Smeltdown’s makers mark.
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What is a makers mark?
Also known as a touchmark, a blacksmith's makers identifies the artist who created a piece. It’s a beautiful way for a blacksmith to distinguish their work from others and can give insight to the creator. It is often the final detail that pulls a project together.
Clare spent a lot of time developing a makers mark that felt fitting of herself, whilst also representing blacksmithing as a craft and how they amalgamate together to inform Clares work. The Smeltdown makers mark is symbolic of a fire in shape but its meaning goes further than the critical element essential for blacksmithing.
The symbol used for Smeltdown’s makers mark is stylised from the Theban Alphabet. In ancient times, the purpose of using the Theban Alphabet was to abstract it from the writer's native language. This causes the writer to concentrate more fully upon the inscription and the greater task at hand. For Smeltdown, this parallels the focus and immersion felt when blacksmithing. The concentration needed to unpack the language of metal and craft it into beautiful objects. Through forging, the secrets of the metal are revealed through form, texture and shape.