A review of the event:
“METAL”—Intro to blacksmithing:
New Mexico Arts Workshop for veterans & active military
Photographs and video by Jim O’Donnell
The Paseo Project, in partnership with Veterans Off-Grid, offered the Taos County, active military and veteran community a new series of knowledge-based arts projects comprising four workshops.
Participants of “METAL / FIBER / WOOD / STONE” had four half-day sessions with craftspeople from Taos County and can learn hands-on about metal, fiber, wood and stone.
April 2023 marked the start of the workshop series, which continued until June. They were open to all of Taos County, active military and veterans.
Supported by an initial grant from New Mexico Arts, and established through a collaboration with The Paseo Project and Veterans Off-Grid, the workshop featured local artisans with workshops taking place in studios across Taos County.
The program offered learning opportunities and pathways to reintegration.
“[This program] shows that the community does care, and it also provides a network for veterans to link up with other veterans, find people they are comfortable talking to about problems and seeing other veterans who have transitioned to non-military life and are living happy and healthy lives.
Through random encounters, I have discovered that these organizations exist and am proud to be a part of the work they do.”
Workshop Series Schedule, 2023:
Saturday April 15
METAL: Introduction to Blacksmithing. Facilitated by Travis Webb.
Sunday May 7
FIBER: Introduction to Knitting. Facilitated by Justin Amero.
Saturday May 27
WOOD: Introduction to Woodworking. Facilitated by Bobbi Heidbreder.
Sunday June 11
STONE: Introduction to Stove Carving. Facilitated by Mark Saxe.
Learn more about the workshops at paseoproject.org/military.
APRIL 15 2023 | METAL / TRAVIS WEBB / INTRO TO BLACKSMITHING
The first in our series of Military & The Arts Workshops was held over the weekend.
METAL, on Saturday April 15, with Travis Webb (@taosvalleyforge), featured the basics of metal smithing, with forging basic shapes to make a wall hook.
Six active military and veterans were welcomed into Travis’s workshop for the afternoon of this half-day workshop offered free to our Military community.
This project is a collaboration with Veterans Off-Grid and proudly sponsored by Together With Veterans Taos, New Mexico Arts and Taos Community Foundation.
The next workhop is FIBER, Sunday, May 7th at 10:00am, Intro to Knitting facilitated by Justin Amero. Sign up at paseoproject.com/military.
