from Matt Baker:
I keep banging on to folk about sending in some bits of experiences that make up the strange world we odd creative sorts inhabit.....so I thought I would share the wonders of Motherwell that I have been discovering this last couple of weeks.
I need to get some bronze castings made for the last bit of my contribution to the new public space in Stranraer they will be tiny versions of the bubble pattern in the centre of the square and will dotted about set into the new granite paving.
For some time I have known about the founders Archibald Young - but somehow the circumstances have never come right to work together...it seems that Stranraer is the opportunity.
I have never been to Motherwell before, as soon as you enter the town you start to see the name Dalzell everywhere - this was one of the huge steelworks in Motherwell. In its heyday the town was the heart of the Scottish iron and steel industry
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| This is the former head office of the Dalzell steelworks - between the first two windows to the right of the doorway you can see a plaque to the men from the company that died in WW1 - it gives a solemn reminder of the sheer scale of both the company and that war |
I was also drawn to the idea that Dalzell has been bought by Tata the Indian steel giant...presumably Dalzell would have sold many of its products to India at one time.
The Archibald Young foundry have been a complete joy to work with - this is the pattern that Kenny the pattern maker has constructed of my bubbles (from my clay original):
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| This box is filled with a special sand that sets hard. The box is then removed to leave an impression in the sand which is filled with molten bronze |
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| This is an aluminium cast 'fish pump' - the sort of thing Archibald Young usually make |
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| Test casting of the bubbles - before polishing |
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| Test casting after polishing |
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