West Virginia University students will have the opportunity to learn about the ancient art of blacksmithing this summer by enrolling in Art 493R, Special Topics: Blacksmithing. The course will be the first of its kind at WVU.

Assistant Professor Dylan Collins, who coordinates the sculpture program in WVU’s School of Art and Design, will lead this course. Collins has been investigating blacksmithing, welding, casting, and other hot metal processes for more than 20 years, using these techniques to create a wide variety of objects in metal, including, sculptures, gates, railings, benches, tools, and more.

Students of all skill levels, from the novice to the expert, are welcome in the course. The class will begin by teaching blacksmithing basics, such as working at the anvil with hammers and chisels to make small forged utilitarian items. As students progress in the course, they will use blacksmithing in conjunction with welding and fabrication techniques to make both sculptural and functional works of their own design.

The blacksmithing course runs from June 29-July 17, 2015. For more information about the class, please contact Dylan Collins at dylan.collins@mail.wvu.edu or phone 304-293-2390.

-WVU-

cl/04/23/15

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

Follow us on Twitter at @WVUToday.