Mark Gilsdorf is an artist-blacksmith who also happens to be a bird enthusiast and Irish history buff. He seeks to balance aesthetics and functionality in his pieces, which he refers to as "house jewelry."

Gilsdorf mainly works with steel, a more stable alloy of iron. His scrap pile, "a blacksmith's biggest resource," is filled with roadside treasures, railroad spikes, and old pipes.

Aside from commissions, he sells his creations -- pieces like fireplace gates and hand-forged, skull-topped bottle openers -- at Bromwell's and local events like Summerfair and the Hyde Park Art Show.

The full gallery can be found on Cincinnati Refined. Check out more of Mark's work here.