Thomas Willeford

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Thomas Dean Willeford V (born October 29, 1964) is a steampunk writer, artist and maker. He is known for his work appearing on television and for his book Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos.[1] He lives and works in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, doing business as Brute Force Studios.[1][2][3] His steampunk subculture persona is Lord Archibald "Feathers" Featherstone.[3][4]

Early life and education[edit]

Brought up in a Victorian house with a "mad scientist" grandfather who worked for DuPont,[5][6] Willeford was educated at University of Maryland, College Park, Shenandoah University, University of Delaware and the University of Oxford.

Work[edit]

Thomas Willeford in his Studio.

In 1988, Willeford became interested in steampunk and began working on pieces that combined his love of engineering and art.[7] He created the steampunk arm worn by Nathan Fillion in episode 3.4 of the television series Castle.[6][8] His work has been displayed at the University of Oxford's Museum of the History of Science,[9] at the Steampunk Bizarre Experiment,[10] the Penn State Berks Freyberger Gallery,[11] at Nemo's Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery[2] and at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation,[4][12] and has been featured in Popular Mechanics.[13] He is a contributor to Bruce Boxleitner's Lantern City[4] and was a judge on Game Show Network's Steampunk'd.[14]

Willeford was a guest curator for the Steampunk U exhibit at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.[15]

Awards and recognition[edit]

  • Airship Awards 2013 – Community Contributor – Nominee
  • Balticon 19 Masquerade – Best Marvel Comic Re-Creation (Nightcrawler)
  • Balticon 20 Masquerade – Journeyman Costumer – Honorable Mention
  • Balticon 29 Masquerade – Best in Class: Novice
  • Balticon 48 Masquerade – Best in Show
  • Comic Con International 2014: Costume Contest on the Marvel Stage – One of a Kind: Iron Man 1889
  • Darkover VIII Masquerade – Best Presentation (X-Men)
  • Eeriecon Masquerade 2002 – Master Class: Best Leatherwork ("Gargoyle Knight")
  • EveCon 5 Masquerade – Most Dramatic
  • NYClone 1986 Masquerade – Chairman's Appreciation: Re-Creation
  • Philcon 50 Masquerade – Craftsman: Most Humorous
  • Rovacon 10 Masquerade – Best Comic Book Character
  • Starburner 2011 Award for Contributions to Steampunk
  • Steampunk Chronicle Readers Choice Awards 2012:[16]
    • Best Maker – Individual
    • Best Mod Weaponry for Lady Clankington's Little Death Ray
    • Best Dressed Male
    • Best Non-Goggle Accessory for Superior Replacement Arm
    • Best Costume – Individual Original for the Clockwork Girl Outfit
    • Best Non-Fiction – Nominee
  • Steampunk Chronicle Readers Choice Awards 2013:[16]
    • Best Maker – Individual – Nominee
    • Most Influential or Inspirational – Nominee
    • Steam-Hunk – Nominee
    • Steampunk Person to Watch in 2013 – Nominee
  • Technicon IV Masquerade – Best In Show
  • Unicon 84 Masquerade – Best Recreation
  • Numerous International Costumers Guild (ICG) Awards

Bibliography[edit]

  • Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts. McGraw-Hill. October 2011. ISBN 978-0-07-176236-6.
  • The Steampunk Adventurer's Guide: Contraptions, Creations, and Curiosities Anyone Can Make. McGraw-Hill. October 2013. ISBN 978-0-07-182780-5.

Filmography[edit]

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
2010 Castle Props Steampunk Arm

[17]

2010 Oddities Himself [18]
2013 Old Folks Home Himself Episode "Blow Off Some Steampunk" [19]
2015 Steampunk'd Himself As a judge [20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Kelly, James Floyd. "Create Your Own Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos". Wired. Conde Nast. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Hornyak, Tim. "Breathing apparatus". Cnet. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Pho, Diana M. (September 20, 2012). "The Dynamics of Ideology and Consumerism in Steampunk Subculture". In Taddeo, Julie Anne; Miller, Cynthia J. (eds.). Steaming into a Victorian Future: A Steampunk Anthology. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8586-8.
  4. ^ a b c "Bruce Boxleitner's Lantern City: Contributors". Lantern City. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  5. ^ Strickland, Ashley (14 December 2011). "Thy fearful gadgetry: Steampunk's mad scientists". CNN. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b Hatmaker, Julia. "Steampunk in Harrisburg: Thomas Willeford is the midstate's mad scientist". Penn Live/The Patriot-News. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  7. ^ "Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos". McGraw Hill. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  8. ^ MacFarland, Joe. "Steampunk-ier than Justin Bieber". Ebay. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
    - Pinchefsky, Carol. "Fashion's Biggest Trend in 2013–2015 (as Predicted by IBM)? Steampunk". Forbes. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  9. ^ "Steampunk: Contraptions + Devices Extraordinaire". Hamptons.com. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  10. ^ "The 2010 Steampunk Bizarre Experiment". Steampunk Bizarre 2010. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  11. ^ "Freyberger Gallery presents STEAMpunk!". Penn State. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  12. ^ "Totally Hot Artistic Opportunities". Massachusetts Cultural Council. Archived from the original on July 1, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  13. ^ "Top DIY Costumes from Comic Con 2010". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  14. ^ "GSNTV / Steampunk'd / judges". Game Show Network. Archived from the original on August 16, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  15. ^ ""Function Goes Punk": Steampunk U Exhibit". AACA Museum. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Steampunk Chronicle Readers Choice Awards 2012". Steampunk Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  17. ^ Lamar, Cyriaque. "Buy Nathan Fillion's steampunk cybernetic arm from Castle". io9. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "Harrisburg mad scientist: 'If you've got $250,000, I can build you a 50 foot tall robot'". Penn Live/Patriot-News. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  19. ^ Odd Folks Home, Amazon, retrieved March 22, 2017
  20. ^ "Steampunkd". GSN TV. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2017.

External links[edit]

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