I was born in Scarborough, Ontario in 1984. When I was four my family moved to the small village of Marmora, east of Peterborough. After high school I attended the Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in the Art Fundamentals program.

While studying at the Sheridan, I discovered that my path lay in 3-dimensional art. After successfully completing the Art Fundamentals program, I decided to try something new and take a break from the fast-paced city life. I enrolled in the Artist Blacksmith program at the Haliburton School of the Arts. Here I trained under two well-known Canadian blacksmiths Sandra Dunn and Rene Petitjean. My classmates and I studied traditional and modern forging techniques, how to make blacksmithing tools, Technical shop drawing, the history and origins of blacksmithing and much more. I excelled with a newfound appreciation for the plasticity and beauty of metal and created a number of functional and decorative pieces of ironwork. Following the intensive Artist Blacksmith course I enrolled in the Figurative and Representational Sculpture program. It was the first of its kind in Canada and it too was offered at the Haliburton School of the Arts. The course focused heavily on anatomical studies and sculptural realism. The history of sculpture, life drawing, and mould making/casting and specialized techniques were also components. I enjoyed working with the new materials and techniques and am now working to harmonize this blacksmithing and sculpture experience.

I have since worked from my backyard shop in Marmora Ontario, creating a quantity of ironwork for new timber-frame homes and other residential settings. Recently I have been focusing on door hardware, lighting fixtures and custom tools.

Currently I am working at the Red Barns, artisan’s plaground in Picton Ontario, offering workshops, demonstrations, as well as commisioned ironwork.

Forging a strap hinge. For more videos, click here.

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About Blacksmithing

Blacksmithing is the art of forming Iron when it is hot and malleable by means of anvil and hammer.

The blacksmith also uses everyday tools you would find in a hardware store along with some speciality tools, many of which he or she can make in the shop. The most notable of the blacksmith’s tools are; the anvil, hammers, a forge to heat the iron, tongs to handle the hot metal, a slack tub or water bucket to quench the iron when needed and also a sturdy post or leg vise is quite essential for many jobs. Smiths often find themselves making custom tools for each unique job .

Traditionally a blacksmith would make welds in the forge; heating two pieces of iron until the surface becomes wet in appearance and then swiftly and accurately striking them together. Today many smiths still use this technique, however many have modern gas/electricwelders i.e.; arc, mig, and tig. Some welding can also be done with the oxy-acetylene oroxy-propane torch; another modern tool for the smith useful for a multitude of applications.

The art of blacksmithing and the basic processes and techniques haven’t changed much for thousands of years. Today, fine quality, hand forged ironwork is having a resurgence in popularity as more and more people are discovering this ancient trade and favouring it over an increasingly automated world.