I just signed a contract for a blacksmithing workshop at Mendocino Art Center.It's going to take place May 10-11, so all you boys and girlsout there who want to try working the hot steel into something, this is your chance.
The class will focus onthe basic techniques i manipulating steel into bowls, hooks, tools and other usefull items.
I will be looking foreward to share the magic with you at the forge and the anvil.
Don't forget to check out the art centers website: www.MendocinoArtCenter.org, where you can pick and choose among many workshops

November went quite fast and so many things happened.
The gate project had to be modified because the Art Center wanted the gate to cover the view of the outdoor working area. So the frame had to come up higher. Well of course, no problem, so I just build it higher. No pics at this moment.
We had a bronze pour a couple of weeks ago, and we poured 10 plaster/sand molds. A very intense experience I might say. unfortunately, the pyrometer broke, so we had to quess our way through the heating of the molds and the temperature of the bronze. It went OK for the most part, but not all castings turned out, because the heat was too high.

The Gate project for Mendocino Art Center is slowly but surely coming along. Since I only work on the gate when I have nothing else pressing me for time, it does takes some time. But now, at least, I have the basic framing done. There are still a couple of details up in the air on how to hang the whole thing. I don't like the idea of not doing it right, and right now I only have an eight by eight wooden post on each side on which to mount the gate.
Now the fun part of filling out the frame starts.
All is good.

Here it is Thor's Hammer, the mother of all lightsabers.
Made of forgewelded steelcable, hardened and etched to get the pattern out.

Forge welded Harley-Davidson drive chain.
This happy chain is getting a new life as a source for new creations.
The chain has been hammered and forge welded (a process in wich the steel is heated to a temperature around 23oo degrees F, (1260 degrees C), then forged into a solid billet).A part of this billet (picture shows the billet partly welded, and you can still see the structure of the chain-in the middle), has been forged into this little handy knife with a bone handle. The knife is costum made for a small hand, and the overall size is only 5"--(12,5cm).Click on pic to see details.

Gate project @ Mendocino Art Center (MAC)
At MAC, where I work a lot,they want a couple of gates made.So I looked at the scrap pile, and figured that we could make it work with what we already have.-Show me an art center with too much money.
Of course, you have to have a plan.
First a very straight foreward simple plan. Just to get the basics down, such as width, height, dimensions of material needed in terms of strength, number and size of hinges and such.
This plan is rather boring looking, so I will work on some artistic modifications. I would like to see people in the community surrounding MAC to contribute in filling out the ten rectangular spaces in the lower half of the gate, so that it will become a kind of community project. That might not be so easy as it sounds, talking from experience, but without giving it a chance, you would never know.

In February Jim Joyes And I had an exhibition at the Gualala art Center, where we got treated very well by Jim Greenwood, who did a real good job with the light and other details, that made every thing stand out in a beautiful way.
It only lasted for a month, but we both sold surprisingly well for a february.
Thats nice too.