that moves, because of its complexity. However he does enjoy creating art works as well. 

鈥淢y favorite thing on display right now is probably the little hawk skull sculpture over there, little table art,鈥� Engel said. 鈥淚t took a little while, it's a hard shape to hold on to.鈥�

Engel is working to destigmatize metal work, he believes it is not a trade, but an artwork. He looks forward to The Home and Garden show, as it allows him to meet new people and, hopefully, get more people interested in metal work. 

鈥淭hroughout the day, we just get people wondering through chatting about what they are interested in and maybe just making some friends.鈥� He said. 

The Home and Garden show is hosted by the Greeley Tribune and takes place every year.