2010 ABANA Conference in Memphis, TN June 2-5

[Rome.Hutchings]

The Bi-annual Conference for the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA) will kick-off on June 2 and continue thru June 5, 2010 at the AgriCenter International in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 1,000 professionals, amateurs, and artists will gather for this unique event offering active involvement and exposure to blacksmithing skills.

This premiere conference will host artist demonstrators from the U.S. such as Dan Boone, who will demonstrate making his products, including his signature candlesticks with dragon head accents; Darryl Nelson will demonstrate the techniques of direct sculpture in steel with animal heads as his subject; Mark Aspery will run the “Green Coal” teaching station for aspiring smiths; Phil Cox and Steve Parker will demonstrate power hammer tools complementing each other. Other noted artists include Joe Anderson, Dan Nauman, and Tom Latane, as well as International master artists, Shelley Thomas, England, and Amit Har-Lev and Tsur Sadan from Israel. All demonstrations will take place at the AgriCenter International.

There will be tailgaters offering a variety of artistic wares, tools galore and more stuff that you might need, plus indoor and outdoor vendors.

The Keynote Address will be delivered by Carissa Hussong, executive director of the National Ornamental Metal Museum (NOMM), and Jim Wallace, the museum’s first director. This duet address promises to be inspiring and thought provoking.

This year the National Ornamental Metal Museum has invited ABANA attendees to visit their Memphis Museum for IRON: Twenty Ten, a Juried Exhibition of American Blacksmithing, which will be on display May 29 thru July 19, 2010. A “special” viewing and reception for ABANA conference attendees will be held on Thursday evening, June 3, from 6-9pm.

Daily passes will be available for the general public. The Amphitheatre is open to the public free of charge on Saturday evening, June 5, 2010, for a Live Auction event, featuring many artistic works of well-known blacksmiths.

New this year is a Poster Gallery where you will be able to see the design elements incorporated into complete works and appreciate the design principles. The Slide Wars event will enable attendees to view PowerPoint presentations of works of many artists in varied styles and approaches in a short period of time.

Professional seminars and sessions include best practices for digitally photographing metal works; business of craft roundtables; free hand drawing for blacksmiths, and much more. On Friday evening starting at 6pm the ABANA Gallery opens with a “Meet the Artist” reception and continues to 9pm. The Gallery will also be open from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, June 5.

Register now and take advantage of the low rates by calling the ABANA Central Office at 703-680-1632 to request a registration form or to register by phone.