Participation at your own risk. Do not wear highly flammable clothing!

After a brief explanation of the history of the poppy, you will create a flower from copper yourself. Using a hammer, you will work the provided copper petals on an anvil into graceful flower petals. The petals are then shaped on a hollowed-out plastic disc. The brass stem is threaded so that the petals can be attached to the stem.

In addition to iron/steel, several other metals can be used, such as copper, aluminum, bronze, and tin. Copper is a metal that we also work with in our forge. Copper is a relatively soft material that is easy to work with. We shape the copper by hammering it on an anvil and a plastic mold. Sometimes copper is heated to process it properly, but relatively thin copper can also be worked as is.

Having started as a freelancer in the metal industry, Cees Pronk conducted research on blacksmithing courses in the Netherlands in 1999/2000. However, a good vocational training no longer existed, which led him to develop a blacksmithing course himself. The end terms he wrote, approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW), served as the basis for compiling and writing teaching materials for the Blacksmithing Course in Andelst and the establishment of Mondra Training. In addition to the Blacksmithing Course, various workshops and masterclasses are also offered for young and old, artists, and primary school students. All of this takes place at the Cornelis Pronk Forge, the place to gain knowledge about forging techniques.

As of January 1, 2024, Cornelis Pronk Forge has been handed over to his daughter Lotte Pronk, keeping the business in the family.

Practical information

• The language is Dutch
• Price included materials and VAT
• Participation at your own risk. Do not wear highly flammable clothing