Rick Smith

Rick Smith is a Professor specializing in blacksmithing and forge welding at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) College of Art, Architecture, and Design. He earned an MFA from SIU in 1992 and has maintained an active artistic practice while teaching since 1997.

• Specializes in traditional metalworking techniques
• Work included in Arkansas Arts Center Decorative Arts Museum
• Received two fellowships from Illinois Arts Council
• Teaching experience at Penland School of Crafts and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

His research focuses on the intersection of metalsmithing, blacksmithing, and decorative arts. Smith's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with publications in Smithsonian, American Craft, and Metalsmith.

He currently oversees the Blacksmithing program at SIU, balancing academic responsibilities with ongoing artistic production.