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Arian's Forge

Contact name: Arian Leljak
94
Total bookings
Rating
(40)
almost 3 years
with CraftCourses

Maker's bio

Arian is an experiential educator, blacksmith and a knife-maker with over 20 years of experience in facilitating craft workshops in different contexts. He is a trained teacher and has worked with adults and children in public and school settings, craft camps, and has contributed to professional trainings and conferences on experiential education in UK, Sweden and USA. He has trained with famous Swedish Axe makers at Gransfors Bruks, and is inspired by the indigenous Scandinavian Sami craft and knife-making. Arian’s passion is in enabling participants’ personal expression and new learning through the art and craft of working with fire and iron. In his course facilitation Arian prioritises individual participants’ interests and choices, as well as appreciation of the craft process and the nature of the material we work with. He has developed an accessible, tangible and hands-on course structure enabling full participation, learning and ownership in order to provide a personally engaging, meaningful and fulfilling experience for participants.

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Recent reviews

All maker's reviews
20 Apr 25'

Simon Robinson reviewed: Blacksmithing experience day

"I attended Arian’s blacksmith’s experience day on 12/4/25 as present bought for me. The venue was easy to find and located in a fantastic country setting making a thoroughly enjoyable day. Arian was very friendly, experienced with hands on skills. This together with his ‘just right’ tutoring for each student’s ability meant it was a great days’ experience of traditional blacksmithing, learning the basics of forge work which make up most blacksmithing jobs. These basics were well explained and I learnt more than I had expected. I made two very usable items which I’m very pleased with and I’ve been inspired to dig out the old forge/hearth I inherited from my grandfather and try some more. When one of my pieces went a bit wrong his patience, skills and experience allowed him to pull it back from going in the bin. Thanks Arian! He cooks a deliciously tasty vegetable soup for lunch on the forge too! Excellent day!"

19 Apr 25'

Steve Vickars reviewed: Blacksmithing experience day

"A great day, learned a lot of skills, including squaring, tapering, bending and twisting as well as the ideal temperature and colour to work the steel. Arian was a great tutor, patiently explaining, demonstrating and helping when needed. Plenty of coffee, biscuits, cake and tasty soup provided."

16 Apr 25'

Sam Body reviewed: Blacksmithing experience day

"This was a birthday/Christmas present. I'm an A-level design student and really wanted to experience blacksmithing. I had a fantastic day. Arian was a great teacher - welcoming, friendly, patient and funny. There was a great atmosphere all day and I was really pleased with the items I made. Would love to do it again! Thank you, Arian 😊"

23 Mar 25'

Mike Parsons reviewed: Blacksmithing experience day

"An excellent day. I chose this experience because I wanted some freedom in what to make and this was perfect. Arian was a great teacher, taking us through a very satisfying project in the morning which taught us how to manage the furnace and make key features. He had some great ideas for afternoon projects but was happy for us to try something completely different. Lunch was delicious, I'd love to do another day."