I'm teaching Tools for the Home at @salemartworks in Salem, NY next weekend, May 22-24 and there's still time to sign up! Spread the word and find more info on their website!
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Come learn blacksmithing in an enthusiastic and inclusive environment! In this workshop, students will be shown how to heat up metal, swing a hammer at the anvil, and forge hot steel to create their own unique tools for the home. Projects will include functional items such as fire pokers, cooking utensils, and hooks. Students will be taught basic forging techniques, including tapering, twisting, bending, punching, and cutting. Students will also be shown various decorative techniques and given the opportunity to design and personalize their one-of-a-kind forged tools. Come learn the art of blacksmithing and go home with tools for your home that will last a lifetime!
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #forged #forge #tools #handforged #steel #iron #comeforgewithme
It’s always a good time when @arkoplik is here!
The shop is full of smiles and cool forgings and loads of knowledge. We’re excited to welcome her back for “No Tonging Around” June 2-5. There’s a couple spots left so don’t miss out! Link in bio!
NEW ARRIVALS | Anna Koplik
We have new spoons in the gallery from artist Anna Koplik!
Anna often travels, working as a journeyman architectural smith, teaching blacksmithing workshops, and camping and hiking whenever possible. Her personal work focuses mainly on tool and utensil making, and combining functionality with a refined, delicate aesthetic. She does a lot of spoon forging with an emphasis on small forgings and forge-to-finish work.
Please see the link in the bio to purchase or see more of Anna’s work.
*As a reminder, the Penland Gallery & Visitors Center will be closed May 15th - 16th for Penland School’s staff sabbatical. We will resume our regular hours, Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 5 PM, on May 19th.
#penlandgallery #penlandschoolofcraft #contemporarycraft #iron
Alrighty y'all, it's time for me to keep trying to make my little corner of the world a better place. I've decided to run for the ABANA board to try and keep moving the blacksmithing community forward in all the ways I can. If you're a member and want this crazy, glittery, rainbow, rocking, sledge hammer swinging kid on the board, make sure to vote for me this election cycle! 🤟🤟🤟🤟
EDIT: Wow, that was an overwhelming amount of support right off the bat! Got enough signatures to officially run! Thank you everyone!
We have Anna Koplik here this week breaking down utensil forging for a great group of students. This is a hand-forging focused class that puts a lot of emphasis on creating delicate and clean transitions between the various parts of a spoon, spatula, or fork. There's a lot of heatbreak when using a coal forge to create utensils this refined, the slightest missed hammer blow or overheating can ruin forgings that are this refined!
I'll be teaching Power Hammer Basics at @newenglandschoolofmetalwork in Maine, May 11-15! There's still a couple spots available, so jump in before it's too late!
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This first picture shows "Just a Wittle Wadder" shelf bracket, made with the help of @kevzb7 at @touchstonecenterforcrafts (it now lives in their small metals studio thanks to the wonderful @liamusante !). This is an example of a piece made using some power hammer techniques like what will be taught in this workshop!
The second picture shows power hammer tools similar to what will be made and used during this workshop. These ones are well used and loved!
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In this workshop students will learn how to safely and effectively forge with power hammers. We will cover the basics of forging tapers, setting shoulders, and spreading material under the power hammer, as well as go over how to make and use simple power hammer tooling. Students will have the opportunity to use the tooling and techniques practiced in the workshop to design and make their own small architectural samples, such as a shelf bracket. This workshop is geared towards those with some prior forging experience with an interest in expanding their knowledge to include power hammer use. Students will leave with a good basic set of tools.
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #forged #forging #steel #powerhammer #tools #tooling #architectural #ironwork #metalwork #workshop #blacksmithingworkshop #comeforgewithme
Finished up this batch of utensils recently! I'll be teaching a utensil making workshop at @centerformetalarts April 13-17 and there's still a couple spots available if you're also as excited about spoons (and maybe a fork or 2) as I am!!
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #forged #handforged #utensils #spoons #forks #comeforgewithme @inclusive_blacksmiths
Over the winter I spent a couple weeks after winter residency just hanging out at @penlandschool rehabbing and making tongs for the Iron Studio. I went through every single pair of tongs in the shop and refit them, straightened them, and stamped their size on them. And then made 10 new pairs of box jaw tongs for the shop!
In unrelated news, I'm teaching a tong making workshop at @newenglandschoolofmetalwork June 2-5 this summer! So if you want to learn how to make your own tongs and have the skills to refit and adjust your existing tongs, sign up and come geek out about tongs with me in Maine!
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #tongs #tong #blacksmithtongs #tools #handforged #forged #craftschool #craftschoolexpereince #comeforgewithme @inclusive_blacksmiths
Sometimes the politics isn't in the piece, it's in the life that creates the piece.
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"Fully Loaded Hook Rack" for the @penlandschool Annual Benefit Auction. Steel w/ beeswax finish. 6 movable and removable hooks to hang whatever parts of your life need a home.
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Embroidered keychain by @kingsophiesworld . Pepper spray by @bassproshops . Self defense spike by @bill_barrett_custom_knives . Triton's keys by @toyota .
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #forged #handforged #steel #hooks
Well it's been a crazy week of ice, but finally got this batch of hammers finished up at @penlandschool #penlandwinter. There will be a few extra hammers in this batch that will be for sale/raffled off to raise money for The National Immigration Project, so if you've been itching for a hammer, keep an eye out for those posts coming up. For everyone that has a hammer commissioned in this batch, I'll be in touch soon about payment and shipping. For any of you who have the means to pay a little extra for your purchase, I will donate all extra $$$ to The National Immigration Project. Keep fighting y'all ✊
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#blacksmith #blacksmithing #forged #steel #hammer #tools #handforged #handforgedtools
We are just over a month away from our one week scholarship window closing! There are still three workshops that are eligible for scholarships. Don't wait on getting your applications in!
The workshops eligible for scholarships are:
Belt Buckles with Mark Kelly
4/6/26 - 4/10/26
Spoons, Spatulas, and More! With Anna Koplik
4/13/26 - 4/17/26
Piece by Piece: The Hammered Quilt with Susan Madacsi
5/11/26 - 5/15/26
#scholarshipopportunity #workshop #blacksmithing
May 2026 bring you fortitude and success, with continual underlying support, as demonstrated by Anna Koplik in the making of a hammer at the Touchstone Center for Crafts.
The process begins by first sizing up pieces of hot steel under a power hammer. Once those pieces of steel are the correct size, she uses a top tool to punch a hole through the steel with the help of a striker swinging a sledge hammer. This hole will become the eye of the hammer where the handle attaches. You’ll understand a hammer differently after seeing how it is to make one by hand!
Koplik’s hammer in our exhibition was made as a demonstration piece during an 8-week toolmaking class at the Penland School of Craft. All of the students in the class then woodburned their unique touchmarks onto the handle for Anna as a sentimental keepsake of the class.
“Tools of the Trades” is part of Handwork 2026 and runs through February 28, 2026 at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA.
@arkoplik@touchstonecenterforcrafts@penlandschool #contemporarycraft #americancraft #craftinamerica #craftinamericapbs #metalsmithing #handmadetools #toolmaker #blacksmithing @handwork2026
