People of the Wild Atlantic Way Photography Project – 

John Joe Bowen – Blacksmith, Sheep’s Head Peninsula, West Cork.

‘Nature enhances my work, by observing simple patterns in a leaf, a flower or the structure of a tree gives me inspiration. If I try to interpret the world, as if through the unspoilt imagination of a child, tapping into their understanding of their surroundings, this can have a powerful influence on the creative process.

Blacksmithing has taken me on a journey of discovery, I never know what the future holds for me and this is exciting. I have countless pieces all around me that are works in progress. some could take years to finish and end up completely different than first planned. I work one on one with the fire, its like another person. The life of the fire dictates the pace of the work, you can’t rush it, you have to be patient.

In the future I would like to explore other mediums, such as the interaction of stone and metal and do collaborative work with the stone carver Victor Daly and the artist Sadhbh O’Brien.’