Firefighter turned Blacksmith: Forging a creative space of healing and hope
Mark Tedeschini is a retired Ottawa firefighter who is fanning the flames of creativity.
"A couple of years before I retired, I found this place and I really fell in love with it, especially the barn," said the 60-year-old.
"And I’ve been banging on the anvil for the better part of ten years now, or more."
He was on the job with the Ottawa Fire Service for 30 years. He called it his dream career.
"It’s all I ever really wanted to do since I was six-years-old. My neighbours were firemen. I loved firetrucks, the coats, I was in love with it. And as soon as I got out of high school, I applied."
“Now, I’m playing with fire, instead of putting it out,” he laughed.
Mark Tedeschini works on a dragon head fireplace poker. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)
While Tedeschini’s shop is home to his artistic pursuits, it’s also a place to extinguish the pain and trauma of his career. Accidents, injuries, and stress have left lasting physical and emotional scars.
"I was severely injured at a fire, and a couple of years later, I got hurt again. And that really sunk me psychologically," he said.
"That started the PTSD path and eventually, I had to leave early because of the injuries. I was burnt out.
"My mantra has always been to try and do something positive out of the darkness. I have a sign in the shop that says “one day at a time” and that’s what it is. Any of the firefighters, or first responders out there, know what it’s like, I don’t have to explain it, I take it one day at a time," Tedeschini.
"Some days I can’t get going, and then others, I come in here like a bear. It’s ridiculous but I love it," he said with a smile.
Tedeschini’s hobby is also a Kemptville area business — 1215 Metalworks.
"1215 is just the number in my address. And lunch," he laughed.
Retired Ottawa Firefighter Mark Tedeschini stoking the fire of his coal forge. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)
Tedeschini is working at his propane and coal forges almost every day. His shop is in a 150-year-old post and beam barn that he refurbished with his father.
"Back in the day, a lot of farms had their own blacksmith shops set up, so there’s a lot of steel laying around and a lot of pieces of wrought iron. I started making furniture out of barnboard and I wanted to incorporate the steel into it, so I decided to start blacksmithing," Tedeschini said.
"I started with a small anvil and an old propane forge and went from there. And it just grew and grew," he said.
"Now, I find I can be swinging away for an hour and not think of anything except trying to get that piece right. And if I don’t, it goes out to the pile and you put another piece of steel in the fire."
Retired Ottawa Firefighter Mark Tedeschini now works as a Blacksmith at his studio 1215 Metalworks in Kemptville. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)
Tedeschini forges everything from jewellery to outdoor fire pits to ornamental garden art. He just completed two breathtaking sundials, items long on his blacksmithing bucket-list.
His outdoor camping and cowboy cooksets are in hot demand. He attributes their popularity to the television series 'Yellowstone'.
"I’m watching it and it’s there - the cowboy cook set - the one I’ve got is pretty much the same thing. It’s got a rotating grill and hooks to hang pots and pans on. That’s definitely my most popular item," Tedeschini said.
"The tripod version has a trammel hook so you can adjust the height of the pot over the fire and there are two grills, one for putting your coffee pot on, and if you want to cook steaks or hamburgers, there’s a second grill that fits inside it. That’s my most popular item."
Tedeschini gives blacksmithing demonstrations at farmer’s markets and arts and crafts shows. He hopes his journey inspires other first responders, with stories of pain, to find their own paths of healing and hope.
"If you’re in the same sort of situation I was in, maybe you had a bad injury, try and find that one thing that you can sink your teeth into. It might not work for you today, but if you search for it, you’ll find it. I stumbled into it by chance and it worked out for me.
"I’m still banging away."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.