ArtCentral, located in Carthage, Mo., is an artistic haven for the community. As part of artCamp, its annual summer camp for children, the organization brought in International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member Chris Gregory to teach campers about the art form that is the backbone of his business: blacksmithing.

Gregory and his family went to artCentral’s artCamp to demonstrate and teach the art of forging horseshoes to the campers.

Gregory, a fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF), is no stranger to educating people about the art of farriery and blacksmithing. He and his wife Kelly own and run the Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. They founded it together in 1995. Gregory also wrote a well-respected book, Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery, which other shoeing schools often include in their curriculum.

Gregory and his son Cody, who is an associate of the WCF, set up their farrier rigs close to Hyde House, under some of artCentral’s iconic maple trees. There, they taught campers about blacksmithing and showed them a copy of Gregory’s book.

“All day long, the hammers of the farriers and their artCamper protégés sang a beautiful psalm of praise for the art of blacksmithing,” according to The Joplin Globe.

Gregory’s visit to artCamp was met with enthusiasm and interest from the campers. Upon asking the children who attended Gregory’s class what their favorite part was, executive director and curator Alice Lynn Greenwood-Mathe received this answer: “Everything!”