John Rais

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John Rais (born around 1973) is an American designer, blacksmith, and sculptor who creates decorative metalwork for architecture, vessels, and furniture. He works mainly in steel, but also uses titanium, bronze, copper, stainless steel, and other metals. He is especially known for his unique firescreens. He has lived in Layton, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Early life and education
Rais was born in Burlington, Massachusetts, and was the youngest of seven children. He discovered blacksmithing in a sculpture class at age 18. He earned a BFA in sculpture from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1995. After stints at an architectural ironworks shop and a living history museum in Massachusetts, he pursued graduate study.

He received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1998. He then served as department head of blacksmithing at Peters Valley Craft Center from 1998 to 2001 and has run his own design and metalsmithing studio since 1998. A pivotal commission for three fire screens during his time at Cranbrook helped launch his business. He started his studio in 1998 with about $850 and that initial fire screen project.

Career and work
In 2001 Rais began doing craft shows to reach a wider audience and galleries. His first national show was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and he later exhibited at the Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington Craft Show, and Craft Boston. He built relationships with galleries such as Thirteen Moons/Jane Sauer Gallery, Del Mano Gallery, Gallery 500, Mobilia Gallery, and Snyderman-Works Gallery.

Notable works and commissions
In 2009 he started a major project for Yale University Art Galleries: 90 decorative panels along the main staircase railing, inspired by the building’s Gothic Revival style and influenced by historical ironwork. The panels are part of Yale’s collection after the renovation completed in 2012. Rais was one of only three artists commissioned by Yale for the expanded museum project.

Move to Philadelphia and a major Palm Beach project
In August 2013 Rais moved his studio to Philadelphia to grow his business. In September 2013 he was chosen to design and create the decorative metal work for Villa des Cygnes, Addison Mizner’s famous house in Palm Beach, Florida. The project included seven balcony rails, entrance gates, grills, lighting, and doors, carried out through his studio and collaboration with other skilled metal studios. The main work was completed in February 2015, with additional pieces installed over the following year.