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Coppersmithing: Wilderbling

November 15 @ 10:00 am 4:00 pm

coppersmithing

About the Workshop: Coppersmithing – Wilderbling

Step into the magical realm of bending and shaping raw copper into whimsical pieces of art that  you can wear, use, or make as epic gifts. In this hands-on workshop with metalsmith and beloved earthskills instructor Grant Adkisson, you’ll learn how to turn simple copper materials into beautiful and functional one of a kind creations. Using a few basic tools and cold-forging techniques (which are easy to replicate at home!), you’ll design and craft your adornments—bracelets, pendants, earrings, hair sticks, blanket / shawl pins, and more.

This class is designed to show how accessible and adaptable copper can be—no heavy forge required. With just a few tools (all of which can fit in a single toolbox), you’ll explore the endless creative possibilities of this versatile metal and leave with both finished pieces and the knowledge to continue crafting at home.

In this workshop, you will:

  • Gain the skills to source tools and materials for your own future projects.
  • Learn the basics of cold-forging techniques and pro-tips for working with copper.
  • Design and create your own bracelets, pendants, earrings, hair pins/sticks, blanket pins, and more.

Whether you’re brand new to metalwork or eager to expand your craft, this workshop offers the opportunity to build confidence, try something new, and walk away with beautiful handmade pieces that are functional and uniquely yours.

This class will be held outdoors on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm near Mars Hill, NC.

This class is suitable for all experience levels! The minimum age is 12, with those under 16 accompanied by an adult. Please be prepared for long periods of standing.

About the Instructor: Grant Adkisson

Grant Adkisson is a lifelong learner, craftsman, and educator with a passion for helping people connect more deeply with their hands, the land, and themselves. An Earthskills Instructor, Nature Educator, Farmer, and Metalsmith, Grant brings over a decade of experience teaching at gatherings and schools across the Southeast, including Firefly Gathering, Florida Earthskills, Ancestral Knowledge, and Earthskills Rendezvous, where he also served as Youth Programs Coordinator for eight years.

Grant is the co-founder of Corylace Cove, an Earthskills school in Mars Hill, NC, offering homeschool and summer camp programs for children ages 3–17. His teaching spans a wide range of traditional and practical skills—from coppersmithing, blacksmithing, and hunting to organic gardening, livestock farming, wildcrafting, and mead making.

Whether guiding children in outdoor play or leading adults in hands-on craft, Grant is inspired by creating opportunities for others to grow in skill, resilience, and confidence. He believes that true mastery comes when you can answer the toughest questions from curious students, and he strives to keep deepening his own craft through teaching.

Equitable Pricing Model $130 – $60

* Please click here to learn about 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!

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.

  • Sponsor Price $130: For those who have enough to share, thank you for being a Sponsor. This is an opportunity to contribute towards the cost of the class for someone else.
  • Standard Price $95: The Standard reflects one person’s share of what it costs to produce the class and cover basic expenses.
  • Equity Discount $60: We offer an additional Equity Discount for those from the following communities who support reparations and/or an equitable redistribution of wealth and would not have access to this workshop without this discount:
    • Indigenous or Native American, Black, Latino/a/x
    • Other peoples of the global majority, or racialized communities
    • Ethnicities underrepresented in the Southeastern earthskills community

Thank you for helping transform the world into a culture of abundance, resilience, and opportunity for all.

Which Price Option is Right for You?*

*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!

Class Price includes all Materials for the Class

Registration closes at 8am on November 15th

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
COPPERSMITHING – 11/15/2025 Sponsor Price
Supports accessibility for others as well as yourself
$ 130.00
COPPERSMITHING – 11/15/2025 Standard Price
Covers your share of basic class expenses
$ 95.00
COPPERSMITHING – 11/15/2025 *Equity Discount
*Available for those of the global majority who identify as coming from a racialized community or an underrepresented ethnicity and would not have access to this workshop without this discount
$ 60.00

Want to support our Equity Fund but not able to upgrade to Sponsor Price? Donate below!

Mars Hill, North Carolina

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Lily Harlin

Bookkeeper

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.