Michael and Gabriel Bell, founders of and swordsmiths at Dragonfly Forge, will present “Earth, Wind, Water and Fire: The Art and Science of the Japanese Sword,” on Monday, March 14, at 7 p.m. in Ice Auditorium in Melrose Hall at Linfield College.
The lecture will be live streamed for those unable to attend.
The discussion will include a short lecture, a panel discussion featuring Linfield faculty, and display of some of their swords. The panelists include Tianbao Xie, professor of physics; Brian Winkenweder, professor of art history; Chris Keaveney, professor of Japanese; and Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza, professor of philosophy. During their visit, the Bells will visit several philosophy and Japanese classes and the Fencing Club.
Michael Bell is the master swordsmith and chief instructor at Dragonfly Forge which is located in Coquille. His interest in Japanese martial arts led to practicing kendo and iaido and eventually led to a five-year apprenticeship with master Japanese sword maker, Nakajima Muneyoshi, in 1970. During this time he learned how to judge the quality of a sword and its mountings and how to restore the sword to its potential, both as a weapon and as art. Michael continued working after his apprenticeship at several locations and in 1987 he, along with his wife and son, Gabriel, moved to Oregon and established Dragonfly Forge, where he forges and mounts swords of the highest quality and teaches the art to others. His blades have won numerous awards at major knife shows, as well as other honors.
Gabriel Bell is the son of Michael Bell and grew up in Dragonfly Force, learning how to work with his hands and forge knives. Gabriel attended Willamette University, working with his father during the summers. In the spring of 2006, he studied at Tokyo International University in Saitama, Japan. After graduating from Willamette in 2007, Gabriel managed the incorporation of Dragonfly Forge LLC, with his parents, and helped with the foundation of Dragonfly Forge’s formal swordsmithing school, Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo. One of his Japanese tanto swords was awarded Best Art Knife in 2009 by the Oregon Knife Collectors Association and in October 2013 he had the privilege of attending Ford Hallam’s intensive Iron Brush Immersion Workshop in Wilmot, N.H., to study kinko, fine Japanese metalworking. Gabriel works full-time for Dragonfly Forge as a swordsmith and cutler, as well as assisting with instructing the swordsmithing school.
This event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Dean’s Speaker’s Fund and PLACE (Program for Liberal Arts and Community Engagement), exploring this year’s theme “Air, Water, Earth, and Fire: The Ancient Elements on a Changing Planet. For more information, contact Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza at 503-883-2362 or jilunda@linfield.edu.
