IVBA DEMONSTRATOR LISTING: If you are looking for a blacksmith to demonstrate at your local event, download this pdf document for a list of Illinois Valley Blacksmith Association members available for demonstrations. Demonstrators vary in areas of interest, range of travel, fees required, and ability level.  Please contact demonstrators directly via contact information in Demonstrator Listing. Download here.


PUBLIC AUCTION OF ORNAMENTAL IRONWORK - JULY 18, 7 P.M.
Thresherman's Park, Pontiac, Illinois

The Upper Midwest Regional Blacksmith Conference is a biannual event sponsored by three Midwest artist blacksmith associations consisting of over 800 members.  The 2009 Conference will for the first time include a public auction.  All items offered for sale at the auction are handcrafted by artist blacksmith members.  This will be a unique opportunity for proprietors of galleries and specialty decorator shops, gardeners, and all individuals looking to see and buy fine crafted ornamental ironwork.  Auction attendees will not be charged conference fees.  Viewing on day of sale beginning 3pm.

For more information, see the conference auction flyer available here.


IVBA SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS

Date

Event

Location

Contact

Feb 21/22nd

UMBA Winter Meeting

Trade item, Toys

Postville Blacksmith shop

Blanchardville, WI.

Pat Kowak

(608) 856-0217

 

 

 

 

March 15

Hammer-in,

Ma & Pa’s Blacksmith shop

52 Van Petten Rd

Rock Falls, IL

Dave Brandon

(815) 359-4378

 

 

 

 

Mar 27-29

 

Power hammer rebuilding seminar

Little Giant in Nebraska City NE. Cost is $95.00 per session

Sid Suedmeier

(402) 873-6603

 

 

 

 

March 21

Damascus Workshop

Steve Liley

Macoupin County Historical Society Carlinville, IL

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254-9235

 

 

 

 

March 28-29

Scott County Park Hammer-in

Bud Harvey Demonstrator

Scott County Park, Long Grove IA.

Bob Tuftee

(319) 332-4800

 

 

 

 

April 4/5

2 day new member Training Class

Macoupin County Historical Society Carlinville, IL

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254-9235

 

 

 

 

April 18 & 19

New Salem Hammer-in

Doug Wilson Demonstrating

New Salem  State Park Maintenance building,

Allen Ortery

 

 

 

 

 

April 25

Rose making workshop

Daryll Allen Instructor.

Macoupin County Historical Society Carlinville, IL

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254-9235

 

 

 

 

Sat May 2

May flower festival Augie and others at forge. Music by Gerry & Lyle

St. Andrews  church, Edwardsville IL

Beanie Schmidt

(618)-254-9235

 

 

 

 

May 1, 2. 3

BAM Ozark Conference

Missouri State Fairgrounds

Sedalia, MO

Kirk Sullens

(417) 8638628

 

 

 

 

May 2nd July 4th

Hammer-in/Open forges

Steve Knowles shop

1330 w. Grove road

Decatur, IL

Steve Knowles

(217) 433-2766

 

 

 

 

May 9

Spring Hammer in

Bring covered dish to pass

Blacksmith shop Threshermen’s Park Pontiac IL

Bill Kaufman

(309) 963-4906

 

 

 

 

May 16, 17

Peoria Park Distric Hammer-In

Larry Crow  Demonstrating

Sommer Park

Peoria IL

Tom Miller

(309) 691-6295

 

 

 

 

May 15

May 16/17

Beginners copper class

Advance copper class

Roger Lorence Shop

Belflower, IL

Roger Lorance

(309) 475-9012

 

 

 

 

May 16th/17th

UMBA Spring Meeting

Trade item

Matthew Edel Blacksmith shop

Haverhill, IA

Steve White

(614) 798-5401

 

 

 

 

May 23, 24

MCHS Spring Festival

Historical Society Grounds Carlinville, IL

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254-9235

 

 

 

 

June 5th – 7th

IBA Summer Conference

Fairgrounds Tipton, IN.

Don Nuenschwamder

(812) 448-2828

 

 

 

 

June 12-14

IVBA Summer Conference

IVBA Board meeting 4:00pm Sat

Central States Thresherman’s Grounds Pontiac, IL

Trish Springer

(309) 208-0952

 

 

 

 

July 17/19th

Upper Midwest Regional  Conf

Darryl Nelson, Jeff Farmer, and Zachary Noble demonstrators

Central States Thresherman’s Grounds Pontiac, IL

Jim Ribordy

(608) 295-9535

 

 

 

 

July 18/19th

Prairie Mills Windmill Heritage Days, Robert Lantz demonstrating

Golden,  IL.

Robert Lantz

(309) 257-2263

 

 

 

 

Aug 8-9

UMBA Summer Conference

demonstrator

Fairgrounds, Edgerton, WI.

Carl Syburg

(262) 968-2474

 

 

 

 

August 8

Dean Coonrod Memorial

Pana Hammer-In

Kitchell Park, Pana, IL.

June Coonrod

(217) 562-2969

 

 

 

 

Sept 4/7th   

Jersey County Victorian Festival,

Bill Egelhoff, Mile Lanham, & Augie

Fulkerson Mansion

Jerseyville IL

Fred Nolan

(618) 498-5590

 

 

 

 

Sept 4/7th   

Central States Threshermen’s show

Open shop for IVBA Members

Threshermen’s Park

Pontiac IL

Bill Kaufman

(309) 963-4906

 

 

 

 

Sept 19 & 20

Macoupin County Historical Society Fall Festival Open shop for IVBA Members

Carlinville IL.

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254-9235

 

 

 

 

Sept 25-27th

Sofa Quadstate Conference

8 demonstration areas

Miami County Fairgrounds, Troy, Ohio

www.sofablacksmiths.org

 

 

 

 

Sept 12th & 13th

English Wheel

Rick Smith

Sun Foundation Blacksmithing Workshops Bloomington IL.

Gary Jameson

(309) 691-2410

 

 

 

 

Sept 19th & 20st

Introduction to Sheet metal

Dave Kervin

Sun Foundation Blacksmithing Workshops Edwards IL.

Gary Jameson

(309) 691-2410

 

 

 

 

Sept 19th & 20st

Advanced  Sheet metal

Dave Kervin

Sun Foundation Blacksmithing Workshops Edwards IL.

Gary Jameson

(309) 691-2410

 

 

 

 

Sept 18th, 20th

3 day decorative wall tableau class

Gary Jameson

Sun Foundation Blacksmithing Workshops Edwards IL.

Gary Jameson

(309) 691-2410

 

 

 

 

Oct. 11-12th

Heritage Days

Larry Pitman, Jerry Grimes

River Front Park

Kampsville, IL

 

 

 

 

 

Oct 31st

Thanksgiving Hammer in

Bring covered dish to pass

Blacksmith shop Threshermen’s Park Pontiac IL

Bill Kaufman

(309) 963-4906

 

 

 

 

Novermber 7th

Hammer-in Carlinville  Gary Jameson demonstration

Macoupin County Historical Society grounds in Carlinville IL

Augie Schmidt

(618) 254 9235

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attention all members that demonstrate at various fairs, festivals or old time reunions. I need your event information to list here. Please contact me at (618) 254-9235 or e-mail information to  augie@peaknet.net

Last updated on June 1, 2009


 

Contact Augie Schmidt for new event information at (618) 254-9235; email to Augie@peaknet.net; mailing address 424 Crestview, Wood River, Il. 62095-4053.


OPEN SHOPS

Open Forges at Mt. Vernon’s Pioneer Village blacksmith shop the 2nd Saturday. Bring dish for Pot luck lunch. The Sugar Grove Forge is located at Sugar Grove Nature Center and is open the 3rd Saturday of each month. Lunch is on your own. We are at the Carlinville shop for a work day every Wednesday from about 10:00 to 3:00 any one wanting to fire up a forge is welcome. Steve Knowles shop in Decatur has open forges on the 1st Saturday of the odd months for those in the Decatur area.

IVBA NEWS
NEW PUBLICATION! The Backyard Blacksmith, by Lorelei Simms. "Traditional Techniques for the Modern Smith" This book's detailed step-by-step full color exercises teach universal skills and techniques used to forge iron. There are more than twenty beautiful and functional projects organized by level of difficulty. 176 Pages paperbound. Price is $25. Lorelei Simms is a member of IVBA and owns and operates Five Points Blacksmith Shop in Charleston, Il. Contact her by email: lorelei@blacksmithchic.com or (217) 345-1159.

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IVBA now has the following videos available: Frank Turley New Salem Hammer-In (2003 Saturday session). This video shows many scroll ends, a hinge and a branding iron. Kirk Sullens UMBA Conference 2003. Topics include a frog, dogwood flower, pine branch and cone, elephant face hook, and copper alligator head and skin. Kirk Sullens January, 2004 at Scott and Tricia Springer Animal forms in sheet metal and tools for working sheet metal. From the Flames - April, 2004 DeWitt County Library Gallery Show with Mark Gardner, Mindy Gardner, Steve Parker, Betsy Poarker, Monte Campbell. IVBA 2004 Summer Conference with Bob Bergman on power hamer and basic forging techniques.(Available August, 2004) Each title is available as a DVD or VHS tape. The price is $15.00 each for IVBA members and $20.00 each for non-members, plus a $4.00 S/H fee per order. An order form is available here.

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Scholarships
From time to time special classes come along that charge a fee to attend. IVBA has generously provided scholarships to members to help out with a portion of the cost when needed. If you have been a lucky recipient of these funds, we'd like you to consider giving back to IVBA in these two ways: One, give a demonstration of what you've learned at that particular class and pass on the teaching tradition. Two, write an article about the class to submit in the Tuyere and or the web site. The art of blacksmithing is kept alive by those who care enough to pass it on.
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IVBA Membership: As an IVBA member, you can participate in IVBA Sponsored Classes, Workshops and Demonstrations offered throughout the year. You can attend and take part in the annual business meeting and be a part of the IVBA's future. You will receive a bimonthly newsletter "The Tuyere" free with your membership. "The Tuyere" provides information about:

· Past events
· Planned events
· Hints and How-to dos
· Book & Video reports
· IVBA officer and board member contact
· Annual membership list

 

If you have IVBA news & events, please e-mail: info@illinoisblacksmith.org