Some people today believe that blacksmithing is a lost skill of the Middle Ages! They think that it existed during the times of wizards, trolls, and goblins, but not so! To their surprise, blacksmiths have not yet disappeared and can still be found, rarely, somewhere in our world! Either wandering through the mountains, while drawing inspiration or blacksmithing in their blacksmith shops, already inspired!
The story begins in Scotland, where Alex's curiosity for creation was sparked. At a young age, his family moved to England, where his passion for materials and engineering took shape. It was during his apprenticeship that Alex’s passion for materials and engineering really started. The hands-on experience of shaping raw materials into objects fascinated him. However, it was a chance encounter - a simple leaflet at a Christmas market that introduced him to Artist Blacksmithing. This unexpected discovery led to a weekend course, which unlocked a new world of creativity. From that moment, Alex was captivated by the forge and the possibilities. Weekend visits to a local blacksmith’s shop soon became routine, each session deepening his connection to the craft. When the time came to leave his career in engineering behind, blacksmithing was no longer just a passion - it was a way of life.
Fifteen years ago, Alex’s path took him to Bulgaria (his anvil came with him), where he purchased an apartment. What started as a winter of snowboarding and a summer of mountain hikes evolved into a permanent relocation. After a year or so, Alex stumbled upon a property with a barn that captured his imagination. The house and barn, near the towns of Bansko and Razlog, became the heart of a renovation project, transforming the property into a home and forge where he could channel his creative energy.
Alex’s forge has produced a wealth of metal creations, from railings and gates to custom furniture and sculptures. Opening an online shop marked the beginning of selling steel, brass, bronze, and copper roses, flowers, insects, and other small, shippable items.
Brexit reshaped his market, shifting sales primarily to the United States. Despite challenges, Alex’s love for creating pieces of beauty, challenge, and marketability remained steadfast.
The most interesting thing behind the creation of such items, like flowers, is not the process of cutting, forging, forming, and polishing. He shares that the creation requires knowledge of every plant or even insect, so it can be made as realistic as possible! And of course, let's not forget his ability to work with every different kind of metal and to show its spirit in all his works!
However, copper being his favoured material, we can be sure that every other metal also yielded under his hammer. And not only in England or Bulgaria. It was on a Greek Island , during a nine-month relocation, when new ideas began to take shape. Despite the temporary move, Alex brought his tools and anvil with him, refusing to leave the tools that defined his craft. On the island, surrounded by ancient landscapes, he found inspiration for what would become his Greek gods and goddess collection - a series of sculptures that breathed life into mythological figures, crafted from copper, bronze, steel and even silver and gold. This connection to history and artistry shaped Alex’s work from early sculptures, focusing on faces to more ambitious full-figure creations.
Now based in his Mountain View Gallery, situated between the Rila, Pirin, and Rhodope Mountains, Alex’s life is an ongoing interaction of creativity, mountain walks, and craftsmanship. With another significant project on the horizon, Alex Burnet’s journey stands as a will to the enduring power of creation and the stories forged in fire and metal.
