Hiero Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Hey there, My name is kevin. I am 20 years old and looking to make blacksmithing my career. After consulting many blacksmiths in my area and reading forums it seems appereant that the best way for me to approach this is to go to a school that offers blacksmithing (forging, torching, and metallurgy). I have been looking around and mostly I am seeing schools created by smiths that only offer course that are a few days long sparsely throughout the year. I am looking for a school that offers blacksmithing in a college atmosphere. Does anyone know any schools that offer a degree for blacksmithing. Location is not an issue. I hear that South Carolina has a school that offers a 2 year blacksmithing degree though i do not know what the name or true location of this school is. Can anyone help point me in the correct direction? Any help is apperciated. Thanks Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Try this link http://www.abana.org...n/schools.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal Dave Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 A degree in fine, but I would prefer to work with a master blacksmith and a few master blacksmith, if possible. Blacksmithing is not necessarily a degree type of field, unless you want to teach later at a college. The courses taught by blacksmith tend to more intense and progress faster than a college course. There are various schools throughout the United States. Frank Turley in New Mexico is a great teacher and a school I attended. He has a one week and three week course that will very educational. Join an assocation in you state, attend some conferences and see if there is someone you like there. Brian Brazeal is a great teacher and teaches all over the USA. Clearly, if you could do both, attend college, and have a mentor, that would be the best. Good luck in you journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I am looking to make blacksmithing my career. Can anyone help point me in the correct direction? Any help is apperciated. Would help if ya posted a location. That said there are a lot of schools in western N.C. John Cambell. Penland and several Tech Collages. Blue Ridge. Haywood are just a few. Don't know about degrees but will second or third what others said. I would rather work small group or one on one with a master rather than listen to a teacher in a classroom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiero Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 Would help if ya posted a location. That said there are a lot of schools in western N.C. John Cambell. Penland and several Tech Collages. Blue Ridge. Haywood are just a few. Don't know about degrees but will second or third what others said. I would rather work small group or one on one with a master rather than listen to a teacher in a classroom Thanks for the responces I greatly apperciate it. I currently live in virginia and am in contact with some of the local blacksmiths in my immediate area, they are being most helpful in my search. I am just trying to weigh the benifits of each path to my chosen career. I keep getting mixed reviews as to school or to finding a master. I would perfer to work under a master but this has proven difficult to find an apperenticeship. It seems like the best thing to do would to be to contuine looking for a master while attending classes at some of the blacksmithing intensive schools here, and attempt to get a home shop set up to pratice.. does anyone have any ideas of a way to make money in a field close to this pratice? or a way for a novice blacksmith to make money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Check out this college... www.buildingartscollege.us site for the American College of the Building Arts. The Yesteryear school is probalbly closest to you. As mentioned above Frank Turley's in Santa Fe, NM and then The Forgery School in Moriarty, NM run by Chad and Brad Gunter sons of Robb Gunter. There are tons of other good schools around but if you are set on a true apprenticeship you may have go overseas... Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiero Posted August 9, 2010 Author Share Posted August 9, 2010 I have looked into the American College of the Building Arts, but me and my family cannot afford such a school. Even with finical help we are unable to afford that. It is not something i can allow my parents to go into debt for. As for the other schools I will definitally look into them and give them a call. It is a pity I am still unable to find a more traditional method of learning the trade, but it is as it is. I shall still contuine to look and be hopefull that something may come up. Other than that I guess I am going to have to find a means to pay the bills and make blacksmithing into a hobby untill I can further my skills to make money doing it. Thanks for the all the help. I greatly apperciate everybody that has given me information. kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Having Turley's 3 week course under your belt should make you a lot more attractive to somebody looking for a worker. Also having formal training in welding. Drawing is another skill, machineshop skills, etc. Remember an apprentice *COSTS* money until they can do enough in the shop to cover their training. In knifemaking this has been discussed a lot and the proper trade off agreed upon was that an apprentice ought to trade 10 hours of *un*supervised labour for every 1on1 hour with the master. Being able to do a lot of stuff before you start means being able to climb the curve faster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Disclaimer: I work at a community college in NC, and have taught Welding classes here for a few years. But I am also the Faculty Advisor for the blacksmithing club. Currently, NC does not offer any accredited blacksmithing classes in the Common Course Library, just some slightly altered Jewelry and Sculpture classes taught thru Welding in a few cases. But I'm working on changing that, in the near future. Track 1: Some assembly required Look at the ABANA site for the skills expected of a journeyman, and you will find that about half of them are the metallurgy, welding and machining skills needed in any modern Metal Fab Shop. You can get those from a good (not mediocre) Welding CC. Look for one within driving distance that offers a full 2 year Associates Degree, not just certificates. In-state tuition, living with your folks, having a part-time job keep it affordable. They should offer basic art and business classes too. Many great artists fail because they are lousy businessmen. Many lousy artists succeed because they are great businessmen. (How else do you explain Chia Pets?) Join your local ABANA affiliate, or two, or three. Go to every meeting you can get to. Carpool with them to go to Quad State this fall, Madison next spring, any short term hammer-ins, conferences or classes you can afford. Find someone doing museum demos and offer to help. Get involved. Read. Buy books, put them by your bed, read a chapter a night. Write in the margins, underline, highlite, take notes. Bring one with you instead of a ipod when you wait in lines, or download out of print copyright free editions to your smart phone instead of playing Halo or WoW. Track 2: the Whole Enchilada The following is taken from the ABANA website. I have heard nothing but good things about these programs, as outstanding examples of 2 year and 4 year degrees. But as you say, it means relocating and $$$. Austin Community College Riverside Campus 1020 Grove Boulevard Austin, Texas 78741 William J. Bastas, Associate Professor 512) 223-6088 Austin Community College offers blacksmithing classes as part of our Art Metals A.A.S. Degree. Both Metalsmithing/Blacksmithing and power hammer classes are offered as an integral part of the degree. Taught within the Welding Technology Department, our students benefit from the inter-disciplinary environment of welding processes and certification, as well as traditional training from the metal-artist's perspective. Our classes are taught year-round in a typical semester or short semester format. We also offer sculpture, silversmithing and a complete jewelry program. Southern Illinois University at Carbondale PO Box 4301 Carbondale, IL 62901-4301 (618) 453-4315 Website: www.siuc.edu For more information about the program contact Valerie Brooks Academic Advisor School of Art and Design Email: vlbrooks@siu.edu (618)-453-4313 Established in 1968 by Professor Brent Kington, the blacksmithing program at SIU Carbondale (SIUC) is one of the only programs in the country to offer a Masters Degree of Fine Arts in blacksmithing. In 1997, upon Professor Kington's retirement, artist/blacksmith Rick Smith joined the faculty at SIUC. Professor Smith, MFA 1991 SIUC, was resident artist at Penland School of Craft (Penland, NC) prior to coming to teach at the university. currently The program offers a "hands on" approach to learning and exploring the material and teaches both traditional and sculptural approaches. Students who are enrolled in the program have full access to the smithy, which houses a wide array of equipment and resources. There is active involvement in the student organization Southern Illinois Metalsmiths Society (SIMS), which holds an annual conference and brings such visiting artists as James Wallace, Hoss Haley, David Seacrest and Philip Baldwin. The program hosts many workshops, demonstrations and slide lectures by various artists from across the country each year. Because SIUC is a state university, many funding options are available including federal student loans, federal and state grants, scholarships, fellowships and assistantships Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Smith Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Hi Kevin: I saw this post through Google Alerts and wanted to respond. My husband is Rick Smith the professor at SIUC in Carbondale, IL. I thought you'd like to know their student organization SIMS is having a conference on September 24-25 with two visiting artist: Zachery Noble and Daniel Fogg. (I have attached the flyer to this post.) This conference would be an excellent opportunity to check out the program, SIU's campus, plus meet most of the students and see the smithy. (Incidentally, the smithy was expanded a few years back and new equipment purchased so it is pretty state of the art as blacksmithing goes; meaning you can learn about traditional techniques and equipment, as well as work with the more modern. But, Rick could tell you more about that, not being a blacksmith myself.) SIU, I believe, is the only school in the US to offer an MFA in blacksmithing. So you not only get exposure to the undergraduate curriculum, but you also get to know the graduate students and the work they are doing. Anyway, I could tell you more, but the best of course is to experience it and see for yourself. Hope this helps. Best, Lisa Smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 I would definitely second SIUC, great program, facility and professors, lots of great smiths coming out of there. Thanks Lisa, maybe you could get Rick to drop by the forum sometime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Smith Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 I don't know if he is aware of this site. I will let him know though. He was away this weekend to go to Penland School of Craft's annual auction or I would have just let him respond. Looks like this is a great resource! Best, Lisa I would definitely second SIUC, great program, facility and professors, lots of great smiths coming out of there. Thanks Lisa, maybe you could get Rick to drop by the forum sometime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Building Art Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 I have looked into the American College of the Building Arts, but me and my family cannot afford such a school. Even with finical help we are unable to afford that. It is not something i can allow my parents to go into debt for. As for the other schools I will definitally look into them and give them a call. It is a pity I am still unable to find a more traditional method of learning the trade, but it is as it is. I shall still contuine to look and be hopefull that something may come up. Other than that I guess I am going to have to find a means to pay the bills and make blacksmithing into a hobby untill I can further my skills to make money doing it. Thanks for the all the help. I greatly apperciate everybody that has given me information. kevin Kevin, Hi, I am the founder of the American College of the Building Arts. I work with student from all over the country to assure that they can get scholarships, grants and funds so they can learn both with the heads and hands. I would be glad to talk to you on the phone and see if there is anything we can do to make the numbers work. You are welcome to call me directly... 843-670-5245. We are so glad to be growing this college and look forward to all who want to join. Cheers John Paul www.buildingartscollege.us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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