As a second generation blacksmith having apprenticed under my father, Larry, I learned the most meaningful part of this craft is creating pieces that will last generations and will weave themselves into family stories and legacies. My fathers business, Eagle and Anvil forge, sharpened my blacksmith skills on complex railing projects, tooling and furniture.
With a love for skiing and full of ambition, the West Coast of Canada was where I manifested my future. I met my wife in 2010 and settled in Squamish, starting EG Ironworks. This business has grown into a Sea to Sky staple for commissioned, one of a kind metal railings, fireplace tools, screens and log holders, furniture, lighting, sculptures, and more.
The current 1800 sq. ft shop is EG Ironworks 3rd iteration of creative space around Squamish. Housing a wide range of tools that provide the ability to design and build large scale projects down to small detailed pieces. Once you have decided on a project, come for a shop tour and see it in the making.
Modern Blacksmithing is a process of taking raw metal bars or plates to create unique, durable fine finishings such as gates, sculptures, tools and much more. The metal is heated in a forge to a colour that indicates its at the proper temperature for optimum malleability. Here, the Artist Blacksmith knows that they can hammer, twist, punch and form the metal into the shape they want. With the use of power hammers, a variety of hand hammers, presses, anvils, chisels and punches, they are able to use their physical force to develop texture and unique details in the metal. Modern techniques such as plasma cutting, Arc welding, sandblasting and use of a hydraulic press are combined with the ancient techniques leading to the final design. Through this very physical and mindful process mixed with the finesse of fine tuning the shape the artist is able to create one of a kind pieces with the feel of flow, mood, lightness and texture allowing the metal to take on a character of its own.
