Heinz Brummel 12/07/2012
Yesterday, I stopped by Heinz Brummel’s place to see his workshop and to chat. It was the first day of Heinz’ annual open house which this year will be for two weekends. Go to the end of this post for open house details.
I met Heinz several months ago at the Patisserie and since then have had the opportunity to talk with him a few times. What I’ve learned is that he is a gifted jewelry designer and a talented builder of yurts.
Heinz, who describes himself as a self-taught, blue-collar studio artist, has a command of his materials that shows in bold, colorful designs. His jewelery is an amalgam of metal, enamel, glass, and semi-precious stones. He is influenced by Klee, Calder, Miro, and the Bauhaus school. You can see samples at heinzbrummel.com/.
In addition to his jewelry Heinz is a builder of yurts: those portable round homes that have been in use by Mongolian nomads for over a thousand years. He designs and builds Harlan Khan Yurts.
After looking at Heinz’ workshop we went into the backyard to his yurt.
Even though it was beginning to snow, inside the yurt it was warm and cozy, with the pleasant smell of burning wood coming from the little iron stove. As we talked, Heinz’ big grey cat, slipped through the door and made himself comfortable on a pile of pillows. I could imagine how this type of space could survive a thousand years providing a refuge of warmth on the wintry Asian steppes.
The yurt is a logical extension of Heinz’ vision of how to use space. In his house, every inch is given over to being a workshop where he can craft enameled silver brooches or sew the heavy weatherproof skin for a yurt. In the yurt, the circular space is efficiently organized: ready to be packed up and transported to some distant location and quickly set up.
If you live in the Twin Cities I recommend that you visit Heinz’ open house and meet this talented artist.
Heinz Brummel
5216 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis
612-825-6117
December 8, Saturday, 10-6.
December 9, Sunday, 12-5
December 15, Saturday, 10-6
December 16, Sunday, 12-5