Scoop Publishing
Insite Magazine.
Prefabricated products may provide access to cost efficient building options but nothing beats the work of a skilled artisan.
The word “blacksmith” has a quaint ring to it but, according to Graham Skender, the craft is alive and well.
Graham’s wrought iron work has a strength and integrity that can only come from using traditional techniques. A lot of work these days is produced by simply welding together cheap imported prefabricated components with an electric welder rather than forging the iron from scratch, he says.
“I like that authentic handmade hammered look you can only get from standing at an anvil swinging hammer. You don’t get that with mass produced work. I love the physicality of it and what you can achieve with such simple tools.”
Much of Graham’s work consists of furniture and decorator items such as candelabras, sold through his gallery near Yallingup, but he also produces architectural detailing like balustrades, gates, fencing and hardware.
He recently completed a major commission for a riverside residence comprising of hinges, handles and rustic chandeliers that kept him busy for more than a year.
“Everything was hammered and forged through the fire, which gives it that authentic look,” he says. Some pieces for the project also displayed techniques such as riveting, demonstrating an attention to detail rarely seen these days.
Graham turned to blacksmithing after completing a metal-work apprenticeship. He credits veteran South-West blacksmith Malcolm Payne with mentoring him and teaching him the finer points of the craft.
On his country property at Quedjinup Graham works at a charcoal forge, the time-honoured alternative to todays gas forges. “You get a lot more heat using a charcoal fire. It’s just part of that traditional approach of the old black-smiths on country properties. It’s hard on the body but the satisfaction outweighs the discomfort”.
Homes & Living Magazine in WA.
Age-old craft rejuvenated.
Mastering an age-old art can call on a tenacity far greater than the actual work itself. Take iron mongering. Modern developments have meant a break away from tradition, so learning techniques, acquiring equipment and searching out mentors in a dying craft can prove a formidable challenge.
Graham Skender is intent on carrying the skills he has acquired as a blacksmith onto the next generation - he and his young family re-locating to the Yallingup hills in pursuit of the ideal creative environment for Graham’s craft to flourish.
It’s been the perfect location for him to hone his skills and design his blacksmith shop on five acres of rambling picturesque countryside.
An added bonus is that he now lives on the door step of WA’s most recognised “old master” blacksmiths, Malcolme Paine, from who he’s acquired much knowledge and greater conviction. While Graham’s techniques may still be from days old, working in an extremely physical fashion over a charcoal fire and anvil, his creations are far more than contemporary.
Candelabra, dining and bedroom furniture, wine shelves and even stair balustrades are created with intricate detailing.
Like many other south-west artisans, Graham has established a showroom as an extension to the forge. Visitors can watch the craftsman in action as he welds his tools and manipulates formidable swathes of iron into works of art, and see many examples of his diverse creations.
By virtue of the age of his craft, theres certainly a degree of retrospective thinking in Graham’s development of his business. But like most artists he’s on the endless road in search of new creations and styles.
“His work is of a very high standard and we admire his design and finishing skills.”