Maxine Hunt

I am an artist-blacksmith, working in both metalwork and wood.

I graduated from University of Central Lancashire in 1999, with a degree in Three Dimensional Design (2:1 BA Hons), and then I set-up workshop as a designer-maker, specialising in contemporary wood and ironwork. All my work is very contemporary in design – I like to use traditional crafts to produce items that are fitting to today’s contemporary craft scene.

My work combines both function and sculptural elements and I’ll often blur the boundaries between the two areas. My main passion, however, is furniture, and it has been since my days as a student. I think it’s the desire to create something beautiful, that still performs well in its function… something that can stand alone in its sculptural form, yet can function on an everyday level. My work has a very contemporary, organic feel as I draw a lot of my inspiration from natural forms – leaves, flowers, plant forms, as I really like to create a piece of work that flows and develops.