There’s something about the heat of a furnace, the ping of metal on metal and the ability to turn an otherwise unyielding piece of iron into a work that inspires Athens Blacksmith Travis Fleming.

On Wednesday, he stood in front of a furnace at his shop, Artistic Anvil, on Commercial Drive turning a long piece of square steel around in the furnace until it glowed bright yellow. Then he tapered, fullered, and hammered the softened metal. Moments later, an iron leaf emerged.

For more than two decades Fleming’s been making the iron leaves as well as other interesting iron works and demonstrates as well as teaches the process to others.

“I enjoy it,” Fleming said. “It’s nice to take a piece of steel that is unyielding, hard and something nobody thinks you can do anything with, and then turn it into something.”

Fleming is a member of the Athens Blacksmiths, a chapter of the Alabama Forge Council, which includes 13 chapters throughout the state. Labor Day weekend at Tannehill State Park he was honored with the title of Alabama’s Blacksmith of the Year during Alabama Forge Council Fall Conference.

“When I won it, I wasn’t really paying attention,” Fleming said. “When they called my name, I thought ‘Oh no, what did I do?’” Needless to say, he was surprised when he received the honor. “I had never even thought about getting the award,” he said.

The award has been given to 24 blacksmiths from throughout Alabama for the past 20 years. It is awarded as the pinnacle of blacksmith excellence within the state, according to the Alabama Forge Council, an affiliate of the Artisan Blacksmith Association of North America.

“Travis is one of the most versatile blacksmiths I have ever worked with,” said Athens Forgemaster Calvin Garland.

He added that Travis watches someone make something, comes back and does it better.

“He is also one of the most generous blacksmiths I know,” said Garland. “He is a real good all-around guy and an excellent blacksmith.”

Over those years, blacksmithing has continuously seeped into Fleming’s blood. His father wasn’t a blacksmith, but their heritage can be traced back nearly six generations to a grandfather, Colonel James Withers Sloss, a Birmingham founder and the founder of Sloss Furnaces.

Fleming said it all started after he took welding in high school, and after a few years of working for other people he decided to open his own business. He opened Fleming Welding in Athens in 1985.

Influenced through the years by watching other blacksmiths, he wanted to learn more. He found himself an old railroad iron and a hammer and began the search for or made all the other tools he needed.

As his love for the art grew, Fleming’s work came naturally.

“It turned into a job instead of a hobby,” Fleming said.

His business has since evolved into Fleming Ironworks and Artistic Anvil.

From forks, spoons and knives to candlesticks and dragons, Fleming creates both art and utilitarian pieces.

Some of his biggest projects include forged rails that adorn two local homes. One of his favorite creations is a mirror frame he made for his wife Debra that hangs in their home. There are more than 40 designs riveted to a bar that makes up the frame.

“It’s probably my favorite pieces,” he said crediting a man who demonstrated gothic and Renaissance ironwork at Tannehill as his motivator. Although, he joked that he doesn’t know if he will ever make another one.

His work has also met international fame. A ram’s head he created now hangs on the gates of the Shakespeare Globe Theatre off the River Thames in England.

Fleming enjoys his job, working hours from what he called “can to can’t.” He remains rooted in iron.

“The Lord just gave me this gift, and I figured it out a few years ago,” Fleming said.