The Demonstrator For The
2009 SPRING MEET Was
Bob Partick
Bob Patrick:
Our demonstrator for the Spring meet is Robert Patrick from Arkansas. Bob has been involved with the Blacksmithing and Early American crafts scene for nearly 45 years. He grew up in Ohio, attended Kent State University where he majored in Chemistry, Geology, and Art. In the early 1970’s while at Kent he taught blacksmithing, graduated from the Midwest Farrier School, Xenia, Ohio in 1971, and was the head blacksmith at Hale Farm and Village, Bath, Ohio, from 1967-1974. In 1975 he moved to the Missouri Ozarks and with a partner opened Big Anvil Forge, and three years later established Big Anvil Forge School of Blacksmithing.
Three times he was selected as Master Blacksmith for the State of Missouri, demonstrated at the Frontier Folklife Festivals, 3 ABANA conferences, CanIron, has taught at John C. Campbell and Ozark School Of Blacksmithing, and was also a founding member of the Blacksmith Association of Missouri (BAM). Whew! There is so much more he has done, but it should suffice to say that Bob is well known for his traditional ironwork and forge welding ability.
One thing most do not know about him is that he was lead fiddler in an Irish music group and also plays rock and electric fiddle. He has a background in fiber arts, spinning and weaving, built several looms and spinning wheels and has done spinning and weaving as well as braided leather work.
We have been trying to get Bob here for many years and we're happy we have finally pinned him down. This was be a great demo and he covered a lot of territory, including tool making, open die work, forge welding, hardware etc.
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