Thoughts
about Shelby
A Blacksmith’s
Impact
As I grow older, and a little more reflective, I discover new
directions and find a middle age dog can indeed learn some new
tricks. The impetus for many of these directions comes from
meeting people who spark an idea. Often this takes
shape in one of my metal sculptures or projects that I
undertake. I may not even recognize the slight turn in my
work, until I reflect back upon what has come out of my twisting and
shaping of hot metal bars. A few weeks ago I drove by the
memorial that sits in downtown Waxhaw that I made for local blacksmith
Shelby Frye, and I realized what a huge influence this man has been on
my work, and in turn my life, even though he has left
us….and I never actually met him.
Shelby was a blacksmith. From talking to people who knew him;
he was also an accomplished talent that produced some exceptional
work. However his life was cut short; and given the
opportunity, he could have produced even more work. I wonder
if he is in some way still banging away on an anvil. Perhaps he has
more pieces to produce? I believe there is evidence to point
towards this possibility.
After Shelby passed away, his family and friends left at the end of our
driveway a mixture of his tools and materials, and a message
– see if you can make something to remember him by as a
fitting memorial. As I sorted through the pile I
was drawn towards a hammer and an anvil. I had never held a
hammer of this type before and was intrigued with the weight and the
balance. It felt better in my hands than any hammer I had
ever used. It struck me, pardon the pun, that I should use
his tools and materials to create his memorial.
I remember thinking that his spirit was involved in the process of
creating the work. Even the actual design came from thinking about him
reaching down and hammering on the anvil as I shaped the components of
the sculpture. After the work was complete and installed I
tried to explain this to his family and friends. But what I
couldn’t explain then, which I couldn’t know then,
is how I would be connected to Shelby from that sculpture
forward.
When I returned to making other works I found myself drawn to the
flames of the forge and the need to twist, bend, and hammer
metal. I searched in vain for a similar hammer; his was
welded into the memorial as the last step. I bought two more
forges and eventually made an even larger commitment towards this style
and bought a power hammer. This is a machine that strikes a
hammer blow up to four times a second. It literally has an
impact on my work. It can also leave an impact on your hand
if you are not careful.
But I have discovered the greatest impact actually has come from Shelby
himself more than any air driven 2,000 lb blue monster
machine. Because of him, I have been steered down a
different path in style and material, towards new discoveries in art
and creativity.
His life touched many people’s hearts during his time here
– but just because he isn’t nearby banging away on
his anvil doesn’t mean he isn’t still reaching out
and making his influence known. I think that as an artist, he
learned how to shape and manipulate to achieve a new goal, and I think
even now, all these years later, he is still twisting and shaping
material towards that same goal. If I take some time to look
at my recent work, I can clearly see that
influence. What a wonderful legacy and gift to pass
to others. I don’t know how else to refer
to it, except as an individual’s spirit upon others, long
after their physical presence has departed. Next
time the hammer is directed to come down just the right way –
I’ll remember to say “Thanks Shelby,”
because only he could have made that impact.
Tom Risser
TRisser1<at>carolina.rr.com
Fri 10/17/2008
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