Iron Man Arts
An interesting couple and very good friends of mine!
by Ralph Kratzer
Kate and Pat are old friends of mine. I met them with my late wife some 8 years ago in the well-known Kervan Pizza Garden next to the Kervansaray in Karaoglanoglu.
My dog Laika, which died tragically last year, was at that time about 5 or 6 months old and was attacked in the restaurant by a free-running Boxer dog. Together with the waiters of the restaurant I could then put the attacker to flight.
About 2 hours later, my wife and I were on our way home and looked briefly in to see our friend Jan at the Corner Bar in Alsancak, where we met the couple again.
Kate said : You’re the man who has just defended his dog! I agreed and since then, we have been friends.
But as it happens in life, after the death of my wife we somehow lost contact with each other.
By chance, and with the help of my girlfriend Sarah who has also known Kate and Pat for several years, we came into contact again.
They are a couple with a fascinating life story and Pat is a man who possesses amazing artistic skills.
So I invited them to tell me about their life and this is what they told me:
Text by Kate Cornwell-Burns
Iron Man Arts Glass engraving and Picture Crafts
Pat Burns and Kate Cornwell (who got married here 2 years ago) came to live in Cyprus permanently over 8 years ago. Kate’s Mum has lived here for over 43 years when the whole family moved to Cyprus in 1972. Kate returned to the UK after the Cypriot conflict of 1974 after being in school here for 2 years.
Kate & Pat met in the UK many years ago and Kate introduced Pat to Cyprus around 1984… he also fell in love with the island.
They separated after living together after a few years and met up again in Cyprus in 2005 (25+years later) when Pat had decided he had had enough of the UK and moved out here with nothing but a suitcase, he met Kate when she was on holiday and they fell in love again.
Pat’s profession previously was mainly in demolition work which now, for most people who look at his artistic work, find rather funny, instead of blowing things up he creates with the help of Kate – who does most of the graphic design – beautiful sculptures made of iron and has also moved into creating images on glass/mirrors – whether glass engraving or sandblasting.
They both love Cyprus but wanted to do something that would be different to what you could get here and that would fulfill their lives and noticed that there was nothing personal – so started engraving onto glass – from birthday, anniversary messages onto pieces of glass whether it be vases, trophies etc. and saw a niche in the market, also many walls were just painted white and with sculptures, like whirling dervishes, dragonflies, eagles etc. could enhance the beauty of a property – plus sculptures that could be put on gravel/lawns in the garden – turtles, huge ants, anything different!!
So slowly they started designing sculptures and people seemed to love what they did – thanks to Silver Rocks, who display some of their iron work and now their sandblasting products in their restaurant.
The couple now have their own website www.ironmanarts.com. Nearly all of their work is commission based and they have been asked to so some VERY unusual pieces – a huge rugby player (nearly 6 ft high) and many more extraordinary sculptures – which they love as it is such a challenge. As they say it gives them something that they take pleasure in together and which they enjoy and which fulfills their days and hopefully make the customers really happy with what they commission.
