Turpentine Construction 2

Will Maguire

I initially trained as an industrial blacksmith before travelling extensively as a journeyman learning from master smiths from Japan, to England, to Russia. With over a decade of independent practice and further study, I have tried to incorporate the love of this ancient craft with the tremendous potential and tensions of making sculpture.

I currently work from an old Dairy in the Hunter Valley, on the traditional lands of the Wonnarua peoples. In 2020 I completed a degree in Philosophy and this has brought new depths of complexity into the act of working in the ancient craft of blacksmithing.

I continue to enjoy working making practical and the sculptural items. Yet, it is often sculpture which I feel invigorated by the critical and interrogative thinking that can be overlayed onto the making process.

Commissions and Exhibitions

Completed over 10 significant public art commissions and collaborations in NSW, ACT, VIC and internationally, including as an invited master smith and designer for a 12-ton WW1 peace memorial in Belgium.

Exhibited nationally in NSW, ACT, QLD and VIC across commercial, outdoor and regional galleries and internationally in England, USA, Germany, France and Belgium. Including several times at Sculpture on the farm.

Work featured in a dedicated chapter in the Metal design international 2022 a hardcover book published in German and English, published by Hephaistos Germany.

Collections

Works collected by University of Newcastle, Maitland City Council, City of Maribyrnong, City of Wagga Wagga, Singleton Shire Council, Cessnock city council, Municipality of Langemark-Poelkapelle (Belgium), numerous private collections in Australia and; England, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, USA and Japan.

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.