OUR INSTRUCTORS

Jon has been working with metal for over 40 years. He apprenticed under some great blacksmiths and steel workers who taught him the benefits of a coal forge and a good hammer.  As a metal artist, his main medium is steel, but he also works with other various metals, like brass and copper. He’s known for making a wide range of pieces, from a life sized iron skeleton to fork bugs. Hand forged snakes and hooks, steel flowers, and Damascus knives, can always be found in his shop. He also designs and creates many commissioned pieces, such as stair railings, furniture, signs, and art pieces for both homes and businesses.

As the former Technical Director at the Kalamazoo Civic Youth Theater and the Director of Technical Theater at Kalamazoo College, he has designed and built hundreds of sets using steel, as well as wood, fabric etc. Jon has also made numerous theatrical weapons, like broad swords, daggers, and rapiers. 

In 2015, he was a recipient of the Community Medal of the Arts, the areas most prestigious award for regional artists.

Because of his experience working with youth theater, classes are open to anyone 9 and up. “If you don’t teach the art, it will die".” Jon enjoys teaching children the tradition of blacksmithing, and give them the chance to create something truly unique. Many of his younger students continued classes for years, developing their skills and even becoming professional metal artists themselves. For older students who may have done some blacksmithing or metalwork in their childhoods, it’s always fun to see them relive that part of their lives. Most students, though, are people who have never done any metal work before, or even used power tools. They leave with a new sense of accomplishment after making a railroad spike knife, or steel snake.

Jon is a member of Abana, The Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America.