From the bench Blog
Back to West Dean to teach a four day mokume gane short course
In the middle of teaching a four day mokume gane short course at truly magical West Dean College. Working hard but taking time to soak in the atmosphere too. Great bunch of students working hard too! Tomorrow, rolling out the billets. Wish us luck!
Farewell Farnham and UCA!
Thinking about what I’ll miss:
‘My’ adjustable height bench (cleared away every night - yes I can create that much chaos in 8 hours!)
Technician Dan, seen here as usual, bending over backwards to help students with their projects ….
Last day of my residency, spinning mokume gane with Stefan Coe
3/27/26 - Last day of my residency, spinning mokume gane with Stefan Coe - what can I say? My cup runneth over! And yes I’ll have some of this work, both finished and in progress, at @newashgate gallery tomorrow (Saturday) from 12-2 if you’d like to come by and say hi (and bye!)!
Busy, busy! Chisel patterning in Farnham
3/19/26 - Busy, busy! I’ve been doing more chisel patterning here in Farnham than I ever do at home. I’m pushing hard to get as many discs patterned as I can before my next lesson with master metal spinner Stefan Coe next week.
An illustrated talk on an ancient Japanese metalsmithing technique
Mokume Gane: Metal That Grows Like Wood. An illustrated talk on an ancient Japanese metalsmithing technique with Farnham’s current Artist in Residence. Developed in Japan over 300 years ago, mokume gane (literally “wood-grain metal”) is a complex lamination and carving process that produces organic, flowing patterns in precious and non-precious metals.
Farnham Craft Town’s Artist in Residence creative workshop inspired by the beautiful Surrey landscape.
3/16/26 - Anne Wolf, Farnham Craft Town’s Artist in Residence, hosted a unique creative workshop, inspired by the beautiful Surrey landscape. We began with a gentle walk across the heathland.
Second week of my Farnham Residency - raising spun copper forms
Second week of my Farnham residency is over; it’s going so fast! This week I did some raising on my previously spun copper forms. Lidded jar in progress. Yes that’s a Patrick Quinn hammer; brought it with me and have been putting it to good use. And, spinning mokume! Guess what? It spins pretty much the same as the copper and gilding metal - no splits, no delams, no wrinkling.
In London for a visit to Cooksongold and a private viewing of “the golem and the Ginni”
So much went on this past week I couldn’t fit it all one post. On Thursday I left school early to head to London for the private viewing of “the golem and the Ginni” , a show at the @theforgespace I’m participating in. I got to meet so many amazing people, like Amanda who owns/runs the gallery, to @jessicajue_jewellery who makes The most amazing award-winning silverwork with keumboo.
New mokume patterns based on Farnham’s local landscape
3/10/26 - The other part to my artist residency here in Farnham is to develop new mokume patterns based on the local landscape. It’s going great! Not sure what I’m headed yet, but I have so many ideas my head is a bit spinn-y.
Learning spinning hands-on with master metal spinner Stefan Coe
We recently witnessed a fascinating skills transfer as master metal spinner Stefan Coe, an expert in this endangered craft, shared his expertise with our artist-in-residence, Anne Wolf. Utilising the incredible facilities at The UCA, Anne drew parallels between metal spinning and her background in ceramics. It was captivating to hear her compare the rhythmic process of shaping metal to the technique of throwing pots on a wheel.
What an amazing first week of my Farnham residency!
What an amazing first week of my residency. I am learning to spin metal with Stefan Coe at @uca_jewellery_silversmithing, all thanks to @farnhamcrafttown. Stefan is a master metal spinner (a critically endangered craft) who just happens to live up the road from where I’m doing my residency. He was so generous to come down and show me the very basics.
Gobsmacked by the warm welcome by Farnham Craft Town!
I am truly touched by the Farnham Craft Town’s warm welcome: “A Master of Metal Arrives in Farnham! Last night we celebrated the start of Anne Wolf’s Artist Residency with a reception @farnhamofficial as we ushered in a month of metalworking magic here in our World Craft Town.
Come see my work at The Forge Space in London
Reception Thursday March 12 - 6-8pm. Limited time show! I'm part of this fabulous show "the Golem & the Ginni", also featuring the work of Jessica Jue at The Forge Space. If you'd like to meet me and see my work over some drinks and nibbles, please attend the 'private view' reception (dm me to RSVP please). Otherwise open Mon-Fri 10-6pm.
Get Your Anneville Mokume Swag
12/31/25 - As many of you might know, my partner Ame is an illustrator and sells her original designs through her online shop Mondobop. I'm so happy to present here Mondobop's first mokume offering! Ame and I designed this together, with many revisions over coffee and pastries (with me waving my hands in the air describing the perfect Japanese hammer head shape).
2025 Year in Review
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 …
Big news - my rings are now available at Danaca Design Studio!
1/11/26 - Big news - my rings are now available at Danaca Design Studio! Previously I’ve only made my mokume rings on commission, and I usually have a 2-4 month waiting list. But now, if you’re lucky you might find your perfect mokume ring already made, waiting for you at Danaca Design Gallery in Seattle, WA. Even better, their inventory is all online, so you don’t have to live in Seattle to shop there! I encourage anyone looking for a mokume ring quickly to check out my work there Danaca Design Studio. All the rings pictured here are currently available there.
And so everyone knows - whether you buy my rings directly from me, through Danaca Design, or from Etsy , the price is the same. 😁
Baldwin's Patina, Unlocked
11/23/25 - One of the surprise silver linings that came along with the sad passing of Phillip Baldwin (mokume maker, metalsmith and blacksmith extraordinaire) was getting to meet his wife Layne Goldsmith. She generously shared the recipe for Baldwin's patina with me back in March and gave me her blessing to share it widely.
From Wave to Shining Wave
6/10/25 - My recent spring teaching trip to Seattle split itself into three distinct parts: my two day chisel-patterning class, my three day 'fabricate & patinate' class, and the bittersweet and mind-blowing experience of seeing Phillip Baldwin's studio and meeting his wonderful wife Layne Goldsmith.
Spring in Seattle
3/29/25 - The passing of mokume gane master Phillip Baldwin has left a huge hole in the metalsmithing community. I'm grateful to the Seattle Metals Guild and Danaca Design, who are putting on a tribute show for him, as a way to celebrate his life and contributions to our field.
2024 Year in Review
12/27/24 - Wot a year! I feel lucky to have spent so much time with friends new and old. First the January fusing class in my studio where I met the fabulous Simone from Brazil. Then in February I went to the Yuma Symposium for the first time in 20 years(!) - made many new friends and was thrilled to meet Jeanie Pratt, who bought my bracelet off my wrist.