Zenith Designs are the creations of Allen Ritzman, the acclaimed West Virginia artisan. As a youth, Allen learned the time-honored craft of traditional Quaker metalwork under the tutelage of a church elder.
He thrived in the shop, with the intensity of a born artist. Fashioning unique, heirloom art became the focus of his life.
He later became a skilled woodworker and fashioned beautiful, museum-quality turned bowls and vessels from native Appalachian hardwoods. Nationally recognized as a craftsman, several of his pieces have been featured in galleries and have been purchased for museum collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Ritzman has recently renewed his interest in metalwork. The thrill of pounding rivets and bending metal all came back to him as he searched out a new medium for his artistic expression. He began with unique floor and table lamps, as well as small sculptural pieces of hammered copper. Excellent craftsmanship continues to be a hallmark of his work, and has led to many gallery shows.
