Please join us for a very special Zoom with guest metalsmith and artist Jeff De Boer to learn about his amazing and tiny functional art ... made at cat and mouse scale. Many thanks to our own Jean Franceschiello for arranging it. ​

Links of interest:

• Yoko is learning how to forge down/roll out mokume rods and is featured at a show at Danica Designs in Seattle.
• Kathy recently attended a cool event at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum has been in Vista, California. 

Thanks everyone, great fun! See you at the next Sawing Circle on August 19th or join in our Hammer Yammer on August 5th. 

To make the most of our time together we've decided to focus on three areas for our gatherings; instructional demos, maker challenges and open-discussion Q & A sessions. 

Demos: Throughout the year we will be presenting brief (10-20 min.) talks focused on sharing techniques. These might include photos and even video but don't have to. So far, we have the following demo ideas in the works, we'll add dates as soon as they're firmed up:

1. Woven Chain by Dale Hansen (Feb 20th)
2. Hido Japanese Patina by Anne Wolf (TBA - maybe March)
3. Sand Casting by Chapin Dimond (TBA - ​March)
4. Annodizing Titanium by Marianne Pickett (April)
5. Design Elements by Annette Campbell (TBA)
6. Etsy for Beginners by Ame Stanko (July or Aug)
7. Hydraulic Press 101 by Jean Franchesciello (TBA)
8. Keum Boo by Charlotte Ewalt (TBA)
9. Stone Carving by Ryan Gardner (TBA)
10. Torch-fired Enamels by Charlotte Ewalt (TBA)
11. Torch-fired Metal Clay by Marianne Pickett (TBA)

Get in touch with Ame if you have something you would like to present. 

None of these are set in stone so if you have an idea for a fun challenge, tell Ame so she can add it to the list. ​

Q & A: our Sawing Circle is a great place to ask questions about tools and materials, solicit help for tricky design or fabrication jobs, share info about classes and instructors and much more. We do this ever session in our Q & A segment, feel free to pipe up and ask anything you like. ​

Pricing discussion - getting those dubloons:

• Jean - sold her first thing today, earrings! Congratulations! Really struggling to get people upstairs to look at her jewelry. (Maybe walk one or two off the plank out the window next weekend, that should draw some attention...)
  
• Anne - it’s good to do galleries, consider using precious metals. Same labor but much higher value.
  The price tells the buyer the value. Enamel is very labor-intensive.
  
• Ame - doing exclusive collections can be a good approach so you’re not competing against yourself. (But she was three sheets to the wind so what does she know?)
  
• Dale - Andy Cooperman example - $320 earrings.
  
• Marianne - figure out your price and stick to it. Let the galleries worry about doubling it. They have a presence and a name. She did a lot of relatively easy earrings when she was in a gallery.
  
• Chapin - high-end venues will surprise you. He had a gallery RAISE his prices. Carefully check out
  pricing of other pieces in the gallery. Craft Fairs can be $475, whereas Art Fairs are $2000 (ouch).
  (wonder it costs to set up a crate at the fish market down at Buccaneer Bay?)
  
• ●  Karen Rood - kinda goes by what Anne does, “What am I willing to let this go for?” Feels like she’s not good at it. Earrings go for $50-$60-$75. Necklaces go for around $150. Gotta cover your $500-$600 entry fee. Her shows are more like $150/day. Summer’s Past Farms off Hwy 80 in Nov. & Dec. She also does April & June. Honestly just trying to get rid of things now - LOL!
  

We started by admiring Cynthia’s adorable pups, Abby and Sammy (I’m sorry I couldn’t save my screenshot—thanks for stepping in, Ame!). Then we chatted a bit about the MASSC challenge. Kathe’s piece is almost finished.  The one Annette and I are working on is getting there! Cynthia told us about a class she had with Nash Quinn through Metalwerx on points of movement, specifically complex hinges.  She’s also been working on a clasp she learned how to make in Suzanne Williams’ class. Then she showed us a great soldering tool. ​

Download the recap PDF for photos.
Although Alix Hart wasn’t able to join us, she sent Ame these links about sustainable jewelry practice. Alix is very involved in promoting these issues.
The Foundations of a Sustainable Jewelry Practice (video): https://www.mjsa.org/publications/online-library/podcast-foundations-of-a-sustainable-jewelry-practice-with-christina-miller
Responsibly Sourcing Colored Gemstones with Eric Braunwart (video): https://www.mjsa.org/publications/online-library/podcast-responsibly-sourcing-colored-gemstones-with-eric-braunwart
Reducing Your Business’s Environmental Footprint (video): https://www.mjsa.org/publications/mjsa-journal/reducing-your-businesss- environmental-footprint
The Fairmined Credits Program: https://www.mjsa.org/publications/mjsa- journal/exploring-the-fairmined-credits-program

On a very different note, Ame now has a Barbie-themed tool t-shirt in her Etsy shop!

Voting is now open for the Ocean Meets Desert challenge! Please feel free to share photos and info on your social media pages. We were all blown away by the entries— wow! So much talent! https://sandiegojewelrylab.weebly.com/international-artisan- showdown.html#/ Thank you, Ame, for getting all the entries up on the website and organized! International Artisan Showdown
Our (rather loose) challenge was peridot/UFO. Dale showed us a peridot bracelet he purchased for his wife and a ring he made: 

Karen R. shared a piece of volcanic rock with peridot crystals in it. Jean told us a little bit about peridot, and you can read more about it here. Marianne’s unfinished object features a Seymchan meteorite (hope I got that right!)— more about that here. 

Kathe told us her husband has family in Lahaina, Hawaii; one cousin lost his home in the fire. Here is a lovely 2012 article about another of his cousins, a community activist. You can donate on his company's Facebook page here or on his personal one here. We will keep them all in our thoughts.
If people want to help in another way, here's the fundraiser Ame mentioned. It’s organized by artist Kathy Weller, who is donating half of the proceeds of her paintings to local organizations working in the affected areas. Find her paintings here, and details about the donations to date are here. On Instagram, Kathy is talking about how more artists are responding. Here’s one of her paintings, Scaveola Sea. 

Two weeks from this past meeting is August 29 , the fifth Tuesday in the month. A few of us are planning to sign on at the usual time, even if it’s just to say hello. Stop by if you’re free!

Our next regular meeting is September 5 . Ame suggested we have a tiki party—so come and help set the mood! Hope to see you then.  Best, Dusky

We didn’t have many participants in our June pirate/ocean challenge—everyone is very busy with summer. Karen S. is making tons (well, lots) of jam! But Dale shared his pirate chest and the treasures within! 

​If you are doing the Dessert Meets Ocean Challenge, remember that you only have to use one of the three pieces of sea glass that we sent you.

We aren’t meeting next Tuesday, the Fourth of July. Our Sawing Circle challenge for our next meeting on July 18th: share one or more pieces of art that you own that inspire, amaze or delight you. They can be metal--or not.

Have a safe 4th, everyone. See you on the 18 ! ~ Dusky
Download the full Recap PDF with photos.

​We started by catching up and sharing news. Miranda is going to teach a beginning cloisonné class and also assist with a class in the techniques of enamelist Fred Uhl Ball; see his work here. Marianne is repairing a Taxco bracelet that’s been in her family--learn a little about the history of Taxco silver here. Kathe has turned in her pieces for the San Diego County Fair. Chapin will be teaching several classes in Colorado and is selling his work on Instagram.

Marianne has also been experimenting with powder coating and showed us her work. Cool Tools sells powder coating and posted a video about it. Ryan Gardner uses a light application of clear powder coating on his metals.

We talked a little about the current MASSC challenge, which several of us are participating in. David Huang also came up—he uses microcrystalline sculpting wax inside his vessels to be able to chase them. He documents his entire process here—fascinating! Chapin told us about David Huang’s upcoming workshop at the Colorado Metalsmithing Associations July conference—where Anne will also be presenting!

When: Monthly on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 5:30pm-7pm Pacific Time.
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Our Sawing Circle is like a book club but instead of reading, we work on cool stuff, help each other with problems, share ideas and provide accountability for ongoing work. If you've been looking for support for moving forward on your projects then this is the online gathering for you. Join us from your studio to work in the good conversation and company of like-minded friends. Totally free, no need to RSVP, simply make yourself a snack, settle at your bench and click the button to join in. For more details see our Sawing Circle page. 

Thanks to everyone for another great gathering! It was wonderful to see and meet some people who
have not attended lately. Miranda started us out with a great presentation on Argentium Silver, a malleable, fusible, tarnish-resistant silver alloy. 

Click any image to view larger.

We went on to talk about lots more and checked in on our August Maker Challenge. Download the full recap (pdf).

At this meeting of the Sawing Circle we reviewed the San Diego County Fair with the two folks who entered pieces - Kathe Dunn and Anne Wolf. Kathe entered two (really three) of her fabulous face pendants and won 2nd place with each (You Go Girl). Anne also brought home a passel of prizes for her 5 mokume pieces - including Best Metal Piece. Both insisted that it was easy to win when there were so few entries but we know they won 'cause they actually rock. The second part of the evening was all about Gettin' Edgy - creating interesting edge treatments for pendants, boxes and other creations. From Charlotte's hammered edge to the cool castellation tools showed by Dale, we really enjoyed seeing some cool new ideas. In the midst of that, Miranda (find her on Insta at @m_sen_maker) showed us to terrific pieces (see photos) featuring granulation and fusing that she made while studying in Italy and we all decided we want to know more so mark your calendar for August 16 when we'll delve into those techniques. In the meantime, we decided on our Shared Challenge Project for August - La Mer! Your assignment is to create a beach/ocean/sea-themed piece that incorporates a cool edge treatment and (for bonus extra credit) a relevant found object such as a piece of sea glass, driftwood, animal bone, etc. Feel free to start any time and bring your finished piece to our 8/16 Sawing Circle to show off! Good luck everyone!

Links and resources:

• ​Ford Hallam's Japanese Metalwork YouTube Channel
• Francesca Urciuoli of What If Gallery | Berlin is an Italian jewellery designer, maker and instructor: francesca-u.com.
• Jan shared the website of the talented and super-friendly jeweler Jamie: www.dangbravegirl.com.

For more graphic design tips and tricks check out my free online video 1-minute series. 

Resource links:

• Diane’s Weimer's website (classes): dianeweimer.com.
• Pocosin Arts (classes): pocosinarts.org/
• Vivi Magoo's 2022 Retreat in the Desert: vivimagoo.com.
• Silvera Jewelry Classes: silverajewelry.com.
• Richard Sally: rsalley.com/pages/workshop-schedule/.
• MetalwerX: metalwerx.com.
• Studio fire supression blanket: amazon.com.
• Silverware jewelry: flatwearable.net.
• Micromark Bandsaw: micromark.com.
• Micromark bandsaw cooling system: micromark.com.
• Deb Jemmot's contact info: metalsmithdeb@gmail.com.

When we started in March of 2020, Metal Arts Adventures with Anne and Ame (MAA) was just a way to stay connected as the pandemic pushed us into isolation. We thought we'd do the show a few times, never imagining it would take on a life of its own for over a year. Together we've virtually traveled the world, learned tips & tricks, celebrated holidays, found solace and shared inspiration. As the world reopens, it's time to pursue exciting new endeavors. In this show, master metalsmith Earl Bushey shares top-notch mokume gane tips and Bette Barnett introduces us to the fascinating world of powdered metals. For links to resources and classes mentioned by Bette, visit her at studiomigoto.com.

As for us, watch for future updates from here on  sandiegojewelrylab.com and on annevillestudio.com as well our social media channels and if you haven't done so already, do sign up for our mailing list. Be  well and keep in touch!

The discussion topic for tonight's Sawing Circle was "What is your favorite tool, what do you use it for and where can we get it?" and boy did we have fun with that. For Annette it was her Genie, Charlotte said it's emery boards for sanding, Carmen lovingly praised her Micromark mini bandsaw, Ame mentioned (rather irrelevantly) her computer tablet and stylus, Kathe showed us her new favorite Grobet hand file and Anne shared her fancy digital calipers. Jan got a new rolling mill and we discussed rolling mill care and feeding a bit and then Dale gave us an update on his sick rolling mill. We also had a grand time seeing recent works by Annette and Jan and a spirited talk about step bezels. Read on for links and more photos.

When we started in March of 2020, MAA was just a way to stay connected as the pandemic pushed us into isolation. We thought we'd do the show a few times, never imagining it would take on a life of its own for over a year. Together we've virtually traveled the world, learned tips & tricks, celebrated holidays, found solace and shared inspiration. As the world reopens, it's time to pursue exciting new endeavors. In July’s show, master metalsmith Earl Bushey will share top-notch mokume gane tips and Bette Barnett will introduce us to the fascinating world of powdered metals. As always, Metal Arts Adventures is all about you so please join us for our Grand Finale episode on July 15th.

Metal Arts Adventures #27: Emerge Online Opening
Put on a swanky outfit, pour yourself a glass of something sophisticated and imagine yourself making a grand entrance into an artsy gallery space populated with interesting people and jazz .... it's our online opening reception for "Emerge" our juried exhibition! Wander around nibbling cheese (make yourself a small plate of cheese beforehand to get the full effect) and see the jewelry metal art works while listening to celebrity judges Anne Wolf of Anneville Studio and Bette Barnett of Studio Migoto discuss the technical prowess and design merits of each piece. Guess the winners and stick around til the end to see if you're right as we unveil the Best of Show, Best Mokume, Best Steel Piece and Most Creative Piece and award each artist their fabulous prizes. We want to hear from you - leave a comment below. Do you know of a jewelry metal arts work space reopening? Have you heard about a fair that's going to be live again this year? Do you know what's up with Idyllwild Arts, the San Diego Gem & Mineral Society or a cool place in your area? We're looking for signs of things getting back to normal and we'd love to hear from you so jot down a few notes and raise your hand or type them into the chat window during the show. Step into the gallery to view the online show "Emerge" and see who won!

Put on a swanky outfit, pour yourself a glass of something sophisticated and imagine yourself making a grand entrance into an artsy gallery space populated with interesting people and music .... it's our online opening reception for "Emerge" our juried exhibition! Wander around nibbling cheese (make yourself a small plate of cheese beforehand to get the full effect) and see the jewelry metal art works while listening to celebrity judges Anne Wolf of Anneville Studio and Bette Barnett of Studio Migoto discuss the technical prowess and design merits of each piece. Guess the winners and stick around til the end to see if you're right as we unveil the Best of Show, Best Mokume, Best Steel Piece and Most Creative Piece and award each artist their fabulous prizes. Hope to see you there!

Nine artists participated by donating jewelry pieces to the Fandango Under the Stars Online Auction with funds going to support Guadalupe Home, an organization that helps women and families experiencing homelessness. This year, due to COVID, the event went virtual so bids were submitted online. Here's the update from Sky:

"Greetings everyone, I'm happy to see [our] donations being looked at and bid upon. The pictures do not do the pieces justice but you can see them at the Online auction: one.bidpal.net/fandango2021/browse/all, on Facebook: facebook.com/CatholicCharitiesSA/, or on Instagram: instagram.com/catholiccharitiessanantonio/. Thank you all for the great support for this event. ~ Sky".

Let's give a big hand to Sky for providing such a great community opportunity and a round of applause to our participating artists! For photos and descriptions of each piece see our previous post: Guadalupe Home Jewelry Team Update.