Will Maguire is a multi-award winning contemporary blacksmith and sculptor with over 10 years’ experience, one of a very few contemporary blacksmiths in Australia, just outside of Sydney. He brings blacksmithing into the 21st Century, with a combination of striking contemporary design whilst keeping the integrity of the craft intact with his use of traditional skills learned from masters overseas.
- Industrially trained in Australia as a blacksmith and boiler maker. He has spent several years as a journeyman overseas working, learning and collaborating with some of the best smiths in England, USA, Russia, Europe, Ukraine and
- Ultimo TAFE is the only school that teaches blacksmithing in Australia, it is in Sydney. The program focuses on industrial blacksmithing.
- Will thinks that the blacksmith craft is growing in Australia, though it is still a pretty small community. Their New South Wales Blacksmith Association has about 130 members.
- After learning the industrial smithing, Will decided to travel abroad to experience artistic blacksmithing. Will was able to work with Terry Clark on two sets of large gates for Oxford University.
- Getting blacksmith tools is difficult in Australia, but there is a company who is now distributing a few blacksmith supply tools, the company is Gameco Pty Ltd. The CEO of the company is sponsoring Will to go to the Ypres event to forge a panel for the cenotaph sculpture.
- The title of his Ypres panel design is “Human Tangle” and it has a few abstract human forms with elongated arms and legs entangled with each other. Expressing the progression and regression of determining what is right from wrong, determining their own fate.
- The human forms will be riveted to the frame and where they cross each other he will pin (a very small rivet) them together.
- Will really enjoyed the process of coming up with a bunch of designs for the Ypres panel and he may pursue them in future pieces.
Guest Links
Thank you to Ypres 2016 International Blacksmithing Event, www.ypres2016.com
