Background
Greg Gehner grew up on a farm in central Illinois where his first metals experience was straightening old nails to fix fences and build tree houses. The broken-nosed anvil that was on the farm was only really used as a step stool to explore bolt bins in a soggy old machine shed.
Experimenting with welding, in his friend’s garage, for a high school art project later led him into a sculpture program and eventually metalsmithing and blacksmithing at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He followed college with work for professional blacksmiths as well as a variety of jobs in Vermont and New York including but not limited to: landscaping, logging, carpentry, snowmaking plant controller, welding, and snowcat operator. Alongside all of this work he continued to explore his own sculptural or functional metalwork for exhibition or occasional sale.
Encouraged by some substantial metal work opportunities Greg transitioned into a full time metalsmith. He established Transit Forge with a move to Pennsylvania and marriage to Metals/Jewelry Professor Cappy Counard of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (www.cappycounard.com) who continues to be his most honest critic and greatest supporter.
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