Theme: Tools as Art

Blacksmiths, artists, and makers often love great tools. In this exhibition, we want to explore tools as the medium, the meaning, and the art itself. From artful arrangements to high-level toolmaking to tools manipulated into new creations, we want to see where exploration has taken you.

Deadline: May 1, 2024

Guidelines:

  • Use the online form to submit your info and images for the current exhibition theme.
  • You may submit previously executed work (completed within the past 2 years) or a piece made exclusively for this exhibition.
  • Work should have a forged component or be related to forging metal in some way.
  • If you wish to submit more than one (1) entry, please submit each entry separately.
  • This is open to everyone! ABANA membership is not required.
  • We’ll post the entered works on social media (if the same maker submits multiple entries, we’ll post at least one work on social media) and include selected works on our website for an online group exhibition. Note: Not all submissions will be selected for the online group exhibition.
  • The online exhibition will run from June 1 through October 1, 2024.
  • The Anvil’s Ring, our quarterly publication focused on exceptional forged work, may also choose to publish a few works submitted for the online exhibition.

By submitting your work, you are granting permission for us to post your submission on any of our platforms, including, but not limited to, our website, our publications, and on social media. Credit will be given as listed on the form.

If you have any questions, send us an email.

Check out our other online exhibitions:

Favorites of 2023 is on view until March 15, 2024. Check it out!

Darkness & Light will be on view March 1 through July 1, 2024. Visit the Exhibition.

Call for Entries

ABANA Featured Forgings:

Tools as Art

Submitted images should be in focus, free of clutter, and well composed. Think beyond resting the item on an anvil or open palm. Pay attention to what is present in the background – a sheet or blanket can make a suitable background. Leave some breathing room around the object – cropping too closely limits how the photos can be used. If you took the picture with your phone, look at it on a larger screen first to ensure it is not fuzzy or pixelated. Images that are of poor quality may not be shown. Professionally photographed items are welcome, but please list the photographer’s name in the description box so we can give credit. Poor quality images may not be included.

Your work could be selected to be shown in The Anvil’s Ring!

For consideration in The Anvil’s Ring print exhibition, a minimum of 180 dpi resolution .TIF or .JPEG photos in CMYK color format are strongly encouraged.
Cell phone pictures must be in jpeg format in the highest possible resolution. This can be adjusted in your phone’s camera app settings.
Proprietary file types such as .HEIC or .HEIF are not suitable for printing and cannot be included.
Are you currently an ABANA member? *
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Do we have your permission to use the information and images submitted for any and all uses related to this exhibition including, but not limited to: social media, the ABANA website, publications, promotional materials, and advertising? *