Welcome to Papa'Shop.
I have always been fascinated with the art of the Blacksmith. After I retired from the civil service, I decided to learn more about the craft of "smithing". I have always worked well with my hands and have been a student of "blue collar" craftwork like carpentry, welding, masonry, etc.... I have done woodworking, stained glass crafting, and carving. Hand Forging and Smithing has become my passion. I attended the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina in order to learn new methods of smithing. I also am an active member of the Ocmulgee Blacksmith's Guild, an organization dedicated to teaching and sharing the craft of smithing. To me, nothing is more gratifing to look back on a project and know that you accomplished it the old fashioned way with sweat and hard work. Blacksmiths have been around for centuries creating everyday, usable items. A blacksmith's work was one that was usually taken for granted but nonetheless vital to almost every aspect of daily life. Everything that was made of metal, from nails that the carpenter would use to the weaponry that soldiers would use was fashioned from raw material to its final product by the pounding of a blacksmith's hammer. Over the centuries more modern technologies and machinery have made much of the blacksmith's methods obsolete. It has truly become a forgotten craft. I have enjoyed learning the art of the "smithy" and have found that no matter how long a smithy works at his craft, there is always something new to learn. You can learn more about the blacksmith at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacksmith .
I have been able to use the ancient process of hand forging metal into my own brand of art. My website gives an overview of art I create. If you find a piece on this site that you would like to purchase please go to the "contact us" page and fill in the required information and the item description and I would be glad to give you a price. I also accept commissions. If you have an idea for a personal piece, I can quote you a price as well. Thank you for visiting my website.