It all started with a pipe. 

Several years ago, I had the furnace in my house replaced. When the project was completed, I notices a large section of copper pipe had been left behind. It was kind of stuck up, underneath another PVC pipe, just hanging there. I let it sit there for a while until I realized it was pulling on some of the other pipes in the area.

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At that point, I knew the pipe needed to go. But I didn't have the tools to take it down myself, nor did I think a big section of pipe like that should just be tossed aside. I figured someone had to be able to use it for something.

Billings 60, Cori Skall
Billings 60, Cori Skall
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Within a week, I came across the profile of a local artist on social media. He worked with copper.

Billings 1, Twisted Fate Forge
Billings 1, Twisted Fate Forge
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His name is Mike Billings, and he operates Twisted Fate Forge out of his home in Clifton.

Billings 33, Cori Skall
Billings 33, Cori Skall
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Billings takes material like old copper pipes...

Billings 62, Cori Skall
Billings 62, Cori Skall
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old scrap metal...

Billings 63, Cori Skall
Billings 63, Cori Skall
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natural stones...

Billings 30, Cori Skall
Billings 30, Cori Skall
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wood that he finds out and about as he's exploring...

Billings 31, Cori Skall
Billings 31, Cori Skall
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and other items that most people, like myself, just junk or throw away...

Billings 64, Cori Skall
Billings 64, Cori Skall
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and he turns it into beautiful jewelry...

Billings 89, Cori Skall
Billings 89, Cori Skall
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Billings 3, Twisted Fate Forge
Billings 3, Twisted Fate Forge
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Billings 6, Twisted Fate Forge
Billings 6, Twisted Fate Forge
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Billings 69, Cori Skall
Billings 69, Cori Skall
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and unique pieces of art.

Billings 65, Cori Skall
Billings 65, Cori Skall
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Billings 66, Cori Skall
Billings 66, Cori Skall
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As I looked through all the amazing pictures on his website, TwistedFateForge.com, I thought it would be cool to see what he could do with my old piece of pipe.

So I reached out to see if he might want to come and get it.

Billings 70, Cori Skall
Billings 70, Cori Skall
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He did me one better and invited me out to his workshop in Clifton to take a peek at how he works and what he does with all that stuff.

Billings 51, Cori Skall
Billings 51, Cori Skall
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Despite it being the hottest day of the year so far, the small workshop sits right on the edge of the water, providing the perfect backdrop and inspiration for Billings to craft his creations. (Anyone who follows Billings on his social media knows he is not a fan of wearing shirts, especially on hot days, so it quickly came off when he got to work.)

Billings 46, Cori Skall
Billings 46, Cori Skall
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Moving in and out, making use of the space, but also tapping into the energy of his surroundings, Billings worked on a number of different pieces while I was visiting.

Billings 58, Cori Skall
Billings 58, Cori Skall
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There was a walking stick, made from wood chewed down by a beaver in a nearby spot he likes to walk, with his dog, Oslo. (Oslo is never far from Billings, and oversees his work, like a shop foreman who will work for belly rubs.)

Billings 22, Cori Skall
Billings 22, Cori Skall
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Billings then took parts of the pipe I had given him, and made a beautiful and melodic wind chime from it.

Billings 73, Cori Skall
Billings 73, Cori Skall
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Billings 76, Cori Skall
Billings 76, Cori Skall
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Billings 71, Cori Skall
Billings 71, Cori Skall
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He went seamlessly from flame-painting pipes on the chime and flaming the wooden noisemaker he carved with a chainsaw...

Billings 82, Cori Skall
Billings 82, Cori Skall
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to scrolling each copper coil that held the thing together, you can tell Billings works with a vision, determination, and eye for making things that are well-put together, quality pieces, put together with care.

Billings 80, Cori Skall
Billings 80, Cori Skall
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In his workshop, you can see evidence of all sorts of interesting raw materials...

Billings 38, Cori Skall
Billings 38, Cori Skall
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Billings 35, Cori Skall
Billings 35, Cori Skall
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from copper coils he's fashioned into bangle bracelets...

Billings 61, Cori Skall
Billings 61, Cori Skall
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to smaller pieces of wire and pipe...

Billings 42, Cori Skall
Billings 42, Cori Skall
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that he's made into wearable rings...

Billings 43, Cori Skall
Billings 43, Cori Skall
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He's got all sorts of tools at his disposal...

Billings 34, Cori Skall
Billings 34, Cori Skall
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Billings 40, Cori Skall
Billings 40, Cori Skall
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...tools to bend and shape metal...

Billings 41, Cori Skall
Billings 41, Cori Skall
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into bracelets and earrings...

Billings 7, Twisted Fate Forge
Billings 7, Twisted Fate Forge
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Billings 9, Cori Skall
Billings 9, Cori Skall
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to tools meant for banging and shaping other creations, like his chimes.

Billings 44, Cori Skall
Billings 44, Cori Skall
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Billings 50, Cori Skall
Billings 50, Cori Skall
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Billings 78, Cori Skall
Billings 78, Cori Skall
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With an eye for seeing the beauty and potential in things that have been discarded, Billings makes sure very little goes to waste.

Billings 39, Cori Skall
Billings 39, Cori Skall
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In fact, that's a theme that runs through all of his work; upcycling: reusing and repurposing scraps and old materials and giving them new life.

Billings 29, Cori Skall
Billings 29, Cori Skall
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Billings 68, Cori Skall
Billings 68, Cori Skall
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He makes everything himself...even his business cards.

Billings 24, Cori Skall
Billings 24, Cori Skall
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Billings 25, Cori Skall
Billings 25, Cori Skall
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Billings 32, Cori Skall
Billings 32, Cori Skall
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The stands and racks on which he displays his wares, he made those, too.

Billings 16, Cori Skall
Billings 16, Cori Skall
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Billings, who studied Engineering at Maine Maritime Academy, is a self-taught, almost reluctant artist. He'll tell you he grew up tearing things apart and putting things back together.

Billings 27, Cori Skall
Billings 27, Cori Skall
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He spent years working traditional jobs, and then quite a bit of time as a stay-at-home dad.

Billings 79, Cori Skall
Billings 79, Cori Skall
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After going through some major life changes, Billings started tinkering around with metal, and inspired by his daughters and a fellow artist, he tried his hand at making jewelry.

Discovering he had a talent for it, he started creating more and more and then branched out to other pieces and other mediums.

Billings 26, Cori Skall
Billings 26, Cori Skall
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Most recently, he got a laser engraver and started producing key chains made of wood.

Billings 26, Cori Skall
Billings 26, Cori Skall
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Along with a sense of pride and craftsmanship, most of Billings' work also has a very distinct signature to it; his twisted sense of humor.

Billings 57, Cori Skall
Billings 57, Cori Skall
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Hence the "Twisted", in Twisted Fate Forge.

Billings 8, Cori Skall
Billings 8, Cori Skall
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The thousands of followers he has on social media have come to know him for it. One part tongue-in-cheek, one part outrageous and often edgy, a Billings piece is not only beautiful but has personality.

Billings 59, Cori Skall
Billings 59, Cori Skall
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You can check his work out for yourself on his Facebook Page, his Instagram, his website, or in person. He'll be set up at this weekend's Brewer Riverwalk Festival.

And if you have materials kicking around your house, that you're considering just tossing out, you may want to consider looking around for someone with vision, like Billings, who's got the talent to give those materials a second chance at life.  

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