Working in iron and fabric

Press, 29 February 1984, Page 18

Working in iron and fabric

■ Wrought iron gates and I weather vanes will be disi played with large vivid j fabric paintings in the i Brooke Gifford Gallery dur- ■ ing the Christchurch Fes- . rival. A blacksmith. Noel i Gregg, and a fabric painter. : Robin Royds. consider the juxtaposition of the hard metallic shapes with the soft multi-coloured hangings will make a striking contrast This is the second time they have exhibited together. Noel Gregg is one of several hundred blacksmiths world wide, dedicated to the , creation of a new Iron Age. The movement aims to bring iron back to where it once was in man's existence. by maintaining . traditional blacksmith's techniques, Mr Gregg sail The blacksmith completed a formal apprenticeship in blacksmithing 20 years ago. with the intention of using the techniques to ' produce iron art His tools are the traditional tools of ; the trade — the forge, anvil hammer and tongs? He es- - chews the cutting, grinding, welding and riveting which feature in modern metal working.

His iron work, as well as being useful is also decorative Mr Gregg said his interest in producing de-

corative things, is a reaction to being brought up in the sterile Bauhaus era with its predominance of concrete and plastic Inspiration for his work comes from experience, reading, and the environment His designs are drafted in chalk on the floor of his Artists' Quarter studio and then beaten into shape in red-hot iron. The metal is imported from England and sometimes supplemented with steel “I bought enough in 1975 to last the rest of my life. - he said, pointing to a wall racked with iron poles. The time taken to fashion his works — including ornate gates, fireplace surrounds and weather vanes — is hard to estimate. Mr Gregg's involvement with fire is not limited to his forge — he also works full-time with the city fire service as a fireman.” The exhibition will feature iron gates, a water vane, flower based flares and a novel salami bread cutter. The common theme is the outdoors. Mr Gregg said, inspired by the summer season and outdoor living associated with it

Co-exhibitor, Robin Royds. uses hundreds of materials and various sewing techniques to create big fabric paintings. She has worked with fabric since

graduating from the School of Fine Arts at Dam. some 15 years ago. "It is the colours that really motivate me. - she said. “There are so many brilliant hues of fabric. - ' She described her use of fabrics as comparable to a painter's use of the paints from his palette. It is only in the last five or six years that Miss Royds has been creating large wall hangings. Before then, she concentrated on creating decorative clothes, an art which she still uses but mainly as “bread and butter." she said. The five "paintings" in this exhibition are all very large, with the smallest. 1.8 metres square. Four of them share an architectural theme the fifth is a giant leaf which is intended to drape over a low bed with the edges flowing on to the floor. It took anything from three and a half days to the same number of weeks to produce a large wall-hanging, said Miss Royds. A lot of her work is commissioned but she is also preparing for another three exhibitions in the next two years. The exhibition will open on Saturday and will continue until March 18.