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OCTOBER 2025
OCTOBER 2025
PREPAY ONLINE
You can now prepay online for Level 1 and 2 Classes or Open Forge Sessions here or at the forge with a posted QR code!
FORGING SILICON BRONZE
With Celeste Flores
(two-part class)
Sat, Oct 4 & Sun, Oct5, 2025, 9a to 4p Blacksmith Barn-$300
Bronze Smithing: Forging Forms in Metal with Celeste Flores of Clay and Steel. In this class, we’ll explore how to forge bronze directly, using heat and hammer to shape it without molds or casting. We’ll start by making a simple form that incorporates several common blacksmithing techniques. The goal is to get a feel for how bronze moves and behaves under the hammer. Mistakes are expected—this metal can be tricky, and there’s a good chance your first piece might melt or break. That’s part of learning to work with it. After the forging portion, we’ll shift into design.
I’ll share how I approach creating new sculptural forms, including a demonstration using oil-based clay. You’ll have a chance to look at examples of forged and sculpted bronze, as well as sketches and visual references. From there, you’ll develop your own design and sculpt a clay model of your piece. The class will culminate with you bringing that design to life, transforming your clay model into a finished bronze piece. This class is a good fit for people with some forging experience who are interested in exploring bronze as a sculptural material.
For information and registration, click HERE
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
SATURDAY LEVEL I CLASS
Door Pull
Saturday, October 4, 9am
Instructor: David Gottfredson
Blacksmith Barn -$30 coal/materials fee
prepay HERE
Learn to forge a shapely door pull for a gate or cabinet project!
No reservation required!
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
SUNDAY LEVEL I CLASS
Letter Opener
Sunday, October 5, 9am
Instructor: Kelly Carle
Blacksmith Barn -$30 coal/materials fee
prepay HERE
Learn to forge a letter opener with a decorative handle of your choosing. This includes an introduction to the useful skill of beveling! Makes a good gift.
No reservation required!
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
SATURDAY LEVEL II CLASS
Scrolling Jig
Saturday, October 11, 9am
Instructor: David Morice
Blacksmith Barn -$30 coal/materials fee
prepay HERE
Use the Scrolling Jig you forged in September to forge the "C" and "S" scrolls needed to create the final Level 2 project - the Level 2 Grille!
No reservation required!
This is an intermediate class requiring completion of Level 1 and an active museum membership to participate.
STAINED GLASS
STAINED GLASS
Sunday, October 12, 9a ADVANCED
Stained Glass Beginner and Intermediate classes are now available!
Limited space. $200
info and registration HERE
In this advanced stained glass class, we will build a 3 dimensional wind spinner. Must have already completed the INTERMEDIATE stained glass class.
You must have an active museum membership to participate.
THURSDAY LEVEL I CLASS
THURSDAY LEVEL I CLASS
Spring Fuller
Spring Fuller
Thursday, October 16, 4p
Instructor: Dave Catchpole
Blacksmith Barn - $30 Coal & Materials Fee
prepay HERE
Learn to forge a letter opener with a decorative handle of your choosing. This includes an introduction to the useful skill of beveling! Makes a good gift.
No reservation required!
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
KEYHOLE SPATULA
KEYHOLE SPATULA
With Becky Schimpf
With Becky Schimpf
Saturday, October 18, 9a- 4p
Instructor: Dave Catchpole
Blacksmith Barn - $75
Info & registration HERE
Learn to forge a keyhole spatula in this fun class taught by Becky Schimpff. The keyhole spatula is a traditional shape that was used historically for fireplace cooking, with at least one spatula in every kitchen. Come forge your own! We promise it will be a great addition to your own kitchen, BBQ or camp set-up.
Forging a keyhole shape presents a unique challenge, how do you get the metal to move into the desired shape with your hammer and anvil? In this class, Becky will introduce the concept of creating a pre-shape that allows us to isolate and then manipulate the bar to create the desired outcome, in this case a keyhole shape. This is an important concept in blacksmithing and understanding the concepts will help you as you approach your own projects.
Once set up with a pre-shape, Becky will demonstrate how to spread the bar using the peen of your hammer. This is an excellent exercise in hammer control, and we'll spend some time looking at hammer blows and how your hammer blow impacts your results. Once the spatula is formed, Becky will shift to handle design. She'll show how to approach the handle and design considerations. Ultimately this part of the project is up to you, so bring your ideas and creativity!
Lastly we'll put on a food safe finish so your spatula will be ready to go to work. There is lots of learning built into this project and the skills you learn will definitely improve your blacksmithing repertoire. And you'll get to come home with a super rad spatula!
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
HAND BUILT POTTERY
HAND BUILT POTTERY
With Julie Montgomery
With Julie Montgomery
(two-part class)
Sunday, October 26, 9a- 4p &
Sunday, November 16, 9a-4p
Blacksmith Barn - $75
Info & registration HERE
Beginner’s Hand built Pottery: A 2-session class, approximately 5 hours per session. In session one, you will learn how to shape and mold clay by hand into your choice of items such as a bowl, plate, cup, or patio candle holder.
Your item will be dried and bisque fired to prepare it for glazing. During session two, you will learn about glazing pottery and apply glazes to your item. Your item will subsequently be fired to a glazing temperature and you will be able to pick up your finished work of art approximately a week later. All of the clays and glazes we use are food safe and non-toxic.
We provide all the instruction, tools, materials, and firings to help you create a beautiful and unique work of art to take home.
BLACKSMITHING 101
BLACKSMITHING 101
Blacksmithing 101 (beginner) Classes Adult or Youth (10+) Paired
Our 2-part beginner classes teach you to forge useful projects while learning to safely manage a coal forge and use blacksmithing tools! No experience or tools required. Completion of 101 is required to participate in our regular classes, open forge dates, and other blacksmithing events.
Weekend and weekday classes are available. Register online HERE
For questions and inquiries, contact info@55acreproject.com
Upon completing our 101 course, you are entitled to your first Level 1 class free!
OPEN FORGE DATES
OPEN FORGE DATES
Saturdays/Sundays in September, 9a-3p
$30 Coal Fee – 9am to 3p Bring your own or purchase metal
Open forge time is available to current museum members who are certified by Vista Forge instructors to safely operate a coal forge. You must use required safety equipment, proper clothing, follow all safety rules, and be considerate of forging classes in session. Contact Instructor when class is in session before forging.
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate. Youth smiths must be accompanied by an adult.
NOVEMBER
KEUM BOO
KEUM BOO
TOW DAY COURSE:
Saturday, November 1, 9a
Sunday, September 21, 9a
Instructor: Bette Barnett
Blacksmith Barn - $175 Coal & Materials Fee
more info and registration HERE
Looking to set your work apart? These one-day workshops with steel artist Bette Barnett will show you how to take your pieces to the next level by incorporating precious metals like gold and silver. Bette will guide you in Keum Boo, an ancient Korean technique that involves bonding gold and silver foil to your forged steel pieces. You’ll also explore a cutting-edge twist—fusing gold foil flakes directly to forged steel for shimmering, organic effects. Finally, Bette will share a few other jeweler techniques that transfer easily to the blacksmithing world and open new opportunities for adding value to your work.
The workshops will include:
An overview of basic jeweler techniques that can be adapted by blacksmiths.
Keum Boo on steel—bonding gold (and even silver) to steel using heat and pressure, including demonstration of an innovative new approach that involves fusing precious metal gold leaf flakes to steel.
Introduction to fusing—powdered bronze metal clay fused to steel.
Finishing mixed metal steel work—patinas (more than black) and sealers.
After Bette’s demos, you’ll dive into hands-on experimentation, working on your own sample piece. You may choose to bring one or more small forged piece to use or small cast samples will be available if you want extra surfaces to explore. Whether you’re a seasoned blacksmith or just starting to integrate metal embellishment, this workshop will arm you with powerful new techniques that turn functional into unforgettable.
You must have completed our Blacksmith 101 course and have an active museum membership to participate.
SAVE THESE DATES!
Special Classes with special guest instructors:
November 9 Teaching Blacksmithing Techniques by Caitlin Morris
November 22 & 23 The Suffolk Latch
by Mark Aspery
December 12-13 Knife class
by Ben Abbott
December 14 Forge & File Contest hosted by Ben Abbott
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