HUR Metal Ice Wood Custom Designs

Sisters Samantha Jenkins and Danielle O’Rourke are a couple of very creative people. Their dad is a welder and custom fabricator, so the tools of his trade kind of rubbed off on the girls. Rather than paintbrushes or knitting needles, their artistic flair came out in plasma cutters and torches.

 

HUR Metal is a great play on words, taken from the sisters’ maiden name, Hurman.

 

Danielle went off to art college, and then spent several years learning ice carving at Ice Culture in Hensall before returning to the family business, while Samantha spent years perfecting her design and plasma cutting skills, while working at the family business.

 

Samantha’s process for custom designs begins with a consultation. Customers have brought her everything from a picture to hand-drawn sketch to the barest of ideas. Every piece is unique and she loves the challenge of taking the customer’s picture or sketch and transforming it into a piece of art using her design skills, the high-tech computer and finally having the plasma cutter finish the job. Even her thousands of standard designs are completely customizable to create a personalized sign for anyone.

 

The equipment allows her to do everything from small 14” signs to full sheets on the 5’ X 10’ plasma table, depending on the image. While signs for houses and garages are the most popular, Samantha has designed everything from memorials to a custom dash insert for a vintage car. With the computer renderings from the reference photo or design, she can see exactly what the end product will look like.

 

Danielle’s process is a little more fluid. Because she is using more organic media with the ice and wood, her carvings tend to be more. Each piece develops with the grain of the wood and ice.

 

The showroom in Centralia is open by chance or appointment, but you can catch them at the Ruetz Market (north of Goderich) for the summer season and the Pinery Market and the Zurich Bean Festival in August or see their work at the Seaforth Artisan Emporium. For custom orders or to book an appointment, visit the website at www.hurmetaldesign.com 297 Victoria Drive, Centralia