Design is key to decorative metalwork. This may seem an obvious statement, but over the years I have found that many craftspeople are more led by training and technique than design, asking first ‘what can I achieve using this method’ rather than ‘what is the image I am seeking to create’, a question which leads the artist to find techniques that will achieve the desired result so that the final product is not compromised. In many ways I have lagged behind many of my fellow sm