ObjectsWhile I was studying Fine Woodworking at Sturt, I started to spend some evening time in the metal working room there, acquiring basic silver smithing skills. They enabled me to produce my own hinges, latches and handles for my furniture. I found it irresistible and became increasingly drawn into an appreciation of metal techniques and how they could be employed. When I finished at Sturt I pursued that interest, studying object design at Sydney Design Institute where I have been fortunate to have as creative and technical mentors Catherine Harrington, Ragnar Hansen and Seung Ki Hong. Much of the object making process employs silver smithing methods and it’s a meditative type of work. You can employ a partially intuitive design process, feeling your way through the development of the object. The metal tells you a lot, you have to listen to it as well as watch it. At the same time, I’ve been acquiring more industrial scale metalworking skills, fabricating, welding and fitting. Peter Gray and Matt Crawford have been great mentors recently. The skills I am continuing to develop as an object maker and metal worker are now most often put to use in the creation of maquettes for my sculptures. |
