Thomas Willeford

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

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
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
  • 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
  • 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

Television
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'dHimselfAs a judge [20]

References
  1. Kelly, James Floyd. "Create Your Own Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos". Wired. Conde Nast. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  2. Hornyak, Tim. "Breathing apparatus". Cnet. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  3. 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. "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. 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. "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.
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