Alan Bays is the curator of the Machine Tool Collection for the Canadian Museum of Making.

Mr. Bays holds a B.Sc in Geology from the University of Bristol, and an M.Sc in Geophysics from the University of Calgary. His main areas of interest and expertise include machine tools from the period 1800 to 1920, and 19th century steam engines. Mr. Bays may be contacted at abays@museumofmaking.org.

Japheth has been a blacksmith for most of his adult life. As proprietors of Flicker Forge he and his wife Alice James (also an accomplished metal smith) have designed, built and restored metal work through out the US. Since moving to Canada and working at the Museum of Making; Japheth has been able to continue his work at the forge. He is expanding the architectural details of the space housing the museum collection. His work on this project is a continuation of work done by blacksmith Doug Newell and other craftspeople employed in the building thus far. His responsibilities also include the restoration of new acquisitions and demonstrating forging to museum visitors.

Both he and Alice continue to lecture and teach at various craft schools and conduct demonstrations for Blacksmith’s conferences in the US and Canada.

Daniel Mato

Dr. Daniel Mato is the curator of the African Collection for the Canadian Museum of Making.

Prof. Mato completed his PhD. in African Art History at Indiana University. His research focus has been in the arts of Africa, the role of craft specialists in African society and symbolic display in traditional African societies.

Beginning in 1968 Dr. Mato has conducted field research in Africa which continues to the present. He curated exhibitions of African Art and material culture in Germany, The Netherlands, The United States and Canada. He has been a gallery director, curator and Associate Curator for African Art at the Glenbow Museum In Calgary. In 1998 he was named a Research Affiliate at the University of Ghana. He is a professor emeritus at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Mato has consulted and advised on a number of documentaries broadcast on television. His most recent writings include “Aspects: Akan Culture in Ghana," an exploration of the exhibition held at the Gemeente Museum in the Hague (2001) and “Yoruba an Art of Life: The Bennet-Luther Collection," which is an in-depth exploration of the collection, which is currently on display at the Art Museum, South Dakota State University at Brookings (2004).

For additional information please contact Dr. Mato: dmato@ucalgary.ca

Doug Newell is the Canadian Museum of Making's curator of Modern Forging. He can be contacted at dnewell@wildbuffalo.com.