Blacksmith follows family craft tradition

He journeyed with them to sell their craft, wandered as they sold their works and blacksmith Sam Riehl eventually took up the craft, just like his mother and grandmother before him.
“My mom is an artist, a lamp worker, and makes glass beads, and my grandmother is a stained glass artist,” Riehl said. “I’d go with them to events, and I was exposed to so many different media and types of art. I’ve always been exposed to art in all different respects.
Riehl assisted his mother with her bead making for year and a half before, at the age of 7, he ventured off at an event and found a blacksmith.
“They were inviting and helpful,” Riehl said. “Some of the old ones took me under their wing and showed me all the ropes at Pyromania in Girard Park (in Lafayette). I miss that festival.”
At 8 years old, Riehl began working with a forge, and 12 years later, he is a full-fledged blacksmith, specializing in everything from small projects like fireplace pokers and meat turners to big projects like weaves made of metal.
“I love the juxtaposition of making something organic out of something inorganic, like with the weaves of metal,” he said. “I like the flowing curves instead of the straight lines.”
Riehl has worked with fellow blacksmith Richard DeLaHoussaye for several years, and they run a shop together and sometimes tackle large projects together.
“He is one of most generous blacksmiths,” Riehl said.
Riehl said he is excited to be part of the first Experience Louisiana Festival Oct. 17-18 at the LSU-Eunice campus.
“The festival sounds like a great thing that Louisiana has been needing for a while,” he said.
Contact Claudette Olivier at claudette.olivier@eunicetoday.com.