Experiences

-three day workshops in my atelier-

 Let me take you even further into my world by inviting you over for a three-day workshop, in which you will get a full experience of the process of making your own custom knife. 

 My work is to create the spaces through which we move, the objects we need to facilitate the flow of our days and charge them with the intention to redirect the user back to attention.

Personally, my gravitation towards knives has all to do with this redirection of myself. I pick up my knife, within my own space keeping me warm and immediately lock in with the attention towards the act I am about to perform. I cook with presence and add a dimension to my dish which goes beyond the direct perception of our senses. I am here, I am now.

We are constantly surrounded by things in this material world, many of them know a dirty background. When we trace back their origin and make that clean by essentially healing ourselves, we transfer this light onto what comes out of our hands; we multiply forces and start creating a physical environment with a capacity to heal. The cooking is only an example and just the beginning of something far bigger that I dream of. 

Healing ourselves can be decomposed into the following; washing away limiting constructs, visiting our wounds and seeing again how we are an integral part of nature. To not regard nature as a different entity but see that it is us, we, you, me. 

 Over the past years I created a lot of new work with this taoist approach. I invited the elements, the cosmos for a dialogue by putting my urge to take charge aside. I feel like everyday I become a more and more open vessel through which a more powerful language than the human tongue can speak more clearly. 

When I was asked to give a three day class, I applied this same approach to this social situation and saw myself taking on a natural role of guiding these students throughout their creating process, whilst leaving it absolutely theirs. 

Here my visions merged with something new I saw happening right in front of my eyes. The future users of these ritualistic objects, the knives, got in touch with that origin as deep as they could possibly get. The origin - the creation of these objects - the experience it formed in itself - was felt, touched, seen and tasted. 

It made me see that I want to make more time to provide and guide such experiences for others. 

 What do I provide?

 How does the experience look like?

 First Day

We start at 9:00 in the atelier, for a short introduction into the process, quickly followed by the ignition of the fire.

That is when we start working our already prepared 120 layers of steel and symbolically set the last forge-weld ourselves on this piece. After that we stretch it out to later forge our knives. Preparations I made like these enable us to compress the making process into a three day timespan.

We break our days with a nourishing lunch which I will prepare.

During this day we forge and heat-treat our pieces.

At 18:00 we retrieve to our residencies to rest-up for the second day.

Second Day

We start at 9:00 in the atelier and embark on the process of grinding our knives, preparing our handle material and preferable even shaping it into a rough shape.

Again, we retrieve at 18:00 to rest-up for our last day.

Last Day

We start at 9:00 in the atelier to enter the last stages of making your knife. We finish the handles and prepare our blades for one of the most exciting parts; revealing the patterns within.

Don’t expect to be able to make a leather sheath still, our schedule is rather tight and unless you have quite experienced hands already we will not be able to make a good leather sheath within our time.

We end the day around 18:00

The result with which you leave is totally dependent upon your motivation and capacity. I am there to safely guide you and assure that you will leave with something of quality.

The workshop is no shortcut to owning one of my pieces for a reduced price. It is an opportunity to make your own.

You do not need to have much skills in your hands to attend the workshop, I will take over whenever I see you lack a capacity to do something safe and good. I do this for your own concern and the fact that we have to carry this experience with the four of us. Your tempo and capacities are to be respected but shouldn’t withhold the group from proceeding.

I advise to work towards a maximum size of a 18/21cm blade, the purpose and usage of your knife depends on your desires.

This being said and taking in account that the interest for the workshops seems to be quite high and the spots limited, I would love to receive a short motivation from you if you want to assign for a workshop.

 When do these workshops take place?

 Sign up now

Sign up for a workshop now by sending my a mail.

Please include in your mail:

• When you would like to take a workshop.

• Short information about yourself, age, preferred language, experience etc.

• Short motivation why you want to come.

• Your diet.

• Any necessary information I should know about you.

  
  

 DISCLAIMER

Please do not sign up if you have a fear for fire or working with dangerous tools. The working environment is a dangerous place if you do not approach it with a healthy humility. I believe that the fire is a forgiving force, unless you play around with it and disrespect its nature. Your intentions and drives will be reflected by the process and your pride doesn’t stand a chance to the immaculate forces of the elements with which you will have to dance. There is nothing to fear of as long as you know your place.

I will be there to protect your safety but know that all your consequences of your actions are your own responsibility. If you do not take my word or the processes warnings serious, bad things could happen.