'Aha Hana Lima 2025-2026
About 'Aha Hana Lima 2025-2026Feature Guest Artist: Lisa Geertsen Small-Scale Non-Ferrous Forging: Form and Function 'Aha Hana Lima ("Gathering of the Crafts") is held annually. It's a series of intensive multi-day workshops, lectures, and dialogs concerned with various media: clay, metal, wood, fiber, or glass. A free public lecture at each of the three events is also part of this event. Workshops will be on Molokai (11/25), Oahu (1/26), and Maui (3/26). This year (2025 & 2026) we bring the focus to blacksmithing with Lisa Geertsen. |
 |
Examples of Lisa Geertsen's work. Above, Metrosideros, Heart of Iron, Left, Altocumulus. "For me, the magic lies in transforming cold, unyielding metal into something delicate and full of movement, each hammer blow telling part of its story. My art is about connection—inviting others to see the ordinary in a new light and discover a spark of meaning within themselves." |
Workshop Description
This hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the fundamentals of forging and metalsmithing with copper, transforming raw metal into functional and beautiful objects. Students will learn core techniques—tapering, spreading, dishing, twisting, sawing, filing, and finishing—while crafting their own forks, spoons, table knives, cuff bracelets, or hairpins. Along the way, you’ll discover how heat and hammering bring copper to life in both form and function. If time allows, we’ll celebrate our work by sharing a meal together using the handmade tableware created in class. No prior experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to swing a hammer.
.png)
SKILLS YOU WILL LEARN
- Shaping copper through tapering, spreading, and dishing
- Adding dimension with twisting and forming
- Precision techniques in sawing and filing
- Surface finishing for both beauty and function
- Designing and creating functional items such as utensils, jewelry, and hair accessories
We encourage you to attend the artist lecture before each workshop to learn more about Lisa's work and meet other artists taking the workshop.
About Lisa Geertsen
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Lisa Geertsen is an artist blacksmith from Seattle, WA, and the owner of Firelight Forge, which she has operated since 2007 creating custom architectural and sculptural work. From 2013–2020 she managed the Metal and Stone Sculpture Studios at Pratt Fine Arts Center, where she also taught and developed classes in blacksmithing, stone carving, bronze casting, and fabrication. She is currently Instructional Technician in Sculpture at the University of Washington.
She earned her BFA in Sculpture from West Virginia University (1997) and her MFA in Blacksmithing and Metalsmithing from Southern Illinois University (2023). In addition to working as a blacksmith and fabricator, she has been deeply involved with the Northwest Blacksmith Association as a teacher and gallery coordinator, and is a founding member of the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths.
Lisa has taught nationally at Penland, Haystack, and John C. Campbell Folk School, and has demonstrated for groups including Fire on the Mountain Blacksmithing Festival and Florida Artist Blacksmith Association. She has also shared her expertise through virtual programs, workshops, and guest lectures at universities.
Her work has been exhibited across the U.S. and Europe, including her largest solo exhibition in Olympia, WA (2018), featuring 48 pieces from her Hearts series. Through her teaching, exhibitions, and community-building, Geertsen is committed to broadening representation and diversity within the blacksmithing field.RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Participated in CollaboratioNZ, an international artist collaboration in Whangarei, New Zealand, with an exhibition and auction in 2025.
- Completed an Open Studio Residency at Haystack Mountain School of Craft in Maine.
- Taught “Sparkle Magic: Forge Welding and Weld Forging” at Touchstone Center for Crafts in Pennsylvania.
- Took part in the EMMA International Artist Collaboration in Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Received a $25,000 Paul Allen Foundation Arts Accelerator Grant on behalf of the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Founding Member, Governance Committee Member, Treasurer, Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths
- Illinois Metalsmith Society, Past President
- Key Organizer, Inaugural Group Build and Founders Meeting of the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths, Government Camp, OR
Lectures & Workshops
MOLOKAI RECEPTION, PRESENTATION AND LECTURE
Friday, November 21, 2024, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Molokai Art Center, 1630 Farrington Ave, Kualapuu
Free and open to the public!
MOLOKAI WORKSHOP: SMALL-SCALE NON-FERROUS FORRAGING: FORM AND FUNCTION
Saturday, November 22, 2025 from 9 AM - 5 PM
Sunday, November 23, 2025 from 9 AM - 5 PM
Private Residence, Kualapuu, details provided after registration
MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 10
Tuition + $35 materials Fee
Registration closes: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
REGISTER FOR MOLOKAI'S WORKSHOP HERE
O'AHU ARTIST RECEPTION, PRESENTATION AND LECTURE
Friday, January 23, 2025, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
University of Hawaii Manoa, Art Department, 2535 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu
Art Auditorium or Metals Studio
Free and open to the public!
O'AHU WORKSHOP: SMALL-SCALE NON-FERROUS FORRAGING: FORM AND FUNCTION
Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 9 AM - 5 PM
Sunday, January 25, 2026, from 9 AM - 5 PM
University of Hawaii Manoa, Art Department, 2535 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu
Metals Studio
MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 14
Tuition + $35 Materials Fee
Registration closes: Wednesday, January 7, 2025
REGISTER FOR O'AHU'S WORKSHOP HERE
MAUI ARTIST RECEPTION, PRESENTATION AND LECTURE
Friday, March 6, 2025, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center, 2841 Baldwin Road, Makawao
Solarium
Free and open to the public!
MAUI WORKSHOP: SMALL-SCALE NON-FERROUS FORAGING: FORM AND FUNCTION
Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 9 AM - 5 PM
Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 9 AM - 5 PM
Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center - 2841 Baldwin Ave, Makawao
Jewelry Studio
MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 10
Tuition + $35 Materials Fee
Registration closes: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Tuition & Facilities Use Information
Hawai'i Craftsmen, Molokai Art Center* & Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center* Member: $300 + materail fee
Hawai'i Craftsmen Student Member: $150 + material fee
Non-Members: $400 + material fee
An additional $35 Lab Fee is payable to the Hawaii Craftsmen on the first day of the workshop.
*Molokai Art Center & Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center Members - you will need to get the promo code before you register to access the Hawai'i Craftsmen Member rate. If you have not received it, please contact your organization's membership director or administrative assistant for the code.
Artist Scholarships
A LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE
This scholarship is underwritten by the Hawai’i Craftsmen Endowment Fund, and was started with funds donated by Frances Pickens, one of Hawaii Craftsmens founding members and an award winning metal artist.
Deadline for the Molokai application: Monday, November 3, 2025
Notification of Molokai scholarship awardee will be announced Wednesday November 5, 2025.
Deadline for the O'ahu application: Monday, January 5, 2026Notification of O'ahu scholarship awardee will be announced Friday January 7, 2026.
Deadline for the Maui application: Friday, February 6, 2026
Notification of Maui scholarship awardee will be announced Monday February 9, 2026.
Hawai’i Craftsmen will provide full or half scholarships to cover the cost of the registration fee. The applicant must be a current Hawai’i Craftsmen member. You may become a member when you are applying for the scholarship.
APPLY FOR 'AHA HANA LIMA SCHOLARSHIPS HEREMore Information
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about how to participate, contact Hawaiʻi Craftsmen at AhaAdmin@hawaiicraftsmen.org
HAWAII CRAFTSMEN IS SUPPORTED BY THE HAWAI’I STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS, THE HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE ATHERTON FAMILY FOUNDATION, THE COOKE FOUNDATION, THE MCINERNY FOUNDATION, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THE LAILA TWIGG-SMITH ART FUND, SEVERAL PRIVATE FAMILY FOUNDATIONS AND OUR MEMBERS
HAWAI‘I CRAFTSMEN 1110 NUUANU AVE, HONOLULU, HI 96817 • info@hawaiicraftsmen.org • 808-521-3282