Down East Again

After nearly 30 years, the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design is proud to welcome back celebrated metal artist, author, publisher, educator, and inventor Charles Lewton-Brain as a Visiting Artist. Titled Down East Again, this exhibition marks a meaningful return for an artist whose work and ideas have shaped metalsmithing practices around the world and left a lasting impact on NBCCD’s creative community.

About the Exhibition

Known internationally as the inventor of the foldforming technique, Charles Lewton-Brain has spent decades expanding the language of metal art. Over time, his work has transformed a craft rooted in the Bronze Age into a contemporary, experimental practice. As a result, his approach challenges traditional ideas of form, function, and material. In turn, it invites both makers and viewers to reconsider what metal can be and how it can be used.

Down East Again presents a wide-ranging selection of work across techniques, scales, and purposes. Together, these pieces reflect a lifetime of experimentation and innovation. At the same time, the exhibition highlights Lewton-Brain’s lasting connection to Atlantic Canada and NBCCD.

Exhibition Opening

The public is invited to celebrate the opening of Down East Again at the George Fry Gallery.

Opening Reception
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
4:30 –- 6:00 PM
George Fry Gallery

Meet the artist and experience an extraordinary transformation of everyday and precious materials into compelling works of art that blur the line between function and form.

Charles Lewton-Brain (2017).

A Global Career with Deep Local Roots

Emerging in the late 1970s, Charles Lewton-Brain began his metal arts training in Atlantic Canada. He went on to build an international career, teaching and exhibiting across Canada, the United States, Germany, England, and Australia.

Throughout his career, he has helped shape craft communities at local, national, and international levels. His contributions include work with the Canadian Crafts Federation, the Alberta Craft Council, and the Ganoksin Project, which hosts more than 600 pages of his writing.

In 1997, Lewton-Brain joined NBCCD as a Visiting Artist and deeply influenced the silversmithing program. His mentorship inspired generations of students. A Governor General’s Visual Arts Award recipient and Royal Canadian Academy member, he returns in 2026 to share a lifetime of knowledge with a new generation of makers.

Wearable Works for Purchase

A selection of wearable pieces will be available for purchase at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery during the exhibition dates.

Available:
Wednesday, January 21 – Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Down East Again celebrates not only the return of a pioneering artist, but also the enduring relationship between Charles Lewton-Brain, NBCCD, and the evolving field of metal arts. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to engage with the work and ideas of a maker whose influence continues to shape how metal is understood, taught, and transformed.