The Guild of Metalsmiths

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Benefits of Membership in the Guild of Metalsmiths

1. Six wonderful informative meetings a year, including demonstrations and tours arranged by our program committee.
2. First crack at the 12 to 30 skill building workshops, held throughout the year. (and a members discount to boot)
3. The monthly workshop/meeting notice and discussion FORUM (Snail mailed to our North American members and posted to the website shortly thereafter.) Meeting minutes, scheduled workshops, letters from members, video library and back issue forms . . .
4. Four issues of our Quarterly publication, "The Metalsmith", a magazine with informative articles on metalworking techniques, resources, members want ads, and more.
5. A chance to meet a lot of interesting and varied people with a common interest in metalwork.
6. An opportunity to show your work at the Annual Fall Conference Gallery
7. An opportunity to display several pieces in the Gallery section of this Web Site.

Joining the Guild of Metalsmiths

You may join The Guild of Metalsmiths by sending your name, address and a check for your dues,
(telephone number at home and work, email address, URL - requested but optional)
to the following address:

Guild of Metalsmiths         Print out a form
P.O. Box 11423
St Paul, MN 55111.

The annual membership fee is $30.00 which must accompany the application for membership. All memberships are family memberships. Men, women, persons of all ages, professionals and hobbyists are invited to join The Guild of Metalsmiths.

(If you do not wish to have your name published in the members directory, sent to members, please indicate this in your application. We do not sell our mailing list.)

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The Guild of Metalsmiths exists to educate it's members, and the community at large, about metalworking in general and blacksmithing in particular. This includes all forms of metalsmithing from traditional blacksmithing to contemporary art forms. The arts and trades of our members include, but are not limited to, general blacksmithing, sculpture, tinsmithing, coppersmithing, furniture making and architectural wrought iron.

The Guild accomplishes this purpose by holding six membership meetings a year on the second Wednesday of every other month starting in February of each year. The meetings are held in a variety of locations near the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Further, The Guild of Metalsmiths conducts about twelve teaching workshops each year. A good deal of knowledge and information is shared through informal networking and the quarterly publication Metalsmith. The social aspect of The Guild of Metalsmiths is an important function as the meetings are family oriented and always begin with a potluck dinner.

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The Guild of Metalsmiths was created in 1976. Several persons from the Minneapolis, Minnesota area attended the 1976 ABANA (Artist-Blacksmith Association of North America) Conference in Carbondale, Illinois. These persons returned to Minnesota excited and enthused about creating a local organization. They placed an ad in the newspaper for people interested in blacksmithing to meet at Gibbs Farm Museum. Out of the Gibbs Farm meeting The Guild of Metalsmiths was formed with fewer than ten persons. Currently (2003) the membership is over 330 members.

In the very early years of The Guild of Metalsmiths many of the activities centered around the renaissance Festival where the members would sell items and demonstrate for the public. In more recent years The Guild has not held activities with the Renaissance Festival. Rather, activities have focused upon the regular meeting, training workshops, and special events that may be held from time to time. The Guild of Metalsmiths is incorporated under the laws of the State of Minnesota as a non-profit corporation. Members are largely drawn from Minnesota and western Wisconsin, however there are a few members from other states and foreign countries.

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Original articles for publication in the quarterly, Metalsmith, are always appreciated. While the primary interest of most members is blacksmithing, many members are interested in a variety of forms of metalworking. Therefor, we encourage all persons, members and non-members to submit original articles on all subjects related to metal working. Articles should be sent to:

{Editor to be determined, for now send to our Publicity Chair}
Rich Herman
12553 Danbury Way
Rosemount, MN 55068
Night Phone - (651)322-1623

email articles to Editor

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