Reclaimed Metal Art Workshops at My Sussex Forge

Step into my forge and create your own unique piece of metal art.

No previous experience is needed. Workshops are open to all abilities, aged 18 and over.

Throughout the winter and early spring, I run practical metal art workshops from my forge near Henfield in Sussex for people who want to learn some metalworking techniques and try making their own metal sculpture.

You do not need any previous metalworking experience. I will introduce you to the equipment and some of the processes I use in my own work, including forging, plasma cutting and welding. I’ll then help you make a piece of sculptural metal art of your own, using materials from my stock of reclaimed metal.

This is a hands-on workshop. The emphasis is on trying the different techniques for yourself rather than watching demonstrations. You will make an artwork of your own to take home with you.

There are a maximum of two people per workshop, so you will get plenty of individual attention and hands-on support.

Book or enquire about a workshop

Half Day

4 hours

£150 per person

Maximum two participants

Full Day

Experience

No previous experience required

Suitable for complete beginners.

Minimum age: 18

Location

Make Something of Your Own

The workshop is centred on making. You will work with reclaimed metal, try different processes and leave with a small sculpture you have helped create yourself.

Scrap Metal Art Workshops

Half-Day Metal Sculpture Workshop

We start with a brief introduction to the forge, the equipment and safety considerations before looking at the main processes we will use. This includes forging, plasma cutting and MIG, TIG and Stick/Arc welding.

After this, we go straight into making your metal sculpture.

I will help you work through the shape, construction and materials, and guide you through the techniques needed to turn the idea into a finished piece. Together we will create a small piece of sculptural metal art that is yours to keep and take home.

You do not need previous experience of welding or working with a forge. I will show you the techniques as we go.

Duration: 4 hours

Price: £150 per person

Participants: Maximum two

Full-Day Metal Sculpture Workshop

If you want to spend more time in the forge, choose a full-day metal sculpture workshop.

A full day gives us longer to work through an idea and spend more time on the making process. The exact project will depend on what you would like to create, the materials involved and what can realistically be achieved during the session.

If you have something particular in mind, get in touch before booking and we can discuss whether it is suitable for the time available.

Duration: 8 hours

Price: £280 per person

Participants: Maximum two

1-to-1 Metal Art Masterclass

If you have a particular piece you would like to make, or simply want the forge to yourself, I also offer one-to-one metal art workshops.

We can spend one or two days working on a more ambitious piece, using items from my stock of materials, with the project planned around what you would like to create.

I will work alongside you throughout, helping you develop the idea, choose the right materials and work out how to construct it, while teaching you the metalworking techniques you need along the way.

The exact project is up to you, although we need to make sure it is achievable within the time available. Get in touch with your idea before booking and we can decide whether one or two days would be most suitable.

Duration: 1 or 2 days

Price: Please enquire

Workshop Gift Vouchers

Workshop vouchers are available if you would like to give someone the experience of making their own piece of metal art at the forge.

Ask about workshop vouchers

What to Expect at My Metal Art Workshops

You will learn some basic metalworking techniques, but the emphasis of the workshops is on exploring the creative process behind making a piece of metal art.

We will look at how ideas can develop from the materials themselves, and how we can create something unexpected from ordinary, functional pieces of scrap metal.

In my own work, I often use old tools, chains, gears, mechanical parts and other objects originally made for a practical purpose, turning them into animals and other organic, natural forms.

What Will I Make?

The project needs to be realistic for the time available, but you will make an actual piece of metal sculpture rather than simply learn metalworking techniques.

I will help with the parts that need experience while giving you as much involvement in the making as is practical.

In the shorter workshops, we usually make something like an octopus using cutlery. If you have something else in mind that can realistically be made in the time available, we can explore that idea instead.

You can rummage around my stores of reclaimed metal and experiment with shapes and combinations to create your own simple metal artwork.

For a half-day workshop, that normally means a small-scale piece such as a sea creature made from cutlery.

Do I Need Any Previous Experience?

No. The workshops are suitable for complete beginners, and I do not expect you to have any previous experience. I will explain the equipment before we use it and guide you through each stage of the work.

If you do have some metalworking skills, speak to me before booking so I can adapt what we do to your skill level.

People learn at different speeds, and some people take naturally to one technique more than another, so I stay flexible and adapt what you make to the techniques you want to explore.

Whichever direction we take, you will take home your own piece of metal art at the end of the workshop.

Working in the Forge

This is a working artist’s forge, not a classroom. It is where I make my own sculpture, so you will be working around the same kinds of tools, machinery and materials that form part of my everyday practice.

This is an important part of the experience. You can look around the workshop, see artworks in progress and talk about the creative process while we work.

When Do the Metal Art Workshops Run?

I run metal art workshops during the winter and early spring, when the weather is cooler because the workshop can get warm.

Masterclass workshops can be arranged throughout the year, depending on my studio and commission schedule.

If you are interested in a particular date, would like to discuss a project before booking, or are unsure which workshop format is most suitable, please get in touch.

Practical Information

 

Details to be confirmed.

 

 

Please contact me before booking if you have any accessibility or physical requirements so that we can discuss the workshop and forge setup.

 

 

Booking, cancellation and rescheduling terms will be provided before your workshop is confirmed.

 

 

About Alan Williams

I am a British metal sculpture artist who works with reclaimed mechanical and industrial materials and metal objects originally designed for practical purposes.

I transform these into sculptures of living forms, particularly wildlife, sea life and mythological creatures. My pieces range from smaller individual artworks to large public and commissioned sculptures.

The workshops are an opportunity to come into the forge, work directly with the same kinds of materials and experience some of the processes used in my own sculpture.

 

 

Metal Art Workshop FAQs

 

 

The half-day sculpture workshop costs £150 per person and lasts four hours. Full-day sculpture workshops are £280 per person for eight hours. Personalised one-to-one Masterclass prices depend on the time and project involved.

 

 

No. Previous experience is not required. I will introduce you to the equipment and guide you through the relevant techniques during the workshop.

 

Depending on the sculpture and the session, the workshop can include forging, plasma cutting and MIG, TIG and Stick/Arc welding, along with the practical processes involved in constructing and finishing the piece.

 

You will create a small piece of sculptural metal art to keep and take home. The exact subject and construction will depend on your idea, experience and what can realistically be completed within the session.

 

The workshops are for adults aged 18 and over.

 

The workshops take place at my forge near Henfield in Sussex.

 

 

 

Book or Enquire About a Workshop

If you would like to spend some time in the forge and make a piece of metal sculpture of your own, get in touch to discuss dates and availability.

If you already have an idea for a sculpture, tell me what you have in mind and I can advise which workshop format will be most suitable.

Book or enquire about a workshop
© Alan Williams Metal Sculpture Artist