Stephen Colegate

Stephen Colegate

Stephen started his career as a gold and silversmith with master goldsmith, Erich Frey in 1963. In 1987 Stephen started his own jewellery workshop /retail shop in Hatfield Plaza in Pretoria. At this time Stephen started his Metal Art journey, making artwork for the shop window display and later for exhibitions and for sale. In 1997 Stephen moved his workshop to Knysna in the Western Cape and worked there until 2020. Commissions have included a 3m Phoenix on a wooden tree stump commissioned by The Waterfront in commemoration of the firefighters and other heroes in the 2017, devastating fires in Knysna that year.

The metal artwork is created in 316 Stainless Steel and treated hot-rolled or cold-rolled steel. Beautiful agates, slumped glass, glass beads, copper and brass are some of the inlays in the artwork. No two pieces are the same as they are all individually handcrafted and vary in size, shape and colour. He loves making Dragons, seahorses and vultures. The range includes a variety of sea creatures, crabs, birds, chameleons, various insects, geckos, yachts and boats.