Monday, May 27, 2019



One bunch of happy New & Aspiring Artists at the 2018 CLA Annual Show.  Hope others can join us in 2019!

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Bill Mills

Bill Mills:

Bill Mills is yet another one of the "New & Aspiring Artists" who will be at the CLA show in August in Lexington, KY. 

Bill's Bio:


I am from Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, and I started gunbuilding after a trip to Dixon’s muzzleloading shop which is near my home.  I saw all of the custom guns and decided that I would like to build my own rifles. Without the knowledge to complete the project on my own I enrolled in a gun building class at the Jacobsburg historical society And was mentored  by local gun builder Bob Rubbo.

Looking to expand the scope of my work including forging Iron mounts I received help from Ian Pratt and enrolled in the gun building classes he and Jim Kibler taught at canters cave.

I work full time as an hvacr  technician ,and build guns in my free time.

Bill’s son, Billy, is a young but aspiring blacksmith, and may be with Bill showing his forged flint strikers at the "new artists" table.


Below is the gun in the process of being completed by Bill for display at the CLA show.


Bill’s contact info:
Bill Mills,
542 Summerhill Rd.
Schuylkill Haven pa 17972


Phone 570 754-4130 or 570 640-5354


Monday, July 16, 2018

Sharek Gadd

Ra Sharek Gadd

Sharek Gadd  will be yet another one of the "New & Aspiring Artist" at the 2018 CLA show in Lexington in August.



Sharek's Bio:


Sharek Gadd was born into a primitive living experiment called Padanaram in Silverville, Indiana on July 1st, 1971. His family lived communally, in a challenging environment, until the death of his sister Shelam. 

A hereditary form of cancer took the lives of three other siblings and ultimately his father in 1995. 

After the death of Sharek's father, He enlisted into the United States Army and served until he was honorably discharged in 2005. 

He resides on the banks of White River in Fishers, Indiana. From his small studio and forge, Sharek creates a broad spectrum of commissioned work for individuals as well as A number of well known institutions.

Sharek possess no formal art training but excels in multiple mediums as well as structural design and the fabrication of utilitarian items. 

Below are a few pieces of bone fishing gear that will be part of his rendition of a primitive fishing kit.  He is still working on the container for the kit, as well as hand-forging a trap to display at the New Artists table.





Sharek's Contact Information:

You can contact Sharek via e-mail at:

or via his website:  https://www.sharekgadd.com/

More on Sharek's work:

Facebook Video of him forging the chain for his trap to be displayed at the 2018 CLA show:
Ra Sharek Gadd Forging Trap Chain


Carson Lucena

Carson Lucena:

Carson Lucena is following in a long time family tradition working at the anvil, and for his age and experience, is truly an amazing artist.

 


Carson's Bio:


My name is Carson Lucena and I am from Rose Bud, Arkansas. I’m currently 17 years old and I have been part-time blacksmithing for 2 and a half years. I became interested in blacksmithing after seeing beautiful flintlock rifles in movies and on the internet. Discovering that those weapons could be crafted by hand opened a new door for me. I discovered my great-great-grandfather was a blacksmith in the 1920’s and that my grandfather still possessed some of his old tools, including his Hay-Budden anvil.
My grandfather and I set to work preparing our tools and started forming metal on weekends. My grandfather gave me everything I needed to start this craft and I took off with it. Blacksmithing has changed my life and has taught me not only the art of metal work but also the meaning of hard-work. I currently work part-time for the local veterinary hospital in Rose Bud, attend Rose Bud High School, and spend my spare time still perfecting my skills.
I have a long way to go before reaching perfection, but I have the willingness and determination to succeed in blacksmithing.


Carson will be displaying the following tomahawk which he forged  at the New & Aspiring Artist table at the 2018 CLA show in Lexington:


Contact:  You can contact Carson via his facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Moose920/about?lst=100010895046648%3A100002159970996%3A1531790166

Or via E-mail at:  clbladesmithing@gmail.com

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Virgil "Chad" Henle

Virgil "Chad"  Henle:

Chad is another one of the highly talented artist who will  be displaying a really neat knife at the "New & Aspiring Artist" table at the 2018 CLA show in August in Lexington.


Chad's Bio:


Chad is a Photographer at Sophisticated Living Magazine, Production Team Leader at Humana Inc. and Instructor at Jefferson Community and Technical College.  He studied Fine art photography at University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.  Chad lives in Louisville, KY.  Chad hand forges knives, and has been pursuing this passion for the last 4 years.

Some of Chad's Work:



Chad's contact informaiton:


Chad Henle
8301 Thixton Lane
Louisville, KY  40229
Email:        vhenle@yahoo.com
Phone:      502-836-1552


Patrick Thevenow

Patrick Thevenow

While Patrick is an acomplished bagmaker, he is also a gunbuilder, and will be showcasing one of his rifles at the 2018 CLA show in August, at the New & Aspiring Artists table.

Patrick's Bio:
Leatherwork has been a passion for a long time and I feel my best work is with my leatherwork, though the rifle I’m finishing now is one I’d be proud enough of to display. Forged the mounts and double set triggers. Making everything but the barrel and (modified) lock.

Here is the rifle  that he will be displaying:



You can contact Patrick at:


Phone is 812-599-1291

Nick Bachtel


Nick Bachtel


Another young artist who is going to be setting a very high bar for bladesmith is Nick Bachtel.  He will be displaying one of his knives at the New & Aspiring Artist" at the new artist table at the  CLA show in August in Lexington.



Bio:Nick Bachtel

My knife was forged very close to final thickness and shape, then hammer engraved with my initials. The iron S guard and ferrule were forged, hot punched, and then brazed together with copper in the coals of the forge. The butt cap is forged from the same iron and has the tang peened over, mechanically holding everything together. The octagonal handle is curly hickory treated with aqua fortis and finished with oil and beeswax. Everything was glued together with pine pitch. The belt sheath is veg-tanned leather dyed with dye made from walnuts I collected myself and stitched with black linen thread. All natural, all traditional, all American. Thank you to everyone who kind of followed me throughout this build, Special thanks to Johnny House for the advice.   Please spread the word, share, and hopefully I’ll see some of you in Lexington, KY!

Contact Info for Nick:

1759 Underwood St
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
Phone: 330 907 5293


Knife for the 2018 CLA Show: