I sat down with Paul Garrett, the Folk School’s resident blacksmith, to find out a little bit more about the mysterious and unique annual event known as Blacksmith Work Week. The 2012 Blacksmith Work Week was April 15-21, 2012.

Paul at the Anvil

Blacksmith Work Week 2012

So what exactly is Blacksmith Work Week? I imagine a group blacksmiths who are old buddies hanging out in the Shop and making lots of cool things, is that that accurate?
It is and it isn’t. While many of the people who come to Work Week have been coming for years and the sense of camaraderie is high, the week is really about doing what needs to get done around the Shop and the Folk School campus. This involves forging pieces on the anvil, but it also includes tool and equipment maintenance, electrical work, woodworking, fabrication, and installation. Folks don’t realize that some of the people who come to work are not only blacksmiths, but other specialized technicians helping to keep the Shop running smoothly. With a large group of people focusing for one week on tasks at hand, we get many jobs done that would never get done otherwise… it’s almost 900 hours of volunteer labor condensed into one week. It’s pretty incredible! It’s a lot of fun, but also a lot of work.

Installing the Bridge Railing by the Shop

How does a person become involved in Blacksmith Work Week?
The generosity of volunteers never ceases to amaze me and many people have approached us about volunteering. Blacksmith Work Week is by invitation only and we choose people based on tenure and the types of projects we have lined up. It is not difficult to find a solid team of blacksmiths for the week, what is hard is turning folks away who want to help as our space and time is limited. I feel lucky that so many folks want to help!

What projects did you focus on during Work Week 2012?
Besides routine Shop maintenance, specific projects we focused on this year were the refurbishment of the Frances Whitaker sign, continued work on the new Clay Spencer Shop sign, the completion of the handrail in the upstairs of the Shop, brackets and signage for trails and buildings around campus, repairs to the Cantrell Shop, and a gate for the campground.

The Sign Gets a Makeover

What projects stick out in your mind from past years?
The Clay Spencer Blacksmith Shop opened on July 18, 2010. Up until that point, much labor and effort went into the construction and design of the new shop. The Work Weeks up to the grand opening of the new shop focused on making it happen; we even had additional mini-work weeks to get the job done. For example, during Work Week 2009, we assisted the Timber Framer’s Guild with support pieces like post bases brackets and tools are they built the foundation of the frame for the new Shop.  If you look at the 16 post bases in the Shop every one is custom decorated differently; this reflects how individual blacksmiths can add their own design touch to a collective project.

When you walk around campus and see major pieces of ironwork, chances are they were completed during a Work Week. Specific pieces I can recall include the dining hall chandeliers, the red railing, and the bell tower. The copper roof on the gazebo in the vegetable garden was another Work Week project.

Installing the Copper Roof on the Gazebo

Post Bases for the Timber Frame

How many people attended and who traveled the furthest?
18 people participated this year. Kevin Foster came all the way from Talkeetna, Alaska. He was able to donate a week of his time and travel so far because we scheduled his class, “Blacksmithing Techniques, with a Twist,” the week following Work Week. Many of the participants in Work Week are also instructors throughout the year.

Who has been attending Work Week the longest and most consistently?
Clay Spencer. He started Work Week in the late 80s and has been to every one since, that I can remember. When I was a student at the Folk School, I remember asking Clay if I could help during Work Week and his answer was “no!” That shows how competitive it is to participate – and look, now years later I am running the week!

Karen (Rudy) Rudolph Cutting Steel Plate. Rudy Was Resident Blacksmith 2002-2004.

Working on the Railing for the Upstairs in the Shop

The 2009 Group Photo with One of the Fabricated Steel Anvils for the Main Entry

Does the dining hall need to stock up on a lot more food?
Meat.

What is the preferred meal of Work Week?
Meat.

So not many vegans at Work Week?
Meat.

Ha Ha… I think that covers  food inquiries…

Installing the Railing by Bidstrup

Steve Williamson Working on a Fire Screen for Keith House

Has the opening of the Clay Spencer Shop enabled participants in Work Week to do different types of projects that they were originally unable to do?

Absolutely! Now that the new Shop is where the forging is done, it has opened up the previous space, the Francis Whitaker Blacksmith Shop, to be transformed in a workshop with more equipment for welding, cutting, fabricating, and other various contemporary metalsmithing techniques. There are still two functional coal forges in the Whitaker Shop to pay homage to it’s history as the original Blacksmith Shop. Having both Shops open for business has definitely expanded the possibilities of projects at the Folk School, not just during Work Week, but every week.

Cory Marie Podielski is a former work study, a former host, a square dance caller, and one of those folks who just never seemed to leave Brasstown once she got here. She is originally from Los Angeles, CA.

Nuno Felting is fun!

The week of April 29th, the wet room was filled with the creative energy of felting students eager to experiment and take their artistic expression to the next level. We all had a blast and my students created beautiful felted pieces by the end of the week.

Dyeing a Leaf Motif

First, my talented students dyed their silk cloth to use for felting during the rest of the week. The addition of more colors with wool and the differential shrinkage between the wool and silk will amaze everyone who sees their finished pieces.

Fun with Dyeing

By mid week our class was really into the process of designing, working large, and throwing things down. It’s all part of the process of getting those wool fibers to attach to the cloth. This style of felting, Nuno felting, is a wet-felting method that allows the artist to laminate wool fiber to a variety of silk and cotton cloths. It is a great technique for making scarves, pillows, pocketbooks, and garments.

Working on a large scale project

Laying the Felt Down

Throwing the Felt Down

The final results were worth all the work. Everyone left with smiling faces
and heads swimming with new project ideas.

Final Projects at Show and Tell

Our Class Photo

If you are in the Atlanta area this weekend, be sure to stop by the Hands in Harmony Photography Exhibit at the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech. This traveling exhibit features photographs by acclaimed Asheville-based photographer Tim Barnwell who has documented folk musicians and traditional crafts people of the Appalachian region for over three decades.

Our very own Jan Davidson wrote the foreword to the accompanying book, Hands in Harmony: Traditional Crafts and Music in Appalachia. In the foreword, Jan explains:

Tim is a gentleman, blessed with a kind heart, and that makes his pictures of people better…The images take you to interesting places, full of textures, shapes and information, where you and a remarkable person meet. The moment caught in an instant, captured in a blink of light that illuminates the long corridors of time.

JCCFS teacher, Carlson Tuttle is featured in Barnwell’s Collection:

Carlson Tuttle with Handmade Brooms (Tim Barnwell 2006)

Show ongoing until May 7, 2012
Ferst Center for the Arts
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA
Hours: Monday-Friday, by appointment only. Please call 404-894-2787 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. to make an appointment. Admission is free but donations are accepted.

Director Jan Davidson and Resident Artist Barbara Joiner greet guests outside the D.X. Ross Jewelry & Metals Studio.

Guests who came to the Jewelry & Metals Studio Dedication on Wednesday afternoon were greeted by musicians on the porch, jewelry students in Viking garb, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and many friends who came to witness the dedication of this studio to two very special women. The studio was named in memory of late jewelry and enameling instructor, D.X. Ross, who taught at the Folk School for over 10 years. The day’s celebration was also in honor of Alice Ahlers, who was taking her 200th class at the Folk School! Alice was surprised with the recent addition to the studio named for her: the Alice Ahlers Room.

Alice is presented with a plaque for the studio's addition: the Alice Ahlers Room.

Alice is part of a group of students who return to take Resident Artist Barbara Joiner’s class the same week each year. This fun loving group of accomplished jewelers was instrumental in fundraising for the 600 square foot addition to the studio. Read the blog from last year about their fundraising efforts. The reunion usually takes place during Scandinavian Heritage Week (which would explain the Viking horns and profusion of Helga’s and Dagmar’s.)

The afternoon included a slideshow of the beautiful work of D.X. Ross, a tribute to D.X. read by kaleidoscope instructor David Baker, the presentation of a class certificate and plaque to Alice Ahlers, and a special ceremony leaving the newly dedicated space with positive energy. Thanks to everyone who made this such a special occasion.

Enjoying delicious treats provided by the Dining Hall

Brownie, the newest operational loom in the Weaving Studio

I had the opportunity to assist Laura Fry in a class she was teaching at the John C. Campbell Folk School last week. The class was called The Efficient Weaver. Laura talked about different tips and techniques that would help make the weaving process more efficient and enjoyable.  Because Laura was so efficient, she really didn’t need much help from me. This was good since I had a chore that I needed to do in the studio since I am the Resident Weaver at the Folk School.
A lovely old Norwood, 52 inch, 8 harness loom had been donated last fall to the weaving studio. But it seemed to have an issue or two and I wanted to try it out before a student tried to weave on to it.  I designed an 8 harness twill based pattern for dish towels.  I wanted to use all 8 harnesses to make sure they all worked properly.  As the students in the class could verify, my relationship with the loom in the beginning of the week was, well let’s say, rocky.  But as the week progressed, I worked out the bugs and actually gave her a name, Brownie.  For my second project I wove another twill based weave structure but only used 4 harness.  It made a huge difference in lifting the harnesses. I have notebooks along side of the looms in the studio that allows weavers to write about their loom that they wove on while they were at the Folk School. Brownie has several pages of tips and hints from me to help the next weaver have a nice experience.
Why I am writing about this?  Well, if only everyone who was in the market of a used or new loom could weave on it first, it would make all the difference. You would either pass the loom by, or like Brownie, keep her because she now has a warm spot in my heart. If you come to the Folk School, do go by and check her out!  She gives a good weave!

A student tries out the new belt sander

This week, Bob Trout and John Rausch co-taught the ever popular “Hammered Copper in the Arts and Crafts Tradition.” The class produced beautiful Roycroft-style strap candlesticks, sconces, mirror frames, light switch plates, and more. The instructors, Bob and John, always give 100% to their students- coming in early, staying late, and conveying their knowledge of a very specific area of metalwork. But this week, they gave even more. They both donated this week’s paychecks to go towards the purchase of the studio’s new belt sander.

This piece of equipment, from Stephen Bader & Co. in New York, is specifically for knife makers, but is versatile enough for many classes taught in the Jewelry & Metals Studio. This week’s students were the first to break in the new belt sander, which Bob Trout arranged to be delivered to the school in time for this class. Many thanks to Bob Trout and John Rausch for their generosity!

Giving shape to a cylindrical copper vessel

Some finished pieces

Bob Trout helping a student with a design

The class team strikes to forge a giant nail.

Another fantastic blacksmithing week is done at the Folk School. The floor is swept, slack tubs filled, the shop keys handed over; for lack of a plausible excuse to tarry longer, I slump into my truck and drive back to the outside world: the inevitable exit blues.

This past week’s session was particularly bonded. This is a class of mixed levels, genders, ages and professions. Those who had never started a coal fire catching on quickly watching those who had been there before. Beginners start with a hook; intermediates make hooks that match, and those looking for  bigger challenges design beautiful hooks that the world has never seen before that can be produced in a certain time frame to meet a production price point.

Given the fire, noise, and physicality of smithing, these classes tend to be a notch closer to an Outward Bound type of experience than a simple “how to make a something-or-other” workshop. Some courage is required. Willingness to push self imposed boundaries and to experience risk is essential. We are allowed – or rather demanded –  to play in the fire, to hit things (hit it like it owes you money), to be like superman bending and twisting solid steel. After such a morning’s work, is it so surprising that when we show up for lunch, folks step out of the way?

Blacksmithing tends to be a team sport, more than most crafts. Two hands are often not enough, and as neighbor helps neighbor, the class becomes a small community.  In the evenings we do some team striking to make giant nails; after all, what can possibly be more fun than six people swinging sledges on a lump of white hot metal? Group striking is an exercise in cooperation, trust, and concentration;  steel takes huge amounts of energy to form, even hot. Every time one striker makes impact, the next is already started down. Anyone who misses can put the whole group in danger. The metal will cool quickly, and the cooler it gets, the more energy is necessary to form it; we must move quickly and with confidence. By the time the nail is finished a few minutes later, our group is exhilarated and out of breath.

I structure my classes loosely. The necessary basic demos are covered thoroughly, but quickly, and students move on to the projects of their choice. Projects ranged this week from fire pokers to small furniture to free-form sculptures. Sometimes a student wants to work like a banshee to finish a garden gate, sometimes they want to make a small memento and then take in other evening activities that the Folk School offers.

As far I can reckon, teaching blacksmithing has got to be one of the most meaningful things a person can do in this life. It  starts with a pile of coal, a few bars of cold steel, and some matches. And it ends up a pile of friends, some useful and beautiful objects, and a new understanding of power, tenacity and fire. Each student has completed a project that is not a mere pair of tongs or candlestick, but a true Hero’s Journey.

Another version of this class is available in August 19-24, 2012 and again next February.

In the meantime, my amazing assistant, Julie Clark, will be teaching “Cock-a-doodle-doo“, a fabricating class constructing steel roosters May 13-18, 2012. This is an great opportunity to learn welding and sculpting skills that complement a foundation in blacksmithing. Julie’s class description: “Create a sculpture that seems to come to life as you add layer upon layer of steel. A variety of techniques will be demonstrated and used to fabricate this fantastic fowl, including blacksmithing, welding, and cutting. This hefty rooster will leave you crowing! Open to all skill levels- perfect for hard-working folks with a sense of humor who want to get started in metalworking.”

Thanks to a group of generous donors, the Woodworking Studio now has a wonderful new tool― a 5HP, 230V, Single Phase, SawStop Table Saw.  This machine is the pinnacle of table saw safety and precision cutting.  The unique thing about this saw is that the blade carries a small electrical signal that an internal safety system continually monitors.  When skin contacts the blade, the signal is interrupted causing the blade to retract and the system to deactivate.  I could wax poetic about this wonderful machine all day but this YouTube video says it all…

We would like give a special thank you to Al Trevillyan for spearheading this initiative and helping to make our Woodworking Studio a safer and better equipped place to work and learn.

This past weekend, we had our first off-campus auction, the Atlanta Fine Craft & Art Auction. It took place at the Woodruff Arts Center, in the heart of midtown. We presented over 50 fine craft pieces of remarkable quality and craftsmanship that were created by our Resident Artists, instructors, and students. There was a great variety of work, including woodturning, photography, basketry, pottery, woodworking, weaving, ironwork, painting, glass, and much more. All the pieces were on exhibit at the Coca-Cola Headquarters prior to the auction, so many artists chose to create fun Coke-themed works.

Special thanks goes to all of our artists who put such time, talent, and energy into their pieces, Tim Ryan, our infamous auctioneer, The Dog Branch Cats, our musicians, all our hardworking staff, Board Members, and volunteers, and to everyone who came out to support the auction!

View photos on Flickr.

Most of our classes do a great job of accommodating different skill levels- accessible enough for beginners, but also able to meet the needs of more experienced students. But each year, a few weeks in January are set aside specifically for advanced students. These classes give students the opportunity to intensively work with top instructors and maybe explore a different aspect of their craft.

It’s a treat to see (and hear and taste!) the work that’s produced during Advanced Weeks. Some of the classes included Bowie Knives with Jim Batson and Chuck Patrick, Artisan Bread Baking with Patryk Battle, Three-dimensional Copper Enameling with Sean Alton, Woodworking: Four-drawer Dresser with Gary Pichon, Advanced Hammered Dulcimer with Ken Kolodner, and Spinning Lavish Luxury Yarns with Patsy Zawistoski.

View more photos of Things We Make on Flickr.

Internediate to Advanced Chip Carving with Wayne Barton

Seamless, Nuno-felted Jacket with Linda Veilleux