Who we are
Ellie Barden is a blacksmith and artist who weaves traditional metalworking skills with contemporary artistry, to create bespoke and functional works of art.
Born in Cumbria, Ellie completed her apprenticeship in blacksmithing and fabrication with renowned designer and metalworker Chris Brammall in Ulverston in 2015. She then further developed her craft working with award winning sculptor Andrew Kay.
Rooted in the wild beauty of Cumbria and the Lake District, Ellie’s creativity is shaped by the land itself. The rugged contours and refined grace of the landscape echo through her forged forms, each piece a celebration of nature’s strength, balance, and effortless elegance.
In 2018 Ellie opened her workshop Grace Forge in the coach house of the Historic Brougham Hall near Penrith. From here Ellie and her team love working with clients to realise the bespoke ideas they bring and works with clients from across the UK. Commissions she receives range from architectural pieces such as staircases, mezzanines, balcony rail and other architectural ironmongery, to furniture, ornate sculptural gates and public art.
“Metalwork becomes an heirloom, designed for the client and enjoyed by generations after”.
- Ellie Barden
" When we wanted to add a bird feeder for our garden, I was keen to have something in keeping with our surroundings, and not just a standard shop-bought one. We knew of Ellie's work through her mum, and the end result is just perfect - a tree sculpted in steel, with copper leaves, both of which are weathering beautifully into browns and greens, in keeping with the landscape around us. Ellie transported the tree down from her forge and installed it for us.
It is exactly what I hoped it would be.”
— Sheree