Learning how to weld artistically is always a rewarding and empowering experience. Learn from my experience, join in my enthusiasm, and share in my passion.
Thanks to my partnership with Lincoln Electric Canada, you'll now head home with your own Lincoln weld gloves, safety glasses, and a weld beanie—gear that looks good and keeps you safe.
All materials and use of personal protective equipment are included in the course fee.
Duration: 16 hours of immersive learning: 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday
Two Day Weekend - Small Classes - Hands on Learning. Make your own sculpture for indoor or outdoor display.
The course, the setting, the small class size, the approach and the “home” feel made this such a wonderful experience. This was all new to me and I truly enjoyed learning something new. The way you laid out the course with intro, safety and little project, then graduated into the larger project was amazing.Â
Rich is a kind and generous teacher...simultaneously able to demystify and inspire...It's rare to be invited into another artist's studio and have them share their passion...this is precisely what Rich is offering
Highly recommend!!! I signed my nephew up for his birthday. My nephew loved the course and [even though he was younger than other students] didn't feel out of place...he learned lot and kept talking about it for weeks after...
Rich covers safety and tool usage; instruction [that] is put to use immediately. I also learned this is a physical hobby! Well worth it.
No problem! Saturday morning starts with a thorough safety review and instruction on how to use each piece of equipment. We'll then work on a small project together to go over every step a the same time before you unleash the creativity with one of my specially designed projects.
Welding artistically asks you to think differently about the way you use your tools, and probably introduces you to new tools and techniques. Shaping metal into a 3D sculpture is a whole new set of skills. We've had structural and industrial welders, even a Red Seal join the class and found lots to learn and lots of enjoyment.
Yes! About half of my students are women and they rock it! Art is for everyone and there is nothing about welding that is limited by gender.
If you're concerned you'll be the only girl, you can message me for a sense of who has already booked the date you're interested in, or even better - bring a friend! We have lots of friends, partners, parent & child, and spouses booking a class together.
You have to be able to reach the counter and bang some metal! I've had students as young as 14 and as old as 81 - mostly it's attitude!
In all seriousness, I would say high school aged and up. These are mixed aged classes, but students do need to be able to work independently using professional grade welders and other tools. If you're uncertain this is the right fit for your child, please send me an email and we can talk further. Or, you can book a spot for yourself too, and come together to learn a new skill!
No! Through my partnership with Licoln Electric Canada, I have all the tools you need, plus professional grade weld helmets, coats, gloves, beanies, dust masks, and safety glasses.
IF YOU WEAR READING GLASSES, PLEASE BRING THEM! You comfortably can wear your glasses under safety glasses and the weld helmet - and they'll definitely make the work easier.
Although I provide all the safety equipment, you do need to dress appropriately. Long pants, comfortable cotton tops (short or long-sleeved), and closed toed shoes (work boots or sneakers are fine). Why cotton? Sparks can fly and synthetic materials are flammable! Cotton and other natural fibres are safer. For the same reason, long hair should be tied back.
Don't forget your lunch! I have coffee, tea, and water on tap (literally, it's tap water from our well...)
The short answer is no. The long(er) answer is:Â We have to walk before we run! The projects you choose from have been designed to give you maximum exposure to practicing all your new skills. It takes work to learn to plasma cut, tack weld, hammer, bend, and embellish. I want to be sure you get to the end of the weekend with a finished sculpture and some serious hours under your belt using all the tools of artistic welding.Â
My studio is located on my property in a century stone shop converted to my art studio. There are individual work stations for each student plus common spaces with some cool tools and surfaces for practicing your new art techniques.
Professional fume extractors keep the air clear as much as possible, but welding and grinding can be dirty - that's why we wear dust masks, beanies, coats, and glasses.
Because welding requires long pants and coats, I keep the studio cool. For stinking hot summer days, there's AC, and in the winter, we have heat and a woodstove if it's extra chilly.
Some parts of artistic welding are easier if you stand - for leverage swinging a hammer - even just for perspective looking at your sculpture. However, I have bar stools available and many students are comfortable sitting while welding and grinding.
Located in beautiful Oxford County, Southwestern Ontario, we are about a 15-minute drive from St. Mary's, and 20 minutes or so from Stratford, Woodstock, and Ingersoll. That's about 35 minutes from London, and two hours from Toronto (on a Saturday morning!)
There is no public transportation to Harrington, so please plan accordingly.
We are! Along with a handful of our neighbours and friends, and not much else! That means finding accommodation nearby, and bringing your own food (no restaurants will even deliver - gasp!)
I love to weld, and I love to create. Though I first learned to weld in an industrial setting, my passion for sculpting came through experimentation, exploration, and a lot of trial and error. After more than a decade of shaping metal into art, I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with others.
Welding can seem intimidating at first—but it doesn’t have to be. My goal is to break down the basics and help new students get hands-on and confident with the tools and techniques. Once you understand how to work the metal, feel its response, and let the tools become an extension of your hands, you’ll discover just how empowering it is to turn a spark of imagination into something real, solid, and entirely your own.
Ready to dive into the world of artistic welding—whether as a creative outlet, a hands-on hobby, or the beginning of a bold new path? When you know how to shape metal, you unlock the power to build anything: a striking sculpture, unique garden art, a custom table—even a brand new career.
Welding isn’t just sparks and steel—it’s creativity in motion. It’s not reserved for factories or fine art schools. Metalworking is intense, expressive, and even meditative. With the right skills and a spark of imagination, you’ll be amazed by what your hands can create.
In this workshop, you’ll experiment with techniques, explore design, and gain real-world knowledge in a small, supportive class setting. From tool tips to setting up your own home workspace, you’ll leave inspired, confident, and ready to keep creating. Let’s fire it up!
Rich Baker and the Artistic Welding Classes are sponsored in part by Lincoln Electric Canada. A world leader in design and manufacture of arc welding products. lincolnelectric.com