Lizard Gate

The Atlanta Botanical Garden called on Andrew Crawford, a blacksmith extraordinaire based in Atlanta, to create the “Lizard Gate” and the “Herb Garden Gate” – two major gates and artistic pieces for special events. “Lizard Gate” is an example of years of Crawford’s blacksmithing craft evolving into art. It was installed at the entrance to the Japanese Garden in 2012 for the Atlanta Blooms event that year. Crawford has designed metal gates as far back as 1993. 

He says: “People started hiring me to make coffee tables and candlesticks. I made my first gate for my parents’ backyard. They liked it, but it’s not very sophisticated. I can see that I was working on something that I just didn’t have yet. I wasn’t pushing my material, claiming my connections – I wasn’t aggressive enough. Their gate reminds me of where I started and from that I can gauge where I am now.”