Stephen McRae was born in Sussex in 1972. He began a degree in Architecture at Southbank University in 1991, but on finding the course far removed from the ‘hands on’ or ‘artistic’ approach he so craved, he moved to Herefordshire in 1993 to study at Hereford College of Art and Design and completed an HND in Design Crafts.
In 1995 he set up a workshop near Ledbury producing unique sculpture, interior and exterior furniture, and fittings for private, corporate, and public clients.
In 2006 he moved workshops into the town centre of Ledbury, where he continues to make a variety of functional and sculptural pieces.
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He aims to exploit the plasticine nature of metal when it is hot to capture movement and create forms which reflect organic shapes, taking a lot of his inspiration from the rich Herefordshire countryside around him.
In recent years, under the pseudonym ‘Strange Man with a Beard’, he has been producing smaller handmade items that retain individuality and quality but at an affordable price.
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His understanding of metal from over 25 years of experience in business has resulted in some stunning and very sought after designs and products that people up and down the country and from further afield have been eager to purchase.
Now embracing technology, McRae hopes to take his work even further than just the lucky few who happen to stumble across his work at a show or exhibition.
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