Sketches

Just a small sample of sketches for future projects. 

Gloriouss!

So today I took advantage of the gloriousss weather and took some photos that are actually pretty swish! Here is just a small hand full of my most recent project. 

I just had a portfolio tutorial with Del. I could cry with the amount of Photoshop work that I need to do.... Anyone know how to use it for starters?! WAAA! 

Going up up up in the world?

Just created myself a website with my own domain name! Wit woo! I feel all grown up! Just waiting for it to be registered! But here's the link! Check it out! Thank you kindly. 


http://fionahendersonartistblacksmith.co.uk/

Leek!

So earlier on this week I travelled up to Leek to do a forging demo in the towns center. (What a lovely place) with my two good friends who were last year's graduates Nick Wolstencroft and Chris Gosling. We attracted some interest which was lovely, and there was some talk of a small comission to make door latches. I realised that I need to start making small / more affordable things! So, roll on the technical stuff and the more tradtional stuff..... I HATE IT!

Today has been a day of hiccups!

Being stopped by police was only the start of it! I was ready to call it a day by 9am! ANYWAYS....

Today I got my photographs back from a professional photographer. I was not inpressed with the final outcome, so that was 45 quid down the drain. Fortunately, my tutor kate has come to the rescue and has sent me aload of photographs from her own wee photographic collection. A think a photography hobby for her is in order!

Here are some of the professional ones anyway..

Leek show and catching up with her bezzys!

So today, Im off on an adventure to the Peak District so see my brother Nick! I love how I only live an hour away from him! On the way Im picking up Mr Chris Gosling, (a blacksmith from last year) http://www.chrisgoslingartistblacksmith.co.uk/ and also having a tour of his wee forge that he has successfully set up in Stone. We are taking part in a  2 day demonstration in leek making swage blocks! The next two days I will be pumping some serious iron! BOOM. 


Down side.... Im missing out on New Designer stuff! So I will be ragging down the motorway on Wednesday morning for my postcards to be ready for the printers for that afternoon! 

Article in the Hereford Times!

Blacksmiths from Herefordshire College of Technology are taking part in a worldwide project to honour the victims of the unimaginable violence in Oslo in July 2011. Founded by Artist Blacksmiths, Tone Mørk Karlsrud and Tobbe Malm, the project came to the College after one of the course’s Norwegian students, Sigbjoern Lundesgaard did his work experience with Tone during his holidays.The project launched an international appeal to blacksmiths to show their support and compassion to victims of the tragedy and people of Norway by making roses made from iron. In the days that followed the July atrocity, the streets of Oslo were covered with roses as people mourned the loss of life. Some 150,000 people carried roses when they took part in a march in Oslo three days after the killings to show their solidarity with those who died.Sigbjoern commented, “There is quite a strong community amongst blacksmiths around the world and when I mentioned it to our tutor he thought it was a great idea to be involved. The roses were interesting to make and we know that some of the victim’s families have been making them as well. The idea behind the project is for people to reflect on the feelings of solidarity after the tragedy and I think that is really important.”Course Tutor, Chris Blythman commented, “Tone is an ex-student of ours and when we heard she was creating this sculpture we were eager to contribute, especially as we have such an international cohort of students many of whom are the same age of those who died. The thirty-one roses the group have made are beautiful; each one unique and very much reflecting its maker. Each series of petals was profile-cut, shaped to fit a forged stem then finished with a gas torch. A big thanks to Hereford-based company, Elmbridge who did our profile-cutting for the project.”Now completed, the thirty-one roses will become part of some 500 roses that will be used to create the permanent memorial to those who died. In recent press, Tone commented, “The monument will consist of a globe which symbolises the global support that people around the world gave to Norway and it will also show the sculpture has been made with help and love from blacksmiths all over the world."

2 weeks left you say?

Another sneeky peeky of current work. 

Todays fail! Getting coloured glass too hot!

Eventhough it was the same temperature of all the other successful slumps! Ahh well... Its a learning curve! And the blobs are lush!

Another image that strongly influences my current work! What a beaut! 

Real or fake?!

I recently found this rare and beautiful picture of Titanic's Bow (apparently). Whether its real I could not tell you.... But the designs from this picture have flooded my sketchbook! Im sad that I only have 2 weeks left of forge time! :( 

3 weeks to go.... Heres a sneeky peeky! 

Studio / Forge / Office.... all in a barn! Starting off red neck style! 

Norway Memorial

Last weekend, a group of us came into college to produce roses for the memorial of the Oslo bombings and the Utoya shootings of 2011. 

Final piece, second year

A bowl I produced for my 2nd year final piece. I want to produce more of these with glass slumped over the top.