LEGACY COPPER PROJECT
THE REASON: Covid 19 may have closed some doors, but others have opened. With our local school system switching to virtual learning, Cathy and I have decided to homeschool Cameron and Miles. Cathy worked for the school as well, but will now stay at home and teach them 1st and 3rd grade. This will be a financial burden but well worth the investment in our children. On Thursdays I will spend a couple hours with them working on Copper projects.
THE INSPIRATION: The black and white picture you see is of my great grandfather Fred Pica. Unable to live as a peasant under Benito Mussolini's fascist regime, he boarded a ship with his young family and moved to America for a better life. His plan was to rely on himself and his talents to support his family in the land of opportunity. I am sure he felt a great feeling as the ship passed the Statue of Liberty on it's way to Ellis Island! He fought in WW2 for America and proudly earned his citizenship. After the war, he continued his trade as a master tinsmith, coppersmith and roofer and was very successful. He loved working with copper and enjoyed making houseware and copper stills (giggity). He passed the trade along to my Grandfather and my Dad. My Dad started bringing me to work at age 5, now it's my turn!
THE PLAN: The main goal of the Legacy Copper Project is to teach my sons that with hard work, and skills, they can provide for themselves the life that they want. With modern mass production, Coppersmithing and Tinsmithing in America has been a dying artform for the last 75 years. Most tools that are found are over a 100 years old!!! We will be working part of one day a week on Copper projects to sell here in the group and also on the website. The funds generated will buy more copper, tools and also help fund their homeschooling. Copper items sold will vary as their skills progress. I will of course help them turn out a beautiful product. They will do the rough hammering and I will do the finish hammering and joinery. I hope everyone enjoys what we come up with and I thank you all for coming along on our journey.
