Guided learning for curious minds and creative hands

Metal Mentorship

Originally developed at Kelly’s inner-city studio in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this mentorship program has helped dozens of young people (and a few adventurous adults) discover the joy, confidence, and focus that come from working with metal. Now rooted in rural Northeast Iowa, the program continues to offer one-on-one, hands-on learning experiences designed around the goals and curiosity of each individual participant.

This mentorship is perfect for:

  • Teenagers and young adults who learn best through doing, who like to tinker, build, and explore new skills

  • Adults with a long-held desire to learn welding, fabrication, or sculpture and are ready to finally dive in

  • Parents or guardians seeking meaningful, creative mentorship opportunities for their child

Participants learn to weld, use tools safely, build and repair functional objects, and, if desired, expand into related disciplines such as metal casting or blacksmithing. Each session is custom-tailored :: from weekly lessons to multi-day intensives for those traveling in.

Sessions typically run 2–3 hours, but can be adapted to fit schedules, travel, and skill level. The goal is to nurture both technical ability and creative confidence, one spark at a time.

Interested in learning or mentoring through metal?
Use the blue human-powered chat widget to start a conversation about availability, scheduling, and fit. We’d love to explore what’s possible for you or your young adult.

What others are saying

Testimonials

"drastically expedited the learning"

"Driving down the narrow entrance road to the farm, I saw Kelly standing outside of the shop, which felt like a warm welcome for my four-day 1-1 art welding learning and making experience. Knowing I was hooked on art welding after dabbling with the tools and pieces, I was eager to make a leapfrog on skills and creative possibilities. Four full days with Kelly was just what I hoped for and beyond. His genuine interest in me as a person, my learning style, and communication preferences (have a severe to profound hearing loss) created an immediate comfort level for optimum learning. Before arriving, I felt somewhat anxious about the communication as I depend heavily on lip reading when with people who do not sign. Would I be able to understand Kelly when using tools (mainly grinders and welding equipment) that could cause serious harm as a result of miscommunication. Within the first hour, I sensed Kelly's we-will-make-this-work mindset. His eagerness to learn some signs just made it really cool in my mind.

Starting the welding hobby at age 57, I knew I had so much to learn and the eagerness to become capable of making more challenging metal art pieces. The time with Kelly drastically expedited the learning by observing him doing tasks, doing the work myself, and having lots of engaging conversations on the craft. His love for sharing his knowledge added so much more impact on my experience as a student.

I left the farm with one regret -- wishing for a few more days there; this says a lot about the experience. I recommend, not with a single reservation, Kelly as a teacher for those who want to learn by doing and having lots of fun along the way."

- Jim Danielson

Meet your mentor

Kelly R Ludeking

Sculptor :: Fabricator :: Instructor

Did you know the “R” in KRL doesn’t actually stand for Renaissance?
It might as well.

That one word sums up Kelly’s approach to life as a sculptor, fabricator, consultant and metal arts instructor. He reimagines materials to solve complex challenges. He renews curiosity and reverence for metal, not just as an industrial staple shaping the world around us, but as a creative force reshaping the world within us. And he reignites the spark of ingenuity in his students, expanding what’s possible through hands-on learning and molten inspiration.

Growing up on a Midwestern dairy and hog farm meant there was always something to fix - or invent. Those early years taught him to see both beauty and utility in every scrap of metal. A tractor seat might become the face of a gargoyle; a fuel tank, the body of a life-sized elephant; a garbage chute, a bulldog mid-snarl.

College opened the door to sculpture, and with it, a new way of thinking. Kelly discovered that while he couldn’t draw or throw a pot, he could build. And building, it turns out, is its own form of art. Decades in the prop industry and countless creative collaborations later, he’s gathered an ever-expanding library of skills that he now loves sharing with others.

Kelly’s mission is simple:
To help people connect with the transformative experience of working with metal, whether through foundry, blacksmithing, welding, or all three. If you’ve ever felt the call of fire and form, you’re in the right place.

Curious where to begin? Use the human-powered chat widget in the lower right corner of your screen to start a conversation about upcoming workshops or custom learning experiences. Whether you’re ready to pick up a torch for the first time or refine your pour technique, Kelly’s always happy to help you find the right fit. Just don’t be surprised if he’s mid-weld when you message. He’ll get back to you as soon as the sparks settle.

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