Part rock animator, part philosopher, part blacksmith, and fully joyful, Will Maguire is a wholesome treasure to be around. And around he was found in the depths of Harrie Fasher’s studio with the likes of artists Martin John Oldfield, Ellen Ferrier and Koichi Ishino during his July 2025 Squatter’s Cottage residency.
Will came to the Residency through being awarded the Sculpture by the Vinyard Foundations Residency Award in 2024 at the Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival. His collaborative work at this Award, Needlestack, consisted of hundreds of individual steel and other forgeable metal needles of variable sizes each made by individuals and groups in the community of Australian blacksmiths. The coming together of these blacksmiths needles re-assembled to make a unique onsite haystack follows his previous assembling of a needle haystack work during the 2023 National Blacksmith Survey Exhibition at the Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Port Macquarie. It’s changeable, complex and powerful, made by many hands working in isolation across the country.
Will spent his first few days of his winter Residency at The Squatter’s Cottage indoors finalising his honours thesis, Lively iron, a performative study of becoming as part of his studies within the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences at the University of Newcastle, following his Bachelor of Philosophy. Like winter Squat residents before him such as Quan Zu Ma, Will made good creative use of the open fire in the lounge room. But unlike Ma’s charcoal making, Will baked scavenged iron ore from The Foundations site to enhance the magnetism of these rocks. Will is attentive to and holds a great deal of respect for the material world and its liveliness. Conducting these rocks to swarm in a stainless-steel bowl by his movement of a magnet underneath was a thrill to experience. Watch this gift from Will here and be sure to turn the sound up too.
The wonder and whimsy generated by Will’s work is not lost on those in front of him. From his young son who joined him at the Residency with Will’s partner and baby to art authorities and experts, Will’s work is an absolute delight. In the month after leaving the Residency, Will’s work ‘Pressure Pipe Poetics: Stuck’ won the $5,000 Indoor Excellence Prize at Sculpture on the Farm.
With tenderness and generosity from previous Artists in Residence, The Squatter’s Cottage has become a joy to future residents living with the eclectic gifts of this growing Squatter’s community. Will engaged in the raw landscape of The Foundations site not just as a post-industrial cement works. His interest in connecting, how to be in the world and seeking truths and stories of the past included meeting with Wiradjuri locals. We thank Will for the trailer of firewood bought with him and his handy leaf handle crafted and installed. No doubt past residents will be relieved to know the front door can now be gently closed behind them on their way back out into the world.
Links:
Will Maguire website and instagram
https://www.willblacksmith.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/maguirewill/
Blacksmith Association, NSW and needlestack artwork
https://www.artistblacksmithnsw.com
https://www.artistblacksmithnsw.com/needle-stack
Sculpture by the Vineyards, Wollembi Valley Sculpture Festival
Story and images N Mason
