About Leo Vandenberg : Blacksmith

Leopold Felix Vandenberg was born in 1938 in the Dutch town Soest, in central Netherlands. After 6 years of lower school and 2 years of trade school, Leo embarked on his blacksmith career by becoming an apprentice for the famous Blacksmith Lighthard at the young age of fourteen. He later continued working for a Blacksmith in Naarden, and Bob Ebell in the Netherlands.

After completing drafting and design school, Leo started working as a Blacksmith Gezelle for Blacksmith Peter Shau Ostra in Spain, and also worked in areas such as Casa Develle, Bordeaux France, and Pappion Italy. At the age of twenty-one Leo became a Master Blacksmith, and pursued his dream of starting his own Blacksmith business titled "Leo Vandenberg Kunstsmeeker" in Soest, Netherlands.

Leo's reputation grew and in 1960 he did many work projects on the castle and the surrounding villages for Queen Juliana, and also for the present Queen Beatrix (I) of the Netherlands. In this time Leo also worked for famous heritage architects such as Rapange Amsterdam and Rietveld Naarden.

In 1976 Leo came to Canada and started a Blacksmith shop in the city of Richmond - located 26 km from downtown Vancouver, BC. He settled in Canada, enjoying the natural beauty of the West Coast where he spent his free time sailing, scuba diving, landscaping, artistic design and working on various iron wrought projects. After 30 years of rewarding business at 2951 #3 Road, Leo has expanded his Blacksmith shop, moving to its current location : Unit #16-12320 Trites Road, Richmond, BC. We invite you to visit his shop or browse the gallery of his beautiful and unique pieces of hand-forged decorative ironwork.