The Art of Steel Sculpture

Name: FBS Metalworks Ltd
Address: Unit 1, Elphinstone Industrial Park, Elphinstone Road, Tranent, EH33 2LG, UK
Telephone: 01875 616444

Turning steel into a flowing organic art work

Almost ready for the galvanising process

Steel Sculpture

Steel may not be the first material that would come to mind when you think of art. But when Craig Inglis won the commission for a Scottish public art work, he had a very clear image of the finished article.

The Art of Steel

For the beautiful seaside town of North Berwick in East Lothian, there were three very distinct elements which had to be brought together.

First there was the wonderful flora and fauna so much a feature in and around the town; then there was the wild of the sea; then there was the town's ages-long relationship to them both.

Before the art however, came the practicality. For the commission was for a large circular seat to surround a historic tree right in the centre of the busy holiday town.

The client for the public art work was North Berwick in Bloom supported by East Lothian Council through the Civic Pride Fund.

Strength with Style

Said Craig: "It had to be sturdy and able to stand up to many years of heavy use - but I also wanted to come up with a design worthy of such a prominent position in busy Quality Street."

Contact Details:

Unit 1, Elphinstone Industrial Park,

Elphinstone Road,

Tranent

EH33 2LG

Tel: 01875 616444

Mobile: 07599 245179

fbsmetalworks@hotmail.com

FBS Metalworks Ltd

Regd. in Scotland No. SC425569

Steel Sculpture

The Art of Steel

For the beautiful seaside town of North Berwick in East Lothian, there were three very distinct elements which had to be brought together.

Strength with Style

Said Craig: "It had to be sturdy and able to stand up to many years of heavy use - but I also wanted to come up with a design worthy of such a prominent position in busy Quality Street."

The finished steel sculpture has a remarkably organic, flowing look to it. Steel vines with countless "leaves" intertwine around an airy frame. They wrap around three circular plaques reminiscent of ships' portholes and finish by gripping a top rail of rolling waves symbolic of the ocean.

"The challenge was to keep the lightness of organic forms while keeping the structure strong enough to withstand hard wear from thousands of visitors and residents - and comfortable enough for them to enjoy sitting on it," said Craig.

"That meant hundreds of hidden welds - and a willingness to learn and adapt as the marathon project took shape over many weeks."

A Steel Sculpture With Heart and Soul

The seat had to encircle the sycamore planted by King Edward VII in 1902 and so had to be fabricated in his Tranent workshop so that it could be broken into two halves and assembled on site.

Then it was galvanised, then painted with a long-lasting powder-coating technique.

The result? Rosie Oberlander, Chair of North Berwick in Bloom, said: "It looks great. Everyone is really delighted with what Craig has produced and it is going to be a real feature of the town centre for many years to come."

"It was a commission but also a labour of love," said Craig. "It was good to see my original drawings slowly come to life and even take on a life of their own.

"I want people to realise that there is heart and soul in steel - that it is not just a cold, hard material but has the potential for inspiring art. It's what I call the art of steel."