2020 Art of the Cowgirl
Bit Making Fellowship
John Mincer
Fellowship opens March 15, 2020
Applications are due no later than April 15, 2020.
Recipients will be announced by April 30, 2020.
John Mincer is Art of the Cowgirl’s 2020 Guest Master Silversmith. John in a 4th generation rancher who has ranched his whole life. John has been a lifelong resident of Nevada and the Great Basin region. He first learned engraving at a cow camp on the Stillwater Ranch in Nevada 37 years ago. Chet Smith taught him most of what he needed to send him on his was as a silversmith and engraver. He later learned to build bits and spurs from Dan Price and was influenced by Hugh Weaver, but refining the art and developing his own style he credits to master engraver Franz Marktl.
When John started he just wanted it to be a hobby but when he made pieces he started making money right away and transitioned to full time all while running 350 head of cows and operating a backhoe business. When the recession hit, his backhoe business slowed down and he had more time to devote to his silver shop. In 2005 he launched his Joel Henry Hardware line, where he designed and hand engraved each master, having them all cast in the U.S.A. John hand finishes each piece making it a one of a kind hardware for the working cowboy, saddle makers, and leather crafters. John and his wife Kristen reside in Fallon, NV on a small ranch where they raise cattle and sheep and do some farming.
As a working cowboy and avid horseman, he builds bits with the horse and horseman in mind. His pieces are beautiful and his craftsmanship is one of the finest. John is generous with his time and talent and is an avid supporter of scholarship programs and ranch rodeo competitions. John’s lives by the belief that your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.
Description of Fellowship:
This is a unique opportunity for our recipient to study under John Mincer to learn the art of bit making. Recipient will work for two weeks side by side at John’s place. He will build two bits and recipient will build two bits alongside him. Recipient will learn the measurements, draw their own cheekpiece, and learn how to inlay and overlay. After the Fellowship is completed, John will continue to mentor the recipient from a distance as needed.
There will be strong emphasis and time spent on how a bit is built with the horse in mind. Horsemanship is of high importance to John and how a bit functions and is built properly will be covered during the Fellowship. John will pass along the skills to build a bit with balance and create your own designs with the horse in mind.
MINIMUM EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT FOR FELLOWSHIP
- Must have some experience in horsemanship
- Must be able to complete Fellowship in 2020 Calendar Year
- Must be able to attend Art of the Cowgirl 2021
- Able to put in long days of physical work
