America’s Only Female Coppersmith’s Career Bends Many Ways

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The common threads of Sara Dahmen’s success in both writing and metalworking are dedication and creativity. Dahmen is proof that one can do it all, finding success in seemingly different fields. She stays busy, between working as a coppersmith and historical fiction writer in an impressive show of a combining handiwork and prose into one riveting career.

Sara Dahmen’s latest novel, titled Outcast 1883, is the story of one woman’s journey to pave her own path For more information on Dahmen’s work, as well as her personal blog, visit saradahmen.com

Dahmen’s journey began with her own wedding planning business. “After graduating from Marquette University, I started working in advertising as a producer, but also spent nights and weekends building a wedding and event planning business in Milwaukee. Wedding planning is very much like producing, so the two jobs blended skills together well,” says Dahmen. “But while I worked in these fields, I was always writing. They were books for my own enjoyment, as writing is something I have always loved to do, though never considered pursuing it as a career. After a year or two, my books began to win contests and get noticed, which has led to multiple novels.” Dahmen’s portfolio is filled with stunning depictions of historical events, with rich characters like Kate, the protagonist of the Flats Junction series.

The Flats Junction series is a set of page-turners following women in the 1800s as they encounter obstacles, struggles, and unexpected tensions. “When I first started writing the Flats Junction book series, I had no initial intention of writing a whole series. But as the publishing process began, I was encouraged to write multiple books. ‘Outcast 1883,’ being the third book out of six, is a ‘middle book’ where characters who have been growing in previous books finally come together and their undercurrents of tension start to stretch and explode,” says Dahmen. “I wanted to show the mindset of the three main women in this series, and how they all want the same thing. It is also the real engine of the series, the carving and forging of a real town in the west, and the women it took to do so. In the past, I would sit down and bolt out a story that poured out of me in one swoop. I’ve already written the last paragraph of the final book.”

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While she was developing her writing skills, Dahmen uncovered another passion. In the research for her historical fiction, she learned about 1800s cookware, and began to train in the art of metal work. “A tinsmith in West Bend, Bob Bartelme, took me under his wing so I could learn the traditional metalsmithing trade with tools from the 1700 and 1800s while also building my own American-made cookware line, House Copper & Cookware,” says Dahmen. “Now, I juggle my time writing novels and screenplays, as well as coppersmithing each week. I try to split my week days so two are in the copper shop, two are for writing, and one is a catch-all. I love to build cups in the old fashioned 1700s and 1800s style. I also enjoy making unique pieces that are custom requests, as they are a challenge.”

Family and Hobbies

Outside of work, Dahmen is passionate about her family and her hobbies. ‘I am proud of my husband and our three kids, and the life we’ve built. Building a happy and healthy family is hard, but so worth it,” says Dahmen. “I’m also a major herbalist. Growing my own food and medicine is important to me, and something I’m teaching the kids. I’ve had to stop myself to stop planting more things or digging out more gardens. We have a mini farm, it’s the best.”

In the coming year, Dahmen has much to look forward to. “I look forward to the fourth book in the Flats Junction series, which will come out at the end of 2023, as well as a fun new adult fantasy book that will also be out this year. And I am excited for some of the copper builds coming up in queue, such as building a set of copper measuring cups using my old 1800s tools,” says Dahmen. “I love building a piece of copperware that will go to someone’s home to be used, treasured, and passed on. The posterity of that is astoundingly cool. I’m proud I learned to be a full-fledged coppersmith. It took years and years of apprenticeship and many injuries. Now I can say I’m the only female coppersmith in America building cookware.”

Dahmen’s message is that life is a journey full of unexpected opportunities for those who work hard. Her life advice for those considering changing careers is to be ready for anything. “What you have to do is just say ‘yes’ and then figure out a way to do it. I heard ‘no’ a ton in learning the copper trade and building the cookware line. But just keep saying yes to any idea or opportunity, and you’ll find a way to learn anything,” says Dahmen. “I went from a wedding planner to a metalsmith, and I’m really bad at math. Anything is possible.”