Sunday 2 March 2014

Heavy Metal

A new semester, a new module and a new obsession with angle iron the bigger it is the better. So after the somewhat hurried last module because of my indecisive nature I have decided that this module should run smoothly and without mishap. So back to sculpture and much larger pieces of work. I hope to be able to carry on the path of understanding the difference between hand size objects and body sized objects. It is also my last semester, my last making module and the last time my work will be critiqued in an educational scenario potentially.






So I would like this to be the best module, semester and end of year show that it can possibly be. I am already finding that there is one thing that I do not lack and that his ambition. I took a trip to Dyfed steel stockholders the other day to have a look at their angle iron supplies and what a lot of angle iron they have. The stock that I had gone to see in particular was 200x200x20mm and at a grand total of about £800 for 12m I want to make sure what it will become will work before I order it. If I go ahead with this project I cannot afford to make any mistakes as material costs mean that everything must be in place before working on it. There are also a lot of questions that need answering before undertaking these projects one being how to deal with the weight of such large stock; it weighs about 90 kg per metre.





I hope to make some really structural and architectural pieces that demonstrate both my ability as a designer and maker. I hope the pieces I make appeal to a wide range of people both attracting interest from artists and architects alike. These pieces should demonstrate a wide range of ideas starting with how we use forged metal, the benefits and abilities of using steel and most of all they should highlight how we use forging in the 21st-century. The goal is to create one large sculpture that uses forged and fabricated techniques together to create an object of great strength and beauty. I also hope to make a slightly smaller piece that is both functional and has an element of sculpture whilst embodying everything I have stated a bout. This second piece will be a set of railings to hopefully replace one that is in the new Queens building at the College Road campus Hereford College of arts.