Big Sky Show Info and Questions for you

joshsmith

joshsmith

Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Messages
646
I have just launched a new page on my website dedicated to the Big Sky Country Mini Show this June. On that page you will find information regarding the show. I have also provided a link to the Art Gallery where I will be hosting this show. When you go to that link go to the bottom of the page and click on "Terrace Suite." This is the suite I will be hosting the show in. The decor for my show will be different though. At the bottom of the page you will see some pictures of the surrounding area including Hancock shooting a gun and a view from my shop.

Go to www.joshsmithknives.com and click on the Big Sky Show button.

I would like to pose a question to you forumites though. Many of you will not be able to attend the show this year for various reasons. For the 2009 show, which makers would you like to see exhibit at this show that would get you to attend? What makers would you like to be able to have a chance to get some special work from and mingle with for the weekend on a more intimate setting? By the way the date for the 2009 Show is June 26th with the hammer in following it on the weekend.

Thanks for your input.
 
I will be attending this years hammer-in, but thought I would put in a suggestion. I know that he is busy, even though he doesn't have a position on the ABS board any longer, but what do you think are the possibilities of getting Jerry Fisk?
 
I'm (almost) sure I will never attend this hammer-in (to my regret) but I would like to make a few suggestions never the less. How about makers like Joe Keeslar, Russ Andrews III, Ron Newton, Bruce Bump, A.G. Barnes, Tommy Gann and John White.

Marcel
 
Normally, I'd say Don Fogg, Tim Hancock, Burt Foster. However, I am not sure I'd be able to attend anyway.
 
The line up you have this year is fantastic, not to mention a format that looks like it will be a lot of fun. It's a show I'd love to attend, and have been meaning to email you about.

In regards to future shows, personal favorites of mine who tend to make me interested in attending a show include Bailey Bradshaw, Bruce Bump, Tom Ferry, Burt Foster, Kevin Cashen & Christoph Deringer. Though it's always great to be exposed to new makers and work as well - I'd love to get to see John Horrigan's work in person for example.
 
Joss, you will be happy to know that Don Fogg has already committed to display at the 2009 Big Sky Show and demonstrate for the hammer in along with Owen Wood. The rest of the makers for '09 will be decided following this years show and hammer in.

Keith, for my show it does not matter if the maker is even an ABS member. The fact that Jerry is not an ABS board member has no relevance and is a great suggestions.

Concerning my show I would like to encourage any non ABS member to attend. The show I am putting on in Missoula is not an ABS event. It is my event and I will choose who I would like to attend. I want the best makers and makers that will draw customers. They do not have to demonstrate at the hammer in. In fact I can not have all five makers demonstrate because of time constraints. I hope my event may serve as a way to build bridges and friendships between ABS and non ABS members. After all we're all knife makers.

The only thing required from the makers is they have to provide me a customer list that I can mail to for this show. Tim, Larry, Harvey, and Rick had no problem with doing that. They all understand I will keep their lists separate from my own business contact and subsequent correspondence. The collectors contact information that actually attend the show will then be given to each attending maker. The rest of the names will be kept in a private database for future show invitations only.

Thanks to those of you posting maker suggestions. Even though makers like Bruce Bump and Tom Ferry are not displaying at the show this year they will be at the hammer in. I have been encouraging all makers that attend the hammer in to bring knives. They understand that I can not invite them all to attend the show but I have explained to them that they should bring some knives to sell at the hammer in. I set up a small free show for all makers attending the hammer in on Saturday. This year I have been telling the makers that they would be wise to bring knives to this because there will be some great collectors in attendance.

Collectors should understand that they not only have an opportunity to buy from the five makers at the mini show but they can get some great knives on the weekend as well.

Gaussian, I look forward to your email.

Please keep the names coming. Thanks,
 
Joss, Seattle is only a 7 1/2 hr. drive or a 1 1/2 hr. direct flight away from Missoula. I'll look forward to seeing you at my shop next June 26th, no pressure! :D
 
joshsmith said:
Joss, Seattle is only a 7 1/2 hr. drive or a 1 1/2 hr. direct flight away from Missoula. I'll look forward to seeing you at my shop next June 26th, no pressure! :D
Click to expand...

Josh - I'm relocating to Paris for a couple years, unfortunately (for this specific case). I probably will be there by then. Otherwise, I would definitely have come.

Ah - other name suggestions: Tim Zowada, Kevin Cashen, Jimmy Fikes.
 
Non ABS: Tai Goo, Tim Wright, Wolfe Loerchner. All have high regard and reknown. (Can you imagine a carving and flow seminar by Wolfe Loerchner or Tai? Or a treatise on exacting finishes by Tim?)

Nice work Josh, putting this out there. You are taking full advantage of the 21st century.

Coop
 
Fisk and Fogg - no doubt about it.

My (relatively) short list beyond those two, in no particular order,

Russ Andrews
Bailey Bradshaw
Kevin Cashen
Dan Farr
Burt Foster
Don Hanson III
Jason Knight
Ron Newton
J.D. Smith
Nick Wheeler

Okay, alphabetical order.

Roger
 
Joss, that's a reasonable excuse. The drive from Paris is a tough one.:)

Thanks for the name guys. Be sure I'm taking notes.

Josh
 
There is a fella that makes great San Francisco style knives that I would love to see at the show. That would be Matt Diskin, and he doesn't live that far away.

Tai Goo, Ray Richard, Vince Evans, Ric Furrer and most definitely Kevin Cashen would also be great to see. So would the Montana Mafia.

The importance of Jerry not being an ABS board member any longer is that might give him more time to attend the Big Sky hammer-in.
 
While I'm thinking about it, another maker that I would love to get to meet and check out his knives would be James Batson.
 
Joah, another great non ABS forged blade maker who does all the damascus for Wolfe is Brian Lyttle and he is not that far away in southern Alberta. He has done seminars at Ashokan and is well known among many of the major bladesmiths.
 
There are many great makers that you guys are naming. It becomes quite a challenge for me because there are guys that I'd love to invite for many reasons. Some because I love the style of their knives and some because I like them so much personally. This is a challenge because I have to put aside some of my personal preferences and try to choose makers that will DRAW collectors. I can think of 100 makers that make great knives, but the challenge becomes finding the makers that will make collectors on the east coast or down south board a plane bound for Montana.

I am trying look at this from not only a draw stand point but from a personality standpoint. I want the collectors that come to have a blast and really interact with the makers. In turn I need makers that easily interact with their customers.

The next challenge becomes talking these makers into attending. The makers I've invited so far I'm very close to personally and it didn't take a huge sales pitch. Owen Wood is the only one I didn't know personally but he accepted my invitation pretty much without hesitation. I know he'll be great because his reputation as a maker and man precede him.

I really enjoy seeing the names you guys come up with. Thanks.
 
It's funny because I've gotten 31 different names, one guy has three votes, one with two, and a couple with one. I expected that I would get one or two guys that would be highly sought after but instead I've gotten a huge array of names.

Keep the names coming. Maybe you can specify guys that your absolute must see guys. Just curious. Once I've had my show and I've talked the collectors attending that as well as collectors at Blade I will use this list and those lists to narrow it down.

Thanks and by the way, how lucky am I that these guys are coming to my shop. :p
 
I love the mosaic damascus guys. Cliff Parker, Don Hanson, Shane Taylor etc. I like the canned mosaic tile look. A recent blade issue of Blade called Cliff a Mastersmith, so I guess he can slide as being ABS. :) I may be in the minority here but I think Mel Pardue does nice folders too.
 
Your second show will be a hard act to follow, considering the makers that will be present at your first.

On my list of considerations would be Jerry Fisk, Don Hanson, Burt Foster, Bailey Bradshaw, Lin Rhea, Jay Hendrickson, Daniel Winkler (he will attend Jerry's this year), D Holder and John Young.
 
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