An Expert Guide by Elaine Luther

This month we ask ourselves –

What is the most difficult piece you’ve ever made, from a technical perspective?

Hmm. Which one to choose? The technical part is what makes jewelry making interesting to me — the piece has to work, it has to function properly — you have to make the design work, and the piece work.

Helping students work out their engineering challenges and order of operations is one of the things I enjoy about teaching metalsmithing.

I’ve raised a few bowls, those are fun, but not really that challenging. I’ve made some hollow containers (salt and pepper shakers) by forming the halves in the hydraulic press and then soldering the parts together. But that’s not hard either.

In metal clay, my piece (from my series of medals), “The Society of Mothers…” was a technical challenge because the sterling silver baby was in the center of a piece of fine silver mesh, and the mesh had to be attached somehow to the outer edge of the medal. That was fun to figure out how to do.

Another medal in the series, the Anti-war Medal, was easier, because a) I’d already worked out how to attach the mesh, and b) the leg (yes, that’s a leg, symbolizing the many lost limbs in the Iraq war) spans the medal.

The tiny spoon I made in PMC was a bit of a pain in terms of getting the bowl shaped just right.

After experimenting with firing the bowl of a spoon (just a bowl I did, no handle) over a combustible core, and not being happy with that, I fired the whole spoon flat and shaped it after it was fired.

I used steel stakes in the hydraulic press to get it shaped just right.

Wondering what the other blog carnival-ites have to say on the subject? Here are their links:

Andes Cruz

Tamra Gentry

Tonya Davidson

Vickie Hallmark

Angela Crispin

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My studio is in a small room, 60 square feet, that it shares with this very computer and its desk. And, oh, it’s kind of cold in the winter.

The other day, my dear husband had the clever idea of moving my studio (and rather heavy jeweler’s bench) down to the basement, where I’d have more elbow room.

More importantly, it would be quiet and I’d be further away from potential interruptions.

I like this idea. A lot. Now I just have to make the time to pack, call the electrician to have some outlets installed, and schedule a moving day!

How about you? Do you like being far away from everyone else? or in the hustle and bustle?

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Do you follow the Polymer Clay Daily blog? Short, daily posts of good work in the poly clay world. A recent posting highlighted the work of Patricia Kilme, combining metal clay and polymer clay.

Most of the combination work I’ve seen shows the polymer framed by the metal clay. Patricia reverses that, to great effect.

See her work, and a link to her forthcoming book, here:
http://polymerclaydaily.com

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I love this post from Kirsten Skiles where she shares her metalworking flops, wonderful of her to share everything, and not just the good!

See it here: http://www.kaskiles.com

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Katherine at Blue Moon Designs is selling these stylish utility belts over at Makers Market, here’s the link:

http://makersmarket.com/products

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Halstead Bead, Inc. is calling for entries to its fifth annual Business Development Grant competition for new American jewelry designers entering the bridge jewelry trade. The deadline for packet submissions is June 9, 2010. The winner of the 2010 Grant will receive $6,000 in cash and merchandise as well as other benefits.

More info. here: http://www.halsteadbead.com/Grant
The application is here: http://www.halsteadbead.com/Grant/Application

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Metal Clay Connections, the newsletter of PMC Connections, is now online in blog form. Read it here:

http://medacreations.wordpress.com

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New Lark Book: 30-Minute Rings
Editor: Marthe Le Van
Entry Deadline: March 19, 2010

Are you a skilled and imaginative jewelry designer who is up for a challenge? Great! Your mission is to design a ring that can be made…start to finish…in 30 minutes flat. Sound fun? We think so.

30-Minute Rings will showcase more than 50 incredibly stylish step-by-step projects that can be created without investing too much of a valuable commodity—time! The selected ring designs will be modern and sophisticated and encompass many different styles and techniques. The common denominator will be fast projects that look terrific!

PS: In 30-Minute Rings, we won’t be teaching fundamental jewelry making techniques. Designers can assume that their readers are already proficient (and quick!) at skills such as sawing, soldering, and finishing.

Accept the challenge!

For more information and proposal forms, visit:
http://www.larkbooks.com/submissions/artist-submissions

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The WJA Student Scholarship Application for 2010 is now available!

Attention students and teachers, the WJA Student Scholarship is
now available online at www.callforentry.org.

This year we are awarding scholarships in two different
categories: the Designer Category (based on images of finished pieces
that are designed and created by the student), and a Non-Designer
Category (essay based for those studying to be a gemologist,
appraiser, watch-maker, bench jeweler, or retailer.

Our application is completely on-line through
www.callforentry.org Follow the link and fill out your application
today. Applications are due April 15th, 2010. Any questions, you can
e-mail Lisa Slovis Mandel, WJA Scholarship Chairperson at lisa (at) lisaslovis ( ) com

Learn more about WJA at their site www.womensjewelry.org.

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