The Artist Blacksmith

What's your most treasured possession?

Within the forge my most treasured possession is my power hammer.  It’s an important element of my work and it has a wonderful history.  It had originally been my grandfather’s and my dad remembers seeing it as a child when he went into Grandad’s workshop.  Over the years it was sold but when I set up my own forge I managed to track it down and buy it back.  I reconditioned it and reintroduced it into my forge.  It is over 40 years old now and still works brilliantly and creates a real sense of history for me.

What advice would you offer to somebody who aspires to work in your chosen field?

It’s not a career path many people would think of taking but if want to work creatively with metal, then the best way to develop a good career is to gain experience by working in a forge.  This way they can begin to understand the entire process and learn the craftsmanship from others.   It’s not that difficult to create your own home forge as I did.  Once you have the basic equipment you can then just play around with different styles and techniques and see what you can create. Start with something simple like a fire poker or door hooks and then just let your imagination and skills develop. I am a member of The Blacksmith Guild in Wessex and they run a number of courses.  There is also the British Artist Blacksmith Association (BABA) which can provide advice on training.

What are you working on at the moment?

That’s the joy of my work it’s so varied.  At the moment I am making some plant supports, a small plant sculpture for a friend and also a range of different gates in varying stages of production from simple estate style gates to more ornate garden gates.  It’s a great variety.

What do you see yourself doing in 5 years time?

I don’t want to be a huge business, employing lots of other people.  I want to keep this business a personal one where I work closely with different clients and have a huge pride in the work I do.  I want to be known for the quality of my work and not necessarily the quantity.  I’d like to build on my reputation and keep trying new ideas and techniques.  Above all I want to be able to keep enjoying the work I do.

If you would like to find out more about Sam Bailey’s work or to discuss a commission, you can contact Sam through his website www.theartistblacksmith.co.uk