Back by popular demand, and led by our always entertaining Tod Kershaw, engineer turned off-grid dumpster diver extraordinaire! In this Blacksmithing class, Todd will walk us through the ins and outs of DIY Blacksmithing, how to forage for metal in the scrap heaps, and so much more! This class will empower students to find metal, tools & fuel, and teach you what to do with it. All of the materials in the class will be 100% found, foraged, reclaimed & reused…even the coal.
In this class, students will create a beautiful and functional steel serving spoon or ladle through the process of Blacksmithing. We’ll start by blacksmithing the handle out of the thick wire ties used to bundle rebar; next we’ll cut out the bowl of the spoon from reclaimed pieces of sheet metal, then swage it into a form. Finally, students will make rivets (copper from salvaged electrical wire or aluminum from transmission wire brought down by hurricane Helene–there’s a lot of that!), then join the bowl to the handle, completing their masterpiece!
Participants will:
This class will be held outdoors on Saturday, March 8th, 2025, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm near Barnardsville, NC.
This class is suitable for both intermediate blacksmiths and beginners alike! The minimum age is 14.
My father told me that when I was very young he took me to a craft gathering and I spent the entire time hanging around and pestering the blacksmith. Years later I worked as a professional welder and enjoyed working with hot metal. Then, around 35 years old I went to a gathering like Firefly and hung around the blacksmith the whole time. Then I started doing it myself.
One thing that draws me to this craft is that it can be done almost entirely with scavenged materials. I like scavenging. And with relatively little experience or money one can create beautiful and useful things.
In order to make our workshops more accessible, we offer two price options for each class, with an additional Equity Discount for qualifying individuals. Please consider these options and select your price at checkout.
Thank you for helping transform the world into a culture of abundance, resilience, and opportunity for all.
*Please check your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!
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PO Box 18758 Asheville, NC 28814
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Lily is an artist, creator, and dreamer. Since a very young age, she has been immersed in the natural world and draws heavy inspiration from the wild. Though her medium changes frequently, Lily’s art and expression always incorporate an element of the organic and unpredictable. She got her associate in fine arts in 2023, and now volunteers at her school as a ceramic studio monitor. She hopes to open a studio of her own one day to have a place to teach and inspire others. In addition to doing commission work, Lily has been creating many graphics for The Firefly Gathering since 2019. Lily grew up in the Earthskills community from the time she was eight years old, so having the opportunity to grow and give back in so many ways has been incredibly fulfilling. No matter where she ends up, this group of people and ideas will always hold a special place in her heart.