During the past two decades, Markusen has established himself as a noteworthy and contributing artist, educator, and leader among his contemporaries in North American metalsmithing. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States and Europe. As a teacher, Markusen has instructed workshops and lectured at universities, colleges, craft schools, and galleries across North America.

Constructed of copper sheet and seamless copper tubing, each piece of holloware is individually heated to a precise temperature which creates the iridescent oxidized patina or the copper can be chemically treated to produce a multi-colored patina. The design is quickly hand shaped and formed using hammers and mandrels. The design is refined, work hardened, and then the finished copper is polished, oxidized or plated.

Thomas R. Markusen’s work is now part of the Permanent White House Collection of American Crafts