Teaching at Penland

I got the opportunity to teach a course in the Iron Studio at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina.  The name of the course is “Silver Overlay for Blacksmiths”.  In it I will lead students in the forging of small articles of iron which they will then decorate with pure silver by the process known as Damascening or Koftgari.  As an example for the students I just forged a Thor’s Hammer pendant and overlaid it with hair-thin, fine silver wire.  The wire catches in a hand-applied texture on the surface of the steel and is peened and burnished to finish it.  This technique is quite ancient, yet fairly easy to learn.  It can add striking beauty to otherwise plain objects!