TELEPHONE:
ADDRESS:
Carretera de la playa (Cuevas del Mar), 33594 Nueva de Llanes
ACTIVITY
José’s workshop – La Fragua – is devoted chiefly to all sorts of artistic wrought-iron work and metal joinery, as well as sculpture. His firm works nationwide and even abroad.
Work is done by hand, with traditional forging techniques. Iron is formed (into scrolls, etc.) manually… on the anvil, though some pieces are also joined by electric welding.
In his workshop José does all sorts of craft work with iron, from artistic wrought metalwork to joinery fittings (hinges for doors, gates and windows; nails; handles and knobs; locks; door knockers), grillwork (vehicle gates and wicket gates, window grilles, balcony railings and balustrades), iron furnishings (headboards, coat racks, furniture, lamps, sconces, candleholders and chandeliers), wrought-iron well heads, etc.
The workshop also does restoration work and makes replicas of damaged old iron artefacts. Among other tasks, they copy and reconstruct keys on the basis of the corresponding lock. And as well as more traditional work, they create wrought-iron articles such as benches, lamps, tables, sconces, headboards and furniture in general.
TRAINING
José learnt the rudiments of metalwork in a self-taught way from an early age and acquired more know-how during a spell of working in an industrial company, though his interests prompted him to move on to focus on traditional forge work and smithing. In 2015… he studied the craft further at the Toledo Blacksmithing School. He currently works in his own artisan forge.
TEACHING
Due to red tape he has been unable to have apprentices in his workshop, but he can give training in the craft.
SELECTED WORK
Although he is often asked to make railings, in either traditional or novel forms, José makes all sorts of ironwork, sometimes combined with woodwork. Such work notably includes grilles for the refurbishment of various historic buildings in Asturias.
His work has been shown at the craft… exhibition at the Ascension Fair in Oviedo in recent years, as well as at other events.
