About Katie Wright
I am a female Artist Blacksmith with an excitement for craft and the handmade. My initial interest in metalwork pointed me to jewellery making but I wanted to work on a bigger, more muscular scale so I chose blacksmithing. I have a goal to keep blacksmithing in the public eye, and to change people’s perceptions of the craft, the way it looks and its’ application.
Fluidity and femininity are key in the design process, combining flowing lines with art nouveau shapes alongside traditional scroll work and unique, unusual twists. It is these design elements that feature in my pieces. Commissions are a huge part of my work, combining my customers’ ideas and designs into creating a one-off unique item. Whether big or small, these pieces are made exclusively and especially for you.
Blacksmithing has always been perceived as a male occupation – female blacksmiths make up only 12% of the British Artist Blacksmiths Association. I want people to get excited over this art form and embrace the sustainability of the products. Using traditional forging techniques combined with feminine design, I change the face of everyday objects for the home and garden, keeping the practicality, but making the functionality beautiful. I hope my passion for blacksmithing will help to keep the skills of the craft alive and the public conscious of new applications and what is possible. Since graduating from Hereford College of Arts in 2012, my work has been seen in many exhibitions throughout the country and in galleries as far away as San Francisco.