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  Albert
and Logan News - 26 January 1996 |
| Master
with a Hammer |
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Logan Village: Success, it is said, comes from 1 percent
inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
Nothing could be closer to the truth for local
blacksmith Alan Ball who was recently awarded for his long
hours at the forge and anvil by winning his section in the
Dame Mary Durach Outback Craft Awards.
Alan's award-winning entry, Heads or Tails,
is a bootscraper with intricate horse heads on either side.
It edged out 12 other finalists for the $500 prize.
The award, presented by the Stockman's Hall of Fame
in Longreach, is now in its seventh year and is made annually
to honor Australian writer and historian Dame Mary Durack.
Alan said his entry was one of many in the category,
which was narrowed down to 12 finalists.
Heads or Tails is now on exhibit in the Queensland
Museum with other class wonners. The exhibits will be
on display until the end of January as part of an Australia
Day theme.
"To have my work on show in the museum
means a lot to me," Alan said.
A metal worker by trade, Alan turned to blacksmithing
seven years ago.
Once a dying art, smithing is gaining popularity
as hand-made metal products come back into fashion.
Working with metal is in Alan's blood.
A third generation ironsmith, he cannot remember a time when
he did not have one project or another "on the go".
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His sporting interests dominated his early work
and he built go-karts and land yachts which, by his own admission,
became "increasingly sophisticated" and culminated
in a very successful, purpose built racing car.
He also rebuilt and restored a number of cars.
Professionally, his career started in the 1960s
when he started working in heavy industry.
It was a mixed bag and Alan worked on anything
from building sites to container ships.
Living constantly with iron, he says, makes him
appreciate its versatility.
Combining traditional tools such as the hammer
and forge with a dash of creativity, Alan successfully brings
a sculptural element to otherwise mundane furniture pieces.
With his background in metalwork Alan is in demand
for restoration projects and enjoys fashioning new pieces to
match old-fashioned ironwork.
His expertise is widely acknowledged and he has
worked on private homes, hotels, restaurants and commercial
buildings.
Meanwhile, out Logan Village way, the hammer continues
to ring and the sparks still fly at the local smithy where Alan
Ball might just be turning out another masterpiece.
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