ME TAL WORKERS CONVERGE ON NOR TH CAMPUS blacksmithing head turns slowly toward his inter- viewer. "Beats the hell out of it," he barks, "for hand-crafted quality, care in execution, and finish." Throughout history, Turley notes, smiths have been proud of their work: "The blacksmith always considered himself the elite of all the craftsmen because he made the tools for all the other craftsmen." Turley himself, according to Heers, is one of a small number of nationally respected teachers of his craft-and the only one. who has established his own school. IN THE EARLY sixties, Turley became a horse-shoer in California, but, he says, "after I shod horses for a few years, I got more interested in the iron than the horses." He still shoes horses part-time, but concentrates mainly on teaching and commission work such'asycreating customized hardware. Turley said he also occasionally exhibits his work. He belongs to the 900-member Artists- Blacksmiths Association of North America. Art student Julie Guthrie, a metals major, explains that she has worked with fine metals like gold and silver in the past, but had never forged iron before the workshop. "I love it," she says. "Three weeks isn't long enough-all you can do is learn the basics." GUTHRIE IS making a set of knives during the interview, and seems to have developed a smooth technique: First she heats a piece of metal in her coal- fueled forge, and then firmly but meticulously taps it gradually into a flat blade with a hammer. Blacksmith Edwin Grove, from Fen- ton, Michigan, already knows "the basics" of his trade-he is attending the workshop to learn about what he calls the "art part of the work." Grove is busy making an elaborate candle-holder, but takes time out to ex- plain to his visitor his motive for atten- ding the workshop: "Every time you watch somebody else work, you learn something new." RAISED ON a New England farm, self ... blacksmithing is a. genuine art form," she says. "You ought to talk to this guy," John- ston says, pointing to Grove. "he's a real blacksmith - a farrier. That's spelled f-e-r-r-i-e-r, isn't it?" she asks Grove. "I don't know," he jokes, "you know, they never teach us how to spell." Grove nearly starts to giggle as he at- tempts to keep up the stereotypical facade of an uneducated blacksmith , S 'After I shod horses for a few years, I got more interested in the iron than the horses.' -Frank Turley, blacksmith workshop instructor Grove first learned the skill of iron- working by repairing and making fafm equipment. He was in the lumber business until five years ago, when he became a full-time blacksmith. He calls that move "one of those things that you have to do and you just do it." " Grove, 55, now works mainly on a commission basis, but does some horse- shoeing as well: He is secretary- treasurer of the Michigan Artists- Blacksmiths Association. Metalsmith Ruth Johnston, 66, says she looks at the blacksmithing workshop as an "expansion of knowledge. "IT' FUN TO create something your- but his attempt fails when he reveals he graduated from the University of Maine in 1951, after serving during World War II. JOHNSiON TEACHES beginning blacksmith students in Tucson, and sells most of her work by commission or in "multiples" - duplicates sold commercially in specialty shops. During World War II, she managed the metalworking shop in the rehabilitation center of Walter Reed Army Hospital near Washington. Dean Heers sports a smile when he speaks about Turley and the workshop - Heers first met Turley when he traveled to Santa Fe last summer and worked with him. HEERS IS pleased with the workshop: "The reaction has been very positive," he says with a gleam in his eye. Heers relates a story involving his blacksmithing ancestry: After he worked with Turley last year, he looked up his family history and learned that. one of his great-great-grandfathers was a blacksmith in Denmark. The workshop facilities offer a strange contrast of ancient smithing- techniques and modern amenities - the tools are simply-constructed ham- mers and pliers, but the forges draw in air with electric fans. This story was reprinted from the summer edition of The Daily. A r THE "ORIGINAL" foP SD- Ladies Sizes 5 to 10 $46.00 Men's Sizes 7 to 13 $48.00 Get off'your high horse rr AND. SUBSCRIBE! it's not too late. 764-0558 0 0 CAMPUS 619 E. Liberty Open Friday til 7:00 DOWNTOWN 217 S. Main Open Mon & Fri Nites til 8:30 MAST'S TWO STORES Personal and Business Microcomputer Systems At Affordable Prices America's most popular microcomputer system- the TRS-80 "-now at popular prices. Save on Model I 16K Level I BASIC system! 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