The Chris Ray Retrospective Show at the ABANA conference
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July - Aug 2002 Vol 4 Issue 7-8
Here we are again. Pull up a chair, get your coffee, reading glasses, and writing tools. It is time to discuss the news. The Guild currently has 319 members. Your renewal date is on the mailing label as 20XX.Q (year.quarter).
Gene Olson, editor
The GoM FORUM is published monthly by the Guild of Metalsmiths, St. Paul, MN. It is intended as a community bulletin board, a place for all members to express their opinions, concerns, debate policy, propose projects & workshops. In short, to help us run our organization.
Your comments can be mailed to The GoM Forum, c/o Gene Olson, 8600 NE O’Dean Ave. Elk River, MN 55330-7167, Faxed to 612-441-5846, or emailed to:
forum@metalsmith.org
:
Metalsmith articles:
Those of you working on those informative articles for our quarterly magazine. The copy deadline for the issue 3 of 2002 is August 1.
Send them to:
MARCIA MCEACHRON
2526 CALIFORNIA AVE NE
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55418
Phone: 612-706-0198
Fax number: 612-781-8435
Email: metalsmith@metalsmith.org
Please!
In this month’s FORUM
Video rental form (front cover)
Metalsmith Back Issue Service
Membership application (back cover)
Publishing data
Call for Metalsmith Articles
Educational Grants
January board meeting
Directory updates
Letters
Want Ads
Next Meeting
Workshops
Feb.
Mar.
Guild Educational Grants
Money for travel and tuition
There is grant money available for Guild members to study intermediate and advanced metalworking techniques.
The Guild educational grant program is designed to bring new skills into the metalworking community. Participants are given money to pay for a portion of their expenses (tuition and travel) and are expected to learn some new or poorly understood skill and to share what they have learned with other members and the public through an article in our quarterly magazine and by leading a workshop on the topic (or other educational service approved by the board)
Applications must include:
∙A resume of the applicant. (a verbal introduction may suffice if the applicant has been an instructor or otherwise demonstrated competence and reliability within the guild.)
∙ The nature of the Class or project to be funded, dates, and times. The costs involved, including tuition, lodging, travel, meals. The amount of the Grant request.
Grants are reviewed by the members of the board of directors, meeting in committee (occasionally applications are referred to the education committee for their review and recommendations.)
Grants are judged on two major questions.
∙ A. Does this proposal help fill a void in the Guild educational program?
∙ B. Is the applicant at a point in their career where they can benefit from and then share with others the class/project to be funded?
Contact any officer or board member for more information.
The June Meeting in Hastings:
Was at the Little Log House in Hastings.
The July Board Meeting:
Minutes for board Meeting of the Guild Of Metalsmiths; Wednesday, May tenth, two Thousand and Two
Meeting called to order at 7:30
Minutes were approved
Agenda approved
Finacial Report: Mike Frattalone
25,267.49 in the checking account. (6,909.00 more than last year) 1,039.00 in the bulk mail account.
320 members, 38 need to renew.
Bill Hanson pointed out that grant funds need to be reported separately.
Mike noted that there was just a little more than $4,000 currently dedicated to the grant fund leaving about 21,000 operating funds.
Education Committee:
Has begun to get Education schedule in place and are awaiting confirmation on a few dates.
Program Committee: Myron Hanson
Next program meeting will be 7/25/2002.
At the last Program committee meeting the cost of catering the December meeting was brought up and thought to be too expensive. Instead the Guild will provide turkey, ham, bread, and cheese and we will have our pot luck as usual. The Date is set for Sunday December 1st, 2002. Doors open at 1:30. Meeting starts at 2:00 PM. The meal will be served at 4:00, and social time until whenever.
Publicity committee: Gene Olson
A copy of the Forum was missed and doubled up for the month of June. The website was down but is back up and running. The site will be updated. We will be staying the course with current server.
ABANA: Recovering from conference. Board candidates are posted on the ABANA website, and will be in the next copy of the Anvil’s Ring along with voting ballets. New guideline were passed and I am sure more will be
The Chris Ray Retrospective Show at the ABANA conferencepublished on that soon.
Old Business:
Discussion was again started regarding spin-off organizations starting up and what is our stand on this issue. Currently, if they want to start a club separate from the Guild, the Guild will stand by them with insurance for up to two years if necessary, but not to detract from our own organization. Example: The Guild is insured for a certain number of events or gatherings per year. IN the event that a spin-off club needed to have an event covered and The Guild was in jeopardy of maxing out their allotted number of events The Guild would prioritize their own activities first.
A motion was made by David Mariette to solicit the Guild for members interested in forming a committee to study the opportunities for regional (non metro) activities. Such as regional hammer-ins etc. The benefits for regional or satellite groups within the Guild would be: Better serving the non metro members. Continued service by the Guild publications such as, The Forum, and THE METALSMITH. As a whole, the Guild would likely only experience a slight premium increase in insurance to accommodate the added group activity, and that expense would be absorbed by the whole group. Individual groups would have to procure their own insurance at much higher expense. Lastly, the guild would provide a broader base from which to educate
regional members as far as teachers demonstrators etc. Now with the Guild being a 501c3 corporation, there would be some logistical issues to be worked out with funding and etc. Motion was passed unaminously.
Nowthen: going OK!
Mike Blue’s hammer in received very good reviews. Myron stated that Mike Blue expressed appreciation to the Guild for extending our insurance to cover the event, and that to do so speaks
highly of our organization.
Pea Coke: The Guild will be purchasing 2000 pounds of coke (in 50 lb bags) and will be available at the next membership meeting. Cost has yet to be determined exactly because cost of freight has yet to be established. Cost per ton for the coke bagged is $132 dollars per ton bagged, FOB Gary, Indiana. Best guess at this point would be about 8 bucks a bag.
New Business: No grant apps
Listing threshing shows and other events that the Guild is involved with. As far as demonstrating etc.
Motion to adjourn 9:30PM
Meeting adjourned
More of the Chris Ray ShowDemonstrate at the Zoo!!
Here is an opportunity to demonstrate at the Minnesota Zoo for John Deere Days at the Farm Exhibit on July 27, 28. Anyone able to swing a hammer and hit metal is welcome to join.
Contact Rich Herman at 651-322-1623 if interested. Also,
another opportunity at the MN Zoo on October 5th. They are having a
Harvest Hoedown in the afternoon and evening that we have been invited to
demonstrate our craft.
Thanks,
Rich
Rich and Cathy Herman <racherman@earthlink.net>
Carol Adam’s called in to remind everyone to put Tunnel Mill on their calenders for October 5th and 6th.
She says that we will have more info for the next issue.
Directory Updates:
We left space . Get out your pen.
Address Changes:
Richard and Cathy Herman (video librarian)
new email: racherman@earthlink.net
******
Letters:
To have your letter printed here, Address it Dear Forum: and mail it to The GoM Forum, c/o Gene Olson, 8600 NE O’Dean Ave. Elk River, MN 55330-7167 ; email it to: forum@metalsmith.org or FAX to 763-441-5846
******Out and about
There has been considerable discussion in the Board Meetings about the need to have more non metro activities.
There have been some who have wondered about starting their own organizations like the Northern Smiths did, and others (Notably some amongst our Northern group, I am told) that wonder if there was some way to share the benefits (and the cost, note that money is not the only cost, it takes a lot of effort ) of things like the Metalsmith and insurance and monthly notices and all that.
As we discuss this please keep in mind that we would like to strengthen the organization. We want to keep the membership we have. We have a quorum for funding newsletters, activities and scholarships. We want to find the best ways to service the needs of all our members.
I just spoke to former President Barb Esse about this. She told me about the early meetings when the Guild was just getting off the ground, how they ended up passing the hat at a lot of meetings just to get enough money for the next notice, the next event.
“Insurance?”I asked and she laughed. Yeah, we have come a long way.
We have been blessed with some very sharing, talented, and tolerant people. They are the organization. The energy and continued interest of all our members are what keep this going.
If some people in your area would like to have a local meeting or event, let us know. We will post it here and maybe some other interested people may show up to join the party.
Last weekend I was talking with one of the members of the State Arts Board. I mentioned I was on the board of the Guild and that we really appreciated how George Sutton had helped us find a lawyer to file our 501.C 3 application. He lit up and said, “You don’t need a place to hold classes do you? There are quite a number of small arts organizations around the state with facilities but lacking good programs to fill them.”
Now I don’t know what facilities are available, but it might be worth checking out for some of the non metro venues. It might make it easier for doing classes.
Gene Olson, member, and such
******
To<webmaster@metalsmith.org>
Subjectwomen metalsmiths
Hi, there!
I'm the wife (and sometimes Golden Maiden, if you know the classic myth) of a blacksmith, and he and I are two of several moderators on the Primal Fires forums. He's one of the moderators for the Muscle-powered Metalsmith's forum, and I'm a moderator for the Primal Living forum. I started a thread over on his forum asking about women metalsmiths. So far, only one woman has shown up on that forum and let it be known that she is a metalsmith, and we've found the website of one other woman metalsmith.
So, I decided to do some searching and found your website. Do you have women members? And if you do, would any of them be willing to share their website (if any) or otherwise share something about themselves as metalsmiths, their work, etc?
I'd very much appreciate it!
Dr.Dorothy Cordochorea
berkanahouse@attbi.com
Want Ads:
Any notice MUST be in my hands by the end of the month.
******
Blower For Sale
I have this blacksmith blower for sale that my husband got in a yard sale.
It is an old-fashioned hand crank blower that says Buffalo Forge, Co. Climax. It stands on three legs that curve upward. It is in good working condition. I could send pictures if needed. I don t know the value so I am open to offers. Thanks,
Patrice Curtiss
1939 NW 7th ST
Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744
218 326-1466
curtiss@mchsi.com
******
Wanted:
Pexto tin-coppersmithing stakes and table, portable pittsburg machine, 24"+ bar folder, 5-8' brake, Pexto 622 roller dies and nuts, (someone stole my dies and nuts at the auction) or the whole unit if necessary, 3'+ slip roll for 20 ga. Call evenings, ask for Alan 320-235-1117,
radialrafter@willmar.com
******
Want Ads are free to members
(and if the some nonmember is selling tools and equipment that may benefit members and the smithing community by keeping good tools in circulation, we will print those free too (anvils, forges, etc.)) Ads, (and letters) are published on a space available basis. This notice needs to ride on one stamp, so if there are too many pages some editing may be done or the ad may be pushed into the next issue.
Display advertising rate is the same as for Metalsmith. Half sheet, 4 insertions, for $50.
(Thats full page here, half page in Metalsmith)
Sorry about the
spotty summer
publication schedule
folks.
I have been having way too many problems with this computer.
That added to too many projects for the summer have made it hard to get this out. It’s a good thing that the summer is usually a slow time for activities.
See you at the Corn Feed.
Gene Olson, editor
Put your iron in the Fire!
Sparks, forging, welding,
Pot luck, classes
Things Could Be Happening
in Your Neighborhood.
The Board is looking for people who would like to help organize regional activities. What are regional activities?
They are events near you.
So, what is an event? Hmmnn don’t know eh?
How about this for your first event?
A planning meeting.
Put a note in the Forum
Metalsmiths around Posieville, unite!
Show up at Jane Urzats place on Saturday afternoon and help us plan classes, hammerins, meetings.
Tell everyone you know and ask the local paper to put in a note about it.
(It’s news and arts and interesting, and a public service as the Guild is now a 501.C3 organization)
The August Meeting
Wednesday August 14th
at D. L. Mariette Design Iron.
Pot Luck and corn feed starts at 6:30.
General membership meeting at 7:30.
Lots of socializing and there will be a forging demo by Dave Mariette.
Program: Dave will be forging a quick and easy fleure d' li finial. It is a great one for curtain rods, pickets, and etc.
It will be a great meeting don't miss it.
Altoids Tin Workshop
at the Herman Iron Pour
Saturday, August 17, 2002
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a break for lunch. Bring a bag lunch or buy one on site. ($5)
Niemackl Lake Park, 5 miles SE of Herman, Minnesota, on State Hwy 9
(180 miles NW of Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Gene Olson, Instructor
Register by July 26, 2002. Limited to the first 10 registrants.
You must be at least 18 years old to register.
Cost: $5.00 for materials. Make check payable to Niemackl Lake Park Fund, and mail to Chasing Workshop c/o Michele Heiberg , PO Box 36, Herman, MN 56248. Include your name, address, phone number and/or e-mail address.
Or, just come and observe for free.
The workshop is sponsored by Niemackl Lake Park in conjunction with the 8th Annual Herman Iron Pour.
Introduction to processes for decoration:
Layout,
repousse,
piercing,
applique
Description:
We will be exploring various ways to decorate a sheet metal object. We will make some simple tools and use them. We will look at design source material and discuss adapting it to our uses or using it as a springboard to our own designs. We will work on layout and transferring a design to the workpiece. We will be punching, forming, and soldering.
You will go home with some handouts, a few simple tools, and hopefully some new ideas about what you can do with metal.
This is an introductory session.
You need to bring:
Eye and ear protection, gloves, a small ball pein hammer (4-6 oz), and a larger one (12 - 16 oz), a propane torch. An Altoids tin or two. (We do have a stash of them here if you don't like candy) (You can also bring your favorite box or pail of tools for sheet metal, snips, saws, pitch pot, chasing tools if you have them)