Things look rosy for Shropshire metalworker James - with video
A job which was a means to an end has turned in to a labour of love for Shropshire metal worker James Edwards.
The 34-year-old from Wem makes delicate roses from harsh steel and this time of year is the busiest in the run up to Valentine's Day.
WATCH: Timelapse of steel roses being created
While James enjoyed ironwork at school, he wasn't sure it was the career for him once he left. However, after trying out different careers as a zoo keeper and in the military he kept coming back to metal fabrication.
And now he makes sculptures of all shapes and sizes.
From burnished roses to animal sculptures and log burners, James is able to turn his hand to anything - as long as it is made of steel.
And it allows his to exploit his creative talents.
From his small workshop in Wem, he can make up to half a dozen roses and other flowers a week. He uses sheet metal which he then bends and coaxes into shape.
"I'm not like a blacksmith in that I don't heat the steel," said James. "It is like working with paper, you can bend it only so much. Steel in sheet form is perfect for me and what I do. If you think about it, petals and stems are basically flat pieces which are then curled and twisted.
"There is no need for me to heat the steel and hammer it in to shape."
Most of the processes James uses, he has taught himself.
"I could have gone in to another trade when I left school, like plumbing or electrical work but that wouldn't have allowed me to be creative. Working with metal allows me to do just that.
"At first being a metal worker was just a way for me to make to money but now it is something I really enjoy."
For more information and to see examples of James' work go to shropshiresteelcraft.weebly.com
