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I Forge Iron

PBS 10/25


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Cool show. Funny, I saw tons of smithing in the Paley segment. The historical footage, the works in his gallery, and the jewelry pieces had some great nonferrous forging. Sweet to see I the evolution and the amazing studio that is today. I gotta say I am stumped by smooth bore's "elitist flight of fancy" remark.???

The website for this show has an episode entitled "memories" that has a Tom Joyce segment. You trad guys may be disappointed again but there is a bit of double striking and a drop tongs weld so it might not be a total loss. The other artists in that episode blew me away as well. There is as much or more to learn from other disciplines as watching metal guys, I think.

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Thank you for sharing the PBS show site. I love the ex post opportunity to see these people and their work. The New York Paley exhibit is mind boggling. I was able to see one of Paley's studios in 1996 the day before ABANA-Alfred and part of the day was spent taking a bus tour to see many of his sculptures in situ.

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I'm with nuge-

There is much to be learned from anyone that does metal work. I did a class with Christophe Federick this past summer and much of his work is heavy fabrication, but he can use a hammer

like very few other smiths. If nothing else relook at  Paley composing his ideas. 

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Or the historical footage of Paley and his helper working that big upset in the vice. That's you man, that's me, that's anyone who has tried to own iron. This guy doesn't forge much anymore but he is a smith.

Anybody watch the Tom Joyce episode? His intentions seem so pure, so thought out. It's wonderful to see these guys speak. You get a peek into the big smooshy stuff Joyce is doing with the huge industrial presses and furnaces.

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Thanks for the link. I was away all weekend and just watched what the DVR recorded. My local PBS station only showed the 1st 30 minutes of the program and ran a different program after it. Now at least I can see the rest of it.

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I missed it but will watch it on their website. I tend to enjoy PBS informational programming more than the mainstream channels due to better and more informational content, and of course a lack of commercials. Though I also wish they would focus more time on the actual blacksmith craft. The amount of footage and information they could muster from a few shops of the thousands is mind boggling. Although they spent an episode of NOVA in Ric's shop as he built a viking era sword, they could have released hours of just forging and conversations, and I would be glued.

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I agree with Smoothbore.  The focus isn't on silversmithing -it's about a woman silversmithing.  It's not about sculptural metal work including 3D printing -it's a veteran processing what he's been through.  The Paley bit was about an artist going bigger and better but it had to marinate in the starving artist storyline first. 

 

According to PBS nobody is successful simply because they applied themselves it's always about overcoming some social injustice.  In the case of the silversmith - there didn't appear to be any evidence to suggest that she encountered any injustice.  Several of them made a point of saying her work was impressive.

 

Every one of those smiths has my respect and admiration for their skill, vision, and execution.  PBS just hammered them into their proscribed social commentary story patterns.  

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