Award winning show stand for 'most innovative design' - Spring Fair 2012

With Spring Fair just about to kick off in approximately 3 hours time, we have a mixed feeling in the depths of our stomachs, churning up excitement and dread…

…It looks great and so real! BUT what have we done?… will they get it?… will they see the wit?… will they understand the art?… will retailers and buyers be turned off by the stark hideous filth? or will they fall for the brand and it’s raw, honest heritage like we hope?

Our stand is not conventional to say the least.  It breaks all the rules of retail.  Bright lights and perfect lines and vivid colours have been replaced, in the main, by grey soot stained walls with mouldy damp corners, and dirty hand prints and scribblings on the wall above the stained tea mugs and grimey kettle.

But I can tell you this… our stand sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the samey same typical exhibition hall clones.  It doesn’t matter many pounds (£) and Watts they throw at their massive ‘space only’ stands, they still all look the same.  Safe.  In bright halogen arcs, and curvey ply shaped beams, stark white walls with a flash of branded colour.  Do people really think  of them anything beyond, “this is a big company – they are safe”.  But where is their story and brand identity – if there is anything Kitchen Housewares and Dining is missing – it’s a story?

Welcome to our world… the #blacksmithtearoom, hidden at the back of a forge in an unused Edwardian tram depot in East London.  Out of this mire of harsh fluorescent tubes and mouse droppings, rises the creative scribblings and sketches of an artist, reaching out to the bright and organic beauty in life beyond the dripping #blacksmithtearoom walls.  Our bright pink display cases and striking cast iron accessories at the front of the stand represents the rise of this beauty and creativity against the harsh backdrop of the #blacksmithtearoom.

By Thursday we will know if this strategy will have been successful.  It is a risk, but how else can a new comer with no budget stand out amongst the big boys, how else can we turn heads and get people to talk about us?

All comments are welcome.  And please let us know your thoughts by Twitter using #blacksmithtearoom.

The Sheer Wonder of Damascus Steel

Damascus Steel was a type of steel used in sword making from about 300BC to 1700AD.  Personally, I think its appearance is breath taking when you consider the process untaken to achieve this steel.

In the early Iron age, armourers discovered that, by blending hard and soft metals together, a blade not only would flex during battle, but would have incredible piercing and cutting capabilities.  These swords weren’t made for their beauty but for a powerful weapon and were incredibly tough and resistant to shattering.  Unsurprisingly, they were feared by enemies.

One of the most complex examples of all pattern-welded swords, and my absolute favourite, is the Sutton Hoo Sword on display at the British Museum dating from the early 7^th Century.  Although the blade is rusted, under X-ray it reveals a very high quality Damascus Steel.

It was forged from eight bundles of seven fine iron rods, either twist-forged with alternating twists or left untwisted, all hammered together back to back on an anvil to form the blade.  This shows that it was not a ceremonial piece, it was a war-blade, a true weapon.

The replica blade displays this amazing process.

In the tang (the bit that connects the blade to the handle) of the replica blade, there is a stamp in Old English runic letters with the name of its maker- Scott.  This is how the old smiths would in scribe their blades, and in this case Scott Langton was the maker.

Damascus Steel today

I was luckily enough to attend a Bladesmithing course with him, when I did my work experience at the Ornamental Metals Museum in Tennessee, America.  I made a lovely little knife with a handle made out of some olive wood someone from the group kindly donated to me.

The ‘Modern Damascus’ we refer to today is best described as pattern-welded steel and is made from several types of steel and iron slices welded together to form a billet.  This is then drawn out and folded until the smith has the number of layers he requires.

I was also very lucky to visit Daryl Meier, who is the master of Damascus steel.  One of the pieces he is well known for is the American Flag Bowie.  It is unbelievable how he managed to perfect this mind blowing piece.  The detail is just incredible when considering the process.  Each star of the flag has all of the points.  The flag repeats 13 times for the 13 original colonies.  This amazing detailing is visible on both sides of the blade.

Back at the Museum one of the lads that were working there showed me a test he was working on.  It was mix of wrought iron and stainless steel.  After being etched with acid it looked like a piece of drift wood it was just wonderful.

Pattern-welded Damascus Steel is very time consuming and a complete art form.   There is only a few hundred people in the world who actually have the knowledge to produce Damascus steel.

Have a look at some of these examples.

Queen of Metal meets Queen of Shops at Interiors UK, NEC.

Leading female Artist/Blacksmith Bex Simon is to pitch her new range of designer cast iron kitchen accessories to the Mary Portas and House of Fraser team in front of a live audience at the Interiors UK trade show at the NEC.

Following a national search for new talent, the Artist/Blacksmith was chosen as one of just thirteen finalists.  All the finalists will have their collections showcased in a spectacular shop setting created by the House of Fraser’s legendary visual merchandising team at January’s Interiors UK trade show.

On Tuesday 24^th January, Bex Simon and her business partner Dave Harris will be pitching their range to the Mary and House of Fraser team, which includes Peter Cross, Mary’s business partner and leading marketing and brand strategist.  The pitch will be performed in front of a live audience at the Interiors UK show following Peter Cross’s speech to delegates.  If Bex is successful, the range will be sold at the Mary and House of Fraser stores.

Bex is due to launch her range of designer cast iron kitchen accessories to trade at Spring Fair the following week.  “This is incredible timing for us and has given us a real boost in confidence before our official launch.  The fact that we have been selected as a finalist by Mary and House of Fraser shows that we are on to something special and I believe that will come across at Interiors UK.  We are not trying to be clever with this range; we are simply offering quality design in the form of organic functional art but using traditional cast iron as the medium.  I believe this range will hit a chord with consumers looking to invest in something special and uplifting for the home that will last for generations”.

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Notes to Editors

For more information on the product range visit our “Female blacksmith casts a spell of art in your kitchen” press release or please contact us directly.

The Interiors Show will take place at the NEC between 22 – 25 January 2012.  Spring Fair will be between the  5-9 February 2012 at the same venue.  We will be in Hall 1, Stand 1J25.

This is the invitation to the first ever forge-in at Plymouth College of Art.  I have been invited by the College as a Guest Judge and will be delivering a talk on my work.  If any one is interested, the forge-in event is open to the public and I would encourage you to come down and have a go at the forge!!

Read more →

Female blacksmith casts a spell of art in your kitchen.

Leading female artist/blacksmith Bex Simon is launching a range of contemporary cast iron kitchen accessories in February 2012, at Birmingham’s Spring Fair. She wants to bring an affordable new look to the kitchen, through designer functional art.

Bex Simon has been designing and making very organic and exciting metal work since 1999 in her London based workshop for both public and private commissions (Video of recent work). Now, through her new business BexSimon Collections, she has produced a range of affordable cast iron kitchen accessories, including trivets, mug trees and cookbook stands. The design of the cast iron range shows a departure from the traditional styles often associated with the material and arrives at a more modern and striking, yet timeless approach.

Bex says: “I was trained as a traditional blacksmith but went on to create contemporary metal art, and wanted to follow the same principles with our Art for Kitchens range. Cast iron has been around for hundreds of years, so in using the traditional casting techniques combined with my love for the Art Nouveau movement, we have produced some very
beautifully tactile, yet modern forms for the kitchen.”

With the recession dragging on far longer than most anticipated, Bex believes consumer attitudes have changed again and thinks her new product range fits the bill. “Cast iron is a durable, but humble and natural material that suits current trends of consumers wishing to invest in long term, practical products with interesting designs. I believe there is now a real movement away from the throw away mindset of recent times – people now make carefully considered purchases.”

Bex Simon first came into the public domain when she appeared on the primetime BBC1 TV show ‘High Street Dreams’ with Jo Malone. She was followed by film crews over three months as she developed her first cast iron product, the pestle and mortar, under the guidance of UK designer Nick Monro. The TV show was the starting point for developing the kitchen range for BexSimon Collections, but not without heartache. Bex was devastated when Jo Malone decided Bex needed more time to develop her business and kept her back from making the final pitch to a retailer. “After the show, we set about carefully developing our range, to ensure each piece is unique but instantly recognisable as a BexSimon – we can’t wait for the launch in February, I’m very proud.”

BexSimon Collections video

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 Notes to Editors
For more information or high res images, please contact:
Bex Simon      Tel: 07789773867           email: bex@bexsimon.com
David Harris  Tel: 07917663631            email: david.harris@bexsimon.com
Office               Tel: 020 8740 6250
Website:          www.bexsimon.com

Birmingham’s Spring Fair will take place 5‐9 February 2012 in NEC Birmingham. We are in Hall 1, Stand 1J25

More information at www.springfair.com.

These are the first new products in our cast iron kitchen accessories range – Art for Kitchens from BexSimon Collections. We are using traditional sand casting to create contemporary, Art Nouveau inspired, functional art.

We would love to know what you think about the designs and price points?

Pestle and Mortar £49.95
Mug Tree £44.95
Trivet £29.95
Spoon Rest £29.95

What would be great for an autumnal evening?
You can’t beat sitting out in the garden drinking wine and laughing with your family and friends, and now that summer has ended, the cooler evenings are forcing you inside! But not if you have a fabulous fire pit!
Fire pits have slowly become the new must have garden accessory. Some friends of mine commission me to build one for them and they use theirs throughout the year. It was a cold New Years Eve in London and we were all dressed up in black tie and cocktail dresses and I kid you not we had a great time standing and singing around the fire pit with no need for our coats! Not only was the amount of heat coming out from it incredible but it also looked really fantastic and quite dramatic!

So, I have chosen 5 of my best fire pits. They vary a lot from quirky to stylish.

Bex’s No. 5

Number 5 is the oil drum! This is from thefirepitshop.co.uk and it’s going back to basics with its quirkiness. Very simple and quite cool. They remind me of the Rocky films with the homeless guys stood around their oil drum fire pit in the streets of Phillidelphia, singing sweet harmonies.

Bex’s No. 4
	At Number 4 is the Halo fire pit from trendsblog.co.uk with this very sleek and stylish. Definitely a fire pit for all you minimalists out there!
Bex’s No.3
	For starry number 3 I have chosen something more along the fantasy root. This fire pit is from fireplacemantelblog.com. I love the way the design lights up and is swallowed in flames.
Bex’s No. 2
	Number 2 has a touch of the slightly more industrial look. This fire pit is from chrisbom.com It is smart but has the edginess from the rusted steel finish and a lovely chunkiness to it.
Bex’s No. 1 Fire Pit
	So at number 1, the must have fire pit for every Autumn and Winter night, I am going to have to say is this medieval looking one by www.BexSimon.com ……….yes it is the one we were all stood around on new years eve! When the fire is burning and the flames are jumping around the crown shaped bowl the shadows of the tendrils dance around on the floor, making the whole piece come alive! It’s very mesmerizing and quite beautiful (everybody tells me)!!

Fire Pit Offer

To celebrate the arrival of cosy warm firey Autumn evenings we are offering a 20% sale price on all our firepits. Contact us for more details. info@bexsimon.com

Elizabeth Brim was the first female blacksmith I had ever heard about. I remember reading that she wore pearls while working and it became her signature.  This apparently was because her mother didn’t think blacksmithing was very lady like.

My First female blacksmith Inspiration

Elizabeth Brim started out in Ceramic’s, just like myself and then found the forge.  As a female blacksmith she built very female objects out of steel.  Pieces like high heels, aprons, handbags, tiaras and pillows.  This was also how she stuck out in the blacksmithing world!

My first British Female Blacksmith Inspiration Avril Wilson was the first British female blacksmith I saw working at the Fire and Iron Gallery.  She was this very little person building this massive arch commission by Banbury Town.  I watched her in ore!  I think at that moment it reinforced that that was what I was definitely going to do.
When I came across female blacksmith Shelly Thomas’s work, it really stuck out for me!  She was creating pieces that I just adored.  They were fun and quirky and had all sorts of interesting things going on.  She has a really cool workshop at Kew Bridge Steam Museum.  When I met her, she was just fantastic.  She was very complementary to me about my work, which meant so much to me.  I found her very inspiring and we both have the same mad curly hair!I came across her work at the Fire and Iron Gallery which bring me on to Lucy Quinnell.
Lucy, another female blacksmith, owns and manages the Fire and Iron Gallery in Leatherhead.  Her grandparents founded the forge on the site in the 1930s.  Her father, Richard Quinnell, was awarded an M.B.E. for his part in the revival of British Blacksmithing.  Lucy has metal in her blood.  It’s lucy that works so hard to make this gallery such an amazing place.  Not only is everything beautifully displayed and looked after but she helps and encourages each and every blacksmith. She never seems to have a day off.  She gets involved in so many brilliant things and is hugely passionate.If it’s not doing radio or building some amazing garden for the RHS or promoting something for a really good course it’s probably about a million other things.I have been knocking around the Fire and Iron Gallery for years now and every time I go there I am greeted with the same lovely warm welcome I did all those years ago.

To enter the competition for your chance to win a BexSimon Cast Iron Pestle and Mortar, simply answer the following:

Competition Question – In what year did Bex Simon start trading as an Artist Blacksmith?

a) 1998
b) 1999
c) 2000

Clue:  Answer is in the content of this website.

Competition Closing Date is 12pm, 30th September 2011.

BexSimon Pestle and Mortar Competition Terms:
The closing date is stated on the Competition.
Only one entry per competition.
All valid entries must contain all the information requested.  
All prizes are subject to availability, and BexSimon Ltd and BexSimon Collections Ltd reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative product or colour of equal or higher value if necessary at the promoters’ discretion.
All items will be delivered to a UK Mainland/Isle of Wight address only.
No purchase necessary.
Prize draws and competitions are only open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
The promotions are not open to employees (and their families) of BexSimon Ltd and BexSimon Collections Ltd, their agents or related third parties who are connected with the administration of these promotions.
Winner(s) will be selected at random after the closing date by Rebecca Harris (Bex Simon) from all valid entries received. The judge’s (Rebecca Harris) decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Winners will be notified by email within two weeks of the closing date and prizes will be dispatched within 28 days of notification (unless otherwise stated).
By entering any of BexSimon Ltd and BexSimon Collections Ltd online prize draws and competitions you agree to having your name, and details published online or in a future issue of BexSimon Ltd and BexSimon Collections Ltd prize draws and competitions, and you agree to our Privacy Statement.
Unless otherwise stated, the promoter is BexSimon Ltd and BexSimon Collections Ltd, 94 Devonport Rd, London, W12 8NU. A list of winners will be available six weeks after the closing date by sending an email to info@bexsimon.com.
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How Much!!!  This is something you get used to hearing when exhibiting handmade in Britain bespoke products of metal work. It angers me, Bex Simon, when I think of how long it took me to build.  Some people just have no idea!  This is because the market is flooded with pieces imported from overseas, at really cheap prices.  I was determined to keep my business 100% made in Britain, but if companies like Dyson can’t achieve this then what hope does BexSimon Collections have?

I appeared in BBC1 High Street Dreams with Jo Malone and Nick Leslau to get one of my bexsimon products to retail.  I designed a pestle and mortar and had it produced in a British foundry.  My prices were high during filming and because of this I wasn’t put through to pitch to a major retailer (see our blog on the cost issues after the show http://www.bexsimon.com/2010/07/12/high-street-dreams-what-happened-to-the-costs/).  I have since brought the costs down.

Not many people understand that due to the retailer’s huge overheads, they will sell a product for three times the value that a supplier sells it to them for.  Working this through, if we get a product manufactured, shipped, packaged and delivered for say £10, we must sell it for at least £20 pounds to make a profit and cover our overheads.  The retailer will then sell it for £60 – that is six times the manufacture cost.

We have been selling our Made in Britain BexSimon Collections pestle and mortars from our website.  Sales have been good but not what we were hoping for due to their cost.  With the amount of work and money you have to put into developing each product you need to sell a lot to see a decent return.  It is for these reasons that we decided to take the manufacturing of our new bexsimon Collections product range overseas.  I was really gutted at first to have to make this decision and felt like I was a traitor to my very proud Britishness, as I wanted them to be Made in Britain, but I have also worked bloody hard since 1999 hoping to make a proper living.

Since day one of my business it was a struggle to accept that until I am well known, I wouldn’t be able to charge the correct amount that my bespoke BexSimon commissions require.  But in my mind I kept telling myself that things will get easier, just keep on going.  I had no idea how, I could just feel it.

I also wanted to have a family and not spend 7 days a week working in a workshop covered in crap.  At the beginning I totally loved being in there with the music blasting out covered in burns and patting out the small fires on my boiler suite, but I now need a steady income, instead of the excitement and disappointment of various jobs coming and going.  Feeling really rich one minute and then total despair the next, especially suffering Bipolar, I need a bit more stability.  So we have worked out a compromise.

BexSimon is Made in Britain and bexsimon collections is not!

We have split the business into two.  We have BexSimon Artist Blacksmith and BexSimon Collections.  BexSimon Artist Blacksmith is 100% handmade in Britain and BexSimon Collections is manufactured overseas but is British design making all the products affordable.  It is better for us, and the UK, to sell volumes of British designed products from a UK company with manufacture sourced overseas, than try and keep the manufacture here, but fail to actually sell anything and close the business!

I am, however, very excited with our decision and even more so with the BexSimon Collections range we have developed.  We are producing cast Iron products for the home.  Sand Casting is a very old technique, which has elements of personality because no casting has the same markings, due to the sand setting.  This makes the products feel more handmade which is where my roots are.  I feel like I can finally explore a part of me that I have wanted to for a long time.

We are still building bespoke handmade in Britain fantastic commissions (http://www.bexsimon.com/handmade-metal-work/ejector-seat-film) , and in  February 2012 we are launching our BexSimon Collections ‘Art for Kitchens’ range.  This is our launch Video profile (http://www.bexsimon.com/collections/bexsimon-collections-video-intro).  You can follow us on Twitter BexSimonArtist and Facebook BexSimon Artist Blacksmith.