Art and business go hand in hand for blacksmiths
Kent Knapp and his artwork
Blacksmith dad Kent Knapp is drawn to nature-themed ironwork—metal leaves, vines and other things that “mimic nature.” But he also enjoys sharing his love for creating sculptures with his family—whom he closely works with, thanks to their lucrative business.
Knapp, in a phone interview with the Inquirer, talked about a “unique perspective” inherent in their show, “Milwaukee Blacksmith,” which airs on History every Thursday at 10 p.m.
“Our show has a unique combination [of] old-school craftsmanship that people are becoming interested in once again,” he said of the show’s entertainment value. “It is accessible—since working with family is sometimes one of the [endeavor’s] biggest obstacles.”
The Knapp clan has been working together for over a decade. Kent’s wife Shannon handles marketing and promoting. Their sons, Miles, Birdie and Ozzie, help at the forge, while daughter Zoey helps with design.
The cooperative children have varying personalities and levels of artistry, according to the busy dad. “It’s funny; each kid has a certain part of me and my wife’s personalities, personified or concentrated. Each of them, in his or her own way, has different strengths.”
The tight-knit family constructs ornate window grills and gates. In the episodes, they’re tasked with creating diverse metal sculptures, from an octopus chandelier to a gigantic dinosaur statue. There are things, however, that they choose not to create.
Kent Knapp (second from left) and his kids
“We don’t make any weapons in our shop,” Knapp revealed. “I’ve always been interested in the decorative arts and architectural ironwork. Because I’m a Buddhist, I don’t believe that those things should be made in my shop.”
The toughest thing about doing the show, he added, also taught them a significant lesson: “The biggest challenge [in] filming the first season was that we were building projects that would normally take us four to six weeks in the shop. We were churning them out in about a week and a half.”
Rigorous schedule aside, the first season was easy to film. “Cameras following us around was not a big problem for us … each of the kids has certain theatrical sides to them that like to entertain people,” he said.
Choosing to teach this type of art was easy for him, said Knapp: “It’s special when you spend all day teaching them things you love the most. It’s important to me that this craft, which has been around for thousands of years, continues. I start with my children. And I have dozens of students every week who learn it.”
Knapp also related that the process of creation depends on every commission. “Some products are low-budget and we just try to turn out the most beauty that we can for what the client can afford,” he elaborated. “Other projects are more of a museum quality, and we spend more time going over and over those pieces until they’re [perfect].”
If there’s a lesson that the Knapp family learned in its reality TV foray, it’s knowing certain restrictions. “I learned just what our limits were—we pushed to 200 to 300 times harder than we would at a normal time. I was spread a little thin,” said Knapp. “[But] each of them stepped up and proved themselves not only as great blacksmiths but leaders, as well.”
