Extra Texture

A forge-in at Andrew Findlay’s Eastnor Forge, 2003

Andrew Findlay had always been fascinated by the infinite variety of textures one can impart to the surface of a piece of hot iron or steel. He remembered reading, in an article by Alan Dawson, a very evocative phrase by Simon Benneton, recalling his childhood feelings of imagining abstract animals and flowers beneath the surface of the
metal, waiting for the transforming fire to bring them out.

The logical conclusion was to hold a forge-in / experimental workshop with the theme of texture. After a shaky start due to the foot and mouth epidemic (remember that?), we had a fantastic turnout over the weekend.

On Saturday morning, participants were supplied with a piece of 100 x 170 x 8mm plate and asked to texture it in any way they wanted, with all my workshop equipment at their disposal.

As can be seen from the images, there were some beautiful and unexpected results. The atmosphere was fantastic. About 180 attended over the weekend, including a busload from Myerscough College and a contingent of Hereford students. Imaginations ran wild as the plates were impressed and textured with all manner of items from the scrap pile and beyond. Some were beautifully chased and raised with chisels, hammers and punches, others were formed into abstract shapes or burnt in the fire.

Although the event was conceived purely as a texture workshop, Andrew did wonder what was to become of all the pieces afterwards. On reading a frightening and gory article on eye injury in an issue of Artist Blacksmith, and
with the pieces being so tactile, he mentioned the event to The Royal National College for The Blind in Hereford, (RNC) and offered to assemble the pieces into a 'forged metal texture library’ for them, as a gift. The College
was thrilled and the participants at the forge-in were happy to donate their creations.

The screen was delivered to the RNC in November 2003. They were absolutely delighted with the gift and it had pride of place in the entrance hall of the College, giving great pleasure to students and visitors alike.