Founder of the Nowhere Forge discusses working for Peat Oberon and staying true to his artistic values.

Simon Bushell is a travelling artist blacksmith and owner of The Nowhere Forge, a self-sufficient, sustainably powered mobile blacksmithing workshop:

I’ve done a huge range of things since graduating. After my graduation, the great Peat Oberon asked me to work for him, which was absolutely great and I’ve returned often to help him with larger forging jobs. I then did a stint for Iron Art of Bath, which is a great place to work: wonderful people; very well managed, clockwork business; and a range of different types of work. I’ve returned there often for 3-4 week stints. I’ve also worked for Chris Topps which was quite an experience - the most cavernous workshop with a giant wrought iron furnace and rolling mill, and some incredibly high end work being churned out. I did 3 or 4 months at the Heritage Ironwork Group, to work on some absolutely lovely conservation ironwork, all in wrought or pure iron and forging only on steam coal. I have worked regularly for Bex Simon on her wonderfully unique artwork and public sculptures including the prestigious Ministry of Defence mural currently in London - a 40-meter long piece of artwork in steel, wrought, stainless, copper and cast iron adorning the wall of the MOJ building. 

Most recently I’ve been working for Alex Pole Ironwork where we have been making very beautiful high-end ranges of kitchenware and cooking knives, as well as various other limited edition pieces like axes and garden tools. I also set up my own workshop, took commissions and ran courses, and have exhibited widely.