Houston
Area
Blacksmith's
Association
7418 Branch Point
Houston, TX 77095-2649
HABA Featured in Downtown Display
HABA's blacksmithing display at The Shops of Houston Center, compliments of The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, is up and available to the public. Dave Koenig worked with Amy Weber from the Center to collect and organize these display items.The display includes the work of Les Cook, Tee Hines, Mark Finstad, Brent Bailey, Dave Koenig, Charlie Williamson, Mike Boone, Michael Pratt, Nana Showalter, Rob Lyons and the work of four or more unknown smiths from Wisconsin, Arabia, North Africa, Irina Jaya and Pakistan. The exhibit will run through September.
A big HABA thanks to Frank Walters for building on very, very short notice six risers that HABA and the Polymer Clay Guild used to display work. Also a big HABA thanks to Les Cook, Tee Hines, Richard Boswell, Mark Finstad, Michael Pratt, Don Minzenmayer and Dave Koenig for loaning their examples of the blacksmithing craft to the display.
The following web site gives the directions to The Shops of Houston Center: http://www.theshopsathoustoncenter.com/shc/locinfo.asp
The act of forming metal with a hammer and anvil, smithing, remains unchanged! The effect of brute force applied to metal, whether it is gold, copper, iron, steel or one of any modern alloys defines a forged product. A piece of hot metal formed with a 10,000-pound hammer, a 3,000-ton press or a 100-pound anvil and hand hammer reacts the same way to applied forge. The size of the item produced reflects the size of the tools. The processes used to produce the product remains unchanged.
The people who form hot iron and steel by brute force are blacksmiths. Today, outside of the industrial community, the farriers, the people who shoe horses, and the artist blacksmith most commonly represent the craft. Farriers are still busy because people still need horses shod. The artist blacksmith will most likely be a hobbyist and the artist blacksmith professional will most likely use modern fabrication techniques and/or nonferrous metals to compete in the marketplace.
The days of ‘ The Village Blacksmith’ of Longfellow’s poem are relegated to museums. In a few communities around the country, it is still possible to find an agricultural smith like those found in every town of pre WW II days.
Contrary to popular beliefs, not all blacksmiths are men. Today in particular, the number professional women blacksmiths is on the rise to the enrichment of this time honored craft.
The Houston Area Blacksmith’s Association Inc., HABA, is a good place to learn more about the art and craft of blacksmithing. HABA’s web site is www.habairon.org.
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Last updates were on July 04, 2006
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