Steel yourself for blacksmith creations

Blacksmith Estabana Cocokabana. (Joe Mastroianni) 239875_16

Goya Dmytryshchak

This year’s Blacksmiths Festival at Footscray has been postponed to April but sculptures from the #150mmChallengeAUS will be on display for the next month.

The Waterside Blacksmithing and Metal Art Association of Footscray put out a call to metal artists and blacksmiths around the world to participate in the challenge, seeing what could be made from 150mm of 20mm mild steel square bar and 150mm of 12mm copper round bar.

The #150mm challenge originates from a blacksmithing student assignment set by lecturer Ambrose Burne at Hereford College of Arts in the UK, which became a viral social media sensation.

More than 25 sculptures will be exhibited in the Gabriel Gallery at Footscray Community Arts Centre from June 19 to July 18.

Blacksmithing ‘Give-it-a-Go’ workshops will be held on Saturday, June 19 between 10am and 4pm at Waterside Metal Arts Studio, 60 Maribyrnong Street, Footscray.

Details: blacksmithsfestival.com