“The Great British Bench Off”

British born, Canadian based Artist Blacksmith Jake James has just started working with our students on an exciting week long collaborative commission. The project, which enriches the student’s normal curriculum, sees Jake working with the students to design and make a sculptural seating feature for our lovely landscaped area at the College Road Campus, whilst at the same time exposing students to the rigours of professional practice: team working, large scale forging and working to tight deadlines.

Jake, renowned both for his architectural iron work as well as his public art commissions, flew in over the weekend, bringing with him an outline sketch for the bench. Monday’s early risers in Holme Lacy were awoken by a flurry of activity at The Rural Craft Centre as the entire course rocked up to be enthused by Jake’s lectures, one on his own career and the other on Contemporary Smithing. Then, with confidence in his new charges, Jake invited the students to modify his design and explore their own visions for embellishing it. Realising their ideas with whatever came to hand, chalk drawing on the workshop floor, manipulating Plasticine by hand or very gently on the anvil with hammer or bar to mimic forged metal, ideas soon began to flow. And then coke was lit in hot anticipation! Watch this space for how the project evolves.

Del