All New January Traditional Skills Workshops for Vets, But All Others Welcome Too

Jan. 16 Update: Cancelled because of lack of enough students/ Will Re-schedule for late February.


Museum Village is offering skills workshops for veterans, but anyone else interested in taking a class is welcome too. Museum Director Robert Schmick says “Orange County has a very large number of veterans, and we want to offer them opportunities to learn about some traditional trades and skills that connect with our 19th century setting that they might enjoy doing and which could become part of a side business.” There will be a 15 percent discount on tuition for veterans with an ID.

The first three, Beginning Blacksmithing, Backyard Woodworking, and Chair Caning are planned for January and February. Warwick rustic woodworker Daniel Mack is doing the Backyard Woodworking. He’s made his living for 30 years from making things from sticks, logs, driftwood and trees. “I’d like to share both the technical parts of this work and offer some marketing advice on selling rustic objects.

Chair Caning
Learn how to cane a chair. You will have the choice of natural or artificial rush, cane, and other varieties. Tools will be provided but you can bring your own. Materials for one chair will be provided. Your own seat-free chair required. Class Limit: 8 Tuition: $100 for four 7-9PM sessions on Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, & Feb. 14.

Backyard Woodworking
This workshop provides the basic skills to make rustic projects from common woods and driftwood and to possibly start a small side business. The workshop runs for six Saturday mornings,10AM -2PM starting January 14. It meets at different locations around the county, including rustic woodworker Daniel Mack’s studio in Warwick, Museum Village, Bear Mountain, and the Newburgh waterfront. Class limit: 8-10

Beginning Blacksmithing
4 Days of Intensive Blacksmithing for Tuition/ 24 Hours of Instruction/$375 Friday, January 20: 5-9PM, Saturday, January 21: 10-6PM, Sunday, January 22: 10-6PM, & Monday, January 23: 5-9PM
Class limit: 6
Learn the basics of blacksmithing: tapering, bending, cutting and more. Make a set of skewers, spatula, spoon, door knocker, and tomahawk under the guidance of Adriaan Gerber. Gerber is a working blacksmith who creates entirely with hand tools high-quality axes, knives and swords that are sold worldwide. His home smithy is in Lamoine, Maine, near Acadia.

On Jan.18 & 19, 11-1PM, a free blacksmithing demonstration (Making a Tomahawk) is scheduled at Museum Village for those interested in taking this blacksmithing course or are curious.

Tuition for the Backyard Woodworking and Beginning Blacksmithing course is $375 for 24 hours of instruction. Chair Caning is $100 for 8 hours of instruction.

Sponsors are also being sought to help make this affordable for any veteran who wants to take it. This series is being offered as part of the Orange County Art Councils Arts for Vets Project.

To register, or offer to sponsor a veteran, or for more information, visit: museumvillage.blogspot.com, or call 845-781-3729 or email:
rschmick@museumvillage.org.