Richard Svanström
Richard Svanström is a blacksmith and sculptor. He has a master’s degree in applied art with a focus on metal at Steneby HDK. He works as a teacher and mentor at a Waldor school in Järna and sometimes as a guest teacher at a folk high school.
“ I work as an educator with different materials as a means to work with children and adults and inspire exploration trips and experiments. I want to create a meeting place where everyone gets space to find their own way and dare to challenge what is expected. It is in the interaction that I experience that development and formation of judgment take place, at the borders of the uncontrollable.”
Creative Session
In the smithy, we work with exploring the basics and seeing the breadth of possibilities in various metal crafts. We learn how to use materials and tools. We work with hot forging at the furnace where the participants learn to handle the fire and control the transformation process. We investigate the properties of copper in the manufacture of bowls and dishes. We get to know several methods of joining the materials using different soldering and welding techniques. We also work with simpler jewelry manufacturing by forging a silver ring, for example. We work with sketches and simpler design. Through experiments and discoveries, the participants develop their working methods.
The goal is to know the basics of metalworking, to handle tools and materials in a suitable way and to feel joy in daring to take new paths.
Course planning:
1 Basic forging course. We work with the basics for forging iron in the furnace and each made a hook or handle.
2 Basic silversmithing course. The work includes making a ring of silver. We learn to saw, file, bend, forge, braze (silver solder), grind, grind and polish the metal. Then we make an evaluation of the work process.
3. from Idea to product. inspirational conversation. How to go from an idea to a concrete action. sketch process and material selection. design and experiments. Try Gas Welding and Mig Welding.
4 Experiments and production phase. individual projects.1
5 Experiments and production phase. individual projects.2
6 Experiments and production phase. individual projects.3
7 Closing, accounting and evaluation.