Introducing Leah Gerrard: 2025 Seattle Metals Guild Established Artist Grant Recipient

2025 SMG Established Artist Grant recipient, Leah Gerrard

History of Resource, 2020

photo by Dale Headrick

The Seattle Metals Guild is proud to announce Leah Gerrard as the 2025 recipient of the Established Artist Grant. Gerrard is known for her distinctive woven wire sculptures that bridge her background in jewelry, metal fabrication, and architectural metalwork.

Setting the Stakes

Leah’s path into metal arts started in college, where she studied jewelry.  She then worked at the jewelry supply store TSI, where one day, a customer brought in a beaded wire basket that caught her attention. “I became completely obsessed with how it was made,” she says. That curiosity led her to experiment with wire weaving — a process that still drives her work today.

After several years running a metal fabrication shop focused on architectural projects, Leah returned to making sculpture. Inspiration struck again when she discovered the work of Ruth Asawa, whose crocheted wire forms encouraged Leah to think on a larger scale. “Seeing Asawa’s work showed me that it was possible,” she says. 

Sentiment

Weaving a Way

Leah describes her studio routine as relaxed but steady. “It depends on the stage of the project. Sometimes I’m sitting on the floor weaving pieces together, other times I’m sketching or taking coffee breaks with my dog.” Because the fabrication process is slower in pace, she keeps a backlog of ideas ready to go. When she hits a creative lull, Leah focuses on sketching or making smaller shapes she enjoys. “There are certain forms I just like to make — like rings — that keep my hands busy until I’m ready to dive into a bigger project again.”

Her recent exhibition at the Metal Museum in Memphis pushed her to combine her interests in sculpture and jewelry. “I started with the idea of making my sculptures like giant jewelry,” she says. “Smaller parts with loops that connect — modular pieces that can be rearranged depending on the space.” Each installation is intended to look a little different, and her experience with large-scale metalwork came in handy when it came time to transport it. “I drove the piece to Memphis in a minivan,” she laughs. “Artists don’t always think about how their work moves through the world, but I’ve done enough installation work to plan for that.”

Finished Edges

Leah Gerrard’s work reflects a balance between craftsmanship, practicality, and creative curiosity. The Seattle Metals Guild is honored to support her ongoing exploration of form and material through the 2025 Established Artist Grant; she plans to explore how her large woven sculptures can translate into smaller jewelry-scale pieces. The grant has allowed her to invest in new tools, including an arc welder and equipment for detailed metalwork.