Ivan F. Bailey was born in 1945 in Oregon. Known as a blacksmith, he became interested in the craft when he took a workshop with Georgian Alex W. Bealer.
Courtesy of Georgia Council for the Arts.
In 1971 Bailey earned a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Georgia in Athens and honed his blacksmithing skills in Germany as a cultural exchange grantee. Dedicated to his craft, he was a founding member of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America.
Courtesy of Georgia Council for the Arts.
Among many other honors, Bailey was awarded the Governor’s Award from the Georgia Council for the Arts and the Award for Craftsmanship from the Georgia Association of the American Institute of Architects. His work may be seen all around Georgia, from the famed Forsyth Fountain in Savannah to the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture in Atlanta’s John Howell Park.
Bailey died on September 9, 2013, at his farm in Monticello. His metal work Cooking Utensils, as well as an untitled piece, are part of Georgia’s State Art Collection.
