If Didcot based Ian Paice asks you if you have ‘any old iron?’ it is not because he is a rag and bone man but because he is looking for scrap sheet metal to make incredible items with. Anything from old sheet metal, cutlery, nuts, bolt bearings and old bike gears can be patiently transformed into a range of ornamental items that make fabulous adornments to your home.
“My best mate does woodworking which I tried with him and enjoyed. However, I didn’t want to copy him and having seen some images of metal items on Facebook, I thought that I would give them a go. So, I bought some basic tools, and it went on from there,” says Ian. “Having a dad who was a mechanic I inherited the love of cars and not having a garage myself, I went for making small cars from scratch. One of my favourite pieces was when I made a Triumph Vitesse. My dad had been going on for years about wanting a Triumph Vitesse and not being able to afford one, so I made him a model instead. Whilst cars are a lot of work and they can be frustrating to reproduce at times, when they are finished, I am always proud of what I have achieved.”
“Having grown up in the countryside, I have had a love of animals all my life. As a consequence, I decided to start making birds and various other creatures. What started as a hobby some five years ago has developed and I am working hard to produce a range of items to sell at the forthcoming Didcot Craft and Gift in November. I was at the Didcot Craft & Gift Fair last year and it was a huge success for my little metal owls! I was thrilled to see how much people loved these unique, handcrafted pieces. The owls brought in a lot of attention, and lots found new homes with visitors who appreciated the care and creativity behind them. It’s always rewarding to see the reaction when someone connects with one of my creations. Meeting other makers and seeing so much support for handmade art was inspiring as well. Looking forward to more events like this where I can continue sharing these one-of-a-kind pieces!”
Ian sells his pieces via Etsy, and you can find out further information on his website: ipaice.art or his Facebook page: IPaiceart.
