Q&A with winner of the Peter Rayner Bursary

When I am in the process of developing and designing work, whether that be samples or actual final pieces, my main source of inspiration is Geometry. Specifically, I’m really enjoying studying Ideal and Euclidian geometry, which are two quite simple and basic forms of geometry, yet they play a big part in history of architecture and mathematics. I’m fascinated by these two geometries, as the human mind seem to be drawn towards them and wants to apply them to world around us.

Ideal geometry is looking into the idea of perfection, and how we can perceive and visualise a perfect square or sphere, yet in this physical world that perfection can never be truly achieved in the realm of the handmade, as there will always be a hammer mark in the steel for a streak in the paint. It is this ‘perfection’ in the base shapes of geometry that I want to replicate through my work in forged steel. 

Euclidean geometry, however, teaches us how to construct these shapes, from point, to line, to shape - it sets the rules, and it is these rules that I use when designing my work.

When using these two geometries to design my work, I use one to control what the shapes I’m using will look like, and the other to control how it is I construct them. I have found that this has allowed me to design work that really excites me in terms of its visual appearance and forge process.

The project that has impacted me the most by far is the Reinterpret Project at Hereford Cathedral that I completed during my second year. 

For this project we were tasked with studying and analysing Hereford Cathedral and picking out a part that really fascinated us. 

For me, I found that I was drawn to the architecture of the Cathedral and how the stonework of the vaulted ceiling and the frames of the stained-glass windows where constructed. 

This got me into studying Sacred geometry and how it is used in the construction of architecture through the use of ratios like the golden section and the combination of shapes to form the complex structures seen in the stone work. 

It was this interrogation into Sacred geometry that I feel was a huge stepping stone into the world of geometry, which has definitely been a key element in defining the direction of my craft. 

I began my journey at HCA right after completing the 3 years on the BTEC course at Holme Lacy Blacksmithing collage. There I was able to get to grips with the basics of forging which I really enjoyed, as everything I made was very technical and precise.

I didn’t have any experience in the ‘creative’ side behind my craft, as what I had been making was very traditional in a historical sense. Throughout my time at HCA I have learnt a great deal of skills, such as drawing, maquetting and photography, that have helped me in the design, sampling and making processes. This has had a huge impact on my creative practice as a whole.

During my first year I really enjoyed experimenting with different media such as wood, wire and card, this was really useful as I could now maquette my ideals on a small scale in 3D, which then allowed me to better visualise the process and construction of my pieces. 

The second year, however, I found that fusion 360 worked really well with what I was trying to active in the forge, as what I am designing is predominantly made out of straight lines and curves which can easily be achieved on fusion, it has also enabled me to be more accurate with my work as I can map out my designs to the exact measurements I need.     

One of the main things I appreciate about the HCA community is the amount of help and resources that are available to you. You never have to go far in seeking help with your studies, as the tutors are always happy to sit down and talk about your practice, whether it’s the practical side or the written side. 

Being dyslexic, having this support from the tutors made it a lot easier when writing essays and studying academic texts. 

This is equalled by the number of resources that you have access to, both physical resources materials and workshops, or more academic ones such as the library, which has a wide variety of books that cover many topics and has past graduate dissertations, which are extremely useful when coming to the end of your studies.

I was quite taken back when I was approached by Prime Warden Mark Abraham FCA during the end of one of my forge sessions. To begin with I was in disbelief, alongside many other emotions, and was a little lost for words. After speaking with him for a while about the bursary and what it meant to me, the only thing I found myself saying was thank you repeatedly, as I was still a little stunned form the news. 

I feel extremely grateful towards the Prime Warden and everyone that contributed in me being awarded this bursary.

I feel reassured knowing that I am supported in my practice. Having this support will help me in funding different blacksmithing courses in America, and supply me with machinery that will greatly assist me when forging work.    

Receiving this bursary has motivated me even more in continuing the development of my practice which I plan to move onto study an MA at HCA. The MA will be an amazing opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and to further develop my technical skills as an artist blacksmith.