About Coal Shed Designs
Keiron has always been infatuated by ironwork; culminating a blend between technical fabrication and artistic fluidity.
The spark of interest into the world of iron workings was ignited at a young age when Keiron began working for a steel fabrication company aged 14 as a Saturday job. His main aim was to simply immerse himself in an environment that fulfilled a desire to learn a unique craft. Under the supervision of an ardent mentor, Keiron says: “My interest and drive for ironwork would have never been ignited without such passionate and knowledgeable guidance.”
Much like the traditional nature of the trade, Keiron took a traditional route into steel work. Weekends were filled with shadowing an vast of different Blacksmiths around the country, to learn and develop the craftsman’s skill set for no gain other than personal and professional development.
“The inspirations of my work are taken from a variety of styles. I aim to produce an authenticity in my work with organic influence stemming from a love of travelling. The art-deco movement inspires the clean-cut, sharp-edged and straight-line designs I love to create.”
Heritage played a profound role in the growth of the work Keiron produces today. His late great Grandfather founded F & C Newbold LTD. A company possessing the ethos of ‘Made for discerning people’ which is the ideology Keiron always injects into his projects to date.
Family life is essential to Keiron’s growth and schedule always making a key point to dedicating time to his family. When he isn’t forging, welding or designing, Keiron enjoys being outdoors. Cycling in the countryside is a larger passion but he equally embraces being cosy at home, in front of the log burner with his wife and their son.
New projects and challenges are a driver to producing Keiron’s best work, however, the machinery that create his workshop are all repaired and refurbished from old; highlighting a parallel desire and skill to restoring vintage tools and equipment.
Keiron takes a lot of pride in fulfilling the full product creation process. Starting from paper and pencil ideas the designs are fabricated in his own workshop and installed personally on site. Keiron works alongside his apprentice Stephen “I enjoy having the opportunity to pass on my knowledge and help guild the growth of a new set of hands.” Keiron feels the injection of new ideas from younger generations adds a new dynamic to the work they create at The Coal Shed.
The passion for the trade branches further than just ‘within working hours’. Keiron often spends his spare time dedicating visits to museums and sites containing traditional workings in order to fulfil the need to expand his design capabilities.
Keiron enjoys working with multiple materials to maximally display their individual properties. Collaborative projects are emphasised into Kieron’s work schedule. “Being able to bring someone else’s ideas to a reality is just as accomplishing to me as fabricating my own imagination.” He regularly produces work in collaboration with his brother Liam who works as a product designer for ‘Pivot’ in Norway. Both public and private commissions are equally weighted within his work hours.