About
ShopSpace, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is the brainchild of people who love crafts, especially metal and wood work, and who want to share that passion with others. Empowering individuals to envision and create is the foundation of our approach. We strive to provide a safe, supportive, and creative, and accessible environment to our community.
ShopSpace programming started with a focus on metalworking and will evolve based on the needs and wants of the community we serve. We are focused on creating a dynamic, self-supporting organization with ever-changing opportunities for the community to build, create, learn and play. Future programming may include expanded capacity for woodworking, textiles and other crafts that utilize costly infrastructure, machinery and tools.
THE MISSION
We are a multi-faceted organization, with a physical space that celebrates and supports hands-on experiences. We offer workshop space, tools and equipment, and a culture that embraces all levels of expertise. The goals of our long-term vision are to encourage exploration and to build connections within the community. We offer welding classes, blacksmithing classes, jewelry making, knife making, and more.
THE SPACE
The ShopSpace facility features a comprehensive metal shop and focuses on forging, fabrication, knife making, and jewelry. We offer a variety of classes at all skill levels, along with access to the shop and equipment. For special projects, private consultation is also available.
Flexibility and functionality characterize the physical space, which includes workstations, teaching space, project storage and a tool resource area. Trained staff are on hand during all open hours to greet, supervise, support and teach users.
THE LOCATION
Raleigh has earned national recognition as a center of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. Our population is increasingly diverse, and our culture reflects national trends toward "do-it-yourself," a focus on locally-made and handcrafted goods, and an appreciation for arts, crafts and design.
The NCSU College of Design has long been a creative center, and graduates of the program are remaining in the area as young professionals and key influencers. Similar ventures have succeeded in other highly-educated, creative regions of the country; ShopSpace has a high potential for success since there is a distinct lack of such flexible space in the Triangle.
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FOUNDERS & BOARD
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Lucas House
FOUNDER
Lucas fell in love with metal in his very first high school welding class. Eighteen years later, he works metal at his own custom and artistic studio, IronHouse Forge, and has discovered that the only thing better than working the anvil every day is helping others learn to do the same.
A graduate of NC State University’s College of Design, Lucas has taught metal and blacksmithing classes at Central Carolina Community College and John C. Campbell Folk School. He has also taught at Penland School of Crafts, where he has taken a number of classes over the years.
While Lucas is interested in all of metalworking, he specializes in forging and fabricating. His favorite metals to work with are bronze and steel.
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Dave Nicolay
FOUNDER
Dave received his degree in Industrial Design from the NC State College of Design, where he connected with a thriving community of Raleigh makers. During that time, he was a Woodshop Technician at the NCSU Craft Center. After graduation, Dave is the Director of Construction at Empire Hardhat, where he oversees design, planning and implementation of all rehabilitation and restoration projects. Throughout his career, Dave has worked with many skilled craftspeople in the Triangle area and has learned firsthand about the need for ShopSpace.
Dave has been involved in a wide range of projects, such as the Raleigh space parklet, Habitat for Humanity's ReSpace Design Competition and Build, and The Bain Project (art installation at the Bain Waterworks building). Dave is constantly sought after for his creative eye, leadership, building/construction knowledge and experience, not to mention his great sense of humor.
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Mary Catherine Floyd
FOUNDER
MC found her love of the metalsmithing craft and community studying under the late Charlie McKinney in Bucyrus, Missouri. Through Charlie and his family MC was introduced to the Metal Museum in Memphis, where she worked as both an apprentice and artist in residence before coming home to North Carolina.
Influenced by the hard work and artistry of women like her grandmother and her study of fiber arts at Appalachian State, MC looks to old fabrics, vintage wallpaper patterns and paper dolls for inspiration in her metalwork. Carrying this fiber tradition to steel is MC’s way of paying homage to the unsung makers of the South. Learn more about MC at Steelthread Art.
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Bill Knight
FOUNDER
Bill developed a passion for metal working, starting in his middle-school shop classes. That experience grew into a life-long hobby of tinkering on all things metal and mechanical. He learned jewelry making under the late Mary Ann Scherr and later spent many summer vacations studying at Penland School of Crafts, initially focusing on small metals and jewelry, then later working in the iron studio.
Following a successful career in information technology, Bill brings management and non-profit expertise to ShopSpace. Outside of volunteering at the shop, he provides IT consulting and likes to work on car projects. He also serves as Executive Director for the Bailey Endowment.
Instructors
Alec Barrows
Bob Bemis
Brian Burleson
Lou Horton
Jack Keller
Dustin Letherman
Matt Mclean
Mike Novitsky
Jordan Riser
Steve Shipley
Zane Smith
Chris Wilkins
Board of Directors
ShopSpace couldn’t exist without the behind the scenes work of the Board of Directors. The current Board consists of the founders, plus:
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Owner of yellowDog : creative, a design, advertising, public relations, and marketing communications firm.
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Owner of Deco Raleigh, offering works by local artisans and makers. Pam has over 30 years of nonprofit experience.
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General counsel and chief operating officer of the North Carolina Medical Society.
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Historical Trades Specialist for the State of North Carolina and ShopSpace blacksmithing instructor.
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Former manager of Wildacres, a nonprofit retreat serving cultural and arts programming.
