How We Work
Steel and iron are extremely durable materials, and so it follows that anything we make for a client is going to be built to last. Because of this durability factor, I aim to develop structures that have a capacity to endure.
We shy away from designs that based on the latest fashion, and we are not just a metal working factory turning out widgets that serve a mechanical need. Our goal is to produce work that is more than merely fashionable or simply utilitarian.
To achieve that goal, I like to spend time with my clients, so I can learn about their concerns, and about the setting where the structure will be located.
I subscribe to the idea that form should follow function, but the function of the objects we create is more than merely practical. Sometimes the function is to delight, or please, or instruct as well as to lift, support, and restrain.
We enjoy having a chance to work with a client, learn their concerns, and then use our expertise with metal, and our capacity for intelligent, artistic design, to create a structure that will fit into its setting now and for a long time to come.
We understand that commissioning a piece of work from an artist blacksmith can be a bit daunting, especially for those who have not done it before. Many people are drawn to the idea of having a structure built for them, but are not sure how the process works.
In 1993, the British Artist Blacksmith Association published a booklet titled "Working With An Artist Blacksmith". The pamphlet was written by Peter Parkinson, and was intended as a guide for architects and designers. The booklet is now out of print, but the text is available on the Internet at ArtMetal.com We have found this booklet to be a helpful guide to homeowners and professionals alike.