Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Hobus.
Hi Jon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey into metallurgy started when I was a Junior in high school. My buddy came up to me after Christmas and asked if I wanted to do some blacksmithing in his back yard through the use of his new propane forge. I had been into the movies and shows where there were scenes of big, gross men swinging hammers at sparking-hot metal, so OF COURSE I wanted to give it a shot. We then spent many weekend afternoons/evenings playing loud music and flattining steel. Now, at the start we weren’t very good, but as we watched videos about it, and different techniques, we developed skills that turned into trying new things.
The next Christmas, my mother recieved a welding machine and asked if I wanted to learn with her. I said “Mom, yes! Let’s make something!” so we went through the list of possibilities and landed on a bottle tree. It was simple, rebar lengths partially welded to the “trunk” as branches to hold bottles upside down. By this point, I had a solid grasp on shaping and modifying metal, so I decided to go to college for welding, and I selected North Georgia Tech as the institution to teach me.
During school and after graduating, I had had several jobs dealing in metal. I was blessed enough a few years ago to be able to put a building to use as a shop behind my rental place and start using that for my blacksmithing and welding studio. I had been working at Caterpillar in their assembly line for two years when my girlfriend, Julianne, motivated me to quit the monotony of assembly life and do my own thing through creating my own business. As of January 2025, I’ve been crafting full time, spending weekends at art shows and craft fairs, vending my wares to attendees.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The path to personal success has many speed bumps, and with that, much learning! Of course, I was intimidated by the idea of starting a business; I had never done it before! When I would bring up the idea with others, I was greeted with skepticism and funny looks. People obviously were not as keen on the idea as I was. Even my dad said “There’s a fine line between bravery and foolishness,” basically giving his disapproval.
I’ve always wanted to work for myself, set my own pay, do things my way, but when I started to learn what permits and lisences I needed to actually begin, I was overwhelmed. This isn’t something they teach you in high school, or even college, unless you’re a business major (I’m guessing). However, there are resources like the UGA small business development center to help get artists started or to help keep them going without diving off of a financial cliff.
Learning about social media presence is still something with which I struggle. I’ve made a basic website, I know the ideas to get my point across with canva graphics, and Instagram is where I do most of my posting, but between creating art and living a life that I can enjoy, advertising myself is just so difficult. I’m sure I’ll get better as I go. I’ll learn new techniques, new filters, try new things all the time until I find my niche in posts.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I create metal art, using primarily steel, aluminum, and copper. My specialty is smaller items for pendants and trinkets, but I have been known to get deep into real sculpture projects like my Miniature UGA Arch, one I call “The Archer”, and some fully recycled plant pot holders that I call “Tree Huggers”. I’m most proud of the Mini Arch because I got to really think about how I was going to creat something that already existed, but smaller. It has these spherical lights on either side and I thought to cast aluminum and shape it before tapping a hole on each to attach them ot the posts. The scale of it, too, I think is pretty accurate, without having done much measuring. I just kind of did my best to make it look right, and I’ve gotten a lot of positive reviews on it.
I am set apart from other metal artists in that I don’t typically have a set style. I just do my own thing and Bend the steel how i=I imagine it should go. I don’t look at Modernist art, Cubism, Boroque, or anything like that. If I were to classify my art, I’d put it in the funtional category. I like for it to be aesthetic as well as useful, like the Tree Huggers.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is a feeling. It’s not a fact or figure. You can’t put a number on it. It feels like contentment. Once you know you’ve done a good job, completed a project as best you could despite challenges that may have come with it, created something that’s going to last a very long time, etc. That’s when you know success. It’s not productivity, money made, items sold. It’s having fun at craft shows, talking to other artists about what they do, getting to know your community, making friends in unlikely places. Success is a feeling you get when you know you’re in the right place, surrounded by the right people, doing the right thing.
Pricing:
- Chainmail class- $40 for a set two hours
- Blacksmithing class- $5o/hr
- Welding class- $50/hr
- Custom work starts at $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://HammerofHobus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hammer.of.hobus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578235116956
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HammerofHobus
Image Credits
Deidra Scott Ivery, Frankie Forrest
