Erik Hess, the fabricator and artist of Northern Forge, was
born in Marquette Michigan and graduated from Charlevoix High School. He specializes in fabricating the unusual and the nearly impossible. He is one of these unusual people who can pick up on a style or technique in a very short period time. His attention to detail is not only reflected in the quality his work but also in the way he keeps his studio and equipment.

John Hess is originally from Harbor Springs, Michigan. He has spent time pouring iron in the foundries of Saginaw, Michigan, operating nuclear power plants on submarines, and working as a land use planner for local rural counties. He has degrees from Northern Michigan University. John does most of the sales for the company.

Northern Forge is a ten year old design build studio. The forge excels in the fabrication of the unusual. The material used in our pieces range from steel, leather, mica, copper, brass, aluminum, granite, & limestone to zinc. We have shipped art pieces as far away as the Bahamas.

The forge works with its own designs, designs from others, or collaboratively with designers and individual customers. One of our strong points is that we listen to wants and needs of the customer.

“Be ever questioning, Ignorance is not bliss,
It is oblivion . You don’t go to heaven if you die dumb.
Become better informed. Learn from others’ mistakes.
You could not live long enough to make them all yourself.”

- H.G. Rickover