About Lucas

Lucas Norris

I am a sculptor who creates abstract works which explore formal qualities in forged steel. I embrace traditional and contemporary blacksmithing techniques, favoring processes of shearing, subtle mark making using set hammers, punches and hot cut butchers (rodded chisels), hand fullering and mirror polished accents.

My artworks were initially motivated through conscious consideration of people and incidents from my past, significant moments along the path that led me to the Artist Blacksmithing degree at Hereford College of Arts. As my creative process has become established, I’m now in a cyclic process of making, drawing on paper and in steel.

Charcoal drawing on paper is a vital complementary aspect of my practice, but rather than ‘designing’ on paper, it parallels actions that are then revisited in the forge. Rhythms, shapes, marks, expressive gestures embodied through studio work are explored intuitively through steel.

I view the forged sculptures resulting from this cycle as journal entries. Once I’ve completed a sculpture, I sit with it, reflect, and write. In these reflections, the sculpture’s narrative reveals itself. Allowing subconscious acts whilst making to come to the surface. I process material to process life; and then invite the viewer to share in this meditative space the artwork holds.