MARILYN HAGERTY: Badman's designs are a part of Grand Forks

• Marilyn Hagerty

Marilyn Hagerty
• David Badman in his studio

David Badman stands in his Badman Design studio in Grand Forks. Herald photo by Jackie Lorentz.

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You can see the work of David Badman in the grill of the Pirogue, a fine restaurant in Bismarck, and in the beautiful bar at Monte’s in downtown Fargo.

You can see his design of the Seven Stages of Wellness as you enter the UND Wellness Center. There is Badman design in the contemporary worship area of Calvary Lutheran Church in Grand Forks. Badman designs are part of several other area churches.

Someday, if the urban development and city fathers make the decision, there will be a large Badman design of welcome for downtown Grand Forks.

This winter, David Badman will be working on two projects near Sarasota and Naples in Florida. He will talk about commissions he has from public entities. He does not disclose the names of people who hire him for projects in their homes.

He will tell you he is an admirer of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. And that carries over to his design of jewelry.

After 23 years in business, Badman is still making new creations and meeting new clients. But he says making a living as an artist has its challenges.

For instance, he owns his building at 18 S. Third St., in downtown Grand Forks. There are days when only two or three people stop in to browse through the jewelry and wall displays.

To get more visibility, Badman is thinking of opening a boutique in a higher traffic area. “You can’t build this stuff and have it sitting in the basement. Someone has to want it,” he said the other day.

As it is, he works quietly in his 5,000 square feet design studio and showroom. He has three employees. There’s Holly Foltz, who has been with him as an apprentice for nine years and whom he says “runs the store.” There’s Mark Harmon, a full time welder, who works quietly in a large room with a bandana tied on his head to protect himself from flying sparks.

Then there’s Melanie Hoistad who works part time cutting and polishing metal.

David Badman came in a military family of six children to Grand Forks Air Base in 1975. His parents, Nick and Mary Badman, still live in Grand Forks. He attended Valley and Central schools in Grand Forks and went on to major in art and get a degree from UND. He was working for Shakey’s Pizza during college days. When he started Badman Design here in 1988, he thought he would try it for six months, then move on.

But he never did.

When Badman Designs contracted in 2006 with the ELCA Youth Gathering in San Antonio to make two tons of metal items, it was the largest order ever received. Planning began a year earlier for the order of 130 stainless steel plates, 400 communion chalices and patens and 40,000 cuff-style bracelets.

The designs by David Badman have become part of Greater Grand Forks. As an example, there are three showpiece tables in the Blue Moose in East Grand Forks.

Badman is working now with a new client in Dickinson. He planned to be on the Art and Wine Walk that began Saturday at the Blue Moose.

Badman Design is far reaching with jewelry, wall pieces, furniture, flags, accessories. The work is done with metals of copper, brass, nickel and steel, as well as gold and sterling.

There is a wide variety of works flowing from Badman Design. Badman would love to do more architectural pieces, building parts, larger wall pieces and sculpture. His favorite metal is copper.

And the designer says, “I still love what I do.”

Reach Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or (701) 772-1055.

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