My family history and genealogy has been an interest of mine since I was very little and my grandma would tell me that we were descended from the Aztecs. When I was growing up, the only family history I knew were the stories told by my grandmothers and my mother and aunts and uncles. The…
In August of 2018 I took a workshop with Andrea Kennington of NC Black to learn about her forming techniques for botanical and insect forms. (The Plantae and Arthropods workshop, as listed here). This is a great workshop and if you get the opportunity to take this one, or any other, from Andrea, you will…
The contemporary jewelry display at the Scmuckmuseum was the smallest of the exhibits. Despite the small number of pieces in the collection, it was my favorite. Among the modern works on display were some very experimental pieces and a wide range of materials and techniques. I found the work inspiring and creative. The work spanned…
When I was probably 12 or 13, I saw a car that was completely different than anything else I had seen, and I fell in love. My dad informed me that it was a Karmann Ghia, and I decided that I wanted to drive one someday. Well, my first car was not a Karmann Ghia….
The majority of the historical collection is kept in two rooms lined with cases along all walls and more cases in the center of the room. The amount of work is a bit overwhelming, especially given that most of the pieces offer little in the way of a description and vague origin and date. The…
Pforzheim is a town in the Baden-Württemberg state in Southern Germany. It has long been a capital of jewelry making and goldsmithing within the region, and used to have a large school for goldsmithing and watchmaking. These days the university at Pforzheim offers a broader curriculum, but still includes a degree in jewelry making. Not…
I read something recently about new years resolutions, or, specifically, about not having them. Instead, the idea was to look at the commitments in your life and make conscious decisions about which commitments were still relevant and which would be part of your life moving forward. I really like the idea of this approach. It…
I start most of my work in my sketchbook, as drawings. Many concepts never make it beyond the sketchbook to actually be made. Even works that are started, are not always completed the way they were originally designed. I am constantly refining a design, right up until the end (and sometimes later). A concept in…
I just received a copy of the book, Jewelry Metals, A Guide to Working with Common Alloys, edited by James Binnion and published by the MJSA press. There is a lot of good information in this book for beginner to advanced metalsmith jewelers, but like many books on metalworking, it has a hard time deciding to…
I recently joined the site custommade.com (here is my profile). This is a well done site that allows people to post requests for all types of custom made items directly from the makers. These days with advances in metals manufacturing almost any design is possible. However, not all designs are compatible with traditional techniques. I…