In 1961 Mick Smith had the choice to become either a professional iron worker or a blacksmith.
He chose the former, citing the difficulty in making a living as a blacksmith. But once retired, he embraced the traditional craft out of sheer enjoyment.
“I always wanted to be a blacksmith,” said Smith, who lives just north of Fergus.
Now the owner of Fergus Forge, he is also the president of the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association (OABA), a group of about 180 like-minded artisans who specialize in “functional art” such as fire place sets, benches, stools, tables, railings and countless other items.
“We’re just trying to keep the craft alive,” Smith said.
With that idea in mind, the OABA is hosting the Canadian National Blacksmith’s Conference from July 28 to 31 at the Sportsplex in Fergus.
Also known as CanIRON 8 – this is the eighth such event, held every other year across the country since 1997 – the slogan of this year’s conference is “Forging Friendships.”
The OABA has spent about $100,000 on the conference and is hoping to at least break even. Any profit made from the event will be put towards the association’s education efforts.
Smith is expecting several hundred people to attend the conference, which will feature the presentation of two benches to Centre Wellington Township.
“The [municipality] has been really helpful to us,” he said, specifically mentioning the staff at the Sportsplex.
Though the conference is geared towards blacksmiths, the public is welcome all weekend, and particularly to view items for sale in the gallery and to take in the forging contest the afternoon of July 31.
“I’m always amazed at the quality of the work in the gallery,” Smith said.
Among the demonstrators at the conference, three are from the U.S., two from Ontario, two from Britain and one from New Brunswick. Smith explained CanIRON organizers always try to feature at least two demonstrators that locals otherwise would not have the chance to see.
“For them to accept is really an honour for us,” he said, adding there is no money in it for the demonstrators, other than having their expenses covered.
Smith hopes the conference will draw spectators both young and old alike.
“It’s neat to show kids how stuff is made – instead of just going to a store to buy it,” he said.
Other facets of educating the public include the history of the craft – “people don’t realize how important blacksmiths were; they did everything,” he says – and about the “labour intensive” nature of the art.
“People need to realize if you want quality it costs money, and it costs money because it lasts,” Smith said.
And when it comes to the artists themselves, there is no typical blacksmith, he said. He estimates over 90% of OABA members are hobbyists, while very few are professionals, and they come from backgrounds as diverse as wood carving, medicine and jewellery.
“Some people just want to see something old and traditional,” said Smith, who first embraced the craft part-time 25 years ago.
He personally enjoys making knives, often out of recycled files or railroad spikes, in addition to myriad other functional art pieces.
“I just like the way you can transform things,” he said of the craft.
For more information on the OABA or the Canadian National Blacksmith’s Conference, visit www.ontarioblacksmiths.ca.
