peter ross demo

I came across this great video where Peter Ross conducts a blacksmithing demo. I saw Peter make a key for a lock at a Blacksmithing conference at SIU-C in 2005. The key looked liked it had been turned on a lathe as it was so precise, when in fact he had just used a hammer and anvil to forge and shape the entire piece. Hang in to the end on this video; you'll be glad you did. I love the part about using an imprecise object (hammer) to make a precise object (compass). I'm really interested in the idea of precision and the idea as is applies to pre-industrial revolution objects. I think some of this is going to feed back into my ideas on the role of technology as it applies to craft practices. The older I get the more I realize that I don't know nearly as much as I wish I had the time to learn, and that the thoughts and opinions I have now are less concrete than they were when I was younger (I guess that's just youth and arrogance). As I get older I feel that I need seek to understand what came before me with more clarity and understand "making" with more depth so I can better understand where we as humans currently are headed. I begin to think that early civilization had more things figured out before the motivation of "making" became more focussed on mass production and standardization. 

Anyway, food for thought...

penland - seth gould

Seth and Andrew weren't around when we arrived at the barns so Rachel showed us around. Rachel has assisted Seth before, so she was really familiar with his studio. Seth's studio is so neat and organized. He is currently working on a large chest lock that is absolutely nuts. His little shaper, SB lathe, and small gallery were really nice. The pieces inside the small gallery space just blew me away. You can see the influence of Peter Ross here. The Nazel hammer is so beautiful! I eventually bumped into Andrew and then Seth. I really enjoyed talking with them both. I hope I get to connect with them again during their time here.