Artist's Statement ~ Adam Booth
Adam Booth started Pipers Forge in 1987 and quickly began to make a name for himself, exhibiting at the Glasgow Garden Festival and winning the Rachel Reckitt Sculpture Award in 1989 before going on to represent the UK at the EU Exhibition of Craft in Avignon, France.
Recently Adam was made a fellow of the worshipful company of blacksmiths FWCB His work is now in great demand with commissions all over the world.
There is a strong theatrical element to Adam’s gates. They create an excitement, a sense of anticipation on approach and then opening with such ease, like a curtain lifting to reveal a stage set, they break apart inviting you to enter.
Adam says that gates can “welcome people rather than act as barriers. Gates should be tactile and enjoyable. They should foster a feeling of excitement as you stand on the threshold”. “To open and close is the fundamental function of a gate, but they must do so perfectly and interestingly”. “Ironwork is like jewellery. Gates in front of a house give you a feeling about the person who commissioned the work, rather like a person wearing contemporary jewellery, it is a way of expressing individuality”.
Adam likes to design work with no obvious structure, putting movement into a solid and immovable material. Thus capturing a moment in time.
With his work as a Blacksmith he is constantly trying to create work that is both well made and innovative. The detailing of the work and surface textures are just as important to him as the overall composition. Adam uses both traditional and modern techniques focusing mainly on mild steel as his material, although he is equally adept working in nonferrous and stainless metals. Watching Adam work it is obvious that the plasticity of hot iron is central to his thought process with shapes appearing effortlessly in front of your eyes.
He wants the user of his work to enjoy the experience, the rail on a balustrade has to flow comfortably through the hand, a gate needs to glide open and shut with a minimum of effort. A bench should allow the user to relax rather than perch.
Adam Booth,
Pipers Forge,
4 Victoria Street,
Kirkpatrick Durham,
Castle Douglas,
DG7 3HQ
Tel 01556650513
Adam Booth started Pipers Forge in 1987 and quickly began to make a name for himself, exhibiting at the Glasgow Garden Festival and winning the Rachel Reckitt Sculpture Award in 1989 before going on to represent the UK at the EU Exhibition of Craft in Avignon, France.
Recently Adam was made a fellow of the worshipful company of blacksmiths FWCB His work is now in great demand with commissions all over the world.
There is a strong theatrical element to Adam’s gates. They create an excitement, a sense of anticipation on approach and then opening with such ease, like a curtain lifting to reveal a stage set, they break apart inviting you to enter.
Adam says that gates can “welcome people rather than act as barriers. Gates should be tactile and enjoyable. They should foster a feeling of excitement as you stand on the threshold”. “To open and close is the fundamental function of a gate, but they must do so perfectly and interestingly”. “Ironwork is like jewellery. Gates in front of a house give you a feeling about the person who commissioned the work, rather like a person wearing contemporary jewellery, it is a way of expressing individuality”.
Adam likes to design work with no obvious structure, putting movement into a solid and immovable material. Thus capturing a moment in time.
With his work as a Blacksmith he is constantly trying to create work that is both well made and innovative. The detailing of the work and surface textures are just as important to him as the overall composition. Adam uses both traditional and modern techniques focusing mainly on mild steel as his material, although he is equally adept working in nonferrous and stainless metals. Watching Adam work it is obvious that the plasticity of hot iron is central to his thought process with shapes appearing effortlessly in front of your eyes.
He wants the user of his work to enjoy the experience, the rail on a balustrade has to flow comfortably through the hand, a gate needs to glide open and shut with a minimum of effort. A bench should allow the user to relax rather than perch.
Adam Booth,
Pipers Forge,
4 Victoria Street,
Kirkpatrick Durham,
Castle Douglas,
DG7 3HQ
Tel 01556650513
