Metalsmiths Unite! (the blog)

Mimi Favre ~ Artist Interview

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

A big thank you today, to Mimi for sharing with us in today's Artist Interview :)

How would you describe what you do as an artist?

Primarily, I make one of a kind and limited production fine jewelry. Color relationships interest me so I try to find unusual stones and pearls to use in my work. I prefer to work in gold and platinum although I do love the color of pink and green gold, oxidized silver, bronze and copper and sometimes combine them in a piece.

Classic Quatrefoil Earring in two sizes and in several color combinations. All 18K gold with tourmalines and sapphires (green, blue and pink). Oxidized silver and 18K gold with yellow beryl and mali garnets.
©Mimi Favre

What inspires your designs?

I keep a sketchbook for all of the random designs that pop into my head! I’m an avid gardener so I do like to adapt floral forms in wax. I have a large collection of seashells, pods and various organic 'shapes'. I take lots of photos. I buy natural colored pearls and stones that I like and prefer to design around them.


Dogwood Ring ©Mimi Favre

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

The metalsmith spark was ignited when, as a young teenager, I visited Historic Williamsburg, Virginia and was mesmerized by the 'colonial silversmiths' who were making beautiful objects. I decided that I wanted to study metalsmithing in college even though I had not had any instruction and therefore no portfolio. I enrolled at RIT as an Art major then transferred the following year into the Metals program. However, once I completed my BFA in what was then The School for American Craftsman, I realized that I wanted to apply my design skills to fine jewelry. I moved to New York City where I worked for German master jewelers for six years and later worked at Carvin French which is a highly specialized fine jewelry trade shop. For more than twenty years I have worked on my own while also raising a family.

Where are you located?

I have lived outside of Philadelphia for most of my life. This region of Pennsylvania has a rich history of Horticulture evidenced by numerous public and private gardens where we enjoy four distinct seasons.

Botanical Group. Embossed bracelet 18K gold. Ginkgo Earrings in 18K gold (available on Etsy ) and Embossed 18K Fern pendant on handmade 18K chain.
©Mimi Favre

Do you have a website or etsy store?

Website: http://www.MimiFavre.com
Blog- Studio Jeweler: http://mimifavre.blogspot.com/
Etsy- FavreBijoux http://www.etsy.com/shop/FavreBijoux
CustomMade website- http://www.custommade.com/by/mimi-favre-studio

What other ways do you market your work?

I have sold work in several galleries in the past however with rising gold prices and most Galleries wanting only to consign, I am concentrating my efforts on the Internet with shops on ETSY and CustomMade. I do a few selective local trunk shows and custom work.

Recent design. Group of Pyramid Earrings. 18K yellow and pink gold with natural colored 11mm pearls. Yellow and white South Sea and Gray/Blue Tahitian pearls.
©Mimi Favre

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

I don't consider myself a Sage but here goes.....Seek out good teachers to learn proper technique. There are no shortcuts to good craftsmanship- only practice. Use the best materials that you can afford. Make what you love and follow your own design instincts. Don't underestimate your talent nor undervalue your work. Never compromise your integrity.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?

I'm thinking about working on a bigger scale and doing some decorative objects. I plan to learn 3Design.

Anything else?

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/MimiFavreStudio
Twitter @favrebijoux

Geometric Briolet Earrings
©Mimi Favre

Call to Enter- Necklace show for SNAG Phoenix 2012

2011-11-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

The following is the prospectus for a show that is part of the 2012 SNAG conference in Phoenix AZ this coming May-

Hot Under the Collar: A Survey of Contemporary Necklaces

Choker, collar, lariat, torque, pendant, the necklace is one of the most diverse formats available to metalsmiths today. Whether cascading down the front, or draped down the back, the possibilities are nearly endless. The human torso provides us with one of our largest canvases, while still keeping body as site.

From comments on the classic strand of pearls to contemporary takes on armor, this juried exhibition seeks to showcase how metalsmiths today interpret this incredibly versatile object.

Jurors

Bob Ebendorf
    Robert Ebendorf is the Belk Distinguished Professor at the East Carolina University Metal Design program. He has also taught at the University of Georgia and the State University of New York at New Paltz, as well as conducted workshops all over the country. Ebendorf has received numerous grants and awards, including a Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant, an American Crafts Council Award, and most recently the North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor awarded by the state of North Carolina. He has exhibited work extensively both nationally and internationally. Ebendorf has works in the permanent collections of the Museum of Art and Design, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Mint Museum of Craft and Design, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Amy Tavern
    Amy Tavern received a BFA in Metal Design from the University of Washington and a BA in Arts Administration from the State University of New York, College at Fredonia. In addition to being a studio artist, Tavern has taught at the Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and the Pratt Fine Arts Center. Tavern has lectured at the 2008 Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, East Carolina University, and Winthrop University. She has exhibited at Sienna Gallery, Aaron Faber Gallery, and Heidi Lowe Gallery, among others. Tavern’s work has been published in numerous publications, most recently in SNAG’s 2011 Exhibition in Print. Tavern is currently a resident artist at the Penland School of Crafts. Her work can be found in galleries around the U.S. and abroad.




Hot Under the Collar Application

Last Name                First Name                Middle Initial

Address

City                        State                Zip Code

Phone Number                            Email

Entry 1

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Entry 1 (detail)

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Entry 2

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Entry 2 (detail)

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Entry 3

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Entry 3 (detail)

Title:________________________________________________

Materials:___________________________________________

Dimensions:________________________________________

Year:________________________________________________

Hot Under the Collar will be shown May 24-27, in conjunction with the 2012 SNAG Conference. The exhibition will take place at the Scottsdale Museum of art, in a large atrium. Please note that while the exhibition space is secure, the museum will not be providing insurance. Accepted works must arrive at SMOCA on or before May 23, 2012. Return shipping costs must be covered by the artist either by pre-paid shipping label or by credit card. Work may also be picked up from SMOCA at the end of the conference.

Artists may submit up to 3 artworks for consideration for a $30 fee. Payment must be made via PayPal to hotunderthecollarshow@gmail.com. If you have a PayPal account, you can use the Send Money option. You do not need a PayPal Account to submit payment, you may pay with a credit card through PayPal using the Send Money Option to submit payment to hotunderthecollarshow@gmail.com.

Only works completed in the past 3 years will be considered. Entries must be submitted as digital images in JPEG. Image resolution must be 300 dpi, with 6” as the longest dimension. Digital images should be named as follows:  LastName.EntryNumber.jpg (EX: Doe.1.jpg) Detail shots may be included and should be labeled as follows: LastName.EntryNumber a.jpg (EX: Doe1a.jpg) Please limit detail shots to 1 per piece.

Email entries by January, 15th 2012 to Liz Steiner at:
hotunderthecollarshow@gmail.com subject Necklace Show.

Aritst Interview ~ Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

2011-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Kest for sharing with us!


Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
My work is all about being one of a kind, affordable, and easy to wear. I use metal to evoke the natural landscape from which the ore emerged. Some pieces are very bold, shouting of earthquakes, while others whisper of quiet fields of rustling grass, or paths through autumn woods. Like any good traveling companion, my pieces are a bit eccentric- each is entirely different from every other piece I've ever created. Each has their own personality, as organic and hard to define as each of your friends. The masks provide a different kind of freedom; by letting you pretend to be something else, they allow you to truly be yourself. They are wearable, yet function as sculpture off the head.


Ghost ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

What inspires your designs?
Mostly the copper itself- also the world. Trees and streams and acorn caps caught in whirlpools. Folktales and fairytales and overheard stories. Sometimes big thoughts, but mostly small ones. Recently I've been making masks for all the critters in Borges "The Book of Imaginary Beings", and this has challenged me tremendously- some of the creatures I know, but others I have to invent from a small bit of text.

Triceratops worn ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
I've been making masks for over a decade. I've been forging copper for about 8 years. I've been inventing odd critters for just under 30 years.

Cassawary ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Where are you located?
Currently in Nashville, TN. I move around a lot, and travel even more, so you never know where I'll turn up. Next on the list: Bicycling the Mediterranean coast (not all of it).

Hummingbird ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Mosquito from Elow ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Do you have a website or etsy store?
I primarily list my work at www.vagabondjewelry.com
I do also have an etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/VagabondMetal
Right now the Imaginary Beings only exist on my blog http://thebookofimaginarybeings.blogspot.com

Guillotine Ring front ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

What other ways do you market your work?
I've recently gotten into wholesale, so now my stuff is available in several boutiques and museum stores, mostly in the northeast, and right around Nashville. Occasionally I do participate in a gallery show, but not so often.

Falling Waters ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Sage advice? I don't know about that! I think that the one real solid thing I have to share is that it's worth trying with that thing you really want to be doing that everyone says will be impossible. I started my business with my jewelry- I enjoyed making the masks, but didn't think they would be commercially viable. It was years before I put the time into making them sellable. Now I have trouble making them fast enough to keep them in stock. The other, related, thing is to go ahead and make that big thing that you really KNOW will never sell. It'll get attention, or, in other words, free advertising.

Flora ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
Well, there's still 120 critters left in the book of imaginary beings. That'll be most of the next year. After that? Maybe I'll extend the book from my own folkloric studies.

Bermuda Triangle ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Anything else you would like to share?
MY FaceBook Fan page: https://www.facebook.com/vagabondjewelry
My photos on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vagabondjewelry

And if you're looking for funny stories, I've been writing them up on my personal blog, here: http://uneditedstorys.blogspot.com/

Backbone with bone ©Kest Schwartzman of Vagabond Jewelry

Black on Brass

2011-10-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

Black on brass- my sample from the following recipe

recently we have had a thread about getting patina on brass- it is possible- just a little different recipe than black on copper or sterling- here is the best black on brass notes that I have found-

This is a handout that I got from the fabulous Claire Sanford (@top dog studios) a few years ago when I took a patina workshop that she taught here in Tucson. If you ever get a chance to take a class with Claire I highly recommend it- she is a lovely person and an excellent instructor that really knows her way around the metals studio.

The Copper show

2011-10-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Copper show! (call to enter)

Hi everyone-
About a month ago I was asking for people to come up with a list of artists who work primarily in copper- Here's the reason why! I wanted to get people to start thinking about this upcoming show.
It will be one of the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) sponsored shows that will be held in Phoenix next May during the SNAG conference.

I encourage you all to submit your amazing creations that feature copper as it's main (75%) material.
The SNAG shows are an excellent way to get exposure within our field and the surrounding community. Mesa arts center (where the show will be held) is already a hub of cultural activity in the greater Phoenix area, so we are thrilled that they will be a huge part of the conference- they will be holding multiple exhibitions at their beautiful venue- and they throw magnificent openings!

Here is the text of the Call to Enter: please feel free to share this with any copper artists/ groups that you think may be interested. We are thrilled to have master Vessel maker/copper smith David Huang as the juror, and we are looking forward to a magnificent show!
thanks in advance for your entries -
Maureen BZ (+ Danielle Embry and Charity Hall- exhibitions committee for SNAG Phoenix 2012)

CU|29: Contemporary Work in Copper
Call for Entries
In conjunction with the Society of North American Goldsmith's (SNAG) 2012 Conference in
Phoenix, Arizona, Mesa Art Center is presenting the exhibition, CU|29: Contemporary Work
in Copperfrom April 6 to August 12, 2012. Copper, our 29th element, is prized for its excellent
malleability, conductivity, and ductility. Arizona is the leading copper-producing state in the
U.S.
This juried exhibition will feature contemporary artwork that is made primarily of copper.
In addition to contemporary work, the exhibition will highlight exquisite copper vessels created
in Santa Clara, Mexico borrowed from several private collections throughout the region. Mesa
Contemporary Arts will be showcasing five exhibitions during SNAG and will be a destination
spot during the Friday night gallery crawl.

Juror: David Huang is a renowned metalsmith known for his raised copper vessels. Widely
exhibited throughout the U.S, David Huang’s work is in many private collections and museum
collections, including the Muskegon Museum of Art and the Kamm Teapot Collection.
Publications include 500 Metal Vessels –Contemporary Explorations of Containmentby Lark
Books (2007) and “Inquire Within: The Holloware of David Huang” , published in Metalsmith
Magazine(2008). He currently lives and maintains a studio in western Michigan.

Eligibility: Open to any artist working in copper. Pieces submitted for consideration must be
original in design and composed of at least 75% copper. Artwork may include but is not limited
to jewelry, vessels, sculpture, and wall pieces.

Submissions: Artists may submit up to 3 artworks for consideration for a $25 fee. Entries must
be submitted as digital images in JPEG format on a CD. Image resolution must be 200 dpi, with
6” as the longest dimension. Digital images should be named as follows:
LastName.EntryNumber.jpg (EX: Doe.1.jpg) Detail shots should be labeled as follows.
LastName.EntryNumber a.jpg (EX: Doe1a.jpg) Limit detail shots to 1 per piece. Also, include a
PDF document on the CD that contains Artist contact information (name, address, phone
number, email) AND the following information for each piece:
Artist Name
Entry Number
29
Cu
63.55
Title
Dimensions
Materials
Label this file as: LastName.pdf (EX: Doe.pdf)
Submissions and the $25 entry fee, payable to Arizona Designer Craftsmen, must be
received by November 18, 2011.

Mail entries to:
SNAG Exhibitions Committee
c/o Charity Hall
P.O. Box 3615
Tucson, AZ 85722

Transportation/Shipping:Artists are responsible for transportation of work to Mesa
Contemporary Arts. Artworks may be hand-delivered to MCA or shipped to arrive on or before 5
pm March 16, 2012. Work being shipped must be packed in a re-usable shipping container.
Artists are responsible for checking with their shipper regarding insurance and correct packing
procedures. Mesa Contemporary Arts will not be responsible for breakage because of incorrect
packing or insufficient container. Artists will be notified of work that arrives in damaged
condition. Cost of shipping artwork to the exhibition is the artist’s responsibility; MCA will pay
for return shipping and insurance of artwork within the contiguous United States, via standard
UPS only. If any other carriers are requested for the return, the artist will be responsible for the
cost and scheduling.

Liability:Insurance will be carried by the City of Mesa on all works for the duration of the show
(April 6 to August 12, 2012). The usual exclusions will apply for loss or damage which occur by
any event beyond the control of the City.

Agreement:The artist agrees to maintain entry for the duration of the exhibition. Submission of
an entry constitutes permission to photograph work for publicity and educational purposes. All
entries must be of original design and personal execution. Artwork may be for sale atthe artist’s
discretion. A 25% commission will be retained by MCA on all sales.

Calendar:
November 18, 2011 Submissions must be received
January 15, 2012Artists will be notified of acceptance/denial via email
March 16, 2012Work must arrive at the Mesa Contemporary Arts by 5 pm
May 25, 2012Member’sVIP Reception: 6-7 pm;Public Reception: 7-9 pm
April 6-August 12, 2012 Exhibition Dates. Work will be shipped out for return during
the week of August 27th, 2012.

Questionsmay be directed to SNAG2012exhibitions@gmail.com

Maureen BZ- interview update!

2011-09-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is a short update to the original interview ( http://metalsmithsunite.blogspot.com/2009/11/introductions-are-at-hand.html )with Maureen Brusa Zappellini- (Metalsmiths Unite founder) with a little bit of background on the formation of the Metalsmiths Unite group....

What inspired you start Metalsmiths Unite?
You know when you go to a conference and you get that feeling like you aren't connected at all with the community? You feel like an outsider- and it's that outsider feeling that was the catalyst for my starting the Metalsmiths Unite group in the first place. I Created the very first Metalsmiths Unite group the week after I got back from the SNAG conference in Savannah (08) .

Most conferences/professional gatherings are really hard on the independent - Most of the attendees are from some school or professional group: they already have a framework within their community. As an independent artist (many years out of school) I noticed that there were a lot of us "indies" around, mostly feeling disconnected from the group experience as a whole.

2nd annual Metalsmiths Unite "Chill Lounge" gathering Tucson AZ, February2011

I saw a need for an independent forum for ALL LEVELS of metalsmithing and metalsmithing enthusiasts, so I patched together a group, stuck the name Metalsmiths Unite on it and the rest is history.
Metalsmiths Unite has become my main community- It is full of a collection of independent artists and teachers from all levels of our craft- from super newbie beginner to professional craftspeople whose work is collected by collectors, museums and yes, even royalty. I know I can go to Metalsmiths Unite 2.0 at any time of day to get responses for technical questions, show new images of my work, and find information about what is current in our metalsmithing world. In short- it is a community of individuals- with a passion for metalsmithing as a common axis.

I think that it has helped many people make connections that otherwise they may not have been able to make, so I'm happy with the result.

powdercoated bronze and silver earrings

I never thought it would grow so big either- I envisioned 30-40 friends talking about technique and materials and occasionally showing a picture of work that they have done. It soon became clear that it was going to be a bit bigger than that- and by the end of the year I had to take it more seriously, write a mission statement and create posting guidelines. My little baby had grown.

When did you found the group?
I founded the group in the spring of 2008, just after coming home from the Savannah SNAG conference- I felt a need to be in communication with other metalsmiths- especially those of us who weren’t connected to any formal group (those of us out of school and independently working in our studios)

What is your vision for it?
Hmm, my vision is that MU continues to grow and becomes a favorite resource for it’s members. I think we are on the right track.

Where can all it’s parts it be found?

pewter container- "Bella Fiorentina 2011"

Metalsmiths Unite started on another page, as simply “Metalsmiths Unite”- it still exists, but I’ve shut down the wall to comments because I cannot manage both groups at once- However, there is a lot of information there about artists and resources, plus hundreds of photos and even a few videos. https://www.facebook.com/groups/23784239066/
The MAIN page that is used daily is at Metalsmiths Unite 2.0, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/23784239066/#!/groups/metalsmithsunite/
then we have this blog, a Flickr Group (at http://www.flickr.com/groups/1311938@N20/pool/ ) a Twitter account that I have let lapse into oblivion (not enough hours in the day)
and we just recently added a very informal etsy team ( http://www.etsy.com/teams/9513/metalsmiths-unite-on-etsy?ref=pr_teams )

Anything else you want to tell us about the group?
I think it’s a great group of creatives, and I’ve met some really wonderful people through the 3 years since I started it. I look forward to greeting my fellow ‘smiths every day, and seeing the works that we are merrily creating in our studios. I think Metalsmiths Unite stays fresh because it is constantly evolving- every day there are new topics being shared, in real time - with hundreds of dedicated craftspeople from all around the wold.

What can the members do, to help make it successful?
Don't be shy- participate and keep posting your metalsmithing related posts! Volunteer to write a blog post or two (you can even use one of your own blog posts on your personal blog if you think it is interesting to the metalsmithing community)
Give encouragement to newbies, continue to add your metalsmithing friends to the group, let the group know what it is that YOU want out of the group.


strap "slide bead" bracelets 2011 (compare to painting below)

Metalsmiths Unite's success is created by active participation -
Above ALL- continue the groups mission to be open to all levels and disciplines in our craft - including everyone from museum level artists to hobbyists and enthusiasts. That we continue our community in the spirit of sharing and open dialogue, with respect for our differences and the creation of bridges of understanding.

MBZ, What is your background?

Silk painting with stitching 1998

I’ve earned a studio diploma (concentrating in painting) from School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA) and a BFA from Tufts University. I studied metalsmithing as an apprentice for the summers home from college (6 days a week, silversmithing, mostly forging and soldering)
In my previous incarnation as a painter I was the recipient of a 10 week scholarship at Skowhegan school of painting and sculpture (1989).
I’ve worked for production metalsmiths in Providence RI (my mother lives there). I studied and taught metalsmithing in Florence Italy (my husband’s home town, where we lived from 97-2000)
I’ve taught here in Tucson, I continue to give demos and workshops (metalsmithing and pewter work).
President of Arizona Designer Craftsmen (southern chapter) 2006/7 .


Fall 2011 postcard for my jewelry line "Cosmo's Moon"-	"

2007-2009 goldsmith for a custom ring designer (http://Krikawa.com , where I was making a lot of mokume inlay bands)
I currently work for myself , designing and creating a line of jewelry for online sales in my etsy shops (http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com http://braceletworkshop.etsy.com http://pewterpalooza.etsy.com ) and I also do goldsmithing for a private opal company here in Tucson.

OK- I think that's enough info for now- Please let me know if you have any questions about Metalsmiths Unite- I will do my best to answer them-
in the mean time- may the flux be with you, and your striker be forever sparky
ciao-Maureen BZ
my personal sites:
http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com
http://braceletworkshop.etsy.com
http://pewterpalooza.etsy.com

A Story of Diamonds: Cutting a Round Brilliant

2011-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Andrea Robinson, who had provided us with this article on The Story of Diamonds, which was originally written and published at

starvingartiststeam.blogspot.com

First, the planner starts with a diamond crystal. The planner decides what is going to happen with the crystal. One stone, two, three, what shape?

The marker then marks where the diamond needs to be sawn or cleaved.

If the diamond is to be cleaved, a kerf (small groove) is cut into the crystal with a laser. Then, some extremely skilled person gets to whack it with a mallet.

The crystal is more likely to be sawn, these days.

The next step is bruting which rounds out the stones and gives the initial cone shape to the pavilions. In this step, two diamonds are used to shape each other. This can be done by hand or machine.

Next, the diamond is blocked. The table plane is cut, and the pavilion mains and crown facets are placed. The brillianteers then add the remaining facets and do the final polishing.

This video shows most of the process:

Wendy Van Camp ~ Artist Interview

2011-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our weekly artist interview series - this week we are featuring Wendy Van Camp. Thanks so much for sharing today Wendy!

Wendy Van Camp

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I am a designer of women's jewelry. Most of my work is wirewrapped forms featuring small gauge wire and semi-precious stones. I usually use sterling silver in my work, but lately I've been featuring pieces made of copper wire or a mix of silver and copper. Unusual stones are the focus in my work, ones with lots of interesting textures or colors.

What inspires your designs?
I am half Scottish. I use my heritage to give my contemporary jewelry a Celtic inspiration. Tree of Life pendants are a specialty.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

I was a television producer/director by night and a high school teacher by day. Then I met my husband. Suddenly, my personal life became more important than pursuing the next television gig. I had a great desire to slow down my life and to spend more time with my husband and perhaps start a family. To save money on our wedding, I made my own bridal veil and discovered bead jewelry making for the first time. It was relaxing as well as creative, very much opposite from my previous hectic life. I quit teaching and scaled back my television production work to part-time in order to begin a small jewelry business. That was 16 years ago. I love being an artist and working for myself on my own terms. Jewelry is my main line of business. However, I recently have become a certified gemologist and a freelance writer. I am beginning to write part-time in addition to my jewelry business. It's all good.

Where are you located?

Anaheim Hills is the hilly, upscale, part of Anaheim, CA. Close enough to the beach to enjoy, but far enough away that we don't have to deal with tourists. My house is near the Nixon Presidential Library and Disneyland. We often enjoy the fireworks from the park in our backyard. There are hubs of historic small towns that are still thriving nearby and provide quaint places to visit and shop. My favorite writing spot is a coffeehouse that used to be the building of a local newspaper in one of these old town hubs. The heritage society has preserved the original facade of the building and inside it is paneled in old-fashioned wood. It makes for a great writing atmosphere.

Do you have a website or online store?

I do not have an online store and have no real plans to open one for my jewelry. I find that people like to see and touch my pieces before they buy. I have sold online in the past, but I've discovered that the additional paperwork, photography and taxes involved has made it cost and time prohibitive.

I maintain a website for my work. It is a gallery to display my jewelry and for customers to keep track of where I will be at shows. I use the website mainly to display my jewelry to promoters when I'm jurying into a new venue and to link to articles that I write in the jewelry or gemological field.

What other ways do you market your work?
I have an established venue circuit where I sell my work. Juried Fine Art/Craft shows that are held in conjunction with music festivals, Scottish Highland Games and Science Fiction Conventions. I love working outside in my booth. Where else can you make a living under the trees on a beautiful day? Word of mouth has done me well. I have many repeat customers at these events.

Do you teach? if so, where?
I am often approached to teach by studios or by individuals, but somehow the right venue has not opened for me. I tend to be rather busy between my shows and writing. One day I would not mind teaching, but for now it is on the back burner.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

Be honest with yourself. Do you have the self discipline to set your own hours and do the work required to have a successful business? Have you focused not only on the artistic side of this profession, but also on gaining the business and marketing skills necessary to promote your work as an artist? Metalsmithing is a physical and demanding professional with long hours and much risk. Setting up a studio with equipment is costly as are paying for booth fees to sell your work. You will not have many of the perks that people who work for others take for granted. If that does not scare you, then welcome! There is a certain amount of freedom in working for yourself that can not be matched anywhere else. Also, the joy of seeing another person love your work enough that they wish to purchase it and make it their own is a wonderful feeling. For me, this has made all the difference.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?

With the rising cost of metals, I am wondering how much longer I will be able to work in sterling silver. I'm exploring more ways to use copper both in jewelry and as wall art. I'm growing more focused on writing and working as a gemologist and hope to expand my presence in these areas over the next few years.

Anything else you would like to share?

Please feel free to visit my website and follow my blog: www.indigoskye.com
Like my Facebook Business Page: http://www.facebook.com/indigoskyebead
Follow me at Twitter: http://twitter.com/wvancamp

Arcosanti

2011-09-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we took a trip to Arcosanti Arizona. Arcosanti is a remarkable living laboratory project that was conceived by Italian architect and sculptor Paolo Soleri (b 1919). In this blog post I will give a short review of our stay and point anyone interested to the Arcosanti website for information about this inspiring project.

A view of the main building holding the Bakery, Cafe, Gallery and Reception area

The most simple way to describe Arcosanti would be that it is an experimental city being constructed by volunteers from around the world (most often architects, artists and free thinkers). It is currently housing between 20-100 residents, who live and work there year round as volunteers and students of the philosophies of Arcology http://www.arcosanti.org/theory/arcology/main.html .The Website for Arcosanti will also tell you about their beautiful silt cast bells and has a detailed schedule of their exciting performances and events .

a selection of bronze silt cast bells available in the shop

A short history:
"In 1970, the Cosanti Foundation began building Arcosanti, an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers." (from the Arcosanti Website http://www.arcosanti.org)

We decided to visit Arcosanti after hearing about the incredible performances that are held there on a regular basis.Not being a huge fan of crowds I thought it would be interesting to go there during a "down time"- in the heat of the summer- to simply experience the setting (and to "cambiare aria" (change air) before settling into our school routine for the year. )

Daisy by the pool. Note the "pod like" artist studio with circle windows in the distance

I think it was a good choice, because we had a peaceful few days, however, the heat was quite oppressive so I'm thinking that we would not go in August again. I really have a hard time dealing with extreme heat (though I live in Arizona) so I did more reading than hiking. (Cosmo and his Dad hiked in the early mornings).

There is also a pool on site that we very much enjoyed at the end of the long hot days. I look forward to going back in the cooler months to experience the trails and landscape more completely. I could even see going by myself for a few days in order to retreat and work on a project.

MBZ in the "vaults" - the largest performance/meeting space at Arcosanti

One idea I have is for interested participants of next year's SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference to take a field trip to Arcosanti to observe their foundry and daily silt cast bell production. At the very least, I would recommend a visit to the Cosanti foundation (closer to the conference, in Scottsdale) which is Paolo Soleri's home and sculpture studio. (Cosanti is also open to the public and has daily tours.)

Arcosanti Arizona is located about 35 miles east of Prescott and a little over an hour north of Phoenix. (It took us about 3 1/2 hours to drive there from Tucson) For more information see http://arcosanti.org
and you can also find the Arcosanti project on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1069939853 .

A Story of Diamonds: Marcel Tolkowsky and the Modern Brilliant

2011-09-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Andrea Robinson, who had provided us with this article on The Story of Diamonds, which was originally written and published at

starvingartiststeam.blogspot.com

The Modern Brilliant was born in 1919 from the mathematical calculations of Marcel Tolkowsky. As a member of a family of Belgian diamond cutters he had a certain interest in making beautiful diamonds. As an engineer, he studied the way light behaves within a diamond and determined the combinations of angles, facet sizes and shapes needed to maximize both the fire and brilliance that a diamond displays.

Fire is the term applied to the spectral colors reflected out of the heart of a diamond. Brilliance is the amount of light returned to the viewer. Sparkle, or scintillation, refers to the combination of these two factors.

He determined that if a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, light will leak out and the diamond will not be as bright or fiery as it could be. Moreover, the shape and size of each facet is important to the amount of light returned to the viewer.

The Modern Brilliant cut consists of 58 facets, or 57 if the culet is excluded: 33 facets on the crown and 25 (or 24) on the pavilion. Contemporary diamonds are usually cut without a culet.

Tolkowsky's model is the basis of every new round brilliant cut. Over the years, advances in science have allowed us to refine these guidelines into spectacularly sparkly diamonds. Some, like the Hearts and Arrows cut, rely on exacting specifications regarding pavilion and crown angles, table size, girdle thickness, facet sizes, and alignment. Alignment refers to how well the crown and pavilion line up. Perfect alignment is when, at the girdle, the points of the kite and crown facets match up with the pavilion mains and lower girdle facets.

You can see in this next image that the precise cutting is somewhat visible in the finished stone without the special viewer. The red viewer images show that the cut is not exactly perfect, as the hearts are not uniform and the arrows are a little off.

This fancy vivid yellow is a stunning example of excellent cutting by Eight Star, the company that pioneered the Hearts and Arrows cut.

Next time, we see how a round brilliant diamond is made.

Beth Wicker: Three Cats and a Dog Design Studio ~ Artist Interview

2011-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week for our Artist Interview we have Beth Wicker - thanks so much for sharing with us Beth!!!

Beth Wicker

How would you describe what you do as an artist?

I'm all about creating, so I use a range of media - whatever will work to get the idea in my head out into the open. Currently my primary media is metals, but I also work in mixed media fibers, paint, make original prints, and create handmade paper.

What inspires your designs?
Patterns - I love patterns! I find them primarily in nature, but also in traces of the human presence on earth.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
Back in the dark ages when Public Television actually taught subjects my mother would find out what art classes were coming up, get the supplies, and we would all sit in front of the television and learn whatever that class's technique was. My mother took me to adult classes by the time I was about 10, and I've been learning ever since. I did metals a bit as a kid, at home and at summer camp, but got back into it in a big way when my daughter wanted me to teach her when she was 10 - that circle of life thing going on.

Where are you located?
I live on a farm with a lovely pond, just outside of Cheraw, SC, not too far from the NC border, and about half way between Charlotte, NC and Myrtle Beach.

Do you have a website or etsy store?
I sell on Etsy - http://www.bethwicker.etsy.com
I have a website: http://www.bethwicker.com
And a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ThreeCatsandaDog
and I just opened a shop at Handmade Artists: http://handmadeartistsshop.com/shop/ruralart

What other ways do you market your work?
I have a number of galleries and gift shops that carry my work and bring me in for trunk shows. I do retail and wholesale shows, and a good bit of custom work.

Do you teach? if so, where?
I teach through area arts commissions, generally what I call "make and take", where I bring all the tools and materials and folks leave with a finished product.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Don't quit the day job yet! Making a living as an artist takes WORK! And you MUST market yourself! I see too many artists not doing enough marketing.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
I just took a workshop with Michael Good and learned anticlastic raising. I already do repousse' and chasing, and I see my work getting much more three dimensional in the next year. I'm also beginning to explore tableware and vessels.

Anything else you would like to share?
Love my rolling mill! I use it for texturing (back to the whole pattern thing), and keep playing with new ways to add texture, pattern and color to my work. I blog about new techniques and tools at http://bethwicker.ganoksin.com/blogs/

Beth has also been working with Ganoksin on a couple online exhibits.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder can be seen HERE.

A blurb about the exhibit:

The drive to adorn the human body is surely as old as human kind.

Early jewelry was made of bones, shells, sticks, and whatever other materials the people could find and shape. Over time the ability to mine and shape metal developed, and jewelry was made from bronze, silver, gold, platinum and other metals. Gold has long been thought of as a “precious” metal, and today it is joined by silver and platinum as the three main materials modern jewelry is made from.

While much jewelry today is made from these three main metals, a large body of jewelry world-wide is still made from a much wider range of materials. This exhibition, “Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder”, focuses on jewelry made primarily of materials other than gold, platinum and silver.

Jewelers today are still using found objects such as shell and bone; they are using “green” materials – upcycled and recycled objects and materials; they are using cutting edge plastics and newly developed technology; and they are using older metals such as copper, brass and bronze. Some of the more unusual materials include vinyl LP’s, velvet, VCR components, rattlesnake vertebrae, corian, canvas, paper, crab claws, magnets, synthetic rubber electrical insulation tubing, and aluminum grounding wire.

Universal Stake Holder ~ Tool Tips

2011-08-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Steve Shelby for sharing some of his tools related writing from his own blog - which you can visit HERE.

For a couple years I have wanted to replace the stump I’ve been using for my metalsmithing. It’s just too small and light, so it tends to walk away while I’m hammering. The primitive way of holding stakes is not really very good either. The holes keep getting larger, and it’s really hard to keep the stakes from moving all around, which makes it a lot harder to get the job done. Another problem is there’s no height adjustability, which at times can be very inconvenient. I wanted to make a clamping device that would securely hold any size stake, round or square. I also didn’t want it to be screwed down to the stump, since screws, no matter how big, always loosen up over time, and I also wanted it to be easy to remove, so I could use the whole surface of the stump as a work surface if I needed to.

These first pictures show the new stump, as compared to the old one, much larger (about 14″ diameter on top), and very sturdy. I sanded the top to make a nice flat surface, then gave it a couple coats of varnish, not for looks, but to slow down the the evaporation of the moisture in the log, so the work surface won’t get all cracked. I cut it from a dead elm tree, and even though dead, it is very high in moisture, extremely heavy. Elm is excellent for this purpose since it is extremely tough, the fibers being sort of woven together, so splitting is not a problem. There’s just one hole in the surface, 1-1/2″ in diameter, 6″ deep.

I made the stake holder entirely out of scrounged material, except for the L-bolts and flange nuts, which totaled about $10. It has a vise that can hold about any shape securely, down to a 5/8″ square or round. The unit is held down with two 1/2″ L-shaped anchor bolts. The short arms of the bolts are about 2″ long and fit into holes drilled horizontally into the side of the stump. The whole thing is so strong and solid, I used it to hold a 1-1/4″ diameter steel rod for bending, with no problems. If I want to take it off, it only take about 30 seconds. Putting it back on takes a minute.

The following pictures show it holding my favorite raising stake, a big 1-1/4″ round stake, showing the range of height adjustment (6″ on the tool holder + 4″ on my chair = 10″, which should be plenty), then holding a tiny rectangular tool, and a very large stake with round shank, which now stays put when I use it!

One advantage the old stump had was that I could put a short punch in one of the holes and resting the work on the surface, use the punch as a stake. To make that possible with this new setup, I made this table addition which fits snugly over the top, and works better than the old way, because the tool is held securely, and is height-adjustable. I can also put the sand bag on it for further versatility, or use it as a work surface so I don’t have to remove the stake holder every time I need a flat work surface.

Lorena Angulo ~ Artist Interview

2011-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks To Lorena, for giving us a lovely artist interview today!


Mission San Jose, San Antonio

How would you describe what you do as an artist?

I love to transmit part of who I am and my culture with my work. I am an artist that works with pure silver, sterling, copper and bronze.

I have always loved how every culture transmits part of their history with jewelry and this was a big factor of why I decided to start fabricating my pieces.

What inspires your designs?

My designs come from my big love of my country, Mexico, my culture and traditions. I always make pieces that are close to my heart and looking for inspiration is always easy by just going back to my childhood memories in Mexico.

My first source of inspiration is the traditional folk art, especially the Milagro Hearts, Day of the dead crafts and the Trees of Life. The richness in their symbolic history is what attracts me more.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

I took my first metals class in 2006 at the beautiful Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas. My teacher, Clare Holliday, was an angel that come to my life because she tough me how I could put all my ideas into a physical object. I felt in love with this incredible art form and since then I have not stop learning and exploring new materials and techniques.

Where are you located?

I live in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio is the most visited city in Texas; top sights include the Alamo and other historic missions like Mission San Jose. San Antonio has beautiful museums and art events all year round.

Do you have a website or etsy store?

Yes !

My website: http://www.lorenaangulo.com/index.html

My Blog: http://blog.lorenaangulo.com/

My Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/pueblofolkart

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LorenaAnguloJewelry

What other ways do you market your work?

I do art shows and also have my work in high end stores and some galleries.

Do you teach? if so, where?

Yes, I teach regularly at Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas. (http://www.swschool.org/).

I also teach at some national art events like Adorn Me! Houston. Teachers from all over the country come to teach classes during a whole week.

http://www.artunraveled.com/AdornMe12/AMartists.htm

I will also be teaching online very soon my first class will be published at CraftEDU. http://community.craftedu.com/group/lorenaangulosclassroom

Teaching is a new love I have discovered. I never imagined how fulfilling teaching can be. I love to be in contact with the students and to see their faces when they finish a piece and come to show it with so much pride. I think that I am not only teaching but learning so much from all the students I have had so far.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

To follow their hearts. What I mean with this is that it is very important to start creating not base on what everybody is making or what is consider to be the “in” fashion design of the moment. They have to not be afraid to create pieces that reflect who they are and makes them happy. This will reflect in the work they will do. Look for your own creative voice and style.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?

I think my work is maturing little by little. I feel very comfortable with my style and I am not afraid to use different materials.

I want to see my work in more galleries.

I also want to continue teaching, I really enjoy doing it and being in contact with students this way.

Anything else you would like to share?

You can also visit and see my work in these sites:

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenaangulo/sets/

Crafthaus: http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/lorenaangulo

Video on my work

Homemade Immersion Heater for Large Pickle Tank ~ tool tips

2011-08-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Steve Shelby for sharing some of his tools related writing from his own blog - which you can visit HERE.

I have always preferred to have my pickle solution hot, or at least warm; it works so much faster, especially for dissolving flux. Since many of the pieces I make are rather large, I have sometimes had to settle for cold pickle, since the crock-pot was too small. Recently my crock-pot developed a leak, so that was all the motivation I needed to finally do something about the situation. I had been researching heaters for a couple years, and everything I found was too expensive, so I decided to make my own.

All of the parts, except the thermostat and the indicator light, I got from McMaster-Carr, even the six-gallon bucket, which is a couple inches taller than a standard fiver. The heating element is bendable, came perfectly straight. It’s rated at 750 watts, and is made to heat air or liquid, so it doesn’t have to be fully submerged. I think it’s the same kind of elements they put in dishwashers. I just happened to have a 1970′s vintage 110 volt thermostat lying around. A regular wall thermostat won’t work for this unless a transformer is added to the circuit. The box is an outdoor-type electrical box, and the thermostat was made to screw right to the box, perfect fit! This thermostat of course reads the air temperature; a thermostat that would read the temperature of the pickle itself was way too expensive. It turned out that this one, when set on its highest setting (90ºF) maintains the pickle at just the right temperature (about 180ºF). The heating element is held in place with a simple framework made from nylon plastic, and a ring of teflon at the end. It’s secured in the box with two nylon “cord grips” that screw into the threaded holes in the bottom of the box.

This thing works great! I wish I had made it years ago. It heats up the pickle in about 1/4 of the time that the crock-pot did, even though it’s about four or five times as much liquid. Once it reaches temperature, it is off most of the time, just coming on for a minute or two about every ten minutes or so.

It probably will have to work a lot harder in the winter, when the floor is really cold, so I’m thinking about ways I could insulate the bucket. I have a few months yet to work on that.

I also made new tongs to reach to the bottom of that deep bucket. Made from a scrap of 1/2″ copper tubing, it took about fifteen minutes to make.

Magenta Trinkets - Artist Interview

2011-08-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Another Artist Interview this week - with Magenta Trinkets. Thanks so much for sharing with us Magenta!

Magenta Trinkets

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I would say I am a combination jeweller /metal worker, I look at each piece I create as a miniature sculpture.

What inspires your designs?
Many things inspire my work, I love different shapes and forms in nature, I like to doodle and draw spirals and curves. My work often evolves as I work and tends not to be contrived. I can start on one piece with an idea in mind but the end result will turn out differently than I first intended it to, my mind gets busy when I work so I get my creative flow whilst I am working as well as beforehand. Sometimes I draw designs but rarely end up using them. If I hadn't studied Jewellery I would have like to have been a metal sculptor.Being creative requires originality, I strive to create unique pieces, I find some jewellery too contrived which is why I steered away from conventional and traditional jewellery. I also had to find my own style that appealed as an artistic form. I also rarely work on one piece at a time, I usually have a few pieces all at different stages until it come to the finishing, this can be a bit tedious as I don't enjoy polishing.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
My dad got me interested in jewellery as he had been an apprentice Diamond Mounter in Hatton Garden London in the 50's. He mentioned Sir John Cass College. I had wanted to go to art school and study fine art but I hadn't got a folio together. I started at John Cass doing night classes, then part time day classes as I couldn't afford to take full time study I had to work a day job. I started studying jewellery and loved it from the word go, I also did a few jewellery design classes. I was fortunate to have very good teachers two were Cartier jewellers one of them was the Cartier foreman.

I started classes at John Cass in 1978 and studied off and on for nine years in London and also Kent.The beauty of classes is you meet like minded people, you can also learn from others.I mainly worked on pieces for my family, friends and myself initially. Then in the early 80's one of my tutors suggested that he set up an interview for me with a well known London jeweller in Jermyn Street. I felt quite daunted and ill equipped, then I also felt it would be impossible to survive on an apprentice's wage so I didn't go for the interview. In hindsight I have no regrets, although I would have learnt many skills eventually, it would have taken a long time to get there. I also think I would have felt restricted with my creativity and may have struggled with the processes of making traditional jewellery.

I have also studied painting in all mediums and Interior Design. All of which compliments my jewellery.

Where are you located?
We moved as a family to Wanaka, New Zealand nine years ago after living in the UK and Berlin Germany. The town we moved to is situated in heart of the Southern Alps and sits on a glacial lake surrounded by snow capped mountains in the winter time, it is a very picturesque and beautiful ski town and also a place that is a hub for outdoor pursuits enthusiasts both in the summer and the winter. Having said that I hope to move to Melbourne Australia later this year which will have a wider audience for me with my work and sales and also the arts.

Do you have a website or etsy store?
I have just started selling my jewellery in two online shops, I am about to open two more. One of the shops I am going to open is for FAR which stands for Friends Along The Road. This will be a collective charity shop specifically to raise funds for people in grief. FAR is run by my friend Dave he wants to build a sanctuary retreat for people in grief. I am sourcing, jewellers, artists and craftspeople to join me in the etsy shop, we will donate 15% of any sales to help FAR. So far we have two artists and two jewellers, we want to be able to offer items relating to grief such as memorial jewellery or art.
http://www.senseofashion.com/MagentasTrinkets
http://www.etsy.com/shop/magentastrinkets

What other ways do you market your work?
I used to exhibit and sell in a local co operative shop in our town, I also had my work in galleries. I stopped doing this a few years ago as it wasn't very productive, New Zealand doesn't have a big population which makes it hard to sell here. I am hoping that online selling will be more profitable and will be looking into selling to London and Australian stores, then doing craft markets in Australia.

Do you teach? if so, where?
Teaching is something I have wanted to do for a long time, I am intending to look into it once I move the Melbourne.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Think hard about your style and try to be as original as possible. I wanted to make traditional jewellery when I first started but I struggled with precision and technique. I then eventually came to realise my own style and feel more comfortable doing what I want rather than making contrived pieces. My style isn't precise because I don't want to achieve perfection, I have learn't to accept my flaws and nuances, nothing in reality is perfect.

Research your market before you give up your day job, jewellery is ideal to start as a hobby and you can find out this way how successful you will be.You don't need a huge studio with lot's of expensive equipment to start with. You can manage with very little in the way of tools and equipment and work from a table. If you do classes it helps because the school will have all the tools and equipment you need.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
Hopefully onwards and upwards, If I start making lot's of sales I will look into casting my pieces as I would like to sell wholesale. I also hope to run workshops and teach. I am just putting out feelers and exploring, hoping and staying positive.

Anything else you would like to share?
Some of my other links!
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Magentas-Trinkets/111257445629555
Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/magentasimages/
Tumblr: http://piratepinnacles.tumblr.com/post/7225542919

Learn about Non-Ferrous Metals~

2011-08-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder about Non-Ferrous metals?

written by Greig Fors

Today we are tackling alloys, fluxes, and brazing/solders

Non-Ferrous is any metal that isn’t iron. I will be talking about brass, nickel silver (cupro-nickel) and copper. Other metals like aluminum and bronze may or may not be brought up later. There is so much to cover, so this is going to be an introductory blog in two parts, just to cover the basics.

Metal is metal is metal…All metals share some of the same properties, there is ductility, malleability, conductivity, luster to name a few. Some conduct heat or electricity better or worse than other metals. There are only two non-white metals, gold and copper. Brass is any number of combinations of copper and zinc, while bronze is any number of combinations of copper and tin. There are hundreds of different alloys of each. Specifically, brass, you will probably use one of the two most common alloys that are currently produced: navy brass (also known as yellow brass or common brass) which is the most common form of sheet brass. The other is free machining brass (or navy brass with a smidge of lead in it) that is found in rod or bar stock and in many different shapes. The real downside to Free Machining Brass is that it will crack if it is bent more that 70-80 degrees. Annealing doesn’t seem to help; however, it will bend rather well at temps around 1000°F. Navy Brass in various shapes can be found, but it will be older stock and most likely at a scrap yard. Alloys will change over time as to their availability because of manufacturing needs.

Brass wire is usually navy brass and brazing rod is a brass (Cu-Zn) alloy that has trace elements for good flow characteristics and strength. There are a number of other alloys for wire and commercial braze rod that will not be discussed at this point.

This seems like a good point to also discuss fluxes. Soft solder fluxes are generally two types, those being: acid fluxes (usually zinc chloride or muriatic acid) and rosin fluxes. The old time flux was Sal ammoniac which can possibly still be found, but went out of common use forty or fifty years ago. Soldering is the term for melting a filler metal into a joint at under 842°F. These fluxes will also burn at temps above 600° F or so. The other fluxes are those for over 842°. The most common is borax. It has been used for centuries. A cheap source for borax is a box of “Twenty Mule Team” pure borax laundry soap. When melted, it forms a glass-like coating over the metal to be brazed. The other type of brazing flux is hydrofluoric acid. This flux “eats” away scale during the heating process while also covering the metal, preventing re-oxidation. There are many brands of fluxes and they come in liquid, paste or powder. There is a high temp black flux that is great for those hard to solder pieces that require an IT braze or a large mass that requires a lengthy heat time. All of these fluxes are either borax or hydrofluoric acid or some combination of both. For most of my work, I prefer to use a commercial borax/hydrofluoric acid paste flux (usually Harris brand) or their black high temp flux. The one main drawback from using the hydrofluoric acid flux is that it goes everywhere, so you must be diligent in your soldering technique, and on silver, it will eat away the silver, leaving a copper fire scale that is rather tough to get rid of.

I guess that solders/brazing filler are the next on the list. As mentioned earlier, solders are a metal filler whose flow points are under 842º and brazes are over that temperature. There are many, many alloys of solder. Flow points start at around 120ºF and go up to around 650ºF. Tix ® is one of the commonly sold low temp. solders and is used in repairing pewter and paste/costume jewelry. There are a number of others that have similar flow temperatures and bonding characteristics. The next batches of solders are the most commonly used and have flow points of between 400º and 630º. They fall into the tin/lead, tin/antimony, tin/bismuth and tin/silver categories. While lead and antimony solders are useful in industrial applications, those metals are toxic and should be avoided, along with cadmium solders. Bismuth is generally OK. When using the low temp. solders like Tix, the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a must read as it will tell you what is in your solder and will also advise you on toxicity. If you don’t get it with the product, it is always posted online. The solder that I generally use for soldering is the 95-5 tin/silver. It is non-toxic and has a generally higher tensile strength and better flow characteristics because of the silver and a comparatively low flow temp of around 430º. One of the great advantages of this 95-5 solder is that if you decide that you need to braze the piece, unlike the other solder alloys, you don’t need to remove it before brazing. Just make sure that all the soft solder flux is removed. Simply flux and braze with silver braze and the tin/silver alloy will re-alloy itself with the silver braze.

Brazes are the filler metal for over 842ºF. I will not get into brazes that do not relate to brass working, like gold and platinum. While they can be used, it is not cost efficient to use them on brass or copper. I will also not use the standard brass braze rods that are sold commercially, as their flow point is almost identical to the brass we work with, and the risk of melting the piece is very great.

There are the silver brazes like low, medium and hard, plus Extra low and IT. These are all silver/copper/zinc alloys. The melt and flow temps. are approximate and go as follows: Extra Easy-1125ºM(melt) & 1145ºF(flow), Easy-1235ºM & 1325ºF, Medium-1265ºM & 1390ºF, Hard-1365º & 1450ºF and IT-1330º & 1490ºF. These temperatures are gathered from a couple of different sources and since different manufacturers may alloy their brazes a little differently than other manufacturers, I can say that these temps. are average. Silver brazes are used by manufacturers outside of the jewelry field so the next place we can purchase silver braze is a welding supply. There, silver braze is sold by percentage of silver, so you won’t see easy, medium or hard, but rather, 36%silver or 50% silver, etc. These are normally sold in one ounce coils and are about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter (16ga). The last types of brazes I will cover are the copper phosphorous alloys. These are used in plumbing and refrigeration/air conditioning. They come in sticks that are either an eighth of an inch square or an eighth by a sixteenth and in either 18 or 36 inch lengths. These are called copper-phos, or if they contain silver (to give a better flow rate), are called Sil-phos. These are interesting as they do not require a flux when used on copper, although when used on brass, do require a flux. The will not work on ferrous metals. Also, left untouched, or if pickled it is a copper color, but if polished, becomes silver. These last brazes, while great for industrial brazing, do not work well for anything that needs a fine touch. They are kind of globby. There are two reasons that I bring them up: 1- they are not well known by artists, if at all. 2- They can be used quite well to build up metal and can be used for sculpting. I have a line of “Mushroom Bells” where I take a round dome and make a drip formed stem and “roots”. For the ringer, I take a piece of standard eighth inch brass rod and melt (with flux) a drop of the copper phos and melt it on the end. Then I reheat the glob and let it begin to drip and harden. When upright, it looks like a very small mushroom on a stick.

Solders are used to join parts that either cannot take high heat or don’t need to be as strong as the base metals. If you are connecting two flat pieces together face to face, then solder may be perfectly adequate for the job, however, when strength and sometimes color is an issue, then braze is very much superior. It is harder and has a much higher tensile strength than solder, plus it takes a better polish and will blend in better as far as color, although both solder and braze will stand out when the piece tarnishes.

These are the basics which you will need as far as brass, solders, brazes and fluxes. The next chapter will be constructing with brass. Copper and nickel silver will also be discussed in the next chapter as the soldering and brazing techniques are pretty much the same.

About Greig:
Greig Fors on Etsy :rockettsforge
Greig Fors Facebook FanPage :Rockett's Forge and Brass Works
Growing up, my mother was a single parent and we lived with my grandparents. My grandfather was the chief engineer for a large commercial laundry in San Francisco that took up a city block and was three stories high. I would go and visit, usually with my grandmother, and to me; it was like going to Disneyland. There were all these huge washing machines and boilers. I had a bottle of mercury to play with and then there was the machine shop. The shop had all these wonderful tools; there was a lathe, drill press, grinders and an arc welder. It was the old style shop that was run by a donkey motor that had a wide leather belt that went to a series of pulleys on the ceiling. From each pulley, there were other leather belts that went to each of the machines. Each of the machines had an idler pulley that simply rotated freely and there was a leaver to engage that pulley to make the machine run. When the donkey motor was turned on, there was this wonderful cacophony of sounds: the leather belts slapping, the whine of the pulleys and the clatter of the machines. Those sounds drowned out the rest of the world for me and were the beginning of a love affair that would last me the rest of my life.

Cathy Sutton - Artist Interview

2011-08-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week we have Cathy Sutton from Manitoba Canada with us for our Artist Interview series. Thanks so much for sharing with us Cathy!!

Cathy Sutton

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I create wearable art for women who want something entirely different from mainstream, to display and wear!

What inspires your designs?
I live right by the 13th largest fresh water lake in the world so I am inspired by the lake and all that is around it. My designs tend to be quite organic in nature. Earthy colours and textures predominate.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
I have always been a "maker" of various things but the metalsmithing was an offshoot from making lampwork glass beads. I took a class in LampWork three and a half years ago and began stringing the beads into bracelets and necklaces. It wasn't long after that I got interested in silver soldering then that lead to purchasing silver sheet and fabricating and then casting. I took as many local classes as I could find and the rest I picked up from trial and error and the internet. So to answer the question more simply- about 3 years.

Amethyst, Citrine, and Rutilated Quartz Pendant © Cathy Sutton

Where are you located?
I live in Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba, Canada. Winnipeg Beach is about 4 hours directly north of Fargo North Dakota. If you look on a map right at the centre of the North American continent, you'll see Winnipeg. (referred to as "The Heart of the Continent"). Winnipeg Beach is one hour north- on the shores of our huge lake. My husband and I moved to "The Beach" 6 years ago. We rebuilt our family cottage into a home. The building I use as my studio used to be my sisters and my bunk house. Built years ago to get us young teens out of the cottage when we invited friends to the beach for a week in the summer. (girls can be such noisy gigglers at night). It was the scene of many a crime...sneaking out with the neighbourhood kids for bonfires and so on. Now Nepenthe Studio is a quiet and serene place (when I'm not cursing lost gems that have gone for a roll under my bench). Nepenthe is the name that our cottage was in 1950 when my parents bought it. Nepenthe means "sleep giving drug, peacefulness, euphoria". It was the drug that Homer gave his wife when he left on his travels.

Do you have a website?
www.nepenthestudio.com

What other ways do you market your work?
Mostly I sell wholesale to stores. My jewellery is available in Manitoba at Des Art, Bijou Treasures, Artifacts Gallery, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Woodlands Gallery, Fishfly Gallery, and in British Columbia at Juvelisto and Dragonfly and Amber. I also will be represented in Influx Gallery in Calgary- as soon as I get the stuff shipped!

Sterling and Gold Ring © Cathy Sutton

Do you teach? If so, where?
I teach lampwork bead making classes at Prairie Stained Glass in Winnipeg. I am still a "newbie" at jewellery making.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Be brave. Try it.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
I am very keen on getting into a couple more stores in the East. (Ontario, Quebec and / or the Maritime Provinces). I do plan and taking an advanced stone setting class in the upcoming months. I want to hone my skills. Lots to learn!

Tortured Copper © Cathy Sutton

Anything else you would like to share?
I use a technique that I call “Tortured Copper”. I heat copper sheet until its bright red screaming hot. Then I drop many little snippets of sterling on the raging hot copper. The sterling submits to the copper and turns to a shiny liquid. My torch “blows” the molten silver around in patterns creating a permanent marriage of copper and silver and lives happily ever after.

Of course some people would simply call this fusing…

New Life for an Old Hammer ~ Tool tips

2011-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Steve Shelby for sharing some of his tools related writing from his own blog - which you can visit HERE.

I have wanted a new raising hammer for quite a while. My old one, which I got as a student about 40 years ago, is not quite as heavy as I would like, and it is made of cast iron. The surface gets pitted (see first picture) after a little use, so I’m constantly having to resurface it.

The new raising hammers I’ve seen for sale are very expensive, and I have no idea how well they would hold up under the use I would give them, so I decided to make my own. I found a very old blacksmith hammer on Ebay for a very good price. It occurred to me that an old hammer like this would most likely be made of very good steel.

I took the head off the handle, and with a chop saw cut long bevels on the top and bottom to get the shape. This blacksmith hammer was two pounds, and my old raising hammer a little under a pound, So I figured removing this much metal would leave just about the weight I wanted.

The next two steps were rough grinding with a right-angle disc grinder, and then finer grinding with a belt sander.

After achieving an acceptable shape and smoothness, I put a burned-oil finish on it, then polished the ends. I was able to reuse the old handle, which is of excellent quality, very hard hickory.

Compared to the old hammer, not as fancy a shape, but much better quality. It weighs one pound five ounces, pretty much what I was shooting for.

SiaCorrina Durocher - Artist Inteview

2011-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome - time for another Artist Interview - with Sia Durocher Hurst. Thanks so much for sharing with us Sia!

SiaCorrina Durocher

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I create jewelry – I teach others to create jewelry – I host creativity workshops so that people can explore their creative lives – I publish a magazine which endeavors to share the concept of creative living with as many people as possible – I write – I paint … and then I create more jewelry!

What inspires your designs?

Everything inspires me – when I ride by bicycle to work I am inspired by the olive and pistachio trees – when I swimming in the sea I am inspired by the tides and the salty air – when I am scuba diving I am inspired by a world that has no need of me – when I am sitting quietly I am inspired by my own thoughts and the peace that is in my heart – when I am living my life I am inspired by all that that can mean.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

I began my creative journey in my late teens when I moved to Central America and feel in love with an artisan there. He taught me the basics of wire working … after that I explored many areas of creativity, finally realizing that my creativity is truly living a creative and positive life – so, since about 17 years of age I have been involved in this type of making … and now in my forties I continue the adventure.

Where are you located?
I live in a small suburb of Athens, Greece – on the south side of the city. My home is about a 10 minute bicycle ride from the Aegean Sea and about 15 minutes from my studio and gallery. The back hills of Attica protect our little bay at Varkiza, where our sea is crystal clear, blue and always welcoming.

Do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store?
Website where I sell my jewelry: http://www.siacorrina.com/
Blog where I teach a new jewelry making technique every week
http://jewelrymaking-siacorrina.blogspot.com/
Blog for Serendipity Magazine – which is always looking for contributors! http://magserendipity.blogspot.com/
I have a publication library where you can read my magazine and check out my classes! http://www.yudu.com/library/81252/SC-Library
I have a facebook page where people can ‘like’ me
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SiaCorrina-jewelry-art-accessories/186321055373

What other ways do you market your work?
I have my brick’n’mortar shop in Athens – my website – Serendipity Magazine – a couple of blogs – active in forums and online communities – run an art center in my studio – talk and talk and talk with people who are curious about creativity

Do you teach? if so, where?
Yes, I teach. I have a rather nice situation where other artists have come together in my studio space and we are all building an art center together – offering glasses in metal work, glass, textiles, painting, mosaics, bead weaving, and … I think that may be it for now! You can find more information on my website and in the publication library (both links above).

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Keep exploring your creativity – never say ‘no’ to an opportunity to stretch your artistic muscles and learn something new.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
Exactly where it is supposed to; I will find out when it happens. I have some ideas, of course, but I have no course. I am living creatively in the moment and my work is evolving along with me. I hope to enter some competitions and perhaps a submission to a magazine … just ideas … I hope to create the ideas in my head … again, just ideas!

Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for this group and this opportunity for us all to meet and to share our experiences with one another. I wish you all the creative best in your endeavors.

Working with: Made By Survivors

2011-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Dianna Badalament, the International Jewelry Program Director of Made By Survivors for writing about her experience working with The Made By Survivors Organization, in India.

In February 2009, my life changed forever. After opening my small jewelry business, I received an email from a old friend saying a not-for-profit organization whose work she followed on Facebook, was looking for a metalsmith to teach a metalsmithing class to survivors of human trafficking in Kolkata, India. I contacted the organization, Made By Survivors (MBS), to learn more about the opportunity and in a month shipped out to Kolkata, India, for two weeks in April to teach survivors at a shelter named Child Care Home operated by our partner Women's Interlink Foundation.

Although April 2009 was the hottest April on record (and not a dry heat), the survivors and the MBS Team in India persevered through blackouts, labor strikes, stifling pollution, the survivors' own psychological (and sometimes physical) trauma, to teach the survivors basic metalsmithing skills. My originally scheduled two weeks, quickly turned into a month long stay. The survivor girls were so incredibly inspirational and dedicated, I felt I couldn't leave until I was done instructing through a certain level of metalsmithing.

Upon my return to the USA, I constantly stayed involved with MBS consulting on everything jewelry and managing jewelry tool drives. Then, I decided to return to India to get a new jewelry studio open and ready for production at a new partner shelter home at Rescue Foundation (RF) near Mumbai. This trip included check-ins with the Kolkata program which was wonderful because you could see the progress, the love, the happiness and the positive evolution of attitude in just a couple of months.

While at RF I lived at the shelter home and really had an opportunity to spend quality time with the survivors, learn some Hindi, Bengali and Gujrati, explore Mumbai's jewelry district (which recently was the location of a horrible terrorist attack) and purchase tools for the program, as well as get to know the Rescue Foundation staff and learn about the amazing work they do rescuing and providing shelter for young women freed from brothels all over India.

By the end of the trip, over 50 survivors were trained in classical metalsmithing techniques. When I wasn't teaching metalsmithing, I taught beading to another five survivors suffering from HIV/AIDS in the hospital Rescue Foundation location on-site. About ten percent of the girls rescued by Rescue Foundation suffer from HIV/AIDS. In the evenings, I couldn't resist coaching volleyball on the rocky court out during the athletics program. I played in high school and a little in college and never really thought it would come in handy but it truly did. It taught teamwork, healthy competition (something the girls really never experienced) amongst other things.

Ultimately, the most amazing part of the whole experience is to watch a teenage girl in survival mode, firing on all primal notions for shelter, for food, completely transform into a hopeful girl playing in the garden and picking flowers. It is inspirational to see how learning to metalsmith plays a part in their therapy, in addition to, being their employment, the key to their future. Lastly, it feels great being a part of a compassionate organization that helps offset the heinous wrong that is "human trafficking", and the name for it doesn't come close to saying enough about this tragic human rights violation.

MBS' philosophy is to overcome slavery and empower slavery survivors through education, opportunity, employment and compassion. Their programs are located in such places like Cambodia, India and Nepal and are very successful. All proceeds from the products made by the survivors go right back to supporting the survivors. MBS also sponsors children for school, helps improve conditions for the survivors at the homes and organizes bi-annual trips for volunteers to spend two weeks in Kolkata paying visits to WIF's homes and hosting activities for the survivors.

Presently, we just began our Third Jewelry Tool Drive. If you'd like to like to donate jewelry tools to the drive there is more information located here. We hope to supply the tools for our third studio, opening within the next six months to train survivors at a shelter home in northern West Bengal.

At this point, I can't wait to go back and see the survivors from the CCH and RF Studios (amongst other great girls at the shelter, not in our program AND the great staff in India working for Made By Survivors whom I adore). I also look forward to meeting and training the new survivors and getting more young women in to the therapeutic fold. Lastly, I find it comforting that every survivor trained chips away at the global blight of slavery.

Sophia Georgiopoulou – Artist Interview

2011-07-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome! We have another artist interview this week, with the lovely Sophia Georgiopoulou. Please have a read! thanks so much for sharing today with us Sophia!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I am a goldsmith who makes precious adornments in gold, silver, pearls and gemstones. I am fascinated by the way metal, especially gold, transforms itself through the use of traditional fabrication techniques and the skills of the goldsmith into an object of art, delight and beauty.

Incrementi Brooch ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

What inspires your designs?
My designs are primarily inspired by the Roman, Hellenistic and Byzantine past of the Near East, adapted to a more modern aesthetic. Since my classicist education has always drawn me to the ornate, intricately wrought gold jewelry that prevailed for centuries in the Mediterranean basin and the Near East, my work focuses on a reinterpretation of these timeless forms. My work seeks to create a bridge between the beauty of the ancient cultural heritage in this area of the world and modern life.

Occasionally, I will be haunted by a shape from the world of nature, a found object, a play of light or a word that will need to be transformed and expressed into a piece of jewelry. Sometimes I do a detailed drawing of the piece I want to fabricate, at others I take the gemstone or pearl and build around it.


Alexandria Gold Earrings ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Leaf Gold Earrings ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

How long have you been involved in this type of making?
Until 2004, “making” jewelry (assembling elements together) was just one of my hobbies together with painting, drawing and embroidering. In 2004, I decided that I needed to learn how to fabricate clasps because the ready-made ones I used in my creations were not very interesting. In October 2004, I took my first metals class and I have never looked back. I became attracted to fabrication straight from the raw materials and I am still trying to hone my skills in that area. I left my job as a college professor and apprenticed for five years next to a wonderful goldsmith, teacher and mentor. In November 2010, I opened my website: www.kosmimata.com

Amaseia Flower Ring ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Where are you located?
I live in Athens, Greece, surrounded by monuments that are the remnants of the great civilizations of the Mediterranean basin. The city is full of museums that contain wonderful treasures of sculpture, painting, metal, jewelry, pottery, glass and fabrics. The monuments and the treasures in the museums are marvelous sources of inspiration for every artist, and especially a goldsmith.
In November 2011, I will relocate permanently to Seattle, Washington.

Constantinople Rings ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Do you have a website or etsy store?
Yes, I do!
Kosmimata Website: http://www.kosmimata.com
Etsy Shop: http://www.kosmimata.etsy.com

Nicaea Gold and Silver Star Brooches ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

What other ways do you market your work?
Currently I only sell online and by commission.

Raised Cross Earrings ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Do you teach?  
I do not teach yet, although in my past career as a college professor I taught for 18 consecutive years right after graduate school. Perhaps in the future, when I have mastered the techniques I am interested in exploring, I will consider it. I think imparting traditional skills to the younger generations of goldsmiths is as important as fashioning an integral body of work that reflects one’s vision of adornment.

Scimitar Pearl Earrings ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Scimitar Pearl Pendant ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
It would be beneficial for newcomers in the field to envision themselves as links in the chain of the jewelry-making tradition. If they are about to reshape tradition in the name of innovation, they should be well-versed in the very thing they will be reshaping. The constant refinement of their traditional jewelry skills, the development of their creative impulses, the shunning of the lures of the innovation-for-the-sake-of-innovation muse and the formulation of their individual artistic voices should be the focus of their endeavors early on.

Jewelry made with knowledge, skill and imagination is not only an inextricable part of the artist who creates it; it is also a small, strong link in the chain of the jewelry-making tradition. This chain links the individual work to both time past and time future and strongly defines it; at the same time, through the work’s differences/similarities to the other links in the chain, its artistic autonomy is enhanced.

Calyx II Ring ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
I believe that jewelry, even in the commercialized production world of today, is best made by the human hand without the interference of elaborate technological aids. The simple tool of the jeweler on the metal and the deep knowledge of the traditional, timeless jewelry techniques are capable of creating pieces of unparalleled beauty that last through the ages.

In the next year, I want to complete the two collections I am currently working on; they will represent my explorations in metal and the technique of granulation.

Florilegium Brooch ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

Anything Else you'd like to share?
yes - New work by Kosmimata can be found online at:

Website: http://www.kosmimata.com
Etsy Shop: http://www.kosmimata.etsy.com 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SGeorgiopoulou
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kosmimata/
Crafthaus: http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/SophiaGeorgiopoulou
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kosmimata-by-Sophia-Georgiopoulou

Byzantine Rosette Brooch ©Sophia Georgiopoulou

A Story of Diamonds: Cuts through the Ages - Old Mine Cut

2011-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Andrea Robinson, who had provided us with this article on The Story of Diamonds, which was originally written and published at

starvingartiststeam.blogspot.com

The next metamorphosis in diamond cutting proved even more brilliant than the last. By tripling the number of facets, diamond cutters released more brilliance and fire from the depths of their diamonds than ever before. It also preserved a good deal of the weight of the original crystal.

The girdle profile still mimics the squared shape of the crystals these were fashioned from. You can see, also, the form of the single-cut before it was embellished with extra facets. In the diagram below, I have colored the new facets pink.

The proportions are different, but this cut possesses all of the facets of the modern round brilliant as shown in this diagram:

The Old Mine cut is deep with a small table and often squarish in shape. The depth allows light to leak out of the gem, so they are less bright than modern stones. The facet arrangement and small table, however, encourages a good deal of dispersion which is the breaking up of light into spectral colors. You might call this fire.

A couple more things worth noting about antique diamonds: because these were fashioned from well formed octahedrons, the clarity is often quite good. The Old Mine is also the precursor to modern cushion cuts.

The Starving Jewelry Artists do not endorse the Three Graces in any way, the website just happen to have a lovely collection of fascinating specimens. You may click on the images to visit their website for more information on these antique jewels.

Edwardian earrings set with blue moonstone and old mine cut diamonds:

Edwardian pendant set with old mine and old European cut diamonds and a pearl:

A very unusual piece - portrait diamond surrounded by old mine cut diamonds and emeralds:

Steve Shelby - Artist Interview

2011-07-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome - we have another artist interview this week - with Steve Shelby!

Thanks for sharing your amazing work with us Steve!

Steve Shelby

1. How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I take metal sheet (mostly brass, copper, or bronze) and hammer it into three dimensional forms that are hopefully aesthetically pleasing, and, in some cases, useful.

2. What inspires your designs?
Nature. Curvy things.

Tea Wrex © Steve Shelby

3. How long have you been involved in this type of making?
I took a jewelry class in 1970, and decided this was my medium. Soon after college, I got a job as a metal craftman (not an artist), and forgot about art until about 2002, when I started doing what I do now. I owe this re-awakening partly to the urgings of my mother, and partly to the realization that the internet would allow me to get my work out to the public in ways never dreamed of before.

Big Urn © Steve Shelby

4. Where are you located?
I live near South Whitley, Indiana, one of the most ordinary places anywhere. It's in NE Indiana about 20 miles west of Fort Wayne. I'm surrounded by farm fields. There are a lot of Amish farmers in the area, which makes it a little more interesting than it would be otherwise. Living in a place where everything is ordinary makes one have more appreciation for anything even slightly out of the ordinary.

Dog © Steve Shelby

5. Do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store?
Website: http://www.shelbyvision.com
Blog: http://ganoksin.com/blog/shelbyvision

6. What other ways do you market your work?
Exhibitions, locally and nationally; Galleries; museum store.

Bronze Vase © Steve Shelby

7. Do you teach? if so, where?
No, never have taught, but I have posted many detailed tutorials on my blog, which seem to be quite popular. I have also had many people tell me I should do workshops or demonstrations, but so far, nothing like that has materialized.

8. Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Don't be afraid to fail. We learn and grow from our failures. Don't be afraid to try your own way of doing things. You may discover techniques that are actually better than the way you were taught. You don't need a lot of expensive, fancy tools to make great art. There are work-arounds for nearly everything. Museums are full of fabulous art from the past made with the most primitive tools.

Pod © Steve Shelby

9. Where do you envision your work going in the next year?
These days my creative energy goes into exhibition pieces. I have some ideas for kinetic and interactive pieces that I want to get working on, if I get the time.

10. Anything else you would like to share?
Blog: http://ganoksin.com/blog/shelbyvision
Recent TV interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wymc7A0Xpew&feature=player_detailpage

Update: the Art of personal Adornment with Kathleen Krucoff

2011-07-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

In this post we are re-visiting one of our previously interviewed Metalsmiths Unite! members, Kathleen Krucoff. Enjoy!

To see her original interview please click here.

Namaste
© Kathleen Krucoff

When asked about her current inspirations Metalsmiths Unite member Kathleen Krucoff responds:

"My goal is to create something you won't find anywhere else. It has to be as individual as the person who will ultimately wear it. I've recently changed my tag line on my website to support the feeling that I have about my work "The Art of Personal Adornment". With each piece, I make it as if I was making it for me. If I like it, I know it will 'speak' to its rightful owner. I want to make true art jewelry.

Nature is my biggest inspiration. The design possibilities it offers is infinite. My dad did a lot of landscape work and would take me along with him on the various jobs he did in the evening. I was fascinated by the way he would sculpt evergreens and manicure the grounds of the various homes in the city where we lived. As I became immersed in metalwork, I realized that he was a true landscape artist. I know his love of nature has influenced me.

Music is a key component in my work too. It really depends on my mood when I'm in the studio. If I need to focus, classical is a must - Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Hayden. Other times it just varies Jazz, Rock & Roll, New Age, even Electronic Synthpop like Daft Punk...go figure! Music keeps me moving with work and design ideas."

Sky Tree

How long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)

I've been working with metal for a little over 4 years now, started with wire wrapping the glass cabochons I made. Then, I really became immersed in metalsmithing a little over 2 years ago when I took my first metalsmithing weekend workshop from Lexi Erickson. She said she would help me take my work to a whole new level and she did. I was hooked, I think because being a metalsmith is intellectually stimulating for me. You have to plan out the fabrication process. I like feeling "the wheels turn in my mind" as I work through a piece.

Climb Every Mountain

Where are you located?

I live in city of Black Forest, Colorado just northeast of Colorado Springs. It's considered to be part of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. I love seeing the mountains every day, when the weather cooperates. It still amuses me that you can see snow on Pikes Peak even in the summer months! Of course, I've incorporated mountain shapes in my works too and this year created a new line, “Mountainesque.” My husband & I share our home with three basset hounds on almost 7 acres. Since we live in the less tree-d area of the Black Forest, I love the open space that surrounds us and provides a great view of those beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Safe Passage

Advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

Practice every day. Whether it's drawing designs, cutting out some metal, soldering, just get in your studio/workspace and work with your craft every day. Practice, practice, practice. That's invaluable.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)

I see more clean and simple metal works. A real focus, emphasis on the metal, incorporating brass and maybe bronze, along with the copper & sterling silver I use right now. Pure shapes and textures. Course, that is what I think today, it seems like my thoughts ebb and flow, so things could go in a completely different direction than I expect.

With a home studio, I am never without the companionship of one of our three basset hounds. I love that. When I need a break, it's great to stroke a pet that is a true studio mascot. And I'm a firm believer in frequent breaks. Otherwise your body and mind will become too tired and you can and will start making mistakes or risk an injury. Be good to yourself.

I'm a swimmer and cyclist; along with doing yoga. I need that feeling of zen after a workout. I get some of my best designs when I'm working out. You never know when your next design idea will pop into your head.

Mountain Valley

Kathleen's Links-

website http://kathleenkrucoff.com

blog: http://mysticalmythicalmetalwork.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KathleenKrucoff

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathleen-Krucoff/180271320724?ref=nf

Andes Cruz ~ Artist Interview

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Blog is an artist interview with Metalsmiths Unite! member Andes Cruz - Enjoy!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?

I am a Metalsmith. I specifically say Metalsmith, not “jeweler”, or “silversmith”.... I don’t want to be confined, and I want to work with everything.

What inspires your designs?

My designs come from Whatever inspires me in the moment. I don’t <yet> have a “defined” signature style, that is Ever Present in my work. My designs continue to change and grow all the time - influenced by what it going on in my life at the time.... Though, there is a mix with underlying themes that have been present in my creative process for many years.

It might be a feeling from a movie; a feeling present in my life, or a walk in the forest, a beautiful day skiing, reading an article, looking thru a book, or something as simple- and more likely - as just seeing what I have in front of me <stones> and letting them tell me what they want to become. My work flows from within. A lot of the time, I may have no idea (specifically), what I want to create. So I pull out the stone box, rifling thru it until I find the ones speaking to me… and then allow what they may be to speak - rings, pendants, combinations I want to put together... I build work up from there~ as it allows me to create in a spontaneous way. I find, most of the work I am most pleased with is created in this way of allowing it to happen. Instead of confining it to a fixed idea or outcome. I just let it flow. Some days I know I want to make “rings”. (I love making rings the most, incidentally) And so I start with the idea “rings”. and go from there.

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

I took my first Jewelry courses in the summer of 1994 in New Mexico, taking art classes at the Taos Institute of Art. Though I also took photography, and pottery; the metalsmithing courses immediately had me hook line and sinker. I have been hooked and creating ever since.

Since that summer, I have continued to learn and grow as an craftsperson, and have spent as much time as I can creating with metal.

I have had the opportunity over the years to spend bits of time working under and with several very talented Master Silversmiths and Goldsmiths; and have completed the “Bench Technician” Course at Revere Academy.

Where are you located?

Currently I live in Southern BC, Canada; in a small Mountain community called Rossland. I have been resident to this area for about 5 years now. The community is nestled in the high mountains, with access to skiing, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, fresh air and endless forest. It is located 7 miles north of the USA boarder, north Spokane, Washington. It’s quiet, remote, and unpopulated. A bit of a desert from the Arts community, but the internet keeps me in constant communication with metalsmithing peers worldwide.

Do you have a website or etsy store?

Yes - of course :)

Andes Cruz Designs Website: http://www.andescruzdesigns.com 
Etsy Shop: http://www.andescruz.etsy.com
 Etsy Surplus shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AndesCruzSurplus

What other ways do you market your work?

I do at times show in galleries; but currently only show & sell my work online. I am open to the right locations. However, I have found the internet to be a fabulous gallery lately, with it’s worldwide audience.

Do you teach?

I do not currently teach (I have been an assistant in the past) Though, it is definitely in my future plans.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

Technique technique technique. Work on honing, improving, and expanding your skills ALL the time. With a quiver of good solid skills you can create anything.

You can do a lot , with only a few tools. It may take longer, but it’s possible, so don’t be discouraged by not having a studio with everything in it. Be creative. There are great books - Like “Cheap Thrills in The Tool Shop”, by Charles Lewton-Brain.

There are two points here I really want to stress - One is not “copying”; the second is that with all the Metalsmiths there are today; having an excellent skill set will set you apart from the crowd.

When you’re beginning really, truly focus on finding “Your Voice”. That which makes you unique. Your creative edge. The thing that makes the work Yours. It’s easy to look thru books and online pages to draw inspiration, and with it comes the strong desire to replicate what you see.... but please don’t. It’s very important to respect these designs as the Original Artist’s work. Instead, choose to filter what inspires you thru your very own creative lenses, let it flow thru your hand, and become uniquely yours.

Finding your unique Voice will set you apart. Trust that, when you create what really is within you, it creates a special Alchemy within your works, and shines out to your audience. You will set yourself apart in the sea of many; and trust that this is a very good thing. There will be people who will Love your work; specifically because it is unique, and different, and is a true piece of art within itself. It carries your essence in it. I feel; if you are uninspired in your creations, people will intristically feel this. So work to find your place of inspiration, and make your creations Your Own. Find your Voice. And do it with the best skills you can execute, always. Don’t cut corners, or skimp on supplies. Take your time, do it right. Always.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year?

I see new collaborations with my partner; Master Silversmith Rick Montano; more inclusion of colours (in new ways aside from stones); new designs and styles; even expanding materials and new techniques....Lots of new directions! We will see, but I think it is going to be very exciting.

Anything else you would like to share?

I like to go play outside and stay active, as I am sure you guessed. It’s no accident I live where I do..… And, I do it all!

I currently work full time doing Computer Aided Design and Drafting. I do Website design in a small scale way.  I’m learning to play banjo, and fiddle.  I like to do photography stuff.  I’m always learning new skills in the workshop. I enjoy blogging and Writing. Hangin’ with my Felines.  I like to garden too, but sadly, I live in an apartment right now.

Disclaimer* I co-administer the blog for Metalsmith’s Unite, where you are reading this. (June 2011)

How you can find Andes Cruz online:

Andes Cruz Designs Website: http://www.andescruzdesigns.com

Montano Jewelry Website:  http://montanojewelry.com

Etsy Shop: http://www.andescruz.etsy.com 

Etsy Surplus shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AndesCruzSurplus

Blog: http://andescruz.wordpress.com/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AndesCruzDesign

Flickr Foto: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andescruz/ 

Andes Cruz Designs FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/AndesCruzDesigns 

Momentile foto: http://momentile.com/andescruz 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/andescruz 

Pawtracks Blog (about my felines): http://365felines.wordpress.com

Rust Belt Conference and Market

2011-06-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

Note:Today we have a blog post written by Metalsmiths Unite member/blog contributor Ralph Paruszkiewicz:thanks Ralph!

*********************************************************************

In the beginning of April this year I was a volunteer at the Rust Belt to Artist Belt 3 conference which was held in Detroit. The first and second conferences were held in Cincinati,Ohio.

The conference is held each year to bring together art educators, artists, designers and anyone in post industrial cities that want to help build a new economy. One that isn't totally dependent on the mass production of something made of steel.

All these people come together to talk, learn and create ideas on how to make their dream come true.
Although artistic expression will be a big part of (what I call) a creative economy, an entrepreneur doesn’t only need to be able to paint, draw, sculpt or make jewelry, to be able to add to the economy. The entrepreneur Only needs to be creative in his/her ideas on what type of business to build . The economy will grow from artistic expression and businesses that want to build from that expression.

Right after The RUSTBELT TO ARTIST BELT conference a new business called The Rust Belt Market www.rustbeltmarket.com
Opened in Ferndale, Michigan,One mile north of Detroit. It is in a large building and houses an indoor art fair every weekend.
This is a perfect example of being part of a creative economy. Not only are the owners artists themselves
They are giving many other artists the opportunity to become active in building the artist belt.

To read a summary of what was discussed at this years Conference, and to learn more about the creative economy in Detroit go to: http://www.detroitcreativecorridorcenter.com/

Welcome to your new arts venue - The Rust Belt Market, Ferndale MI.

www.rustbeltmarket.com

MU 2.0

2011-06-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

Facebook decided to re-format it's group pages and in all the shuffle (trying to figure out how we could protect our group from being permanently archived) I went ahead and opened a new group, which is called Metalsmiths Unite 2.0.

Here are a few links that you may find helpful:

There is a long explanation of how this all happened at my "Cosmo's Moon" blog HERE
and a tutorial on how to avoid getting your email inbox flooded with group notifications HERE

The original group still exists, but I have closed the wall for posting by anyone other than the administration of the page- I did this to encourage people to use the new group page (at MU 2.0 HERE) However, I will continue to keep the original Metalsmiths Unite (HERE) available as a reference page- there are a bunch of incredible images of outstanding metalwork and helpful posts in the discussions area (which is now called "documents") You can still go there- but you cannot do much more than browse.
If you want to post and comment and interact the place to go is MU 2.0! It remains the place to go for interaction between a vast array of today's working metalsmiths/blacksmiths/knifemakers/jewelers etc.
Free respectful participation is encouraged - snobbery is not welcome :-) (there are many other groups for that online!)

I hope to see you join the community!
May the flux be with you-
Maureen BZ, Metalsmiths Unite founder

ps- if you are confused about which group is which- the active one is the one that has the original avatar of the beaten up bench pin on a blue background - if you see that familiar image, you are where it's at!

still here

2010-09-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Metalsmiths Unite blog is still here- I'm simply waiting for MU members to do interviews-
I think we have some good stories out there...come on, don't be shy!!
:-)

Ginger Meek Allen

2010-05-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

Today's Blog is an interview with Metalsmiths Unite member Ginger Meek Allen- Enjoy!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I am a storyteller. I speak metal.
Art jewelry is the most intimate of art forms. We wear it on our bodies, often because we associate it with something precious in our lives. Or, perhaps it’s just a simple aesthetic statement. Either way, it tells a story. Preserving and honoring that story is my goal.

I am a custom metalsmith. I create commissioned pieces as well as one-of-a-kind pieces for retail sale. I occasionally do limited production lines. And, when the muse is alive and engaging, I create small-scale narrative sculpture inspired by and incorporating found objects.

What inspires your designs?
Story. I believe in connections. I believe in relationships.
Connections between friends, between families, between lovers…. My designs tend to have multiple connections, and elements that coordinate to tell a story.

For example, for a woman’s 40th birthday, her husband recently commissioned a ring with her children’s birthstones in sizes that represent their ages at that time in her life, 19 dapped impressions going down one side of the shank, his birthstone gypsy set inside the underside of the shank to represent her holding him close, and 21 dapped impressions going back up the other side of the shank. She met him when she was 19, and they’ve been together for 21 years. Hence the 19 and 21 dapped impressions. (I don’t care so much about perfect symmetry.)

Sometimes the story inspiration is actually historical.
Reading from my own antique book collection, most of which was inherited from earlier generations, I was inspired by a short story of love and affection, though misplaced. I studied the author and his other writings, and created Weakness Scorned. A book-like form, it features deeply etched text using the book itself as a graphic, hinged connections, and another text stamped crudely in the dark interior. It became the inaugural piece in an entire series of works. (Read the story of this piece here: http://www.gingermeekallen.com/21.html)

I am a huge fan of old things. Working with found objects is a favorite approach of mine. Perhaps it is again because of the story element that fascinates me so. One example is a small-scale sculpture that began with an antique photograph of two women. Ruth’s Song is built of sterling silver and stands about eight inches tall. Its form alludes to a stringed instrument, or a female form. It features an etched image inside from an antique photograph, a tortoise guitar pick, an optic lens, a bone guitar peg, and an antique wallpaper design graphic. (Read the entire story of this piece here: http://gingermeekallen.wordpress.com/ruths-song-the-story-of-a-found-object-sculpture/)

How long have you been involved in this type of making?

In 1991, I met a metalsmith. She changed my life. I was an undergraduate student in journalism, but I spent every spare moment and penny in her shop, buying beads and learning jewelry connections. A seed was planted, and soon I recognized that metalsmithing was the perfect fit for me. I began to independently study both the techniques and the practices of the field. I took a few workshops here and there along the way, but today, 19 years later, I would say that I am primarily a self-taught artist.

Where are you located?

I live and work in Historic Downtown Wake Forest, North Carolina, 18 miles north of Raleigh, nestled among several large universities, and Research Triangle Park. We are a three-hour drive from the beach, four hours from the mountains, and only a few minutes to Krispy Kreme doughnuts, sweet tea, and barbecue with spicy vinegar-based sauce (not all at the same time).

Do you have a website?

My portfolio website can be visited at: www.gingermeekallen.com My studio/gallery website is www.ledestudio.com
My blog: www.gingermeekallen.wordpress.com
(MBZ, I have an etsy shop, but I’ve never developed it. I need some tips! :-) )

What other ways do you market your work?

For the last five years, I have been a resident artist in a collaborative gallery – The Cotton Company. This summer I will be realizing a long-time dream when I move my studio into my own space. Lede Studio and Gallery will have a small gallery, and a large studio (as metals studios go). I also market online, through my website and blog, Facebook and Twitter.

My studio is in a former newspaper plant. Lede Studio and Gallery. “Lede” is a journalism term for the first paragraph of a news story or the main story on a newspaper front page. My tendency toward narrative work is strong, hence the name.

Do you teach?

I am coming out of a teaching hiatus. I will be teaching in my new studio beginning this summer, including project workshops for beginners, and ongoing intermediate studio sessions.

Any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?

I have found two things to be absolutely essential to an artist’s life:
First, cultivate a creativity habit. I have wasted much waiting for the muse to show herself and get me going in making. A much better approach is to show up at the bench pin regularly and warm up with a mundane or repetitive task. I heard of a writer who always stops writing mid-sentence, so he knows where to begin when he returns to it. I like to leave the bench in the middle of a task, so I know exactly how to resume when I return.
Second, make the effort to understand and practice sound business principles and persistent marketing efforts.

Where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)

I have great expectations for the next year. My gallery will be going strong, presenting the work of innovative metalsmiths and narrative artists. Students will fill the studio – both beginning and intermediate metalsmiths. Clients’ stories will be honored and preserved through commissioned pieces. And, I’d like to explore narrative sculptural work further.

Anything else you would like to share?

Call to Metalsmiths: Lede Studio and Gallery is looking for metalsmiths interested in exhibiting in the gallery. Contact Ginger for more information – ginger@ledestudio.com

Thanks Ginger for such an informative interview!I hope you have a great start to your gallery- and we look forward to hearing about your future successes!

ciao- Maureen aka Metalsmiths Unite mamma!

Summertime Metalsmithing Workshops!

2010-05-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

It’s almost summertime, and a metalsmiths thoughts turn towards education in an artistic atmosphere. A perfect place would be at one of the many summer workshops. Not only do you learn in a beautiful and creative environment, some studios are open 24 hrs a day, seven days a week. And you might not have to cook. The only thing you have to do is practice your craft while you soak up all of that artistic energy around you.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and join a workshop this summer. The time spent at a workshop can be as short as one day or as long as a couple of weeks, or even longer if your lucky enough to be able to get into a residency program.
It’s a great way to take a vacation, learn, and practice your passion.
Take a look at this list of summer workshops and pick one close to you, or somewhere you would like to visit.

Turn your work on it's head this summer by attending a Workshop!

(Photo taken in the Metals studio at Haystack- MBZ 2009)

The list not only has workshops in the U.S., there are a few international workshops as well on the list that is on the website at the very bottom of this list.

Metalsmithing Workshops

http://penland.org/classes/summer/summer_metals.html :Penland School of Crafts.Penland,N.C.

http://www.haystack-mtn.org/- Haystack Mountain school of crafts- on Deer Isle Maine. (note: I've been there twice, and loved every second of it- MBZ)

http://www.ox-bow.org/courses/core/summer/desc/sculpture.html#s-1-Ox-Bow- Ox-Bow Arts,Saugatuk,Mich.

http://www.coloradoschoolofjewelryandmetalarts.com/Class_Schedule.html-Colrado -School of Jewelry and Metal Arts, Colorado

http://www.arrowmont.org/ - Arrowmont school of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg Tenn.

http://www.prlog.org/10611132-springsummer-quarter-of-metalsmith-and-jewelry-classes-begin-at-whaley-studios.html_Whaley Studios,San diego

http://www.dellaterrastudios.com/repousseclasses.htm -Chandler, Arizona

http://www.midwest-metalsmiths.org/workshops.html – midwest metalsmiths,St. Paul,MO.

http://www.jewelersacademy.com/index.htm – Portland,Or.

If you are looking for more- check out the Metalcyberspace site- you will find comprehensive lists of metals resources and workshops! (thanks to the hard work and dedication of Susan Sarantos)

http://www.metalcyberspace.com/schools.htm - and a long list of metals/jewelry degree programs all over the world.

http://www.metalcyberspace.com/workshop.htm - A long list of jewelry/metals workshops in the U.S.and beyond.

A big Thank you goes out to Ralph Paruszkiewicz for doing the research and writing this week's blog post! Just a reminder- if you have an idea for a blog article for Metalsmiths Unite please contact me via Facebook messaging- I'd love to have more contributors!
Have a great weekend everyone
may the flux be with you- Maureen BZ

about Pricing your work- a new Resource!

2010-04-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hi there- I wanted to let you all know about this great download that is now available (thanks to
Harriete Estel Berman for giving me this info!)

the "Not Just Another Pricing Lecture: A Dialog About Pricing Your Work" lecture (the featured program at the 2010 Professional Development Seminar from SNAG Houston) is now available for FREE at Harriete Estel Berman's web site: http://www.harriete-estel-berman.info/profguidelines/ProfDevSeminar.html (the Professional Development Seminar page.)

The PowerPoint by the speakers and the Question and Answer Discussion with the audience were recorded.These audio recordings were combined with the SlideShare presentation so you can experience the same PowerPoint presentations that the audience saw in Houston.

The Podcast is a continuation of the discussion with speakers and the audience (audio only.)

This information will also be on the SNAG website soon at:
http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/Events/Professional_Development_Seminar/

Pricing- It's always a Hot Topic!

Thank You to Harriete Estel Berman for her tireless generosity and commitment to the metalsmithing community! -
have a great weekend everyone! ciao- Maureen BZ

Pallavi Gandhi

2010-04-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

First a quick note from Maureen: "It's been a long time between Blog posts- I'm afraid I have too much to handle these days.
This is an interview with Metalsmiths Unite member Pallavi Gandhi- Please check out her work on her website- where you can find more images and information about her work- thanks!"- MBZ

Pallavi Gandhi
1-How would you describe what you do as an artist?

I love telling stories and exploring the possibility of a tête-à-tête within the pieces and with the wearer. Consciously, yes, I do try to give hope and sheer joy through my work to those around me. My work is symbolist though expressed simply. Design takes prime importance. I work a lot with silver and I’ll combine it with other materials (stones, brass, copper, acrylic) if required.

2-what inspires your designs?

My interactions with the world I live in. My thoughts and experiences feed my imagination, expressing not just what I see, but how I see…not just what I hear but how I hear…asking me to constantly look at myself …often my work reflects the conversations I have with myself.

3-how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
Well I got into this line through a process of elimination. I guess it dawned quite late that I’m more of a hands-on person. I completed my 2-yr diploma in jewellery design and manufacturing in 2001 and was largely involved in freelancing and teaching design thereafter, working on the bench in few and rare snatched moments. I finally started out on my own as a full time bench jeweler (if that’s the term..) a little over 2 years ago.

4-where are you located?

I live in New Delhi, India.

5-do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store?
http://www.pallavigandhi.com

6-what other ways do you market your work?
Through occasional exhibitions and mostly through word of mouth.

7-do you teach? if so, where-
I taught jewelery design for 5 years…till about 3 years ago. I’m looking at starting classes again in my studio.

8-any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
I’m fairly new as a jewelery artist but a couple of things that I try and uphold at the core of my work and my life: to absolutely be in earnest and to always keep learning.

9-where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)
I will definitely be experimenting with materials and techniques. Dreamtime stories are next in line for my collection.

10-anything else you would like to share?
My spiritual mentor, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda says: ‘By never being defeated and endeavouring to change society for the better, we are able to create happiness both for ourselves and others.’
This is the value I hope to create through my work.

Thank you Pallavi- It's great to meet you- I hope everyone goes to your site to see you work-
(we had some troubles getting the images to work on this blog)
I appreciate your commitment to metalsmithing, and we are happy to have you as a part of our Metalsmiths Unite community! :-)
ciao- Maureen BZ

Kathleen Krucoff- Assets of Bassets!

2010-03-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone- here is an interview with Kathleen Krucoff of Black Forest Colorado- Not only is she a wonderful metalsmith she also has a mini pack of gorgeous Basset hounds. Thanks for sharing yourself for the blog Kathleen- to mark the occasion can I suggest Chew toys for all! :-) Maureen

Please note- there seems to be a problem with loading images today on blogspot- I'm hoping that the issues will be resolved soon and I can publish a couple of pics from Kathleen's portfolio- until then, please visit her website (links are in the body of the interview) thanks- M

Kathleen Krukoff

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
>> I take beautiful stones, like Jaspers, Chinese Writing Stones, or Tiffany stones, set them in sterling silver and create art jewelry that is unique, individual. When I incorporate a beautiful stone in a jewelry piece, I want my work to showcase the stone to do justice to its intrinsic beauty.

what inspires your designs? (be it music, nature, beekeeping...)
>> My real inspiration comes from nature. I am especially drawn to mountains, leaves, cloud shapes, the colors evoked by sunrises and sunsets.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
>> I've always loved working with my hands. My mother had me take private art lessons. She also insisted that I learn how to sew, which I believe contributes to my artwork today. I loved taking pieces of fabric and putting them together to create something completely unique, me. It just seemed to be a natural progression of expressing myself when I started working with glass a little over 28 years ago. And that too evolved into jewelry making, which led me to metalsmithing. Now I design jewelry that takes a variety of metal components and stones, putting those pieces together to distinguish the wearer from anyone else.

where are you located?
>> I live in the Black Forest area of Colorado, just northeast of Colorado Springs. Five years ago, my husband & I designed our home, which is a Frank Lloyd Wright style, that provides wonderful views of the Rocky Mountains. We are fortunate to have 7 acres of land which we share with our three basset hounds and other wild life, such as hawks, great horned owls, fox, coyotes, and jack rabbits. It's very inspirational living where we do.

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? http://www.kathleenkrucoff.com

what other ways do you market your work?
>>Currently my work can be found at Coyote Creek Arts Foundataion (http://www.coyotecreekarts.com) and Second Street Art Market (http://www.secondstreetart.com/). I also exhibit at shows in Colorado and will be the featured artist during the month of August at Boulder Arts & Crafts, in Boulder, CO.

do you teach? if so, where-
>>I offer private lessons at my studio by appointment.

any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
>>Never give up; do what you love. My motto is "Aspire to be more as an artist and a Person" Continually invest in yourself by taking classes from people you admire or reading books/articles about your craft.

where do you envision your work going in the next year?
>> I am currently working on a project that involves fantasy and nature.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
>> My blog: http://mysticalmythicalmetalwork.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KathleenKrucoff
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathleen-Krucoff/180271320724?ref=nf

Thanks again Kathleen- It's been fun getting to know you via Metalsmiths Unite! :-)

Beth Wicker

2010-03-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

Here's an interview with Metalsmiths Unite member, Beth Wicker -

How would you describe what you do as an artist? Currently my main focus is as a metalsmith. I work primarily in silver, with some copper, brass, and gold. I use gemstones, pearls, found objects, and interesting beads I find on my travels. I create primarily jewelry designed to be worn. I also make hand made paper, do fiber art, printmaking, a bit of sculpture, draw and paint.

what inspires your designs? I have always been interested in pattern, texture and color - no matter what media I am working in. Much of my inspiration comes from the world around me - I am an avid gardener and traveler, and store images in my head and sketchbook.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?) I have been in involved in one form of art or another all my life. I started making jewelry as a child, probably about 10, getting purchased components from the local hobby shop. I moved into other media, and got a BA in art from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. Then I took graduate courses in art at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC, did a year of graduate work in printmaking at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI, then finished my MFA in printmaking at USC-Columbia, SC. Then when my daughter was about 10 she asked me to show her how to make jewelry, and that started me back into metals - and took me way farther into that than I had ever done as a child. So I have been a practicing artist for over 30 years, and a metalsmith for about 10 this time around.

where are you located?

I live in the country outside of Cheraw, SC in the US. Cheraw has less than 6,500 people, and the entire county (Chesterfield County) has less than 30,000, so a very rural area. I live on a farm with Santa Gertrudis cattle, pine trees, and we planted a stand of hardwoods a few years ago. Cheraw was founded in the 1700's, and had battles fought here in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, and still has many of the old historic homes and churches.

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? http://www.bethwicker.com - website
http://www.bethwicker.etsy.com
http://bethwicker.ganoksin.com/blogs/
http://twitter.com/bethwicker
http://www.facebook.com/ThreeCatsandaDog

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, brick + mortar stores)
I have work in galleries and gift shops throughout SC, including the Drayton Hall Museum Store outside of Charleston, SC, and in Ohio. I also do craft and art shows in the South.

do you teach? if so, where- www.bethwicker.com
I teach at my workshop/gallery space, which is across the pond from my house outside of Cheraw, SC on our farm. It is a delightful small building that my in-laws built as a guest house for their daughter from Massachusetts to stay in when she visited. I have converted it into a small gallery featuring local artists, and a teaching space where I teach metalsmithing and a range of other media to adults and children. I also teach a Monthly Metals class at Black Creek Arts Council in Hartsville, SC about 30 minutes away to children and adults. I have taught classes for the Cheraw Arts Commission also. In addition, I am on the SC Approved Artist Roster, and have been for over 30 years. I have done residencies in schools and communities throughout SC for over 30 years.

any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Join multiple internet jewelry groups - most folks are more than willing to share tips and how to's. Don't be afraid to ask questions - that is how you learn! If you are interested in jewelry, be sure to check out www.ganoksin.com, the world's biggest internet jewelry site. It is chock full of great information, a wonderful daily e-mail list, and very helpful links and people. Do NOT expect to make a living making jewelry right away - that will take time!

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction) I am becoming increasingly interested in kinetic jewelry, where things are designed to move as part of the piece. I am also exploring ways to incorporate pattern and texture into more areas of a given piece, and really trying to make the backs and sides of things more visually interesting.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too) Twitter link is above.
I have a one hour blog radio interview done by Jay Whaley at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whaleystudios
I'm also on the Artisans of the SC Cotton Trail site at

http://www.sccottontrail.org/artisans/artisans.html

thanks Beth! great info and interview-

always a pleasure to "meet" Metalsmiths Unite members!

ciao- Maureen

Brandy Stark

2010-02-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

Hi There! in the ongoing quest to introduce metalsmiths and their community I'm continuing with Interviews of the Metalsmiths Unite Facebook group members-

Here is an interview with Metalsmiths Unite Member Brandy Stark-

"The Guardian: Triton with Trident".

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I do hand wrapped wire metal sculpture with found objects.

what inspires your designs? Mythology. Sometimes my own life experience, but I'm in love with ancient cultures...so, mostly mythology.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
Since 1995. I started in an undergrad beginning sculpture course at University of Tampa. I didn't like clay, woodworking, textile art, etc. I thought about welding but fire and explosions come to mind. Prof asked me if I could bend 1/4 inch thick wire metal welding rods. I could. He told me that the basic shape is the triangle for the torso, and the rest is history.

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
St. Petersburg, Florida

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
http://starkimages.homestead.com/main.html
http://twitter.com/starkimages
http://www.tampabaycreative.org/profile/BrandyStark

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
I show all over the place -- international, national, local. I am also on the board of TESA. I also show through Art Pool and am a member of the Florida Craftsmen.

do you teach? if so, where- I teach REL and HUM at St. Petersburg College, University of Tampa, Eckerd College, and Hillsborough Community College.

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share? Build up your muscles and invest in good tools.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I don't know right now. I am pleased to be winning more awards for my art and it is getting more media attention. I guess I wish to just continue on that way for a while.

anything else you would like to share?
When I was a child, I never saw myself as a) buying wire cutters b) admiring wire cutters or c) having a favorite pair of wire cutters as an adult. Life is strange, huh?

Thanks Brandy!

Please note- I'd love to hear from other MU members- would you like to get featured on this blog? you may contact me via Facebook message and I will be happy to send you the list of interview questions!

I will be heading to the Yuma Symposium this week, and hope to meet with many metalsmiths there as well- (I will be composing a blog post about the Yuma experience for certain!)

I hope you all are doing well and are getting plenty of studio time- and I hope to hear from you soon!

ciao- Maureen

Metalsmiths Unite! in Tucson!

2010-02-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Whew! February in Tucson is an exciting and busy time- we are now in our second week of Gem show frenzy- Lots of cars on the roads from out of state, no parking downtown...and our favorite eateries? Booked solid! :-) We love it though- because in exchange, Tucson gets to host 40+ of the most wonderful gem shows you ever have opened your wallet for!

Last week was the most active week for me- The Agta show is in the Convention center, all the tents are up at Holidome and Tep. That first official week of the shows (not including the "pre-show" shows the weekend before) that first week is chock full of activities- many seminars to choose from (most are free!) and of course, party after party after opening to attend.

This year, I hosted a small gathering at my studio for members of Metalsmiths Unite who were in town for the shows- Luckily, the weather was in our favor and we had a cool, dry evening to enjoy a bit of outdoors and a warm bonfire (I even toasted a couple of marshmalows....then gave up when I found that I needed a longer stick- ouch!)

I was happy to see some of my Tucson metalsmithing friends come to the event- The crew from Krikawa Jewelry Designs, Shawna Lobmiller from Starr Gems, Danielle Embry, Mark Ramsaur from Tucson Parks and Rec and the Metallink program, Dave Arens (chain maker and inventer of the original jump ring tool) Kevin Potter a jeweler/machinist (who made my hydraulic press and dies) and Jude Clark, a wonderful local jeweler and friend. My dear friend (an admitted non-creative person) Gina Reyes was there too, along with Guido and my super kiddo, Cosmo (who proceeded to entertain us by dragging out his drums..(I think he really wanted a big drum circle...I worry that he might be a bit of a hippy! lol)

Cosmo and Wendy Van Camp get their Drumming groove on

Then there were some out of towners...Andrea Robinson buzzed up on her motercycle from Sierra Vista, The amazing Gem and Jewelry trade Blogqueen Robyn Hawk came , as well as Whaley studios Teri Masters, Wendy Van Camp, Shari Seager and Karen Pfeiffer of "Hammered and Stoned" ...and later on we had Polly Mary Amalia Spencer and Thea Demitre (both who drove here...DROVE HERE from MAINE!) stop by to soak in a few moments of campfire.

My idea of using Skype proved to be a bit too problematic to pull off- We were able to chat a bit with Julie Sanford and even Erkki Kokko(though the feed from Finland was very choppy) I think I'll be trying to figure out a way to use skype for metalsmiths Unite - I think it needs to be a Skype event on it's own....but that's a subject for future deliberation.

OK- to those who could not make it to the meet up- sorry, I know how hard it is to juggle all the demands of the Gem show- I hope that you can find more time next year to come to this fun and relaxing gathering- And I hope that you had a good time at the show- made lots of contacts and found gems and tools galore!

I'm now setting my sights on the next fun February event- The Yuma Symposium! I'll be going there in a few weeks with a couple of my friends- it's going to be my 4th time attending the event, and I anticipate a Hugely entertaining and creative weekend- (I'll be blogging about it for sure!)

Have a great week everyone- remember to post your events on the Metalsmiths Unite! wall- let us know what you are up to- Have fun in your studios! be safe-
Metalsmiths, Unite!
ciao- Maureen

Two Roses- John and Corliss Rose

2010-01-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

Today we present the interview from John and Corliss Rose-I'm looking forward to meeting them in person at the Yuma Symposium later in February (if you have never been to the symposium you are missing out on a great event...check it out- a wonderful lineup of lectures every year- that , and there's the kitchy wackiness of Yuma itself)

OK- so here's the interview with "2 Roses"

How would you describe what you do as an artist?

Unbridled experimentation. We are driven by “what if” in terms of cross-pollinating metalsmithing technique and jewelry design with materials and methods taken from other disciplines. This had resulted in an extremely eclectic catalog of work as we continue to collaborate with each other and many individuals and companies in and outside of the art/jewelry world.

- What inspires your designs?

Our inspirations are as eclectic as our art. Nature & Biology, Ancient Civilizations, Industrial design, Arms and Armour, Anime, Mechanical movements, Optics, Stage Magic, and Psychology are just a few of the pools we swim in.

- How long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)

We have both been working artists from childhood. Corliss started working in the arts at age 8. John was a late bloomer, apprenticing at age 12. We have been collaborating for 41 years.

Big Sylph Brooch 01
-SOLD-

Sterling Silver, 18k Gold, Industrial Neoprene Cord, Shell, Pearl, Opals

- where are you located?
We are located in Anaheim California, directly across the street from Disneyland.

-do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store?
http://www.2roses.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/2Roses
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2rosesjewelry/

- what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
We sell primarily through galleries & museums, but we also do select retail craft shows throughout the year as well as selling on-line. Much of our work is commissioned.

- do you teach? if so, where-
We have been involved in teaching the business side of art for many decades. We have been guest lecturers and held seminars at colleges in almost every State in the Union as well as the National University of Mexico and the University of Buenos Aries, Argentina.

- any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Get out from behind the bench and get involved in your industry. This is so important for artists at any stage of their career. This is typically the first step in building the contacts to learn how to sell your work.

- where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
We are starting to focus more on public advocacy for the arts. This is leading us towards efforts to organize the arts industry much as other business sectors have done long ago. It is clear to us that political action is required to re-establish the arts as an important part of the American educational system and a valued component of American society.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
A lawyer, a doctor and an art jeweler all win a million dollars in the lottery and are interviewed on the evening news.

“What will you do with your winnings?”, the news anchor asks.

The lawyer replies, “I’m going to buy a huge house and a sports car”.

The doctor responds with “I’ll write a big check to charity and take my family on a vacation”.

The art jeweler thinks it over for a moment and says, “I’ll just keep doing craft shows until the money runs out”.

***********************************************************************
LOL- thanks for a great interview- (see you at the Yuma Symposium!)
ciao- Maureen

ps- as many of you know it is Tucson Gem show time- I will be running around to some of the shows, taking pics, meeting some of the Metalsmiths unite members, and running myself ragged..:-)
I'll do my best to keep posting on the FB wall, and hopefully will be able to also get a few blog posts in about the happenings around town-
Any Metalsmiths Unite members who would like to contribute to this blog please feel free to contact me - I'd be happy to have some fresh input!
thanks + happy smithing!
ciao- Maureen BZ

Jill Livengood

2010-01-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

In the continuation of our member interviews, today we are meeting Jill Livengood....

"Ring of Fire" bracelet by Jill Livengood

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I make jewelry combining chainmaille, metalsmithing, semi-precious stones, and whatever else catches my fancy.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
I've been making chainmaille for two years. That led me to wire wrapping, which led me to fused chains, which led to metalsmithing. Cuz once you melt metal with fire, there's no going back. :)

where are you located?
I live in Fuquay-Varina, NC - about 20 minutes south of Raleigh (the capital) in roughly the middle of the state.

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
yep - www.livngoodjewelry.com

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
i'm on etsy, artfire, 1km - I also do local handmade/artisan/indie craft markets. One local store carries a few of my pieces, but I hope to get in more this year.

do you teach? if so, where- I teach a monthly chainmaille class for the Raleigh Jewelry Makers Meet Up group: http://www.meetup.com/raleighjewelry/

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Don't be afraid to screw up - you can always send it to a refiner. Play with copper first if you're worried about messing up expensive silver.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I hope to bring in more metalsmithing to my work. I have a studio set up now where before it was my kitchen table & sofa.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
My hubby is also a metal artist, but he makes sculptures. http://www.artfire.com/users/metalartbymac

Thanks Jill!

New Flickr pool!

2010-01-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

Another one of those things on the "Why haven't I done this before?!" list...
Metalsmiths Unite now has a Flickr Group for photosharing.

I will be keeping it a closed group for members of Metalsmiths Unite only-
(so please put your name in the group entry request.)

I've set the limit of images at 4 per week- and we'll see how that goes...
if the group page needs adjustments it will happen- but for now I just want to keep it simple
In the future I can envision events like "self portrait day" or "messy bench contest"...for now, let's just free form and put up some pics! (they need not always be metal either- if it is an image that inspires you go right ahead and post that too)

here is the link-
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1311938@N20/

Have fun- please remember to put your name on the membership request!
thanks- Maureen

David Huang- chasing forms

2010-01-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

Today's Interview is with David Huang. I met David very briefly at the SNAG Savannah conference, and was struck by how gorgeous his work is, and by his unassuming nature. David's work is beautiful to look at and has a very warm and comforting feel to touch. I'm excited to see the progress on his big project this year (which he explains in this interview) and I hope to have the opportunity to chat again soon!

Name- David Huang

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
My short verbal description is that I make decorative holloware, or decorative vessels. However, I always keep several business cards with different images of my work on me to illustrate the verbal description. For other metalsmiths I can say that I work almost exclusively with raised vessels, often with chased surfaces.

what inspires your designs?
There is no one source for inspiration. Much of it develops from the interaction, or dialog, between the tools, materials, and myself. I watch what happens as a piece develops and each piece usually suggest other variations to explore on later work. I've also found inspiration in such varied things as crop circles, artwork of others, nature, intellectual studies, and viewer responses.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
I've been doing raised vessels since about 1996. I began working with metal in high school around 1986 which is when I first found the chasing and repousse technique.

Picture of David's Studio

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
I live just outside of the tiny village of Sand Lake, Michigan (this is not too far from the bigger city of Grand Rapids). My email address is huang@davidhuang.org.

do you have a website ? My website is http://www.davidhuang.org
what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
I sell the bulk of my work through galleries around the US. On rare occasion I sell a piece to someone contacting me through my website. Oddly, I also must admit I sell a fair amount of work directly to other metalsmiths at conferences or workshops. I was completely surprised by this when it started happening, and still feel deeply honored that others in my field value what I do that much.

do you teach? if so, where- I've started teaching workshops in the last few years for various groups around the US. While I enjoy this I think I am going to have to cut back as it's taking too much time away from the studio work I enjoy most.

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
For artistic growth I recommend drawing, and I don't mean drawing your metalwork designs. Personally I like figure drawing, but still life or landscape drawing should work fine too. This sharpens your ability to see, perceive the emotional expression of forms, and fine tune composition skills. In short, you can learn the very subtle details needed to make a work sing much quicker through drawing and then transfer this understanding to the laborious creation of metal objects.

For financial stability needed to make a career as a metalsmith happen I suggest looking into the simple living movement to reduce living expenses while learning what brings fulfillment to YOUR life. (Maureen's note: I Love this comment! it's not about having what you want, it's wanting what you have)

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
Plans for 2010 include an effort to solve the issues that still plague me with my raised and chased figurative vessels. Broadly I plan to push my chased designs into newer, and hopefully better territory. I'm working with another metalsmith, David Barnhill, to develop some raised and chased mokume gane vessels with the idealistic hope of doing something new in this area. However, I am scheduling the bulk of my time for 2010 to what will hopefully be one large masterwork, a vessel raised and heavily chased from a 48 inch disk of copper.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
I suspect times will be quite tough for us financially as metalsmiths in the coming years as societies deal with economic problems, compounded with (or perhaps a result of) the peaking of energy resources, and the "high grading" of raw materials. Personally I foresee a contraction back to more local economies and small scale manufacturing, at which time those of us with skills in "craft" based industries may very well find our abilities in demand. I think it would be wise to really study what may happen and be ready to creatively adapt. Where others may see only strife and collapse we may be able to see opportunities to sculpt a new and wonderful future for all.

www.davidhuang.org

Great interview- thanks David!

Skye Milliken

2010-01-04T09:03:00.000-08:00

Today's interview is with Skye Milliken, who is beginning to develop her body of work- Having diverse levels of experience in Metalsmiths Unite! is what makes it a dynamic community-

It's great to see how we develop as artists and the enthusiasm that we have for our craft- at all levels of making- from beginning to almost retirement, I can see the passion for this craft emanating from the responses to these questions!

Name: Skye Milliken
How would you describe what you do as an artist? I have fun! Creating something out of nothing is so liberating. Dedicating time for creativity always makes me feel more grounded.

what inspires your designs? Everything. Because I am new to this, sometimes I am just trying to hone my skills. I become more inspired by every project that I see through to the end.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?) I started metalsmithing last year after taking an introductory course in college. I loved it so much that I made it my major! I have just recently completed the program and continue to work on projects during studio time.

where are you located? Lakewood, CO

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share? Try to grasp the basics first. If you start with complex designs, you may become discouraged.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? I am excited to get a workshop together and start creating a body of work. Having been so excited to share my stuff with friends, I tend to give pieces away faster than I can make them

Thank you for sharing Skye! we look forward to seeing your workshop develop!

Metalsmiths , Unite! (ps, my favorite science teacher in High School was named Elenor Milliken- she was awesome, won teacher of the year -nationally- in '84) good memories :-)

- MBZ

Bill Roberts- Ornamental Metalsmith

2009-12-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone- I hope you all had a great holiday weekend- I've found some time today to post a new interview from one of our active Metalsmiths Unite! members- Bill Roberts. He represents another angle on metalsmithing that we are thrilled to have as part of out community - mostly doing Large scale pieces- with the refinement of a trained jeweler-

Here is his interview- Enjoy!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I consider myself an ornamental metalsmith. Started as a jeweler in sterling and gold......using lost wax casting for the majority of my designs. And then learned to work with other metals and to create larger decorative metal work........that I like to call "house jewelry". The house jewelry is usually functional art.. One of a Kind metal work.....furniture, lighting, gates, railings, doors, fountains, sculpture and MORE.

what inspires your designs?
I get my inspiration from many sources. But I'd have to say......my personal favs are Art Nouveau, Nature and Marine themes. They seem to keep ......coming to the forefront.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
I started this wonderful journey with metals...in the summer of 1984, by learning the jeweler's trade. In 1989, I was introduced to Site Specific One of a Kind architechural metal work........and have been doing both.......plus many other metal arts ever since.
I started...........by desiring to do something that I would LOVE to do......as opposed to just another job. Found my "creative" side......and have never looked back. Proving......."when you blur the line between work and play.......you'll never work another day". Not sure who that quotes from.......but it FITS my artistic life to a T.

where are you located?
I live and work in Ocala, Florida.
Bill Roberts-Ornamental Metalsmith
3740 NE 40th PL Suite D
Ocala, FL. 34479

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
I do have a website:
http://www.CustomDesignMetalArts.com

and I also have an Etsy store as well......but it's barely ready for prime time. (mbz note: lol- etsy is an art unto itself...I'd be happy to give you a few pointers)

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
In the early years......I used Juried Art Shows and Galleries to market my work. Both with varying degrees of sucess. And for the large scaled metalwork........intereior designers and Contractors.
The majority of my sales these days are via the WEB and word of mouth.

do you teach? if so, where- (I’ll link this to the website of teaching institution)
I do teach, a wide variety of metal arts.......usually One on One classes at my studio. Because I'm a "working studio" ............and I LOVE teaching......I schedule my commissions around my classes. One of the wonderful things about teaching so many different processes.....is that I never know ....from one class to another.........what Process I get to play with next. It's not uncommon for me to be teaching blacksmithing one day.......and lost wax casting or jewelry fabrication the next. For a PROCESS freak....it just doesn't get any better that that. :)

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
I'd suggest finding what you LOVE to do.....and have a passion for. Then persue it like your life depends upon it. Take classes or find someone that is doing the type of work you like........and hire on. To get paid to learn.....is great, if you are lucky enough to find that opportunity.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I see it in a serious growth phase. Both the classes and the metal work. Sky's the limit. I'm livin a dream.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
I LOVE to forge metal.......it makes me feel more alive......when I'm forging.......and "breathing life into an otherwise ridgid material". Not metal..........but I've also found a passion for working with HOT GLASS recently. The similarities of manipulating hot glass and forging metal.......seem addictive.....and familiar.

Thanks Bill! looking forward to seeing more of your work this year!

James Miller- London Goldsmith extraordinaire

2009-12-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today I have the pleasure of posting this interview with James Miller- He is a master of piercing and hand craftsmanship- Museum quality craftsmanship ! The images of his work speak for themselves.

James Miller FIPG ( Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths).

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I am a traditionally trained bench working goldsmith, I served an official Goldsmith's Hall, indentured apprenticeship at a major London Goldsmiths and Silversmiths company in London, England. The term of my probationary period and apprenticeship lasted nearly six years and finished on my 21st birthday.

what inspires your designs?
The style of Karl Faberge and the Art nouveau period.

how long have you been involved in this type of making?
Including my apprenticeship a total of 48 years.

where are you located?
London, England.

do you have a website ?
No website, my work has mainly been sold through Asprey, Garrard and Kutchinsky, both in London and New York.

what other ways do you market your work?
Most of my work has been commissions from designs, by myself and others.

do you teach? if so, where-
I do not teach, in the UK teachers need qualifications from a recognised college. I have never attended a college as I learned my trade from the workshop.

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Learn and perfect the basics such as engraving, saw piercing, filing and hammering. All else will follow naturally.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
I am close to retirement at the age of 63. I have compiled a book of my unique items of manufacture, which has now been published and available worldwide on Amazon. It is titled "The Work of a Master Goldsmith;A Unique Collection" .

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
I enjoy sharing any information that may be useful to learners in my trade, mainly on the Ganoksin Orchid forum.

Thanks Jim for contributing your interview- It's great to be able to get to know you and your work through Metalsmiths Unite!, Ganoksin and Facebook

ciao-Maureen BZ

Harriete Estel Berman -

2009-12-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone-

today I'd like to publish the interview with Harriete Estel Berman- She is an inspiration to me personally with her incredible craftsmanship and design aesthetic as well as her amazing commitment and generosity in teaching the business of our craft- Anyone interested in upping their business skills would do themselves a favor by enrolling in what I call"the Berman school"- Harriete's Blog on business practices for craftspeople "ask Harriete"

here is her interview- enjoy!

Harriete Estel Berman

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
ANSWER: I construct everything from jewelry to large sculpture with recycled materials. And all of my work includes social commentary about our material culture and consumer society.

what inspires your designs? ANSWER: I am inspired by the recycled materials and the thought-provoking commentary on advertising and social issues. This is a study and examination of our material culture.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
ANSWER: I’ve been making exhibition quality work since 1980. I started with an undergraduate degree in metals in 1974 from Syracuse University and received a graduate degree from Tyler School of Art in 1980.

where are you located?ANSWER: I live in San Mateo, California near San Francisco, but originally I was from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
ANSWER:
MY WEBSITE: http://www.harriete-estel-berman.info/home.html
Etsy http://www.harrieteestelberman.etsy.com

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, stores)
ANSWER: In addition to the shows and exhibitions that include my work, I also participate on Crafthaus and other social networking sites. I love all the opportunities presented on line such as with Facebook,and Flickr to reach out to a new audience.

This is all in addition to the work on the Professional Guidelines, [ http://www.harriete-estel-berman.info/profguidelines/profguide.html ]
a column that I write for the local Metal Arts Guild, my blog (ASK Harriete), [http://www.askharriete.typepad.com] and the Professional Development Seminar at the SNAG Conferences.

do you teach? if so, where- ANSWER: Occasionally I lecture and give workshops on professional development for artists and craftspeople. The only teaching that I do is as an Artist Mentor one on one.

My blog, ASK Harriete, offers free professional and business advice to the Arts and Crafts community. Check it out at: http://www.askharriete.typepad.com

any advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
ANSWER: Be prepared, work hard, share with your community (e.g. “pay it forward”) and make the work that is at your core…not what you think people will buy.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic or business direction)
ANSWER: I am completing the California Collection [ http://www.harriete-estel-berman.info/jewelry/imagesNEW/ca.html] which I have been working on for two years.
Also I plan to finish a ton of other half-completed projects….which might take about six months. Your readers will see all my new work as I publish it on my web site, Facebook, Crafthaus and Flickr. Then I am diving deep into an entirely NEW gigantic project for a major Judaica piece.

anything else you would like to share? ANSWER: Stay tuned for publicity about the upcoming Professional Development Seminar in Houston (March 2010). I will also be doing Portfolio Reviews at the SNAG Conference (the Portfolio Reviews at the Conference are free).

(favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
ANSWER: People can also see more work or connect with me on these sites. I look forward to getting to know all of you on line.

Twitter http://twitter.com/harrietee
Objectfetish http://www.objectfetish.com/jewelry/harriete-berman-v-52.html
Crafthaus http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/harriete-estel-berman/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/harriete.estel.berman
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/harrieteestelberman

Thanks Harriete! it's been great to get to know you- ciao-M

you might be a metalsmith if....

2009-11-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

this is from a post I had on my profile a couple of days ago....

feel free to chime in your answers in the comments section!

You may be a Metalsmith if..........

Maureen Brusa Zappellini

you kind of like the smell of liver of sulfur

Carolyn Shepard Miller

you have dreams of flaring out a spinner ring

you picture your lungs and brain coated with silver and gold

Maureen Brusa Zappellini

the nastier your fingers look the happier you are (cause it means you have had bench time)

Carolyn Shepard Miller

a little bit of drill dust is mighty tasty on the sammich!

Beverly Gloyd

you could envision spending every penny on tools and metal!

Pam Chott

You have a drill "tattoo" on at least one finger.
Your husband (or wife) suspects you're having an affair with your bench.
You'd rather shop for stones than clothes.

Shannon Conrad

The smell of machine oil is a turn on.
You can't remember what your hands looked like with fingernails.
You've ever said, "Just one more {fill in the blank} and I'll be done for the day."

Erkki Kokko

...if you #%@&¤#@% like a pirate, when you break the sawblade just when you are almost there, on the end of piercing...

Bill Roberts

lol.... if a lady with a hammer turns you on.. ;)

Erkki Kokko

...the scrapyards dog won't bark at YOU!

Maureen Brusa Zappellini

you have a difficult time putting a negative connotation on the word "tool"

Tamra Gentry

you'll sell a kidney for the perfect stone.

Maureen Brusa Zappellini

or...you'd set your kidney stones! lol

Daniel Spirer

you ask your wife to send your body to the refiner when you die...

because you know there's some value in there.

Victoria Lansford

If when you have money you by metal and stones and if there is any leftover you buy food and clothes.

any more? :-)

happy thanksgiving!- MBZ

Michael David Sturlin- AZ treasure

2009-11-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Metalsmiths Unite
Blog Interview with Michael David Sturlin 11/17/2009

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I'm a goldsmith and studio jewelry artist. I work with precious metals and gemstones.

what inspires your designs?
Minimalism, practicality, functionality. My design aesthetic tends towards simplicity.
My basic inspiration comes from combining skill with tool and fluency with material.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
Nearly 40 years, professionally for 35 years, I started making jewelry in 1970.

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
I have a private studio in Scottsdale Arizona. My email address is michaelsturlinstudio@cox.net

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
http://www.goldcrochet.com
http://www.michaeldavidsturlin.com
http://michaelsturlinstudio.ganoksin.com/blogs/
http://www.facebook.com/MichaelSturlinStudio

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, brick and mortar stores)
My jewelry is represented in galleries. I don't currently sell work online.

do you teach? if so, where-
I'm a faculty member at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco http://www.revereacademy.com
At this point in my career I am devoting the majority of my time to teaching. I work with students at all levels from beginners to accomplished professionals.
I also offer private instruction and group workshops in my studio and I teach extensively as a visiting guest artist.

any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
Focus on skill development. Start by working with simple tools and traditional techniques. This is the most useful foundation for building the vocabulary to produce work which will bring forth a recognizable style and develop into an artistic identity. Skill comes first, then, as fluency increases, individuality in expression follows.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)
I will be teaching more advanced intensive workshops and longer programs at fewer venues. This will provide the opportunity to work with the participants at a deeper level.

anything else you would like to share?

Wherever a person works, it is important to think of that space as a studio. Whether it is just a kitchen table with a couple tools, a closet, a corner in a basement, or a well furnished room, the attitude and perspective of the practitioner is more important than the physicality of the environment. Thinking of the work area as a studio sets the right frame of mind and cultivates the intention to produce good work, regardless of how limited the facilities might be.

*********************************************************************************

Many thanks to Michael David Sturlin for taking the time to give us a glimpse into his work and teachings- It has been a real pleasure to get to know him through Metalsmiths Unite and our mutual Arizona connections- I look forward to many more opportunities to converse and hope to see him here in Tucson during the Gem show!

Ciao----MBZ

Julie Sanford - support admin and BAMB!

2009-11-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

Today I will post the interview with Julie Sanford, who has been a big support to Metalsmiths Unite in our year and a half of being a bonified group. It has been a delight to get to know her and we both have enjoyed getting Helsinki black licorice...(thanks Erkki)

so, here she is, Julie Sanford, BAMB! (Bad Ass Metals Babe) :-)

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
-I fabricate fine art jewelry.

what inspires your designs?
Incredible things I see in nature, unique gemstones, great art and design.

how long have you been involved in this type of making? -Professionally 20 years but I was raised by a very creative single mother and we were always doing some kind of craft. We even had a ceramic shop in the basement.

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
-The studio is in Grand Haven, Michigan

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
- http://www.juliesanforddesigns.com

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, b+m stores)
-I show in about 10 outdoor fine art shows a year and am also represented at a museum shop, jewelry store and several art galleries.

do you teach? if so, where- (I’ll link this to the website of teaching institution)
-I teach at my studio in Grand Haven and will be at Bead Fest Wire, the Bead & Button Show and Bead Fest Philadelphia in 2010.

any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
-Value your work, be inspired by other artists, express yourself freely and don't let fear paralyze your growth as an artist or in your career.

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)
-I did some new, complex, multi-part pieces for a gallery show this fall where I used the imagery in jasper interpret the design. It was exciting, fun and I will be doing more of that.

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
-My favorite technique is soldering when I am all alone in the studio, the sun filtering in, music on, talking/laughing out loud at myself. To anyone outside looking in I'm a complete NUT, but for me.. Life's a Bench!

LOL, thanks Julie! Next, I will begin interviewing members of the group- stay tuned! (and Happy 'smithing!)- M

Erkki Kokko- Finnish Batman

2009-11-13T09:16:00.000-08:00

So today I'd like to introduce one of the "support" people who have helped Metalsmiths Unite flourish.
Erkki Kokko (aka Eddie) joined Metalsmiths Unite when it was a little group of about 40-50 smiths-
His enthusiasm for metals and craft are apparent in his work- He works in many diverse metals, from fine jewelry to ironwork. Erkki also is my private Finnish licorice connection- I've been lucky enough to have been mailed packages of salted black licorice (Salmiakki) and now am hopelessly addicted. YUM

here is the interview- Metalsmiths, Unite!

How would you describe what you do as an artist?
-I consider myself more craftsman than artist. (Does that make any sense? :))

what inspires your designs?
-Museums, exhibitions, life...

how long have you been involved in this type of making? (how did you start?)
-I got "infected" in metals in 1997, when i was four months in metal art course, learning basic jewelry techniques, bronze casting, forging, etc.

where are you located?( email if you want to share, or city/town that you live in)
-My studio is in Helsinki, capital city of Finland.

do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? (list url here)
-edscraft.com (without www) :D

what other ways do you market your work?(shows, galleries, b+m stores)
-sometimes in craftsmarket, museum shop and i also make some jewelry to bigger company as a subcontractor.

do you teach? if so, where- (I’ll link this to the website of teaching institution)
-I teach in primary school and some courses in folk high school.

any sage advice for newcomers that you would like to share?
-"It's not a 9-5 job. It's an every moment you're awake job because you actually enjoy the work that you're doing!"

where do you envision your work going in the next year? (artistic direction)
-Hmmm... Can you give me the crystal ball? :)

anything else you would like to share? (favorite techniques? any good jokes? you can even put your flickr/twitter/blog links here too)
-Thanks for the interview! :D