The Sharpsichord This ten-foot tall, two-and-a-half ton monster, fabricated out of solid stainless steel, is a mechanical musical instrument called the Sharpsichord. It is the creation of Henry Dagg, musician, artist, engineer, and… Continue reading
In my previous post I described the process by which we smelted iron and steel from natural ores at Bushfire Forge. Our next challenge was to see whether we could forge useable knives… Continue reading
Last week, in the company of four other participants, I attended a very special workshop at Bushfire Forge, run by master bladesmith Owen Bush. Owen researches and practices historical techniques of bladesmithing, creating… Continue reading
On Tuesday 8th July we installed my Iron Genie harmonograph at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford. This interactive kinetic sculpture will be in the museum’s “Top Gallery” until the 21st.… Continue reading
It is the season of degree shows, and Central Saint Martin’s Show One, featuring students graduating from the Fine Art courses, is currently open to the public until the 27th May. Having graduated… Continue reading
One of the most magical things about metals in general is their ability to transmit a wide range of colours under different conditions. The most brilliant and enduring pigments of the pre-industrial painters’… Continue reading
Known by many students and alumni from Central Saint Martin’s college of Art & Design, David Stewart is an inspirational senior technician, artist and teacher of large-scale metalwork. His current exhibition Melancholia at… Continue reading
For a long time I have been intrigued by the exquisite marbled patterning on the blades of antique swords and daggers, and wondered how this was achieved. Surfing online to see what I… Continue reading
Paul Dewis is a master printmaker, and technician at the Byam Shaw Print Centre, part of Central Saint Martin’s college of Art & Design. He has taught me how to etch, and how… Continue reading
The beauty of a large structure is enhanced by attention to detail, and in the case of this harmonograph, the details are rendered in solid brass. Brass details invoke the wonderful scientific and… Continue reading
The first stage of making the steel harmonograph was to cut out and prepare all the structural components. In a sense, the process is a bit like tailoring – you measure and cut… Continue reading
The prototype harmonograph worked well, but I wanted to create something more elegant and original that would paradoxically evoke the sensibilities of the industrial nineteenth century at the same time as expressing the… Continue reading
Central Saint Martin’s college of art, part of the University of the Arts, London, is opening its doors to the public for the degree shows. This year the shows are divided into two… Continue reading
