OCR Text |
Show ! ,; i - v i. i. ' v '; -7 .grfw f t ' z , ', ' : , - '. HAND FORGED HUNTING, skinning, and kitchen knives, friendship pipes, antlers, quill, and horn jewelry, including belt buckles are among the many art talents of George Swett of Vernal. Ver-nal. Swett will have an art booth in the upcoming Uinta Potters' Guild crafts fair, Dec. 13, at the National Guard Armory. George Swett, Vernal craftsman George E. Swett at the ae of seventeen seven-teen began a blacksmith career in the Uintah Basin that later provided him with the background skill needed to become a successful bucksmilh. Swett's parents were Luther Swett of Payson and Alene Ellswroth Swett of Idaho. Born north of Vernal on the Swett homestead, Sept. 9, 1022, George E. Swett has lived his life in the Vernal area with the exception of the years he spent in the military service and attending atten-ding blacksmith and bucksmith school. Swett served in the Army during World War II, 1944-46. Before leaving for overseas he married Eva Weeks in May of 1944. Eva was born and raised in Vernal and is presently employed at the Uintah County Hospital as an LPN. In addition to Swett's hand forged steel skinning, hunting, 'and kitchen knives, he is also a professional at the art of making horn, quill, and antler jewelry and friendship pipes. Swett uses a hydro-carbon spring steel in making his knife blades and a variety of pipe stone when making pipes. Through Swett's vocation as an employee of a local phosphate chemical plant, working work-ing as a heavy equipment operator, he received injury which caused him to be confined to his home. It was after this accident that Swett turned his jewelry making hobby into an art. With a smile, Swett states, "A person should have at least two or three hobbies all your life in case something happens and you are confined, so you won't go stir crazy." Sparked by his wife's interest in a pottery course, Swett enrolled also and began to take serious, his third major hobby, pottery. Working with USU, the Uinta Potters Guild 'was Swett's next step in working with pottery. Bucksmithing is an art that takes many years of practice and mistakes to perfect, likewise, Swett feels that he has not been doing pottery long enough to call his work professional. Swett will have a display booth at the Uintah Potters Guild "Santa's : Workshop" craftsfair, Dec. 13, at the National Guard Armory. Swett will be displaying horn, quill, and bone jewelry, friendship pipes and hand forged knives. |