Reclaiming Creativity: A Blacksmithing Escape for Mindful Renewal
Life has a funny way of pulling you in different directions.
One minute you're pursuing a passion, and the next, you're juggling the responsibilities of family, career, and everything in between.
That's certainly been my experience.
After completing a BTEC in Blacksmithing and Metalwork at Hereford College of Technology back in 2000,
I envisioned a future filled with sparks, hammers, and the satisfying clang of metal shaping under my hand.
But as often happens, life took over, and my creative pursuits were gradually relegated to the back burner.
That's why last weekend felt like such a profound and necessary escape.
I stepped away from the familiar roles of dad, sibling, husband, and business owner to reconnect with that long-dormant part of myself: the creative metalworker. And it was all thanks to an incredibly thoughtful birthday and Christmas gift from my wife, Cath, who recognised my need to reignite that spark.
My destination was the forge of award-winning artist blacksmith Adrian Wood, nestled in the picturesque countryside near Northallerton/Darlington. I had signed up for his "Design and Make" weekend (18-19th October 2025), and I arrived with a mix of excitement and trepidation.
It had been years since I'd held a hammer in earnest, and I wondered if the skills I'd once possessed were still there.
The weekend turned out to be so much more than just a refresher course.
It was two full days dedicated to creation, focusing on an actual act of mindfulness in a world that constantly demands our divided attention.
The beauty of blacksmithing, I rediscovered, lies in its inherent presence.
You can't rush the process; you have to be fully engaged with the metal, the heat, and the rhythm of the hammer.
I arrived without a concrete plan, a blank canvas ready to be filled.
I approached Adrian and asked for a piece of metal to start with, trusting that inspiration would follow.
And it did.
Over the course of the weekend, I found myself crafting two nearly matching hanging baskets, destined to bring a touch of rustic charm to our garden.
