Forging On with the West Baton Rouge Museum

Ben Deshotels

Raised in Boyce, Louisiana, Ben developed an interest in blacksmithing as a high school junior, building his first forge with a coffee can and thermal wool from a local power plant. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he also took classes on jewelry making and general metal fabrication, including blacksmithing. Ben was working as a math teacher and professional blacksmith, when he stumbled upon the West Baton Rouge Museum and was hooked. Ben is teaching the blacksmith apprenticeship series along with Gary Hart.