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 February 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Life & Leisure Blacksmiths of the Niagara Region By Robert Corneck
It’s dirty, hot and noisy and makes you sweat. So why do we do it? Ask any member of the Niagara Region of New York State Designer Blacksmiths and you’ll probably get a different answer from each member. We are not farriers (horse shoers) although we have farriers as members. We are not fabricators, (people who weld gates and fences) but they are members too. We are all blacksmiths. One common factor we all have is to keep this old craft alive. Taking a piece of iron, heating it until it’s so hot it turns yellow (often in a coal forge) and hitting it with a hammer on an anvil. You can bend the iron, punch the iron or even chisel it until it is transformed in to an object of beauty and art. While we sometimes use modern techniques, we still hold true to the ancient tradition that makes this craft unique. Blacksmithing goes back at least 7,000 years when the Assyrians first worked bronze and subsequently refined iron. Today, there are modern machines that can do anything we do; unfortunately these modern machines loose some of that magic that can be seen when the piece is hand made. Blacksmithing is not defined by a time period or motif. Blacksmithing is defined by the process alone. The Niagara region is one of five regions of the New York State Designer Blacksmiths (www.NYSDB.org), which is an associate of the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America (www.ABANA.org). Both of these associations share one goal and that is to preserve and share all that comprises the art and way of the artist-blacksmith. Our meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month at Andy Chambers shop ARC Iron Creations. The blacksmith techniques are demonstrated and practiced by all those attending. We also have support from the Amherst Museum; the museum understands the importance of keeping crafts like blacksmithing alive. In doing so, they built a blacksmith’s forge (a replica of the one in Swormsville). We demonstrate in their shop during festivals as well as running a class in July for people to try their hand at forging. Also the museum will host a talk “What Really is Wrought Iron?” on Wednesday March 21 at 7 p.m. to kick off its 2007 lecture series. Participation in the Blacksmith Association is open to all who share a love and interest of ironwork and who feel it is important to compile, preserve and share how metalwork was and still is done. Please contact me for more information at roberthc@att.net. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
