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Instructor Spotlight: Peter Ross Workshop Name:

Instructor Spotlight: Peter Ross
Workshop Name: Box Joints
Workshop Dates: June 6th - 10th
Spots Available: No
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Bio: Peter became interested in forging in 1970, the beginning of Blacksmith revival. He was able to make it a career, spending years studying methods and tools of the 18th century. In 1980 he was made Master of the Blacksmith Shop, at Colonial Williamsburg, a position held until 2005. That year Peter moved to NC to open his business making museum quality reproduction hardware for house restoration.

Over the course of his career he trained apprentices, re-discovered original methods, and developed insights into the thought process/handtool-methods of preindustrial smiths.
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Workshop Description: Time to liven up the joint? Try the box! Used for centuries, the box joint is smooth, strong, clean looking, and mysterious. In this class we will cover the basics of forging and fitting box joints while making flat jaw pliers. This involves slitting, shouldering at the anvil, vigorous drawing, forging in open dies, all to consistent dimension. This project is small but challenging, so come prepared to make a number of practice pieces along the way.
Starting material is ½” x 1”, and forging is mostly done with hand tools at the anvil, though some helper/striker work is needed as well. This is a good opportunity to practice careful forging and good teamwork to make small parts. In addition to forging, these pliers are pleading for finished surfaces and interesting decoration. While we will cover traditional finishes and common file decoration choices, contemporary expression is encouraged too. There will be several antique examples on hand for study and inspiration.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Applications are open for Steel Brazed Frame Build

Applications are open for Steel Brazed Frame Building with Megan Dean! There is one full tuition scholarship available. To apply for the workshop or scholarship, visit the link in our bio! Workshop description and info below.
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Steel Brazed Frame Building
Instructor: Megan Dean
Level: Beginner
Dates: October 10th-21st ( 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. )
Enrollment for this workshop is application based.
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This course is designed to walk someone without metal working experience through the process of fitting and brazing a bicycle frame together with an emphasis on hand tools. We will start at design and work our way through to a completed frame ready for paint. You will have the option to build a Track, Road, Gravel, Cyclocross, or a Mountain bike frame (you will want parts and tires in person for this option) and decide prior to the start of class. Lugged or fillet brazed construction is an option and will be design dependent. This course will be a great start to picking up a torch and learning the basics of what it takes to build your own frame with something to ride when you’re done!
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Weekend will not be apart of the workshop; Materials Included
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📸 @jarrod_from_hope
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#centerformetalarts
#johnstownpa

Wonderful Introduction to forging workshop yesterd

Wonderful Introduction to forging workshop yesterday taught by @jessesavageblacksmith and @carriesavagevt.

@jordankachellek with the solid assist!

We love having a fun and energetic group in the shop making work and learning new skills!

A sincere thank you to all the students who participated yesterday!!!

#centerformetalarts
#johnstownpa
#blacksmithbasics

Instructor Spotlight: Zack Noble Workshop Name

Instructor Spotlight: Zack Noble
Workshop Name: Mass Isolation: Collaborative Sculpture
Workshop Dates: September 12th - 16th
Spots Available: No
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Bio: My current work involves stretching and expanding on traditional techniques in an effort to create modern designs with a focus on craftsmanship. I make sculptural, functional, and architectural work and enjoy challenging myself with each new project. My work can be found in or around clients homes from Florida to New York to Main Street Telluride, Colorado. I have been published in several books including Dona Meilach’s “Ironwork Today: Inside & Out” and Matthew S. Clarke’s “From Fire to Form”. I have taught at Penland School of Crafts, Peter’s Valley Craft Center, John C. Campbell Folk School, and have demonstrated nationally. I run my shop in Asheville, North Carolina and I live with my wife and our three children.

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Workshop Description: This will be a collaborative sculpture build class. We will be building a sculpture designed by Zack Noble for the grounds of Center for Metal Arts. The class will focus on hand and hammer forging techniques to accomplish the goal.

In this class we will follow models by Jake James and Claudio Bottero that utilize small teams or individuals to forge parts of the final piece. Once we have our parts ready, we will use a collaborative effort to put it all together as a larger team. The facilities at CMA allow for some larger sections of steel to be manipulated giving us a chance to push some boundaries.

I have been using industrial forging techniques in my current work to realize simple but bold forms. With this collaborative effort I am hoping to push my own boundaries and yours. Experienced to novice level accepted for this class.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

The Cambria Iron Conference is just a short four a

The Cambria Iron Conference is just a short four and a half months away, September 17th! Our goal for the event and this space are to keep the focus on forging, creativity, education, and historical preservation with the main demonstration taking place in the historic blacksmith shop on the industrial hammers. Zack Noble is our featured demonstrator. Additionally, Nate Weiss, Erica Broas, and Tim Lucas will be demonstrating in the Pattern Shop. Our exhibition "from CORE to SURFACE" will be on display. Deadline to apply for this exhibition is May 30th. All of CMA facilities will be open to tour. Lunch and dinner will be available from the Iron Street Grill. To learn more about the conference and to register, visit our website centerformetalarts.org under the conference tab or link in our bio! Early registration closes June 1st. We hope to see you there!
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#johnstownpa
#cambriaironconference
#centerformetalarts
📸 @jarrod_from_hope

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Jake James
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Collaborative Sculpture: Sculptural Forging Based on Industrial Process
Workshop Dates: September 26th-30th
𝐒pots Available: No
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𝐁𝐢𝐨: Jake James is a blacksmith and sculptor with over 20 years of forging experience. Trained in the UK, and based for the last 16 years on Vancouver Island, BC, he has developed a style that focuses on the gesture and expressiveness that can be brought out in heavily forged material, and in exploring the plasticity of hot iron. Jake’s work cuts across the board, from small utilitarian items to large architectural commissions and public art pieces. At the root of all his design concepts though, is the desire to forge, and bring the aesthetic that blacksmithing is able to provide to the fore. Jake has also been teaching courses from his forge in Vancouver Island, and has led collaborative blacksmithing events around the world.

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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: This course has the goal of building a large figurative sculpture, based on a design by Jake, and using techniques that are often explored in his work.

Participants will be working in small forging groups, each working on separate elements of the sculpture that we will bring together to complete the whole piece.

We will be working larger section material, utilizing exaggerated transitions, heavy forging practices and focusing on volumetric forged shapes. I utilize relatively simple processes and then come up with some creative joinery to hang it all together!

This course will be open to all levels of experience, and we will be aiming to have a balance of highly experienced to novice level participants working alongside each other. Expect to be swinging sledge hammers!

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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

@salemstraub working to help re-weld a delaminatin

@salemstraub working to help re-weld a delaminating billet during his two week mosaic pattern welding workshop.

#centerformetalarts
#johnstownpa
#mosaicdamascus

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Greg Gehner

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Balancing Ideas & Methods
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𝐁𝐢𝐨: Greg Gehner started his blacksmithing career in 1997 when he earned a BFA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. In 2005, he established Transit Forge in northwestern Pennsylvania, where he generates a variety of sculptural, functional and architectural metalwork from his shop in Cambridge Springs. Commissions and distinctive designs, including furniture, railings, signage, lighting and numerous utilitarian objects, can be seen at transitforge.com. His work synthesizes traditional forging skills and industrial fabrication techniques with a contemporary aesthetic.
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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Traditional and contemporary, blacksmith and welder, designer and craftsman, forge and fabricate, draw and build. In this class we will identify and practice the many different skill sets involved in developing an idea and bringing it to successful completion in forged iron. Demos and discussions will cover design aesthetics, scale and full size drawings, connections, transitions, layout and cut lists, forging multiples, and jig making. Power hammers will be introduced to expand skills begun with hand forging, as well as minimal machine welding for jig and fixture development. We will complete practice pieces that will lead to the development of individual designs for creating finished projects.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Some really cool patterns getting developed in @sa

Some really cool patterns getting developed in @salemstraub’s two week mosaic pattern development workshop!

#johnstownpa
#centerformetalarts
#damascussteel

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 202

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 2022 conference exhibition. Deadline to apply is May 30th. Link in our bio for information about the exhibition and to apply. Our third and final juror is Lindsay Gates!
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Lindsay Ketterer Gates has been the Executive Director of Touchstone Center for Crafts since 2018. For over 20 years she has been a studio artist whose work is in the permanent collection of the American Embassy in the Republic of Djibouti, The Museum of Art and Design in NYC, Yale University Art Gallery as well as other international collections (formerly Lindsay K. Rais). Her work was included in the touring exhibition ‘Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in the 21st Century’ and recently on loan in the American Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan and ‘Innovators and Legends; Generations in Textiles and Fibers”. She lectures and teaches nationally including at the Smithsonian's American Craft Museum – Renwick Gallery, St. Louis Art Museum, Textile Study Group of NY, Haystack Mt. School of Craft, Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Craft, Peters Valley School of Craft, SOFA Chicago, and the Fiber Arts Guild of Pittsburgh. Lindsay’s work has been featured on the cover of Metalsmith Magazine and on the pages of American Craft Magazine, FiberArts, Fiber Art Now, Surface Design Journal, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot Magazine, FIBERARTS Design Book VII, 500 Baskets, Making Good: An Inspirational Guide to being an Artist/Craftsmen, to name a few. In 2005 she was awarded an Individual Creative Artists Fellowship by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
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Website(s): lindsaykgates.com and touchstonecrafts.org
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#meetthejuror #fromcoretosurface #cambriaironconference #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 202

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 2022 conference exhibition. Deadline to apply is May 30th. Link in our bio for information about the exhibition and to apply. Our second juror is Zack Noble!
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My current work involves stretching and expanding on traditional techniques in an effort to create modern designs with a focus on craftsmanship. I make sculptural, functional, and architectural work and enjoy challenging myself with each new project. My work can be found in or around clients homes from Florida to New York to Main Street Telluride, Colorado. I have been published in several books including Dona Meilach’s “Ironwork Today: Inside & Out” and Matthew S. Clarke’s “From Fire to Form”. I have taught at Penland School of Crafts, Peter’s Valley Craft Center, John C. Campbell Folk School, and have demonstrated nationally. I run my shop in Asheville, North Carolina and I live with my wife and our three children.
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Website: zacknoble.com
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Instagram: @noble_zack
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#meetthejuror #fromcoretosurface #cambriaironconference #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 202

Meet the Jurors for from Core to Surface, our 2022 conference exhibition. Deadline to apply is May 30th. Link in our bio for information about the exhibition and to apply. Our first juror is Maegan E. Crowley!
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Maegan earned a BFA from University of the Arts in Metalsmithing and MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her work is in private collections and exhibited nationally. She has taught blacksmithing workshops at Haystack, Penland, Ox-Bow, Peters Valley and the New England School of Metalwork, and has demonstrated at numerous regional blacksmithing conferences across the country. Maegan owns and operates “Iron Maegan Metalworks” in Dolores, Colorado where she produces custom metalwork for residential, public and commercial sites. From this small town she has created a client base that spans the country producing sculpture, fireplace accessories, cabinet hardware, railings and furniture with a modern aesthetic and impeccable craftsmanship.
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Website: ironmaeganmetalworks.com
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Instagram: @ironmaegan
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#meetthejuror #fromcoretosurface #cambriaironconference #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Teaching the students in @angerknives first integr

Teaching the students in @angerknives first integral chief knife workshop how to hack-N-snap on the power hammer.

#powerhammer
#centerformetalarts
#johnstownpa
#forge

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Nick Anger
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Damascus Integral Chef Knife
Workshop Dates: (Two Sections) April 4th-8th, April 11th-15th
𝐒pots Available: No
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𝐁𝐢𝐨: Nick Anger is a full-time bladesmith living in northern Vermont, who is passionate about patterned welded steel. Nick's forgings embody the essence of a finely crafted blade, with patterns and style that are unique and impressive. Examples of his work can be seen at angerknives.com.
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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: During this week-long workshop students will have the opportunity to work with Nick on creating damascus billets and forging an integral chef knife.
Focus will be placed on creating and forging a pattern steel billet in which they will forge their integral chef knife. Various patterning techniques will be discussed, and an emphasis placed on controlled hand forging. Nick’s intention with this workshop is to give students the confidence to tackle blade smithing projects in their home shop.
In this in-depth workshop students will be brought through the entirety of the process from pattern manipulation to final fit and finish. Demonstrations and supervision help guide students towards higher level of confidence. Covered in this workshop are hand forging, striking, and power hammer techniques, pattern making, forge welding, sanding, etching, and finishing. Emphasis will be placed on creating a piece of the student’s unique design.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Instructor Spotlight: John Williams & Patrick Qui

Instructor Spotlight: John Williams & Patrick Quinn
Workshop Name: Tong Time
Spots Available: Yes

John’s Bio: John has been forging for twenty years, and instructing in forge-work for fifteen. Very early on, he developed a passion for old, hand-forged tools. Instruction in those days in tool-making was essentially non-existent, so of necessity, he's primarily self trained. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After many hours of trial and error, numerous renditions of tooling, forging processes, as well as doing all of his own design work, he's built a skill-set which enables him to develop and tackle the projects that excite him, and in his teaching, to help others to do the same.

Pat’s Bio: Patrick has taught blacksmithing, fabrication, and tool making at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL), Penland School of Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Hereford College of the Arts, and the Adirondack Folk School. He has demonstrated at various conferences such as ABANA and the California Blacksmith Association. With an MFA in blacksmithing from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a BFA in sculpture from Alfred University, Patrick’s sculptural and functional works display a passion for craft and keen eye for detail.

Workshop Description: The first half of this workshop will be spent with John learning about the process of forging flat jaw tongs. Covered in this section will be all the steps involved to create strong and functional flat jaw tongs and all the necessary geometry to be mindful of during the process.
Flat jaw tongs are the foundation of all other tong types and John will cover all the basics of sound tong design, and construction, to ensure that the student will be able to use that strong foundation to build upon when moving into more advanced tong types. John feels that tong making is not only a valuable skill for supplying your shop with necessary tooling, but also that the value of making a truly well forged pair of tongs, purely as a skill building exercise, cannot be understated.
The second half of the week will be spent with Pat learning how to make industrial inspired V-bit tongs. Cont'd in comments.

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Jesse and Carrie Savage
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞s: Introduction to Forging - Bottle Opener, Introduction to Forging – Fire Poker
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: (Four Sections) May 7th, May 8th, August 20th, August 21st
𝐒pots 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: Yes
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𝐁𝐢𝐨: Jesse and Carrie are metal artist blacksmiths located in the heart of Central Vermont. They use hammers and anvil to traditionally forge iron work the old fashion way, with a modern twist. They work in their Rutland Blacksmith Shop. Their work can be found in Vermont Forgings’ gallery, Hand Made in Vermont’s Gallery in Wallingford, VT & many other local shops. Instagram @jessesavageblacksmith, @carriesavagevt
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Bottle Opener 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: This a great beginner workshop for anyone interested in learning about forging. There are lots of basic forging techniques covered such as tapering, punching, drifting, twisting, scrolling, texturing and more. Also addressed in this workshop is proper hammer control, how to use various parts of the anvil, safe and effective working habits. Design and simple finishes will also be discussed.
Bottle openers are a fun way to get familiar with forging. They teach you a lot, are great fun to create, and give the maker a lot of freedom to personalize them. Typically students are able to create several bottle openers by the end of the day.
Whether you're looking to take the next step and learn some new techniques or want to give it a shot for the first time, this class is a great experience and leaves you with the perfect item to have at your next barbecue or party.
Fire Poker 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: During this one-day workshop students will experience a great hands-on introduction to forging while creating their very own fire pokers.
This exercise covers several skills necessary to build a foundation on which to start forging and is a great experience for anyone interested in trying their hand at the craft. Skills that will be covered include but aren’t limited to, tapering, scrolling, forming, twisting, and texturing. Different poker terminations as well as handles will be demonstrated, and students can expect to try...

Registration is open for our second annual Cambria

Registration is open for our second annual Cambria Iron Conference at Center for Metal Arts in Johnstown Pa!

We’re excited this year to be hosting @noble_zack who will be demonstrating on the Chambersburg 3000.

Also the “from CORE to SURFACE” juried exhibition will be on display at CMA during the conference (call is open for this currently). Zack will be showing some of his sculpture at Art House 6 in Johnstown as well!

Delicious food will be served again courtesy of the Iron st. Grill!

Hope to see you all there! Registration and info can be found on our website www.centerformetalarts.org and please feel free to contact us with any questions!

@noble_zack
#johnstownpa
#cambriaironconference
#centerformetalarts
📸 @jarrod_from_hope

Instructor Spotlight: Salem Straub Workshop

Instructor Spotlight: Salem Straub
Workshop Name: Mosaic and Composite Pattern Welding
Workshop Dates: April 18th – 29th
Spots Available: Yes
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Bio: Salem is a full-time Washington State based bladesmith and teacher, specializing in culinary knives, daggers, and various integral forged blades. His main areas of interest are in the historical work of Europe and Asia, in vivid and interesting materials, and in exploring new boundaries in all styles of pattern welding. He has been making knives since 2004 and plans to continue until he can’t pick up a hammer.

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Workshop Description: This class will include discussion of pattern welding theory, such as reverse engineering of mosaic damascus patterns, and subsequent application in pattern development. Instructor demonstration and hands-on creation by students will cover pattern elements and types of distortion effects, as well as composition of pattern welded elements into the larger context of workpieces.
Mosaic tiling, twisted edge bar treatments, birds-beak welds, and added integral fittings will be discussed, demonstrated, and practiced. Students will apply directly into hands-on work on personal billets and blades.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

Forging can be both incredibly technical and self-

Forging can be both incredibly technical and self-expressive. The combination of the two is what makes it such an exciting process for both artists and craftspeople working in the field today.
The mission of this exhibition is to showcase the broad range of what forging can offer from a sculptural and functional perspective or a combination of the two. Design and execution go hand-in-hand whether the work is functional or sculptural; the two concepts struggle to exist independently. This exhibition seeks people active in the craft whose work displays a keen sense of design and technique. Evaluation and acceptance of submissions will be strongly influenced by a demonstration of this harmony between the two in their work.
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Jurors: Lindsay Gates, Maegan Crowley, Zack Noble (Visit our website (centerformetalarts.org) to learn more about our jurors!)
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Exhibition Dates: September 5th - 30th at Center for Metal Arts (The exhibition will be both in-person and virtual on our website)
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Eligibility:
We welcome submissions from artists and crafts people regardless of whether they are inspired by traditional or contemporary work, functional or sculptural, both small and large. Submissions should contain and be inspired by some aspect of the forging process and embody aspects of the craft. Pieces must be forged or have forged elements. Work must not weigh more than 100 pounds. Pieces must be able to fit through a 32" door.
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Link in our bio to apply!
Photo Credit: @jarrod_from_hope
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#centerformetalarts
#cambriaironconference
#johnstownpa

Instructor Spotlight: Geoff Feder Workshop Nam

Instructor Spotlight: Geoff Feder
Workshop Name: Friction Folder
Workshop Dates: March 26th – 27th, September 3rd – 4th
Spots Available: Yes
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Bio: Geoff Feder is the owner of Feder Knives a custom knife company in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Graduating with a BA in Studio Art at Kenyon College, Geoff has worked as a sculptor, fabricator and blacksmith and combines all his experiences to make beautiful and functional knives. The fundamentals of the blacksmithing mindset has permeated every step of his life, focusing on complete understanding and discipline contrasting with the colorful spontaneity of humanity Geoff falls somewhere in between. You can see his work at @Federknives on Instagram or listen to him on Knife Talk Podcast and The Full Blast Podcast wherever you find your podcasts.
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Workshop Description: This is a two-day class where we will forge and finish a friction folder pocketknife using simple forging tools. Drawing out the blade and forming the handle with an emphasis on clear understanding of the process and technique including heat treatment, grinding and sharpening the blade.
Forged friction folders are the simplest forms of a folding knife, very useful and enjoyable to make. There is no lock or mechanism holding the blade open or closed so the lever is one of the focal points of the knife working correctly. The lever is a fascinating part of the design of this project. The forging of it is an exercise in the movement of mass creating a transition between handle and blade.
Another focal point is the pivot action. In order to work correctly the blade must be forged so it sits in the handle evenly in the closed and open position. The forging itself becomes integral to the action of this folding knife.
I’ve been using NYC Subway tokens as washers for the outside of the pivot, and I’m thrilled that CMA was able to locate tokens from Johnstown that we will use to make these special.
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#cmainstructorspotlight #centerformetalarts #johnstownpa

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