Hot Iron Muster 2004

Blacksmithing in Australia received another international boost in September when British-born and trained smith Doug Newell travelled from his new home of Canada to lead Hot Iron Muster 2004.

Established in 2000 as a skills development and networking opportunity, the annual 6 –day Muster draws blacksmithing enthusiasts from near and far to Alan Ball’s smithy in Logan Village just outside Brisbane (the capital city of Queensland). “Although there are very talented smiths in Australia, few opportunities exist to see them at work” Alan explains. “Hot Iron Muster is the only event of its kind here, providing access to a top-level international smith who enjoys sharing expertise and different experiences gained in other countries. We have people attend from all over Australia, as it really is an occasion not to be missed by anyone interested in forged ironwork.”

An eager audience filled up the 50 seats available at the Sunday Demonstration Day, the traditional introduction to the week of Muster activities. This year’s guest instructor Doug Newell travels widely throughout the UK, Canada and the USA to complete ironwork commissions and teaching assignments. With his visit following straight after the ABANA (Artist-Blacksmiths Association of North America) Conference in Kentucky USA and the Calgary Stampede in Canada where he judges at the World Championship Blacksmiths Competition, Doug was able to present an up-to-the-minute picture of the state of blacksmithing overseas.

A four-time winner himself at the World Championship before turning to judging, Doug explained the secret of his success. “Being focused and having good designs is important. One year the competition required a scroll panel as the test piece. I started out making it in 35 minutes and had to get it down to 30 minutes for the competition. By working out the sequences and practicing, I had it made easily in the time allowed.” He showed how he initially prepares his designs in modelling clay, shaping a leaf in various ways to work out the steps that would be required to forge the steel version. He duly repeated that at the forge, making instant converts amongst the spectators to this simple but efficient process.

This set the theme for the day, with Doug outlining many ‘tricks of the trade’ that he uses in his work. A firm believer in asking ‘what if ..’, he showed while making a simple wall hook and then a coat rack how small changes in shape and placement of elements can give a design a totally different look. Having developed particular tooling that can be used with either hand hammer or power hammer, he used these to forge a variety of decorative elements. Doug finished off the day by demonstrating his own style of forge welding, an essential timesaving skill that can be used in many projects. As well as keeping up a running commentary on his own work, Doug fielded questions on aspects of ironwork around the world, giving the enthralled audience a greater appreciation of the opportunities to be found through the practice of this illustrious craft.

Continuing on from the Demonstration Day, the hands-on training this year was focused on design as an integral element of creative forging. “A lot of blacksmiths I know do not have a clear approach to design, unless it is looking through books for ideas, and I feel it is so important that everyone should be able to approach design and making with the same ease” Doug says. “My aim is to pass on some design skills and shortcuts to create a foundation for people to be able to generate their own ideas”. Accordingly, the drawing board was the first tool employed on Monday morning.

Doug had prepared numbered lists of possible project items, styles, forging techniques and materials. Without knowing what they related to, each participant chose numbers from the lists to determine what their project would be. One person might then work on a doorknocker in an Art Deco style incorporating drifting, chiselling and twisting with mortise and tenon joinery, while another might use drifting, upsetting and scrolling techniques with rivet joinery to make a Traditional style candleholder. A group brainstorming session ensued, with Doug’s design sketchbook and sample pieces aiding inspiration for the new designs.

With the individual projects settled, the next step was to experiment with the design in modelling clay. Doug makes regular use of this very forgiving medium, which allows easy modifications and additions to be made as ideas flow. A group discussion of the resulting clay prototypes aided a further crystallisation of ideas. The end of the day saw a wide array of specimens laid out ready to be translated in metal.

To demonstrate some of the forging procedures that would be employed in the projects, Doug made a decorative letter opener. The group then forged a similar piece to reinforce the techniques and settle in to their tasks. The clay samples then came out to the forges to guide the shaping of the individual projects. With a wide variety of items being hammered out, Doug was kept busy providing direction and encouragement. By the time the fires were extinguished, the forged versions of belt buckles, candlesticks, doorknockers, and bracelets joined their clay precedents on the display table.

Encouraged by their early successes, the class members graduated to more complex items throughout the week, each time stepping their way through the now familiar design process before turning to the forges. To add to the initial collection, a very industrious group turned out a remarkable display of clocks, vases, bowls, pendants, folding knives, wine racks, and even a unique clinging vine lampholder for a light-post. All participants declared that this different approach to design freed them to indulge their creative thoughts. They felt inspired to investigate more diverse projects without the initial constraint of inexperience, and were looking forward to building their technical knowledge along the way.

The week’s activities were not only centred around the forge and anvil. The tools were willingly surrendered on Wednesday night in favour of viewing some videos on loan from the ABANA Library. The support of ABANA in allowing the videos to make the trip to Australia is very much appreciated, as Aussie members are a little too remote to be able to comply with the regular borrowing period. Pizzas and cold beers were the accompaniment for “The Work of Manfred Bredohl”, an exhibition of the legacy of work left by this German master smith. This was followed by “Tom Joyce Demonstration & Lecture”, an interesting insight from the man himself into his own progression as an artist-blacksmith and his work that is now so well known across the USA. Having spent time with both these smiths in the past, Doug was able to add his own anecdotes to the commentary. He also had an intriguing video of a Czech blacksmith shop from the 1940’s where the equipment was driven by a water wheel. It was fascinating to see what could be achieved with old-fashioned inventiveness.

A Friday night sojourn to the local hotel for supper and slides marked the close of another successful Hot Iron Muster. Throughout his career Doug has built up a diverse collection of work from public art to architectural installations and many and varied private commissions. The photographic slides and colourful commentary of his work and travels made for a relaxing evening to also review the week’s achievements and farewell a new friend made through the far-reaching network of blacksmithing devotees.

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