When did you decide to pick up this craft?
As with most things working in bronze happened by accident. Unable to buy what was needed for old boats, I started making hardware and fittings in bronze. Over the years the skills accumulated were transferred to the work I do today.
What is special about the material you work with?
It doesn’t matter how long I work with bronze; I still get excited when a batch of castings arrive, or when some bits of dull sheet metal spring to life. It is very tactile, and it’s great to work with a material which will last for decades if not centuries.
©Eric Orme
How does the collaborative process work?
I’m an engineer at heart, and engineers tend to worry about the insides of objects; the way things work, how they are made. Architects and designers tend to worry about the outside – together we create solutions neither of us could achieve independently.
What does "well made" mean to you?
For everyday items, I feel strongly that they should be designed for repair or upgrade. In my view, items which cannot be repaired are not well made, and are an irresponsible use of resources. I hope we have not permanently lost the skills needed for repair.