Rules of Nest Building in a Pear Tree
Photographic diary Sometimes a sculpture takes a long time to complete. I started this pear tree in the spring of 2018, and I’m delighted that it has now finally been finished and found a permanent garden to grow in! A tree vocabulary I often end up getting inspired by the woodlands surrounding us here at Russborough House where our studio […]
Our bladesmithing courses during the Covid-19 pandemic
Changes for the better If you are signed up for one of our bladesmithing courses you will have received an email announcing some changes to the course program. Full tang blades Sadly Covid 19 is not about to go away, so during the summer it became clear we had to simplify the course structure to ensure they could continue in […]
How to Make | Forged Flint Striker
IF YOU HAVE A FORGE AT HOME… These instructions below stem from back when we used to teach this at our forge in County Wicklow, so you may find that certain parts are not explained through and through. But if you have already done a little bit of blacksmithing I’d say you should be able to figure it out and […]
Matter | Tool | Maker
THE BEAUTIFUL GREAT TRUTH ‘I discovered that the whole of reality is made of matter. Then human beings cover it temporarily with words. But nature is a material state, and will exist before and after us, when our words, spoken or written, are only dust in the wind. After, when all the humans are gone, the “beautiful, great truth” will […]
How to Make | Candle Lanterns
IF YOU HAVE A FORGE AT HOME… This is a lovely little project and I find the candle lanterns to be a nice present – after you’ve filled up your own house and garden first of course! The instructions below stem from back when we used to teach this at our forge in County Wicklow, so you may find that […]
Public Seating Commission – Dickens Heath
Public Seating and Durability With public art and public seating, the concern is often durability. During a recent visit to Dickens Heath in Solihull, UK, it was great to see that the seating we made 12 years ago still look exactly the same as when they were installed. Calnan & Anhøj were commissioned by Sisk & Son UK in 2006, […]
Make it Yourself
Art is Art – Everything else is everything else (Ad Reinhardt) At the studio we have a very straightforward way of distinguishing between art and craft. We do the Art – you do the Craft. Essentially what that means is: if the object of your desire has a function, well then we invite you to make it yourself (with our […]
The Ding-Ding And The Dong-Dong
Capturing our studio on film RTE KidSpeak! Growing up with both a father and a mother being metal sculptors calls for not just a lot of metal in your home, but also some fun opportunities for our kids. Our little daughter Isabell, then 5, jumped at one of them in 2012 when RTE’s ‘Kids Speak’ team came to film at […]
Nostri Plena Laboris (full of our hard work)
Award-winning Sculptors When you have worked to perfect something for twenty odd years, it’s great when some of your hours of toil gets recognized by means of awards! The first of the combined four Calnan & Anhøj awards went to Gunvor back when we were still in Art College in Hereford, England. The Stanley Allcard Cup is awarded by The […]