The Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America (ABANA) was formed in 1973 to preserve and promote blacksmithing as an

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

and a

craft A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...

History

The Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America was formed in 1973 with twenty-seven members. There are now 4000 members.

Publications

ABANA publishes two

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

s on a quarterly basis: The Hammer's Blow and The Anvil's Ring.

Conferences

ABANA holds a biennial conference to educate successive generations of blacksmiths and showcase modern and traditional blacksmithing to the general public. ABANA conferences typically have a gallery space to showcase the work of their members, educational spaces to provide hands-on demonstrations to all levels of smiths (novice to advanced), and demos by local and international demonstrators including artist-blacksmiths, farriers, bladesmiths, and toolsmiths. Each conference is held at a new location with the assistance of local ABANA affiliate blacksmith groups. Starting in 2021, ABANA held the first Iron to Art Festival which, in part, celebrated their new home office and museum space in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In June 2024, ABANA will celebrate its 50th Anniversary by holding a conference in Johnstown. Also scheduled is a blacksmith competition to be held in Johnstown's Central Park. The past locations by year are as follows: 1973: Lumpkin, Georgia 1974: Lumpkin, Georgia 1975: Greenville, South Carolina 1976: Carbondale, Illinois 1978: Purchase, New York 1980: Santa Cruz, California 1982: Ripley, West Virginia 1984: De Pere, Wisconsin 1986: Flagstaff, Arizona 1988: Birmingham, Alabama 1990: Alfred, New York 1992: San Luis Obispo, California 1994: St. Louis, Missouri 1996: Alfred, New York 1998: Asheville, North Carolina 2000: Flagstaff, Arizona 2002: La Crosse, Wisconsin 2004: Richmond, Kentucky 2006: Seattle, Washington 2008: Canceled (was scheduled for New Paltz, New York) 2010: Memphis, Tennessee 2012: Rapid City, South Dakota 2014: Harrington, Delaware 2016: Salt Lake City, Utah 2018: Richmond, Virginia 2020: Canceled (was scheduled for Saratoga, New York) 2021: Iron to Art Festival, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 2022: Canceled (was scheduled for Denton, Texas) 2024: 50th Anniversary Celebration, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Artists Blacksmiths' Association of North America Blacksmiths