END OF RESIDENCY WEBZINE

Ella Appleton

My name is Ella and I am a nurse working in Glasgow.

In 2016 a few of us began the Slaghammers collective which is a welding collective for women, trans and non- binary metalworkers, from beginners to experienced members. Since the beginning this project has been self sustaining, we have never applied for funding and started off our first meeting only owning one tool which was a slaghammer, a hammer used in welding. We then borrowed/ had donated some equipment to get started and worked on commissions to fund the project. We are self taught and run workshops and open days for people wanting to try metal work or join the collective. It is based on mutual learning.

A moment of change and disruption has been personally my realization to take more time for my projects through changing my paid work as a nurse to be more flexible. I have gained many helpful insights into other groups and projects ideas about navigating the context of risk and accessibility and thinking bout this as a barrier to access in a construction environment. It has been exciting to make links with people from a variety of countries and projects and even introduced to people wishin the city I live to continue discussions with and hopefully see down in the workshop!  I am continuing to create a tool for sharing for other womens, trans and non binary construction projects but also that would be relevant to many crafts. I will carry forward the energy of so many people trying alternative structures and ideas within their projects. 

Black and white image- image of a new welder this week, she has never tried anything in construction work before and was very scared of the welder. To the point she was shaking when she held the electrode, luckily the shaking made some amazing weld pools and she’s a natural! In the front of the image you can see the original slaghammer which was the first and only tool we had on our first meeting many years ago. 

I also like the no smoking sign in the background it makes me continue to think about safety in the workshop and happy we are continuing discussions about risk and red tape.

Video is of another new welder I like the commentary.