Artist Blacksmith Russell Jaqua and the Creation of the Sculpture "For Willene"

In honor of the 59th birthday of Russell Jaqua, a leading artist-blacksmith in the American Craft Movement's "new iron age," thirty blacksmiths gathered to create a major sculpture. This mini-documentary tells the story of the making of "For Willene" using the 750 Chambersburg power hammer that Russel had restored at Nimba Forge just prior to being diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Dubbed the 'Blacksmith Boondogglers', a group of the finest smiths from across the United States gathered over February 17th-20th, 2006, to create the 4-ton sculpture that Jaqua had designed as a parting gift for his wife, Willene. Russell Jaqua died on June 10, 2006, three weeks before the sculpture's inaugural exhibit at the 2006 ABANA Conference in Seattle. 0:00 Introduction 0:13 "The power of the hammer... gives you the power to express." - Russell Jaqua 1:42 Jerry Culberson Allyn, WA 3:14 Michael Bondi Project Manager San Rafael, CA 4:52 Willene & Russell Jagua Nimba Forge in Port Townsend, WA 8:02 Jim Wallace Director, National Ornamental Metal Museum Memphis, TN 8:09 Russell working at Nimba Forge in 2000 8:31 Jim Garrett Port Townsend, WA 8:44 George Rolstad Chehalis, WA 9:05 Kelp Bed 9:45 Russell Jaqua At Nimba Forge in 2000 12:04 Saturday's Oyster Dinner 13:45 The hammer will outlast us all. The grand maker of beauty. 14:15 Fred Borcherdt Tucson, AZ 14:26 Bill Brown Linville Falls, NC