Another new symposium/show...

Kohai999

Kohai999

Second Degree Cutter
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
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The ABS has seen fit to invade New England in Auburn, Maine, the region being LONG and justly, the sole province of the New England Bladesmiths Guild, with a new show, co-hosted by the New England School of Metalwork on July 17-19, 2009

Featured Demonstrators include:

Don Fogg
Christoph Deringer
Jay Hendrickson
James Batson
Dan Cassidy
B.R. Hughes
Carolyn Hughes
Mace Vitale

I do hope everyone has a nice visit, and good luck to Don Fogg for what is surely to be an exciting and informative event.....

I REALLY hope this has no negative impact on the turnout for the New England Bladesmith's Guild conference in Ashokan, and should it, may those responsible thusly suffer in pain and agony for what they have wrought.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
STeven, this is written from the view point of one who has zero knowledge of the impact of one hammer in, symposium, show etc. on another, but on the face of it, it seems like the more the merrier. Spreading the wealth of knowledge as it were.

If it is a selling show then I could see some concern, perhaps, but then only if the dates of the events are sufficiently compacted.

I really need to become more informed on things of this nature, because to reiterate, I thought more would be better.

At this point I sort of share your concern if not your passion.

Paul
 
sheathmaker said:
STeven, this is written from the view point of one who has zero knowledge of the impact of one hammer in, symposium, show etc. on another...


If it is a selling show then I could see some concern, perhaps, but then only if the dates of the events are sufficiently compacted.

At this point I sort of share your concern if not your passion.

Paul
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I don't know Paul, maybe I'm being too alarmist/partisan....it has everything to do with the history of the Guild as opposed to the ABS...I'll call you and let you in on what I know....and it is a selling show as well.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Kohai999 said:
The ABS has seen fit to invade New England in Auburn, Maine, the region being LONG and justly, the sole province of the New England Bladesmiths Guild, with a new show, co-hosted by the New England School of Metalwork on July 17-19, 2009

Featured Demonstrators include:

Don Fogg
Christoph Deringer
Jay Hendrickson
James Batson
Dan Cassidy
B.R. Hughes
Carolyn Hughes
Mace Vitale

I do hope everyone has a nice visit, and good luck to Don Fogg for what is surely to be an exciting and informative event.....

I REALLY hope this has no negative impact on the turnout for the New England Bladesmith's Guild conference in Ashokan, and should it, may those responsible thusly suffer in pain and agony for what they have wrought.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

A massive amount of talent will be shared by the individuals from that list.
 
Kevin Jones said:
A massive amount of talent will be shared by the individuals from that list.
Click to expand...

Take a look at the list of those that participate in the Ashokan Conference from last year, Kevin:

Oh wait....there is no list, because you had to be there to see the excellent stuff they do, which is simply for the sharing and teaching of great stuff for the sole reason of doing it, rather than glorifying the ABS.

I've been 4 times, how about you?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
How close to the fall Ashokan hammer-in will this this event be? I can't find dates for anything other than the spring event which was last weekend.

It looks like the ABS event will have some very good demonstrators.
 
Keith Montgomery said:
How close to the fall Ashokan hammer-in will this this event be? I can't find dates for anything other than the spring event which was last weekend.

It looks like the ABS event will have some very good demonstrators.
Click to expand...

2-3 months, Keith, and it is more of forcing a decision for those who travel and are of limited means, than anything else.

I am looking forward to meeting you in about 7 weeks, yes?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Hi STeven,

I've never been Ashokan. Love the Ashokan Farewell (The Them Song for the Ken Burns "The Civil War."

So will the two shows be close in location. If they are close in proximity. Are you pointing out that Ashokan may be depleted of both makers and other "interested" parties?
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi STeven,

I've never been Ashokan. Love the Ashokan Farewell (The Them Song for the Ken Burns "The Civil War."

So will the two shows be close in location. If they are close in proximity. Are you pointing out that Ashokan may be depleted of both makers and other "interested" parties?
Click to expand...

I'm simply pointing out that the ABS is moving into territory that was previously the domain of another, and opposite in approach, entity, and I am curious as to why.

It is entirely possible that like few things, this one is outside of your radar...in other words, if I have to explain it, you don't have a frikkin' clue.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Hi STeven,

I guess you are right...I have no "frikkin" idea.

STeven, you better than most know that shows are popping up everywhere. Take you for instance...not attending Blade this year so you can attend another "SNOOTY INVITE ONLY SHOW" :D

Now the ABS has a problem with Jerry Fisk doing a "Invite" show...but not Josh Smith? We understand the reason why this dichotomy exists. Yet you are surprised by the ABS moving into Maine?

So since I have no "frikkin" idea of what is going on. Please humor me and explain to me why this is a big deal.

I would think that Ashokan would have sufficient "cache" to ward off some "upstart" ABS Fancy Hammer-In. No?
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi STeven,

I guess you are right...I have no "frikkin" idea.

STeven, you better than most know that shows are popping up everywhere. Take you for instance...not attending Blade this year so you can attend another "SNOOTY INVITE ONLY SHOW" :D

Now the ABS has a problem with Jerry Fisk doing a "Invite" show...but not Josh Smith? We understand the reason why this dichotomy exists. Yet you are surprised by the ABS moving into Maine?

So since I have no "frikkin" idea of what is going on. Please humor me and explain to me why this is a big deal.

I would think that Ashokan would have sufficient "cache" to ward off some "upstart" ABS Fancy Hammer-In. No?
Click to expand...

There are dynamics that you and I can guess on. Only the ABS would know what the reality is.....for now, Josh's show is held under ABS aegis.

I don't know why the ABS is moving into New England...but it alarms me. The New England Bladesmith's Guild was founded as ANTI-ABS....not the organization per se, but the BS behind it...the politics, the ass kissing, the reverence for myth and legend, even when it was invented, rather than factually based.

This anti-BS stance formed my early appreciation for the forged blade, even when many smiths' finish could favorably be compared to looking like it was done on a brick...you and I, Les, we have the good fortune to have been there, when much of this was taking place and transmogrifying into the something that it is now, really world-class, leading all the way, oooo-rah.

The history would take many paragraphs to recount, but the bottom line is that Bill Moran tried to absorb the New England Bladesmith's Guild into the ABS, and it didn't happen, much to the benefit of us all.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Just like to point out that the ABS didn't move up there.... Mr Fogg did. He lives in Auburn and teaches some bladesmithing related classes with a local college or technical school.
 
Will Leavitt said:
Just like to point out that the ABS didn't move up there.... Mr Fogg did. He lives in Auburn and teaches some bladesmithing related classes with a local college or technical school.
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The ABS has never held a symposium in New England before this one....THIS is a SANCTIONED ABS event.

As I wrote before, perhaps I am being alarmist and partisan, but something feels very wrong about this, so I am putting it out there. The goals and mission of the ABS are quite noble, but the way that certain controlling interests at the policy-making level go about the business is quite perverse in action.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Will Leavitt said:
Just like to point out that the ABS didn't move up there.... Mr Fogg did. He lives in Auburn and teaches some bladesmithing related classes with a local college or technical school.
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That was my understanding as well. I believe Jim Treacy may know the details, perhaps he will chime in.
 
With all of the knife shows, micro-shows, and hammer-ins popping up all over the place, 2-3 months seems almost like a lifetime. Just out of curiosity, how did the NEw England Bladesmith's guild end up having their gathering in the Borscht Belt?, which to me would be kind of like the North Carolina Knifemakers Guild having their gatherings in Georgia? The Catskills ain't New England by a longshot!:D Without having any knowlege of whatever is going on "behind the scenes" I would guess that the ABS is moving into New England because they are not currently there.
 
Senpai STeven is the ABS bad people? trying to squash out a smaller known society of good people?


some bad hoodoo going down in new england
 
Steven,

I am guessing this is much more about the ABS trying to have hammer ins in each geographic location of the U.S. and the fact that Don is there and is an instant draw makes for a pretty easy decision to put a hammer in there. I am guessing it's much more that and much less of a grand scheme on the part of the ABS to infringe on another event. My conference started much the same. The ABS wanted to have an event in the NW and Matt Diskin wasn't going to be able to put his on in Spokane again so I started mine.

That said it may very well affect the attendance at Ashokan. Typically makers and collectors choose their favorite event in their region and skip the other. i.e. following my conference last year almost none of the attendees that were here went to the Dubois hammer in just a month later.

In regards to my show I hope there is a distinction drawn between my conference with is sanctioned by the ABS and my private show the night before which is a separate event. Obviously they work nicely together but they are separate entities.

I also think that part of the reason my conference is so well attended is because I'm bringing in top KNIFE MAKERS, regardless of whether or not they forge. In fact I'm making a point to bring in guys who don't forge just to get away from the old model of the typical ABS "hammer in." I think this helps me bring in a larger number of attendees interested in all aspects of knife making.

This idea of inviting top talent to teach regardless of organization affiliation seems to be the best way to draw attendees. The best thing Ashokan can do is stack their line up with unreal talent hoping to out draw the other event. Don Fogg would be a good start!
 
Kohai999 said:
The ABS has never held a symposium in New England before this one....THIS is a SANCTIONED ABS event.

As I wrote before, perhaps I am being alarmist and partisan, but something feels very wrong about this, so I am putting it out there.
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WTF?! STeven you obviously love the Ashokan event--to the point of obsessive.

A rising tide floats ALL boats. Wait and observe.

This is the first time?? Not! Sorry I have a correction to one of your points. Let's go back to Sept. of 2002, when the ABS ran a great sanctioned event in NY State. Check out this star-studded cast in a nightly Q&A session:

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I thinks it's a smart move for lovers of the forged blade.

Imagine that: twice over three months being able to learn. :D

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
WTF?! STeven you obviously love the Ashokan event--to the point of obsessive.
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Fancy a passionate knife collector as obsessive?:eek:

Whoooda thunk it?:confused:

Tell me about your Subaru, Jim!:D

SharpByCoop said:
This is the first time?? Not! Sorry I have a correction to one of your points. Let's go back to Sept. of 2002, when the ABS ran a great sanctioned event in NY State. Check out this star-studded cast in a nightly Q&A session:
Click to expand...

Didn't know about this one...thanks for correcting me.

As far as it being NBD, perhaps there are some events you have coming up that you want to share photographic duties with other lensmen...because it isn't competition...it is opportunity, right?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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