My Story
The Beginning
My blacksmith journey began in 1999 as an apprentice at Ferro Design in the Algarve, Portugal, under the guidance of Master Blacksmiths Adam Varley and Beau McClellan.
As an apprentice, I was fortunate to work with exceptional blacksmiths who produced various objects of art, including private and public sculptures, over a period of 5 years, thus completing the first phase of my apprenticeship.
"Journemente"
"Journemente" is the traditional 7 year journey to becoming a Master Blacksmith. Undertaken after the period of apprenticeship, Journamente is the path all blacksmiths undertake in order to work with the greatest possible number of Masters around the world, with the aim of expanding knowledge and experiences. Only after this journey can blacksmiths be accredited as a Master Blacksmith.
Traditional Techniques
And so in 2004 I embarked on my Journemente in Germany, with it's central European location allowing me to visit and work with Master Blacksmiths in surrounding countries.
Starting with small pieces and learning how to shape and transform the hot metal, I quickly learned and developed the traditional techniques of forging over the anvil, a intuitive process that demands many years of practice to become comfortable working in intense circumstances to produce a variety of items including lamps, stools, tables and decorative pieces.
These traditional techniques were previously passed down through generations, but have slowly started to disappear due to industrialization and development of new technologies. It is therefore very important for me to safeguard this art and knowledge of an endangered trade with the aim of keeping the spirit of this skilled craft alive for future generations.
​
​
