The Art of Mokume Gane
Featured Fine Art
This tsuba is inspired by of one of the most well-known mokume gane tsubas in history - the Yoshino River Tsuba made by Takahashi Okitsugu in the mid-late Edo period in Japan. I used different metals (copper, brass and nickel silver), and a silhouette of my own design; five-lobed rather than 8-lobed. It took me about two years to create, and is just a first draft. Next one will be made with silver, shakudo and shibuichi. From my very first billets, I always wanted to create crisp, unique mokume patterns with great control. This was different from a lot of the fairly random, all-over stuff I was seeing. It was in Masaki Takahashi's "Textbook of Mokume Gane" book that I was first introduced to the historical work of Takahashi Okitsugu - I saw it was possible to create such patterns, so I had a goal. Read more.
Featured workshop
The Art of Mokume Gane - In-person
Expanded 4-day edition for Florida Society of Goldsmiths
February 19-22, 2026
Tuition $700, kit fee $120 in class
Dunedin, Florida (Tampa/St. Petersburg area)
Mokume Gane, or ‘woodgrain metal’ is an ancient Japanese technique involving fused layers of differently colored metals. This class jumps right into the artistic part of mokume gane – the creation of unique patterns. Students will learn to pattern mokume gane sheet using stamping, direct hammering, and even the tricky but versatile cherry blossom technique. The special considerations for fabricating and finishing mokume gane work will be covered, including soldering and patination. In this special expanded 4-day format, there will be plenty of time to focus on creating multiple patterned samples and create one or more finished jewelry pieces. Detailed handouts including step-by-steps and equipment sources will be provided. This class is available to all levels, however some experience soldering and working with silver will be helpful. Even advanced jewelers/metalsmiths will benefit from learning these secrets of mokume gane patterning. Kit includes copper/brass mokume gane - upgrades to silver mokume available in class, price varies.
Register through Florida Society of Goldsmiths.
12/27/25 - 2025 was a whirlwind of a year! In January I taught a 3-day online mokume box class, then in February taught in Seattle at Danaca Design and got to tour the late Phillip Baldwin’s studio. I continued north to Fairbanks Alaska and taught a talented and generous group how to make their own mokume gane billets (got to hug a reindeer too). Back home in San Diego …