Asheville, North Carolina filled with blacksmiths last weekend for the 25th anniversary of the Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America's 1998 conference. It was a full event schedule with twelve demonstration sites, five gallery exhibitions, commerical suppliers area and a tail gate sales area all operating simultaneously. I will not attempt to give you an overall coverage of the events because I didn't see half of it, but will refer you to Anvil Fire for more information and photos.
This was a reunion for many and a celebration for all. My opening experience came when I found Daryl Meier sitting in the stands intently watching the preparation going on at Stage 1. Daryl had discovered the perfect perspective to watch the linkage on the backside of the 300 lb air hammer to the right of the stage. There is a certain beauty to the design of these old tools and they have a sensous quality when set in motion. There was a knuckle valve linked to another value that moved suggestively whenever the hammer was in operation. After he had pointed it out to me, he asked the operator to run it for us and the slightly erotic motion was put in play. This lead to a discussion that proceeded through the weekend weaving in and around the subject of perspectives and beauty. I hope to expand on it when my thoughts have cleared. Spending time with Daryl always leaves me enriched and as Wayne Whitley put it, "pondering."
The first event was a demonstration of forging "big" iron on the main stage by Art Jones, a California ornamental ironworker with a commercial forging background. He broke in the equipment by breaking down 4x4x18 inch billets into various shapes. The billets required two helpers to get to the big air hammer and during the forging. This was big heat and set gloves on fire in the process. The billets were heated in gas forges, the biggest being an English made Swan designed and built by Cecil Swan of England. It had some really well thought out design features including a dual venturi/blower system that had really good control. Cecil gave me the cook's tour of the forge and I came to appreciate the thought that went into it. The forging was the perfect starting point for the conference and left us primed for the full schedule on Thursday.
