Chuck Mielke - Metal Artisan

Growing up in the Detroit area during the 70's was exactly how you would have envisioned the streets of the motor city; full of big block Camaros, Hemi Mopars, Cobra Jet Mustangs and every other brand of muscle car imaginable.  There was also a huge custom motorcycle culture where the long winters provided the downtime to create some of the most radical bikes of the era.  

Moving to the Jersey Shore, as a young metal fabricator I was fortunate to be mentored by some very talented blacksmiths and craftsmen in the arts of ornamental iron, metal forming, and tube bending which fit-in perfectly with building long and low custom motorcycles. My passion for drag racing also evolved from doing it in the street to competing with a dragster in sanctioned supercomp and bracket events as a licensed sportsman racer.  My journey through the world of metal work has taken me from polished architectural railings to deep into the heart of petroleum refineries and power plants. These experiences and influences are reflected in my designs, home decor, and motor art creations.