Gulf Coast Blacksmith Association

(see Chuck Robinson’s photos of this event)

A note from Larry House of Dragons Watch Forge

All I can say is WOW!

This was the best party I have ever had, thanks to ALL of you!  With a total attendance of  172 people  for the 2 days and an untold number for projects and pieces made it was truly an Art Full weekend.  There are new converts as well as seasoned artist that learned and experimented with new techniques.  There were 4 forges going all day with young and old alike hammering and learning.

Not to leave anyone out but some of the demonstrators were  Deborah Davis, Hope Frost, Christina Huffman, Kelly Hammell, Chris Marks, Terrel Pickett, Tom Walker, Frank Huffman and myself.  The bronze pour was off to a rocky start with less molds than I wanted ready when the bronze was ready, but what was cast came out perfect.

The Raku demos were brilliant! Christina and Frank Huffman from Paint Your Own Studio in Picayune had a class of ladies and they all made and fired pieces and the colors were awesome.  To add to that, Christina and Frank donated a Raku finished Dragon which was raffled off to help cover the costs and was won by Maggie Mccaffery of Franklinton, LA.

Saturday eve was capped off with an fiery finish when John Perilloux  lit off the copula and began smelting iron.  When John opened up the oxygen lance the fire and sparks flew! He and his crew (Deborah Davis and Joe Rogillio) poured about a dozen molds and turned out some very nice pieces.  One was donated to us and will become part of our display for iron casting.

Sunday Hope Frost started the day off with a wonderful demonstration of Repousse and Chasing.  Soon the forges were lit and the hammers began to fall.  Several knives were forged and more art pieces were formed.  Mid-day Chris Marks and Hope Frost called us together and presented Gwendolyn with a lovely collaboration piece, a forged steel and sunk copper bowl and to me one of his hand forged Damascus Herb Choppers.  Thank You Hope and Chris.

My good friend Chuck Robinson was taking pictures all weekend.   As soon as I can I will be posting the results on our web site and will send out a reminder to check them out.

The afternoon wound up,  and we all said our farewells with  many requests for us to do it again.  SO, be thinking this time next year, you have a place to be!

I cannot express enough gratitude to my friends and family that spent many long hours working to help prepare and pull this party off.  The crew that worked the kitchen, Jackie Dolphin, Keith Mueller, David Barbay, and Chris Stoffregen did a brilliant job of feeding the crowd and seeing to it that everyone remained hydrated.  Sue and James made sure everyone knew where to park and where to enter and register.  My thanks to all of you and all of you that attended.  We are already looking forward to next year and thinking of what to have then.  Hope to see you here.

Larry House
Dragons Watch Forge