The Michigan Daily-Friday, August 1, 1980-Page 13
STUDENTS DIVERSE
Expert teaches blacksnmithing
(Continuedfrom Page3) plain to his visitor his motive for atten- yourself ... blacksmithing is a genuine the metalworking shop in the
it's much more." ding the workshop: "Every time you art form," she says. rehabilitation center of- Walter Reed
BLACKSMITHING AS an art and a watch somebody else work, you learn "You ought to talk to this guy," John- Army Hospital near Washington.
practical trade "is not dying," he says. something new." ston says, pointing to Grove. "He's a Dean Heers sports a smile when he
"In the last ten years, it's seen quite a RAISED ON a New England farm, real blacksmith - a farrier. That's speaks about Turley and the workshop
revival." Grove first learned the skill of iron- spelled f-e-r-r-i-e-r, isn't it?" she asks - Heers first met Turley when he
Turley speaks of his trade with a fier- working by repairing and making farm Grove. traveled to Santa Fe last summer and
ce pride - as do the other professional equipment. He was in the lumber "I don't know," he jokes, "you know, worked with him.
metalworkers and blacksmiths business until five years ago, when he they never teach us how to spell."
enrolled in the workshop for advanced became a full-time blacksmith. He calls Grove nearly starts to giggle as he at- HEERS IS pleased with the
work. that move "one of those things that you tempts to keep up the stereotypical workshop: "The reaction has been very
Is all of this stuff better than factory- have to do and you just do it." facade of an uneducated blacksmith - positive," he says with a gleam in his
made? the innocent visitor asks. 'eersre____s___stry_______ingeye.
TURLEY'S EYES narrow and his Heers relates a story involving his
head turns slowly toward his inter- 'After I shod horses for a few years, I got more blacksmithing ancestry: After he
viewer. "Beats the hell out of it," he interested in the iron than the horses. ' worked with Turley last year, he looked
barks, "for hand-crafted quality, care up his family history and learned that
in execution, and finish."-Frank Turley, one of his great-great-grandfathers was
Throughout history, Turley notes, blacksmith workshop instructor a blacksmith in Denmark.
smiths have been proud of their work: The workshop facilities offer a
"The blacksmith always considered strange contrast of ancient smithing
himself the elite of all the craftsmen Grove, 55, now works mainly on a but his attempt fails when he reveals he techniques and modern amenities -
because he made the tools for all the commission basis, but does some horse- graduated from the University of the tools are simply-constructed ham-
other craftsmen." shoeing as well. He is secretary- Maine in 1951, after serving during mers and pliers, but the forges draw in
Turley himself, according to Heers, is treasurer of the Michigan Artists- World War II. air with electric fans.
one of a small number of nationally Blacksmiths Association. JOHNSTON TEACHES beginning The workshop will conclude on
respected teachers of his craft - and Metalsmith Ruth Johnston, 66, says blacksmith students in Tucson, and Tuesday, and Turley welcomes
the only one who has established his she looks at the blacksmithing sells most of her work by commission visitors, he says, "as long as they don't
own school. workshop as an "expansion of or in "multiples" - duplicates sold burn themselves - or ask too many
IN THE EARLY sixties, Turley knowledge. commercially in specialty shops. questions," he adds, looking rather
became a horse-shoer in California, "IT'S FUN TO create something During World War II, she managed pointedly at his uninvited interviewer.
but, he says, "after I shod horses for a
few years, I got more interested in the
iron than the horses."M Y-T-
He still shoes horses part-time, but
concentrates mainly on teaching and E-
commission work such as creating - - ."s
customized hardware. Turley said he a so
also occasionally exhibits his work. He C-
belongs to the 900-member Artists- Now-you w
Blacksmiths Association of North s.N.ow-y.waiylAtlbe there
America. 1o5 3salt :103ew
Art student Julie Guthrie, a metals n'
major, explains that she has workedET EE
with fine metals like gold and silver in
the past, but had never forged iron BEIN G
before the workshop. "I love it," sheTIE R __
says. "Three weeks isn't long enough - - TH ER EPG
all you can do is learn the basics."'E Uted Asts [] - U mWAb
GUTHRIE IS making a set of knives fI(UppKSerev) (UPPER LEVEL)
during the interview, and seemsto have -,:00.7:. S T F 70n .30 nWM10 T :T0- 7: 05-935 KIRK DOUGLAS
developed a smooth technique: First 2thFCENTURYsa . S , Ked A00 07099E55
she heats a piece of metal in her coal-F I.-R
fueled forge, and then firmly but-
meticulously taps it gradually into a
flat blade with a hammer. Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 7:25-955 ton, Tue. Thur, Fri7:159:45 All the world
Blacksmith Edwin Grove, from Fen- . s w 1 30 25955 likes an outlaw.
ton, Michigan, already knows "the Aka00430745 ULEESMA N
basics" of his trade - he is attending *o WE ALL NEED.. MARK HAMLL
the workshop to learn about what he Until 2700PM OCapaity) A really good hit! ROBERT CARRADINE
calls the "art part of the work." Wat DsneyI
Grove is busy making an elaborate t LST Fs .a.I ;T
candle-holder, but takes time out to ex- A"L ;E
THEs
4;: ;BT'? 'D The LONG
The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative
Presents at MLB: $1.50 RPG NE ..,,,R
FRIDAY, AUGUST I A UNIVERSAL PICTURE QUmiedaut5 Q
WOYZECK-
(Werner Herzog. 1978) 7 & 10:20-MLB 3'-
Thi.s enl~y rleased fim, by Werner ,HrogTOIEAMDNE
chroncesley htaed mabsol derr'headlng TONIGT AT ONIMIDNITEIDNITE TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT
plunge into madness and- murder. In the title role THE AREAS FAVORIT! AN EXERCISE IN VERY
KLAUS KINSKI, who played under Herzog's direro CUL CLASSIC... POOR TASTE.
t hon as tcoquistadorA rre and the v sompreO RSEP .
Nst,,atu, dlvers harowing and osisgt- H
table performance. In German with subtitles. TIO _-.
SIGNS OF LIFE YEAR PRR
(Werner Herzog, 1967) 8:40-MLB 3IN
An intense, remarkable film about the Titanlike ^D L
revolt of one aoonagainst the world. The story STEREO
concerns a German soldier assigned to guard an
amm nitn depotia crumbling fortress on a
Geek ilnd toadth eood o,1Wold War,11t' y
Paralyzed by the monotony of his existence," ho
suddenly runs amok. threatening to blow up the?
tess an o Gonsr asebs-
t __ ___ ____.IA -shine in! t
Tomorrow: Walter Hill's THE WAR-
RIORS and John Carpenter's ASSAULT H" E1IN CONCEf
ON PRECINCT 13 at ML B. M u Y" as