Thursday, May 10, 2007

I am a metalsmith

I have been taking a jewelry-making class at the Community College. This is not one of those sissy bead-stringing deals. This one involves cutting and torching and chemicals and cool tools. Here is my first finished piece of jewelry.


It is a pin of my own design, cut from silver, soldered and set with a stone in a bezel I learned to make, then polished. I don't know what the stone is. It actually looks like a piece of glass with some irregularities in it, but I liked the color and size. I'm kind of proud of it and entirely amazed that it actually came together correctly. Sorry the photo is not clearer. Now I am working on a simple little ring. Last night at class I hammered the silver for my ring to get that great hammered texture. Today my arm is sore. Metalsmithing is hard work!

I also promised a quilt picture. This is my latest work, done at the beach on retreat.

If it looks familiar it is because I made this one about a year ago.
Both done from the same drawing. They will go in the Japanese Garden show/sale this fall. Both will hang from little bamboo rods.

5 comments:

  1. This is a really nice piece! I took a jewelry making (metal-smithing) class when I was in art school & it was really hard work. It gave me a whole new appreciation for jewelry artisans.

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  2. Anonymous8:56 AM

    I love your pin! I love the art deco look of the design.

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  3. You should be proud of your pin. It looks really great. What fun.

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  4. Oohhh -- what fun. You get to play with torches too! (ok, my other love after playing with fabric -- power tools!)

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  5. Oh dear - I can definitely see another obsession starting. Your pin is wonderful.

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