August 2025 Volume 7

FOUNDATION NEWS

“I was blown away during my first visit! CMA is doing something pretty special, it’s keeping our industry’s history alive while also training the next generation,” says Michael Maule, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at Lehigh Heavy Forge. “It’s not just about the past or the future, it’s both. At the same time, it’s getting more people to see forging as both an art and an industry. There’s really no other place like it.” Lehigh Heavy Forge, ELLWOOD Group, Walker Forge, and Trenton Forging all support CMA as sponsors, advisors, or advocates. Their generosity helps CMA maintain its programs, offer scholarships, and upgrade and restore equipment. In return, they preserve the history, the language, and the values of early American industrial forging. Who CMA Serves CMA’s value is best illustrated through the voices of those who have lived it. One such voice is that of Annalisa Barron, an artist and educator who has attended CMA as a student, artist-in residence, and collaborator on large-scale forging projects. Her experiences reflect what sets CMA apart, not only in terms of technical education, but in culture and community. She describes CMA as a rare kind of school where students engage with techniques that require group coordination on massive industrial hammers, in an environment of historical reverence and dynamic creative innovation. “I took a week-long class that involved calculating and scaling forgings to produce large replicas. It was mathematically and physically rigorous in ways few craft schools ever attempt. There’s consensus in the metalworking world that no other school is doing what CMA is doing at this scale,” says Barron. In January 2025, she was awarded a Winter Residency, where she lived and worked alongside other residents and staff. Unlike many residencies that require teaching, exhibitions, or administrative labor, this opportunity offered full creative freedom. “Mark Kelly spent hours answering my questions, demonstrating new techniques. I learned more in two weeks than I had in years of self directed practice.” At the conclusion of the residency, she was invited to participate in a historic anvil forging session she described as “one of the most fascinating experiences of my life.” The residency itself was made possible through a generous grant from the Windgate Foundation, underscoring the importance of philanthropic support. “What stood out most,” she shared, “was how the staff and instructors all contribute to the work in the Octagon; the tools, the hammers, the designs. Pat could make it about himself, but he doesn’t. He’s built a culture around collaboration. It’s not about any one person. It’s about the team.” That spirit of teamwork, what she called CMA’s “people power,” is at the core of its legacy. She concluded with a powerful endorsement: “If there’s a way to recognize CMA for its community-building, it should be done. They’ve created something unique and deeply valuable.” CMA serves a broad and growing community, including veterans, early-career makers, professional blacksmiths, high school students, and career changers. What they share is a desire to build something with their hands and to learn how to do it properly. The 2025 Cambria Iron Conference On September 20, 2025, CMA will host its annual Cambria Iron Conference, "Inspired by the Past, Forging to the Future,"

a gathering of blacksmiths, industrial forgers, educators, and historians from across the country and overseas. The conference is a celebration of the history of the shop as well as the restoration work CMA has done, bringing the historic hammers back to life. The conference features panels on technique and tradition, live forging demonstrations, historical tours of CMA, and opportunities to connect with those who share a passion for the craft. The Conference offers an immersive way to see CMA’s mission and hard work in action.

Forging teams on the #4000 Bement Miles and the #3000 Chambersburg at the 2024 Cambria Iron Conference In addition to demonstrations in the historic Smith Shop, there is also an exciting forging competition that takes place in CMA’s Forging Classroom. Participants are all given the same size piece of material and are allotted six heats, a powerhammer, and a basic tool set to do whatever they wish to the steel. Friendly in nature, this competition is an opportunity to cheer on your favorite team or heckle your fellow competitors. Judges score the pieces in categories such as technical proficiency, ingenuity, creativity, cleanliness, and refinement. Coinciding with the conference is "from Core to Surface," a juried exhibition of current forged metalwork showcasing the vast possibilities of design, technique, and self-expression through the lens of the forging process. Forging can be both incredibly technical and self-expressive. Pieces on display are functional forgings and sculptures by a dynamic mix of leading, world renowned, and emerging metal artists. The conference and exhibition together offer a compelling introduction for those curious about CMA, as well as a community for those already familiar with its vision and mission. All are welcome. Visit centerformetalarts.org/events/conference to register for this year’s conference. Shared Values, Shared Futures CMA’s efforts reach beyond forging technique; they reflect a belief in the power of craft to shape community, identity, and opportunity. Its programming aligns with priorities shared by manufacturers, craftspeople, artists, entrepreneurs, tradespeople, engineers, historical preservationists, and anybody who realizes the

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