David Norrie

Biography

David Norrie has been blacksmithing for over 30 years and is well renown for his craftsmanship as well as his unique style. His primary focus is creating functional architectural art work ranging from sculpture to furniture to gates and railings.

Norrie is a self-taught blacksmith and his initial introduction to the craft began in 1973 with a 3 year internship at the Black Creek Pioneer Village located outside of Toronto, Canada.

In 1976 Norrie opened his first studio in Tottenham, Ontario - located 30 minutes from Toronto. His primary goal at the time was to finesse the basic blacksmithing skills he had learned and spent the next two years doing historical ironwork related to museums and restoration.

David went to his first ABANA (Artist Blacksmith Association of North America) conference in 1978. While in New York, he realized for the first time that blacksmithing was an art form and rededicated himself to the profession.

From 1990 to 1992, David was on the Board of Directors for ABANA.

In 1995 he moved to Jackson, Wyoming under an O1 United States Work Visa which is granted for those working in the arts and humanities fields. David is the first artist recognized by the United States government for "blacksmithing as his medium".

In 2001, Norrie relocated to Boulder, Colorado and has continued to hold shop in his current studio space. He has three full-time employees.

David has demonstrated his blacksmithing skills and techniques all over the United States, Canada, and England. His work has been commissioned in varied locations throughout North America; from West Palm Beach, Florida to San Mateo, California to Canada.