Event Details

An introductory event to herald the arrival of Forging Matters on the Somerley Estate near Ringwood on the Hampshire / Dorset border. The event will be held over two days on the 27th and 28th of May from 10:00 to 17:00 daily with an emphasis on professional clients on the Friday and private clients on the Saturday. During this opening event there will be an open workshop, an exhibition of previous work, examples of current work, refreshments and a range of talks on the history and role of metalwork combined with live demonstrations. There will of course be plenty of time to ask questions and discuss any projects you have in mind or would like advice on.

Directons
Forging Matters is based near Ringwood on the Hampshire / Dorset border and undertakes work throughout the South of England.
Please do not trust your Satnav to find us as the postcode covers a large area. Best access is from the Ringwood to Alderholt road. Coming from the south take the Verwood exit from the A31 (between the Ringwood and Bournemouth exits), fork right to Alderholt after 0.8 of a mile, follow this road for 2.7 miles and turn right down a gravel track in the sharp left hand bend. The forge is 0.2 of a mile down the track. From the A338 and Salisbury do a right to Alderholt at Fordingbridge, then a left towards Ringwood in Alderholt to join the same road from the opposite direction.

Talks for Friday the 27th:

11:00 A brief history of metalwork, from the bronze age to the present, culminating in current best practice and a look at what lies ahead. 13:00 Traditional metalwork: replication, restoration and conservation considerations, options and techniques. 15:00 The impact and potential of design-led sculptural metalwork in transforming and regenerating public spaces; looking at community participation, percent for art and public art.

Talks for Saturday the 28th:

11:00 A brief history of metalwork, from the bronze age to the present, culminating in current best practice and a look at what lies ahead. 13:00 Metalwork around the home: the potential for well designed and made work to make a big contribution to your property and your enjoyment of life. 15:00 Design-led metalwork: exploring the plasticity of the material from a sculptural blacksmith's perspective.

Opening Event & Open Workshop

www.forgingmatters.co.uk
Email: mail@forgingmatters.co.uk Phone: 01425 480827, 07765 545965 Address: Forging Matters Ltd, The Smithy, Lower Turmer, Somerley, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 3PW Registered in England No. 6916601

27th & 28th of May 2011

Design Philosophy
Over the years my design work has been influenced by other artist blacksmiths, painters, calligraphy, photographers, sculpture, elements from nature and architectural movements and styles.

Work

While these influences are always there the main thing driving my design work at the moment is a 'visual listening' to the factors influencing the work:

Design Brief: Put in place after consultation between the

client and ourselves and forms the starting point of the design process. Although competitive in straightforward work our real strength lies in catering for more demanding requirements. We don't offer a standard 'one size fits all' package but treat every commission on merit, providing a solution that fits the location, the customer's need and the available budget. We take your initial thoughts on your project and, taking account of the location, context and purpose of the work, advise you on possible options and their financial implications. This dialogue brings us to the point where we both know what we are aiming for and what budget is available to achieve this, which is what we need to do our final design proposals. We offer a free, no obligation initial consultation and design service to help you make the most of your available budget or advise on the most realistic approach and budget for your design.

Context: Taking any architectural features and styles, the

background, surroundings and history of the site into account.

People: Looking at the projects place within the use of the

site and the projects interaction with the client in the case of a private commission, or the users if it is in a public space or part of a regeneration project.

This design philosophy is applied to anything from a small, elegant garden gate to a large piece of public art, provides a very rewarding source of inspiration and produces work that is uniquely relevant to it's surroundings and the clients requirements.