One Year Later

Well. I would like to say that I've been making stuff like crazy for the last year, that I've been too busy to blog about it. But that would be a lie. The fact of the matter is, I've spent very little time at my bench until recently. However, the news is good. Because, in the past month or two, I have logged more bench time than the previous year or so. I decided the only way to advance this career was to get out there, get paid, and see how other people do it. There are not a lot of listings for bench jeweler jobs to be found, but I got lucky and found a position in sales that lets me get onto the bench fairly frequently. I'm learning a lot from the other jewelers in the shop, doing a lot of repair work and looking at a lot of jewelry. I feel like I am exactly where I need to be, and that feeling is great. I am starting to think about design again. My enthusiasm is returning and the gears are starting to turn. I've sold a few pieces in the shop, too. So, that is nice. Last night, I remembered that I have a blog so I thought I would mark the occasion with an update. Metalsmith's block circumvented? That remains to be seen. But I feel as though I am waking from a long sleep, and that seems to me a good sign.

So, do metalsmiths get writer's block?

There must be a different name for it, but the effect is the same. I moved my studio (no easy feat) and somehow during the move, I lost one of my sawframes, a wastebasket and My Creative Impulse. The sawframe has since turned up.

You have to understand, this has never happened to me before. Not the losing things, that happens far too often. No, I mean losing the drive to make things. Usually, I have more ideas than I can commit to paper, much less execute. Its just that lately... hmph. Urg. And several other somewhat irritated but also vaguely disinterested noises.

I think it is a combo of burnout, having my energy directed into daily toddler maintenance, and also a bit of frustration that my chosen career is taking so long to bear fruit. I should not be surprised by the latter, it is above all a _humble_ tree, and by that I mean something slow growing and modest. Let's face it, I'm not so great at the self promotion. I have only myself to blame.

The fact that I am updating this blog is a good sign that the burnout is temporary, and hopefully coming to a close. Because until recently (say, yesterday), I would not even think about this blog. I did make my first etsy sale this past week, which was nice since it helped to re-interest me in my own business and offer my creative ego a little burst of validation. Now I have plans to get back to work, even if it is only to focus on refining current designs. I just need to overcome inertia.

frame bracelet with garnets and smoky quartz

here is further attempt to bring the loose, unconcerned and imprecise quality of my line drawings into my metalwork. i also experimented with mixing the stones and a dark patina. a few more lessons learned, and overall i am very happy with the sense of confidence that working "off the cuff" is bringing to my work. the last piece was very carefully measured and planned, but this one was created in a very spontaneous way. i am learning to skip the drawings and sketch directly into the metal.

frames bracelet with swiss blue topaz

in this piece my goal was to capture a line quality more related to my drawing style, which is kind of quirky and irregular. my tendency in jewelry is to work with geometric forms, and i am often frustrated that my forms are not of manufactured precision- but after i have sanded and polished every mark of my hand from the process, i am often disappointed. here, i tried to move in the opposite direction and bring in a more soft, painterly quality to the silver. i love the swiss blue topaz and i will definitely be working with it again in the future.

chain maille centipede necklace

here is an example of the chain maille designs i have been playing around with recently. i've really enjoyed mixing steel, rubber and silver in these. this one has hammer set garnet trillions forming what i call the "head" and "tail" of the centipede. the trick to making this pattern work is the very specific aspect ratio of the sterling rings compared to the steel and rubber; they are very snug, so as to allow some movement and flex but otherwise keep the triangular formations nice and tidy. next i will try introducing more color.

in addition to these chain maille designs, i have a number of new directions in mind; i prefer to work this way, because too much of the same thing begins to drive me crazy! i have given up the notion that this is a negative trait. i am moving toward embracing all of the different ways i enjoy working, seeing the ways they relate to one another and observing the themes they tend to return to, instead of worrying about consistency or lamenting disparities. i find that the more loose and relaxed i get about this, the more i can submit myself to the process. It is in this place of being open that whatever i am working on will start to take on its own direction, and lead me towards its own conclusions. it is an extremely gratifying journey for me.

visual research

on the left, one of robert's textural photos. it seems so rich to me, both color and surface.








on the right, a night blooming cereus.


the depth of field here has the focus on the "runway" quality of the stamen but what i really love is the delicate spray form of the pistil. the photo is inadequate; the only way to view it is in person. another bonus to seeing it in person, you get to smell it as well.

anyhow,there they are, a few moments of visual research, and a few nice photos to give me a little bit of blog practice. i promise to start posting images of recent work soon.

amulet- the golden maggot

2009 (undergrad) one of my final projects i believe, learning repousse techniques. it is based on an electron microscope image of a fly's head. in egyptian mythology the fly symbolizes protection from evil and pestilence. in european culture, it is often a symbol of evil and pestilence itself. the outer structure is hinged, and opens to reveal the stylized mouthparts* of the fly in repousse. the nickel hairs clutch a 14K cast and chased gold larval form of itself. it seeks to separate and contain the destructive (pestilent) aspects of my nature, to "protect me from myself"**. i do not consider it finished, but it is on a back burner until further notice. i would like to find more information about the mythologies of flies around the world before i progress.

*i use the term mouthparts here loosely, as what i have illustrated is actually the ridge above the mouthparts. i found these structures formed a more secure base for the larva shape than the actual mouthparts themselves so i took a little bit of artistic license.

**funny story. during the chasing process, i lost the first larva cast, which went spinning out of the pitch and vanished on the far side of the studio. i have not found it to this day. it is highly ironic to me that i lost (or had escape?) an object intended to symbolize and contain my personal evil.