Tag Archives: goldsmith

Jewellery Making Cornwall Students, stones and smashing work

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Wato everyone,

Eight months of starting Jewellery Making Cornwall, here are just a few of the successes. The following are pictures of participants in the six week beginners course held here in the beautiful surroundings at Perranarworthal, between Truro and Falmouth in sunny Cornwall.

I will post more of the activities here in future posts. For now, like me, for sure you are all impressed with this fine snapshot of the work completed by people, most of who have never made a thing before. The more intricate are from some who have continued to be a part of this creative hub, joining the weekly three hour sessions for improvers.

I will post more pictures of the site and exciting opals and other stones shortly through my friend Stuart Wheeler who is joined next door.

Jewellery Supply South West is on Facebook if you wish to look beforehand

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A week three beginner!!!!! As you see, a real talent for sawing. As you can imagine, this lady was super proud of her achievements. This is the ladies name in Arabic cut out and sweat soldered to the pierced pendant.

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A first attempt for a lady to make a chunky signet ring for her sweetheart.

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Clay casting with my specially made half’s specifically for making rings easier to cast, rather than the more usual round rings.

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The downside is not as accurate as ‘proper’ casting. However, its only a bit of elbow grease to clean up.

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img_0217 A pretty nice result, for sure you will agree. The chap never takes it off. Awwww.

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The level of creativity some people come up with is astonishing.

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Wonderfully simple with unique one off fitting.

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A smashing lady made this tie clip for her fathers birthday.

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He was in tears upon receiving it. Amazing the effect our handiwork can have. giving work so much more meaning that its utilitarian face value.

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A Disney princess had this idea for a bracelet. What a result don’t you think. Everything made from scratch, down to the individual ball ends.

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Some of the abstract forms are truly wonderful.

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A lady made this for her daughters birthday. Turquoise being a favourite stone.

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Lady came in with an idea. Can we make this. Yes, you can, and she did.

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Another request made real by the person who thought it here in the workshop.

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Another birthday present for a daughter. Ruby flower designed by Mum.

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Contemporary clean and very sophisticated and exacting. Zara is now promoting her own brand, starting out on her jewellery making adventures after completing the beginners six week workshops.

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The final project for Zara. Pretty awesome you will agree.

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Check this out. The killer clown. A very creative lady who is a photography whizz. As you can see, a massive undertaking for a first personalised project. Bloody brilliant bracelet eh.

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Another final project, flower ring, designed and made here by a young lady with a strong will and the determination to back it up. Wonderful achievement.

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A 15 year old young man came with his grandmother who is already an improver. This is what he made never having touched a tool before. As you can imagine, his Mum was over the moon.

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Loving the layers and three dimensions.

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Whats to add!!!!

I will post more pictures of students work from time to time.

Until the next time, not eight months.

All my very best wishes.

Stu.

Circle or disc cutter for making blanks for hand raising or sinking silver, copper, tinsmithing bowls.

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http://youtu.be/WtyAoITMHFA

Wato wato all. Very long time no communication eh!

Lots of water has passed under my bridge, as for sure yours also, since the last posting on silversmithblog. My new job at the Jewellery workshop in Porthleven has been a mixed and varied bag of delights, horrors, failures and victories that will no doubt continue to crop up in the coming posts. Looking forward to sharing the experiences that will help you to realise its only you in the way of making what you envisage in your head. Remember, all I know is technique that can be learned with ease if the application of the craft is exercised in the correct manor.

Its appropriate for me to now state that, at this time, looking to the types of work needed to service commissions. Also items bought in for repairs and adjustments has rendered me a bona fide Goldsmith. Never in my earlier wildest fantasies did this enter into my mind. The challenges have been both frustrating and rewarding to say the least. Enough of that for now, lets get on with the real passion, silversmithing. Well copper for now anyway.

A long while ago a promise was made to video the circle cutter that I am very fortunate enough to be the custodian of. The link at the start of this post will take you, (with luck I have done all the right things for this to happen) to YouTube to see said video. Had no idea you couldn’t upload a video here, you live and learn eh.

For those who watched the clip, sincerely hope it was enlightening, perhaps even entertaining. Please do give some feedback as if you wish, more clips can be added if you so wish. I know YouTube is awash with really great content, though bound to say haven’t trawled through it for some time myself. I will not add to the numbers if it’s not relevant, up to you. Better still, encourage me to post something you may wish to have better explained that will help with more visual content.

I showed the model that has been an experiment, now it will go further with the four copper bowls that are, finally, on the way.

Reen makes wonderful quilts, probably mentioned this before. Pictured here are two of her creations that led to the idea of the designs to follow.

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As you see, they convey wonderful movement, along with wonderful patterns. The model in the video, if you look closer, uses these lay out patterns, or at least like them, to start. I wondered how the raising process would effect the geometric, straight lined patterns. The distortions are very pleasing to my eye, wishing you may agree. They lend themselves very well to chasing and repousse decorative techniques, don’t you think.

Missing the larger scale work, working on small scale jewellery at this time, most of the time. Bound to say, I have been pining for more hammer work and less soldering/constructional work. Looking forward to seeing where this goes. As those of you know who have followed this blog from the start, major influences remain Hiroshi Suzuki and his hammer chased vessels. At least one of the bowls will employ hammer chasing, if you return to looking at his exquisite creations, the patterns I will use will be of a similar flavour to his signature natural forms. Not forgetting the awesome and wonderful human being that is David Huang, have I mentioned him before 🙂 I intent to give these bowls a rim, with my own ‘twist’ as a nod to his massive, incalculably huge continuing influence on my approach. This blog was in large part influenced by his generosity, for those of you who have not, please do look him up, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

I do not want to go on too much as I know this is a continuing personal failing. Suffice to say, its good to be back on the blogasphere. Please do get in touch.

I will be telling you more of my adventures as a jobbing jeweller in a busy shop, as well as my wonderful times as a tutor for the workshop. In two weeks I was fortunate enough to enable 60 people, including my now weekly 8 week beginners course that is rolling out continuously for the foreseeable future.

Until then, all my very best wishes.

Stu