A company dedicated to heritage craft courses such as handmade walking sticks, bushcraft and the associated skills such as knifemaking & English longbow.
Bespoke courses in traditional crafts such as stickmaking, knifemaking and English longbow making as well as learning to live in nature by getting to know basic bushcraft techniques. Also get up close and personal with a bird of prey experience.
o promote ancient and modern skills in a lively, informative and enjoyable way in order to keep these traditional and ancient techniques alive. An experience which the whole family can take part in and teach invaluable skills which could one day prove useful.
Paddy & Graham have between them 30 years’ experience of blacksmithing and bladesmithing. We run courses in sword making, blacksmith tools, hammers, welding and fabrication. On the sword and hammer making courses the student has the use of 2 air hammers, 2 hydraulic presses and a flypress. All modern tools are also used to make the courses easier for students such as grinders. find us on, https://www.craftcourses.com/providers/art-of-fire-crafts
My work centers on the making of commissioned work for individuals, when creating my projects I focus on the processes of hot forging steel and iron, taking inspiration from the natural world and then translating it into the language of Iron. Surface textures and details bring the forms to life as you pass through a gate or otherwise engage with a piece of sculpture through vision or touch.
Whilst my making philosophy is rooted in the use of traditional forging methods and processes I prefer to create from a contemporary viewpoint that is very much of today. I feel this enables my work to communicate the qualities of the craft that give so much freedom for creative expression and brings such life and energy to the work. These traditional methods and processes are very evident in the medieval ironwork that often inspires me, while the flowing forms and beautiful lines of Art Nouveau and the beauty of nature fire my imagination for new contemporary forms.
High quality workmanship with a passion for detail gives the work energy and integrity. Patience is a necessary quality for both the maker and the client alike; time-consuming design and creative processes are always at work, from the first sketch through to the last hammer blow. Each piece is unique; the soul-deadening mass manufacturing processes that charactorises consumerism is cast aside for the creation of the unique and uplifting.
Melissa Cole Artist Blacksmith
Melissa Cole is a bronze medal holder and Fellow of The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths. She is internationally recognised for the craftsmanship of her hand-forged ironwork.
Melissa’s work ranges from commissioned gates and railings to sculpture and fine art installations. She combines contemporary design with forged and fabricated metal for external public spaces, private gardens and interiors.
Melissa has been featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, BBC’s Escape to the Country and Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, and her work has been described as “Metal work that flows and wraps around itself, taking your eyes on a journey producing pieces that are solid in make-up but light and free in their aesthetic quality” – www. The WithLoveProject.co.uk
Based in the Pewsey Vale, Wiltshire, Melissa’s work is informed and inspired by her rural surroundings. Sculptures based on the topography and landscape of the varied Wiltshire landscape evoke the organic forms of the rolling Downs.
Small and delicate pieces often worked in series or as cast limited editions are inspired by natural elements discovered in the Savernake Forest or encountered whilst exploring the local footpaths, by-ways and bridleways.
Melissa works to commission with private clients, designers, community and corporate projects producing fluid architectural elements, sculptures and site specific sculptural pieces from forged steel and wrought iron. She also runs blacksmithing and sculptural metalwork courses from her forge in Wiltshire.
Melissa offers private blacksmithing classes and metal sculpture tuition as well as specialist SEN teaching of blacksmithing and metal sculpture.
The British Ironwork Centre is the country’s leading visitor destination for the finest handcrafted and decorative metalwork and so much more!
Set in 90 acres of beautiful, Shropshire countryside, the Centre truly has something for everyone:-
– huge, new showroom and outdoor show areas featuring an endless choice of structural and functional pieces for outdoor or indoor settings and perfect gifts for all of the family
– Shropshire Sculpture Park, boasting a wide variety of life-sized animal sculptures
– Ironbridge Museum of Steel Sculpture, including works of national importance from renowned sculptor, Roy Kitchen, and many more
– A range of interactive workshop days and experiences, enabling our visitors to meet or spend a day at work with our blacksmiths, silversmiths and sculptors and see traditional skills being kept alive
– The Forge Falconry – exhibitions and opportunities to spend time with our experienced falconers
Visit the Centre for the warmest of welcomes, a complimentary beverage and an unforgettable experience!
I’ve been blacksmithing for over 35 years. The way that the metal moves when it’s being forged is a constant fascination to me, as well as the whole myriad of ways that it can be used in and around the home, garden or public environment to make objects that are both practical and beautiful. Although I enjoy conserving and reproducing our great historical heritage of ironwork, I also like to explore the intended site and my environment for inspiration, to come up with fresh ideas when a contemporary design is more appropriate.
I can make forged ironwork in any scale – from architectural to domestic – and can work to commision or for direct sale.
I also have extensive experience of teaching and demonstrating the craft at many levels, and can offer demonstrations and bespoke short courses.
Firebird Forge is both a working blacksmiths forge and a school of traditional blacksmithing. Mort the blacksmith has been hand forging for 15 years and has been teaching the public for the last eight years.
Paul Gilbert F.W.C.B Master Blacksmith
Adam Varley….Born London 1969. Served a blacksmithing apprenticeship and then as a journey man working throughout the UK with many notable artist blacksmiths. Adam founded Ferro Design with designer Beau McClellan in 1994 forging many sculptural and architectural works in Portugal including large artistic installations. He also has had experience with production, working on events and film sets, also lighting, pyrotechnics and computer design. Most recently he has settled in La Creuse, France to set up his own workshop.
Firebird Forge is a full working forge which offers traditional and contemporarily designed commissions in various metals; as well as the usual restoration and repair work. The forge is also run, by appointment, as a teaching school in traditional blacksmithing techniques. Although the forge is open to the general public to allow them to come and learn how to blacksmith on a day to day basis, further training is also given to younger smiths in the form of work placements from college.
Individuals from as far as Russia and Australia have come to learn to forge at the school and the owner, David Mortimer (Mort the Blacksmith), has carried out commissions across the Uk since the year 2000.
Iron workshop, all year round highly professional blacksmithing school and a sculpture park, all in the same place.
Sculptural ironwork for home and garden.
Blacksmith experience days available at my forge in the heart of Bristol.
Family run since 1982, we are based in Worcestershire producing a vast range of work. Small to large domestic to commercial. Working out of a large workshop we blend modern fabrication and blacksmithing to try and forge a niche in the market. Always looking to take on challenging work and produce new products.
About Soulful Iron / Mike Gracia
I’m an artist blacksmith based in Wales (just over the bridge from Bristol). I trained in Blacksmithing at the National Blacksmithing College in Hereford in the late 1990’s and after a long break from Blacksmithing, have now returned to the craft.
I call my business ‘Soulful Iron’ as I believe every piece a Blacksmith creates by hand has an element of their soul that they put into their work.
I use traditional blacksmithing techniques to create both works of art and functional products, be that candlesticks or fireside pokers, ornate forged steel bowls or pattern-welded knives (often called Damascus knives).
Check my small online shop to discover my past and current pieces and prices, from hand forged christmas decorations, to hand forged presents and hand forged viking jewellery, and enter link description here
Commission work also undertaken.