MADWIND CRAFTSMAN

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & COURTESY OF JOHN HOWELL

Alexander City metal craftsman John Howell was 16 when he took his first metalwork job, welding, running equipment and drawing at the worldrenowned metal fabricator, Robinson Iron. He studied industrial engineering at the University of Alabama and returned to Robinson Iron several years later. By 2010, Howell was on the road as a project manager with the company, refurbishing national monuments, A for a Lake Martin home’s master bath. “There will be a bathtub in front of these,” he explained as he ground the joints of thin metal bands that create the look of glass panes in the massive panels. Howell’s style is rustic and modern, and his projects are one-of-a-kind, from the turkey-feather tap handles he sculpted and cast for former SpringHouse lighthouses and taking on other high profile projects. executive chef Rob McDaniel’s new Helen Bar & But in 2017, Howell left Robinson Iron to launch Grill in Birmingham to the brass-wrapped walnut bar

Madwind Studio, where he custom designs and crafts and stools in process at his Jackson’s Gap studio. unique, eye-popping elements for homes and busi- “Most of what I do is an aged modern look. It’s nesses around the lake and beyond. modern in design, but I use natural materials and then “I wanted the freedom to be creative, to use both age the metal,” he said. my mind and my hands on a daily basis,” Howell Howell opened his studio in a small metal shop said. “To have an idea and the tools, space and four years ago but added a 2,500-square-foot workresources to take that idea to a finished piece and to space last year to accommodate an expansion of sell it.” woodwork in his finished pieces. His commitment to Most of his work is done in collaboration with quality is personal and uncompromising. home and business owners that want statement piec- “When it leaves here, I try to make sure I never es, like the 9-foot metal window frames he is crafting have to revisit it,” Howell said. But not every moment in his studio is spent in the throes of design and finished masterpieces. In between, there are long hours spent in hard, often repetitive work. “In the beginning, I had to decide if I could really spend all day grinding or painting on the same piece. That was a challenge, but I’ve learned to channel that into good thinking time, so it’s worked out,” Howell said. To that end, he has refined his craft over the years. “I’ve learned or developed techniques to improve my process. It takes getting the details right – taking something and figuring it out, refining the design, so it’s something I don’t mind leaving, something I can be proud of,”

The base of a conference table was salvaged from an old beam

Metal swings add industrial charm to a painted brick porch

A double-chambered fire pit releases less smoke when in operation he explained.

Howell was deliberate about learning to work with wood as he added more tables, cabinetry and furniture to his vita. He credits friend and fellow craftsman Will Kennebrew with teaching him to work with wood and understand its characteristics, including how to dry pieces he will use in his metal projects. Armed with more knowledge, he built a custom drying chamber for 12-foot long and 3-inch thick slabs of white oak he will use on a countertop. The slow, controlled drying process will produce a more

Howell grinds the joints on a 9-foot window for a Lake Martin home

refined, finished piece that displays minimal checking and more attractive grain, he said.

Everything Howell does is different from anything else he’s done before.

“I kind of get into it and have to figure it out,” he said.

He crafted a dual-chamber fire pit that puts out less smoke through a process of recycling the initial output. At 5 feet in diameter, the metal fire pit is portable and will accommodate a gathering of eight or more people.

In process in his studio is a conference table for a local businessman. The legs are made from salvaged 12-inch beams that Howell joined and stabilized with a low-profile metal frame. With quality to the details, he installed almost-unnoticeable, adjustable rubber supports that will hold the glass top level and steady through the table’s use.

He has created wine cellars, dining tables and spectacular doors; benches, metal and glass walls, bathroom vanities and fireplace hearths; all with the help of his clients.

“It’s really the people I make things for that have dictated where I am now,” Howell said. “It’s a collaboration of ideas.”

Follow Howell on Instagram @madwindstudio and on his John Howell Facebook page. View his gallery at madwindstudio.com.

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