People / Interviews
Working with fire
Iron, tin, steel – they’re not materials people often associate with elegance, beauty or artistic flair. For most, metal is industrial, mechanical and simply serves a purpose, but to artist and blacksmith Sam Bailey it is the very thing that inspires his creativity the most.
It’s likely that you’ve come across his work somewhere in the Bristol area, whether it be a set of beautifully adorned railings at the docks or a striking sculpture hanging from the wall of your local pub. Not a fan of flashy advertising, he prefers to let his clients find him through word of mouth, and his unique talents mean that the requests continue to flood in – most recently from the owners of Michelin-starred restaurant Casamia.
is needed now More than ever
“Metal’s a fantastic material to work with, you can do so many things with it,” says Sam, leaning against the quietly-crackling forge in his Easton-in-Gordano workshop. “From an early age I was always quite interested in and fascinated by how metals – what a lot of people see as cold, hard material – can be turned into fluid, organic shapes.”
Now an expert in blacksmithing and metalwork with nearly two decades of experience to his name, Sam’s passion for his craft stemmed from artistic beginnings.
“I come from a very arty background and I always knew that was what I was into so I did my Art Foundation Diploma at UWE when I finished school. I then moved away to Brighton to study 3D Design and when that was done I was determined to start up my own business back home straight away.”
As his work became more well-known over the years, Sam began to receive commissions for schools, businesses and even celebrities who wanted a piece of his unique – and often very practical – art.
“One of the projects I’m most proud of is probably a huge set of gates I made for a property up on Cadbury Camp. I was approached by Carol Vorderman to make them and I pretty much had free creative reign, so I ended up with this very intricate design with lots of flowers and detail. It took me a few months to complete.”
It’s hard to believe that the large, heavily-detailed work that Sam is known for is all created in his humble workshop, which is home to a small forge, power hammer, anvil and not much else.
“Running everything yourself can get complicated, but I wouldn’t want it any other way,” says Sam. “It’s so nice to be able to work with your hands, meet your clients face-to-face and make something especially for them – no two days are the same.”
For more information, visit www.theartistblacksmith.co.uk.