Ph: 0423 289 648        Web: WWW.WILLBLACKSMITH.COM.AU

Will Maguire is a sculptor based in the Hunter Valley NSW. He initially trained as an industrial blacksmith before travelling and working overseas for many blacksmiths and sculptors throughout Europe, Russia, Japan, Canada and the USA. Since then he has studied botanical drawing and continues to study Philosophy as part of a BA at the University of Newcastle.

Maguire has completed artist residencies at the ANU sculpture studio 2019, the Penland school of crafts (USA) 2018. He was an invited master smith for the international collaboration to create a 12- ton WW1 Peace memorial in Ypres Belgium in 2016; he exhibited at the Woollahra small sculpture prize in 2018; Sculpture by the Sea Bondi in 2014; completed public art commissions throughout NSW and ACT; and exhibited in USA, UK and throughout Australia. His work is held in collections of the University of Newcastle, City of Wagga Wagga, Singleton Shire Council and private collections throughout the world.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 2019    Artist residency, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
  Team leader for Jake James sculpture collaboration, Waterside festival, Melbourne, Australia Artist residency, Penland Schools of Crafts, North Carolina, USA
• 2018    Artist residency, Stonehurst wines, Pokolbin, NSW, Australia
• 2016    Ypres 2016 International Blacksmith event Ypres, Belgium
  Hefaiston international blacksmith conference, Helfstyn Castle, Czech Republic
• 2013 – ongoing            Editor for Artist Blacksmith Association of NSW periodical blacksmith magazine
• 2012    Residency, with David Thompson, Eugene, Oregon, USA
  Residency, with Keita Kurashima, Kawaguchi, Japan
• 2011-2012 Studied Natural History Illustration, University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2008    Journeyman, with Igor Andryukhin, St Petersburg, Russia
  Journeyman Blacksmith at Topp and Co. North Yorkshire, England.
  Ferraculum, international blacksmith event, Ybbsitz, Austria.
  International forging event, Arles Sur Tech, France
• 2007    Journeyman Blacksmith at Terrance Clark, Guildford, Surrey, England
  Journeyman Blacksmith at Fransham Forge, Norfolk England
  Journeyman Blacksmith at Steven Lunn, Northumberland, England
  World Forging Championships, Stia, Italy
  Contributor at international blacksmithing festival, Ivano Frankvisk, Ukraine
• 2006    Completed four-year trade, Blacksmith and Boilermaker, Forgemasters Aust., Kurri Kurri, NSW, Australia
• SOLO EXHIBITIONS
  2017    Journey of expectations, Traffic Jam Galleries, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• 2012    Blacksmith reflecting Japan, Manning Regional Gallery, Taree, NSW, Australia 2012 Iron with a J, Watt space gallery, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
• 2011    Perpetual, Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
• SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
  2019    Meta -Formations, Appalachian center for craft, Tennessee, USA.
• North Sydney Art Prize, The Coal Loader, North Sydney, NSW Australia. Discovery Fe26, The Glass house, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia.
• 2018    Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  Lake Light Sculpture, Jindabyne, NSW, Australia
  Wood, metal and moderm materials, Cessnock regional Art Gallery, NSW, Australia. Sculpture on the Farm, Dungog, NSW, Australia
  Sculptures in the Gardens, Mudgee, NSW, Australia
  Sculpture in the Vineyards, Wollombi, NSW, Australia (also 6 times since 2010)
• 2017    Black & White & works on Paper, Traffic Jam Galleries, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2015    Flow, contemporary blacksmithing and metal art, Roslyn Smorgan gallery, Footsgray VIC, Australia
• North Sydney art prize, The coal loader center for sustainability, Waverton NSW, Australia 2014 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney NSW, Australia
• Sculpture inside, Sculpture by the sea, Bondi, Sydney NSW, Australia
  Force, contemporary ironwork, Artist Blacksmith Ass. NSW, Manning Regional Gallery, Taree, NSW, Australia.
  Bloodlines, Traffic Jam Galleries, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• 2013    Sculpture 2013, Brenda May Gallery, Waterloo, Sydney, NSW, Australia Emerging 2013, Gosford regional Gallery, Gosford, NSW, Australia
• 2012    Art Collector’s Choice, University gallery, Newcastle, NSW, Australia Sculpture on the edge, Bermagui, NSW, Australia
• 2011    Mortimore Prize, travelling exhibition, Dubbo, NSW and ACT, Australia Willoughby sculpture prize, Willoughby, NSW, Australia
• 2009    Makers mark II, Hunter Arts Network, Lovett Gallery, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
• 2008    Playing with fire, British Artist Blacksmith association, Weald & Downland Open air museum, Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom
• AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
  2018    ANU artist residency award, Lake Light sculpture Jindabyne.
• Awarded seed funding from The University of Newcastle for Community blacksmith repair day.
• 2017    Bachelor of Arts Faculty Scholarship, University of Newcastle, Australia.
• 2016    Invited Master Blacksmith, representing Australia for Ypres 2016 International Blacksmith event, Ypres, Belgium.
• 2016    Travelling scholarship from Artist Blacksmith Association of NSW, Australia.
• 2015    First prize for outdoor sculpture, Hunter region Botanic Gardens sculpture prize, Heatherbrae, NSW, Australia (also in 2012)
• 2014    Winner of major award, Sculpture on the greens Wyong, NSW, Australia (also in 2013)
• Winner for sculpture, Dobell art festival, Rathmines, NSW, Australia.
  2013    Winner, main prize, figurative sculpture, Maitland Art Prize, Maitland, NSW, Australia.
• Winner Sculpture (functional) Hunters Hill art prize, Hunters Hill, NSW, Australia.
• 2012    Overall winner, Emerging Artist award, Wollombi Valley arts council, Wollombi NSW
• Acquisitive student prize, Art Collectors Choice, University Gallery, University of Newcastle NSW, Australia.
  First prize for sculpture, Newcastle Emerging Art prize, Newcastle NSW, Australia.
  Awarded Natural History Illustration Scholarship, Newcastle University NSW, Australia Demonstrator at biennial Artist Blacksmith Association NSW event Forging in July, Kew, NSW, Australia.
• People’s choice award and Highly commended, Maitland Art Prize, Maitland NSW, Australia.
• Figurative sculpture prize, Darling Park exhibition, The sculptors society, Sydney, Australia.
• 2011    First prize for figurative sculpture, Maitland Art Prize, Maitland NSW Australia
• Presidents award, The Sculptors Society, Darling park Exhibition, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• 2010    First prize overall, Artscrawl, Pokolbin, NSW, Australia
• First prize for sculpture, Scone Art prize, NSW, Australia (also in 2009)
• 2009    First prize overall, Artscrawl, Pokolbin, NSW, Australia
• Demonstrator at biennial Artist Blacksmith Association NSW event Forging in July, Wauchope, NSW
• 2006    Short listed for HRATA Apprentice of the Year 2006
• SIGNIFICANT COMMISSIONS
• 2019                Sculptural seat, Branch bench, for Singleton council’s arts building, collaboration with ABA NSW, Singleton, NSW, Australia,
• 2017                Sculptural public seating, North Wagga Pontoon, North Wagga, NSW, Australia.
• 2016                WW1 Peace Memorial collaborative project, invited master and panel designer, Ypres, Belgium.
• 2016                Sculptural bike rack, Playful pushies, collaboration with designer Grace Maguire, Kingston foreshore, Canberra, Australia.
• 2016                Tarcutta public art, Air Horn Arm pull, Tarcutta, NSW, Australia
• 2015                Steel workers Memorial, 5-ton public art commission for ex-BHP site, Newcastle NSW Australia.
• 2013                Joy Global Rutherford headquarters entrance sculpture, collaborative work with Jake James and the Artist Blacksmith Association of NSW.
• 2009 – current             Contemporary blacksmith, commissioned designer and maker of bespoke works for restaurants, businesses, government agencies, community groups and private clients.

COLLECTIONS
University of Newcastle, City of Wagga Wagga, Singleton Shire Council, numerous private collections in Australia, Belgium, England, Czech Republic, Italy, USA and Japan.