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Roberto Castro Hernández Hand-hammered Copper A truly versatile artist in copper design with numerous Concurso awards, Roberto Castro Hernández: work reflects his award-winning artistic talent and his supreme mastery as a copper craftsman. Most recently, for two years running, he has been invited to the Santa Fe Folk Art Festival, Santa Fe, New Mexico, representing Mexican copper art. He has developed his own proprietory patina techniques that set his pieces apart by bringing out the depth and range of colors possible with copper . The trade has been around for centuries, but in 1907 Roberto's grandfather on his mother's side passed on his teachings to his family members. Roberto's cousins have also followed in the tradition to preserve the family's unique designs. Roberto is a well-known name in Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacán, his place of birth. This town has gained international recognition for its fine copper artisans .This amazing artist started playing and working with this beautiful metal at the tender age of 10. His talent pushed him to challenge himself to break away — to become an original. In time, he started experimenting with different techniques. As he gained experience, he became the creator of his own pieces aiming to change copper forever. His copper pieces are among the most unique made in the region. His excellent work is often requested and cherished among architects and interior designers of the new Mexican contemporary construction. This new architectonic expression is based on preserving the "Mexicanidad" in its designs, but at the same time, it is about constant innovation. Roberto's pieces are exhibited in hotels all over the country. Roberto has participated in many exhibitions where his works of art in copper have been admired and awarded.
ROBERTO'S COPPERSMITHING TECHNIQUE The raw material is culled from waste copper that is purchased in a number of places where copper is being constantly disposed of in the form of automobile parts and cables. The process begins by placing the selected scrap material that has been cleared of impurities, into the center of the forge to be heated at high temperatures. The material is then covered with pine briquettes which produce an intense fire with an even temperature.
Once Roberto finishes shaping the piece, he reheats it and then immediately immerses it in very cold water to achieve reddish oxidized tones. Then he proceeds with the decoration. The embossing is elaborated from the original piece of material by hammering and using other tools as well. A great amount of tools are used in this form of art — chisels, pliers, tongs, scissors, shears, punches, mallets and hammers of all types and weights which Roberto uses to shape and emboss the pieces. The metal is beaten in a forge, which is a hole in the ground filled with "charanda" (red soil from the region) stones and compressed layers of ash from burnt oak. Since the copper in Roberto's pieces is left in its natural state, the care required is minimum: The patina protects the surface from oxidizing, so polishing is not necessary. If the piece gets dirty, wash with soap and water but avoid cleaning with abrasives. 
 Contact information: Or contact Marianne Carlson at (from the US) 01152 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com. |
(Roberto is shown here in his "taller" (workshop) with son Gustavo, who shows early signs of following in his father's footsteps.) After melting, the metal is left to cool in the forge. At the same time and with great ability and long tongs, portions of the incandescent copper are removed and placed over an anvil where it is beaten with mallets and hammers in order to achieve the desired size and form. This process of heating and hammering is repeated as many times as necessary.