A journey with Metal

Based in the NSW Hunter Valley, Will's practice focuses on re-imagining the trade of blacksmithing as sculptural practice. One where craft, design and material consideration merge to produce objects of inherent value.

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Initially an industrial trained blacksmith and boilermaker, Will started the workshop in 2009 in a repurposed dairy after returning from several years of journeyman travels. This was a formative period where he lived and worked with many renowned blacksmiths in places such as the UK, Ukraine, Russia, Japan, USA and Europe restoring ancient ironwork, making bespoke architectural ironwork and contemporary forged sculpture.

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Building on these technical skills Will has studied botanical drawing, design and completed a degree in Philosophy and material anthropology. These skills underpin the growth and considered output from the studio. Collaboration with other people and materials has become an increasingly interesting and fruitful area of practice which offers endless potential for the future.

 

Will, often with the help of wonderful assistants, has had the privileged to design and make individual pieces for many beautiful people and their often quirky places of work and abode.

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His sculptural work has been acquired by companies and institutions such as the University of Newcastle (NSW), Hereford Collage of Art (UK) and AGL energy; along with numerous local and international private collections.  Over a dozen major works form part of national and international public art collections in Canberra (ACT), Maribyrnong (VIC), Newcastle (NSW), Wagga Wagga (NSW), Maitland (NSW), Singleton (NSW), Muswellbrook (NSW), Cessnock (NSW), Langemark-Poelkapelle (Belgium), and Hereford (UK).

 

Will's work is exhibited widely, both nationally, including at Sculpture by the Sea Bondi; and internationally in UK, USA, Germany, France and Belgium. In 2022, Will was featured with a dedicated chapter in the Metal design international a hard cover book published in German and English (by German publishing house Verlag Hephaistos).

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As a small, hands on studio we care deeply about the impact our actions have on the planet. Steel is one of the most durable and recyclable materials on earth but it does require huge amount of energy to produce and work with. We act to reduce waste and burn less energy in our planning, material reclaiming and use of technology in our making processes. However, primarily we justify our impact through the multi-generational longevity of what we make, and an ethos of making less with more care and meaning attached to them and in so doing help us see the beauty in materials and build respect for our surroundings.

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If you have a project that we might be able to help you with please get in touch.