Born in Cambridge in 1977, Sam Gleeson is an artist and maker now based on the west coast of Ireland. Having lived and worked across the globe, his practice is shaped by a deep respect for traditional craftsmanship, natural materials, and sustainable processes. 

Gleeson’s primary medium is the knife—an object that represents the intersection of utility, tradition, and beauty. Drawing inspiration from figures like David Nash, William Morris, and furniture maker Peter Korn, his work explores humanity’s relationship with natural resources, food culture, and the creative reuse of waste.

Using advanced forging, welding, and joinery techniques, Gleeson crafts knives that are both highly functional and sculpturally expressive. Each piece tells a story—of transformation, of heritage, and of connection to the material world. 

His work has received multiple awards, including the prestigious RDS Crafts Award and is currently shortlisted for the inaugural Rabih Hage Bursary. Gleeson has also exhibited internationally including the Homo Faber biennale in Venice, Munich Jewellery Week and Rings in Water in Slovakia. He is currently exhibiting as part of a three-person show at the new Súil Gallery in Ennis. 

Gleeson’s work is held in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Ireland, and he was previously commissioned by the National Gallery of Ireland to create a bespoke dining table.

He is an invited member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen, The Irish Artist Blacksmiths Associations Forged in Ireland team and the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

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