At our online Holiday Party we looked back at some 2020 highlights (we did find some!) and shared our plans for 2021. The recipe exchange was a hoot with concoctions for tasty treats as well as Mokume Goo from Earl, DIY Solder from Sky and Niello from Anne (note: don't eat!). We also had fun enjoying everyone's home decor and festive apparel. The winners of our holiday cheer prize drawing were Patty (congrats on the agate burnisher!) and Joanne (edible gemstones!). After that we heard from several people about their own 2020 - good and bad - along with hopes and dreams for 2021. We capped it all off with our Holiday Raffle. Many thanks to everyone who decorated, dressed up and shared goodies. Read on to download the recipes and get some cool free coloring pages and a handy circle divider tool.
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Thursday, December 17th from 5-6pm Pacific Time
Meet & Greet starts at 4:45pm. Online via Zoom - link on our home page. Join us online for an hour of glad tidings and merriment. We'll take a look back at some 2020 highlights (you know Ame, she'll find something good) and share our plans for 2021, hold our recipe exchange (be sure to send in your favorite recipes for brownies, cookies, patinas, billet stacks, etc.), see who has the most festive decor and apparel (winner gets an agate burnisher!) AND we'll raffle off some goodies including a couple of great jewelry books and some GOLD (seriously!!). Totally free, just tune in by clicking the link on our home page. Save the date and don't forget to decorate your space, don some gay apparel and send in your recipe. Anne Wolf is our guide this month for a fascinating photo journey into the gorgeous niello work of southeastern Turkey. This time she'll discuss several striking pieces from her collection, all purchased during her trip to the region in 2005. After that, we take a deep dive into a topic many of you have burning questions about... working with torches in your home studio - specifically working with gas. Which type is best? Where do you buy tanks? How do you safely store them? What about insurance? What about oxygen concentrators?!? Read more for resource links and photos!
Thursday, November 19th 5-6pm PDT : Meet & Greet starts at 4:45pm Anne Wolf is our guide this month for a fascinating photo journey into the gorgeous niello work of southeastern Turkey - this time she'll discuss a gorgeous silver belt from her collection. After that, we're taking a deep dive into a topic many of you have burning questions about... working with torches in your home studio - specifically working with gas. Which type is best? Where do you buy tanks? How do you safely store them? What about insurance? What about oxygen concentrators?!? Tune in and bring your questions. MAAA is a FREE weekly online metal arts live show. In this fun, interactive gathering we offer demos, share tips & tricks, feature work by artists and students from around the world, go on virtual studio tours, discuss historical metal arts traditions and share resources. You're invited to join in! Send in your questions and ideas for the next Metal Arts Adventure. Need help with a tricky soldering job? Wondering if a tip you saw really works? Submit a question or segment idea any time and we'll follow up. Send it in! Want to give us a tour of your studio? Care to recommend a tool or instructor? Get free feedback from professional metal arts instructors! Join the live Zoom show.
Whilst lurking about the Thames one dark and misty night, metalsmith & world traveler Claire Ramsey happened upon a mysterious vintage baby rattle (oooh CrEePY!!) which led her to ... the London Silver Vaults - the largest collection of antique silver in the world. Dated from 1882 the vaults were originally used to house the silver of London's wealthy elites. Join us, IF YOU DARE! Next we'll calm our frayed nerves with a demo by Anne on fold-forming fall leaves (ahhhh). But then it's BACK TO TERROR with SafETy LaST in which we'll take a playful look at home studio safety. Think it's too much trouble to put on your safety glasses? Think AGAIN! (It won't be gruesome, promise). As always, we finish up with an open discussion Q&A period so get your metal arts questions ready. Read on for photos and resource links.
Join us every month on the 3rd Thursday New time too 5-6pm PST - Online via Zoom We've been having a blast with our Metal Arts Adventures - so much so that we have been lettin' other stuff slide so starting in October, MAA will happen every 3rd Thursday. We are also rolling back the time to accommodate daylight savings and our friends across the country. As always, we love to hear your ideas about what to cover in the show. Want to give us a tour of your studio? Have a cool tool you want to recommend? Been to an interesting metal arts destination and want to tell us about it? Send it in!
Join us on a fascinating visit to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, England lead by our own Anne Wolf! We’ll see how production jewelry was manufactured in the hey day of Birmingham’s Jewelry Quarter. In the early 1900's the Quarter employed over 30,000 people who used fly presses, belt-driven polishers and blow-torches (why do Brits call torches ‘blow-torches?’- watch this and you’ll never forget!). Next we'll take a virtual visit to Sculpt Nouveau with Steel & Gold Artist Bette Barnett and she'll show us how to select and buy finishes, along with some tips for purchasing patinas on their tricky website. Read more for photos, links and resources.
We're taking a week off to rejuvenate so we invite you to catch up on some of our favorite Metal Arts Adventures, hand-picked by Anne & Ame (and in no particular order). Each of these links takes you right to the short segment and we have a BIG FAVOR to ask of you when you get there. We are really, really trying to hit 101 subscribers and we need your help. For each video you see, please hit the Like button (thumbs up) and click Subscribe. When we hit 101 subscribers we can unlock new features that will help us do even more cool stuff.
For this week's episode you're encouraged to slip into a muʻumuʻu, Hawaiin shirt or don a lei 'cause we're gathering in the tropical coolness of the Anneville Tiki Lounge. We'll kick things off with a panel discussion about jewelry sales with guests Anne (Etsy), Yvonne Burkart (Shopify) and Karla Knutsen (gallery sales). After quick break to refresh our mai tais Anne will share some tips for taking great jewelry photos. Next we'll cue the fire dancers for an islands-inspired jewelry runway show and that's where YOU come in. Send in photos of work you've seen or made and we'll share them in a fast paced show that will delight and inspire. We're looking for seaglass jewelry, works referencing Polynesian art and anything that conjures up the fragrance of plumeria and the sound of waves gently lapping a moonlit shore. Extra credit to anyone who shows up with tiki mug, drink with a tiny umbrella or a lava lamp! Read on for photos and resource links.
Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating world of agates this week with Lapidary and jeweler Sky Paxton as our guide. Sky will show stunning examples and share valuable pricing insights while giving us tips on the hardness and cleavage planes of popular stones (which affect their use in certain types of settings). Sky also helps viewers identify their own stones live on the show. Next, Anne walks us through the steps of recycling filings and scrap and we check out an ingenious home jewelry bench setup and a cool, old tool. As always we finish by talking about current projects and sharing ideas. Read more for resource links.
Episode #013: Safari to a Diamond Mine in Zimbabwe | Working with Heirloom Gemstones | Show & Tool8/18/2020
After a long, hot day of hiking the Nakasendo Trail between Tokyo and Kyoto, you arrive in a small, rustic village. A mysterious, ancient temple looms in the mist. You follow the signs and find that...it's your Air B&B! In this episode we'll visit a 500 year old temple in Magome, Japan to get up close and personal with the Imori (ancestors), enjoy an amazing meal, and tour the garden - all of which is depicted in a collaborative bracelet designed by Ame and created by Anne Wolf with some help from legendary silversmith Albion Smith. Next we'll take a deep dive into the art of hinge making with Earl Bushey sharing tips from the famous hand engraver Jerry Blanchard and his Monterey buddies! You won't want to miss this totally unique approach to an age-old, fiddly challenge. As always we'll finish by talking about current projects, sharing ideas & resources and having an open Q&A.
MAA Episode #011: Exploring the Johari Bazaar in Jaipur India | Show & Tool | Health Care Hero8/6/2020
Experience an explosion of color as jewelry designer and metalsmith Chinanshu "Cheena" Sharma takes us on a virtual excursion through the Johari Bazaar in her home town, Jaipur, India. As we gaze on examples of the stunning jewelry and other crafts of this region, we'll also learn about Cheena's jewelry business background and hear her observations on design, color and craft. After that, we'll checkout some clever tools and share one of Anne's new tool purchases - direct from it's previous celebrity owner. And then we are excited to announce - and meet! - the winner of our Health Care Hero free class pass. As always we'll finish by talking about current projects, sharing ideas & resources and having an open Q&A. MAAA is a FREE weekly online metal arts presentation followed by an open discussion Q&A. In this fun, interactive gathering we offer demos, share tips & tricks, feature work by artists and students from around the world, go on virtual studio tours, discuss historical metal arts traditions, test out tips and tricks and share resources. For photos, links and more read more.
Hop a shinkansen with Anne & Ame to Tsubame-Sanjo, Japan for a visit to the 200 year old Gyokusendo metal arts factory! We'll take a tour, meet the artists and see their amazing work. After that we’ll learn to make ingenious DIY rolling mill patterns with Karla in Santa Fe and Anne will Show & Tool her latest score direct from its celebrity previous owner! As always we'll finish by talking about current projects, sharing ideas & resources and having an open Q&A. For resource links and downloads, click Read more.
Settle in with a hot espresso, uncork a super Tuscan or dip one of those wee spoons into a cool cup of gelato because we're off to Florence, Italy! In this week's Metal Arts Adventure the intrepid Monica Cardone will take us on an immersive tour of this fascinating metal arts destination. After that, Anne will test an Instagram tip to fight fly-offs (help us decide if it's a Hero or Zero) and we'll enjoy some great student work submitted during the past week. As always we'll finish by talking about current projects, sharing ideas & resources and an open Q&A. Read on for resource links.
MAA #007: Amazing Monterey Studio Tour - Get Hammered: Anne's Top 3 - Forging Possibilities7/9/2020
Thursday, July 9th 6-7pm PDT. Optional Meet & Greet starts at 5:45pm
Come with us on a tour of Delam Ltd, the Monterey home studio of accomplished metalsmith and woodworker Earl Bushey. We're also continuing our Home Studio Setup Series with an in-depth discussion of hammers (including Anne's top 3) along with an inspiring gallery of hammered metal work. We even have exciting new announcements about upcoming classes. MAAA is a FREE weekly online metal arts presentation followed by an open discussion Q&A. In this fun, interactive gathering we offer demos, share tips & tricks, feature work by artists and students from around the world, go on virtual studio tours, discuss historical metal arts traditions, test out tips and tricks and share resources.
Read on for links and resources.
Copper Work of Lake Patzcuaro - Connections Call for Art - Home Studio Set Up: Getting Hammered
Order in some authentic Mexican food and make yourself a margarita...we're traveling to exotic Lake Patzcuaro to explore the famous copper work of the Santa Clara del Cobre region of central Mexico. We're also continuing our Home Studio Series with hammer set ups - including best things to hammer on and clever noise cancelling tips. Along the way we took a look at the incredible winner of Danica Design's Battle of the Rings and shared an intriguing new call for art. Read on for the resource links. Episode #005 of Metal Arts Adventures: Rate My Home Studio Set up - Black Artists Matter - Q&A6/26/2020 This week's episode kicked off with a home studio tour by Meredith. As an ER nurse, Meredith turns to jewelry making as a way to escape and rejuvenate. She showed us her set up and Anne offered feedback (hint, her supportive husband has gifted her with some amazing tools!). We are still getting a lot of questions about home studio set ups in general so we went back to the basics for a lively discussion on just the top 10 (or 11) items needed. Surprisingly, as we were putting the list together the number one thing we realized that's needed is .... space. Having a space to create, concentrate, and de-stress is more important than ever right now as we're sheltering in place at home. We also took a quick look at 7 new makers in our Black Artists Matter segment. Read on for the full lists for both!
Episode #004 of Metal Arts Adventures: Pro ring finishing tips - Blue Steel - Let's get Pickled!6/18/2020
One of the questions Anne gets frequently is how to go about finishing rings. With hundreds of sales in her Etsy store alone, it's safe to say that Anne had some great professional ring finishing tips to share - including recommendations for supplies. Next up, metalsmith Early Bushey walked us through his home studio, stove-top method for creating a durable STUNNING blue steel patina and shared a great book all about tool making. Continuing with our Setting Up Your Home Studio series, we got pickled! Anne described her pickle approach and a crock pot recommendation. After a bit of Q&A we finished by checking out two Works that Wowed us this week - mokume pendants & earrings by Elizabeth McKenna and some striking mokume rings by Debbie Rodriquez. Read on for photos and resource links.
Metal Arts Adventures Episode #003: Taq Kasra, Clever soldering tips and Setting up your home studio6/11/2020
In this week's MAAAA Anne takes us to the ancient ruins of Taq Kasra as she tells the story of an enigmatic cigarette case. Next, Earl explained where that water comes from when you're soldering and provided a handy method for getting rid of it. Continuing on with our Home Studio Set Up series, Anne gave us a quick look at setting up a soldering cave and provided recommendations for the various parts (including suppliers). If you missed it live you can still watch the recording. Resources in this episode:
K-23 soft firebrick: clay-king.com Local San Diego source: Freeform Clay in National City Solderite board:riogrande.com/product/Solderite-Pad-Hard-12-x-12-x-12/502052 Not cheap - try the fiber board at Clay King In this week's MAAAA Anne did a Tip Test to see if Baby Bell cheese rinds really do work as saw lube. Next in the demo portion. we delved into the options for adding a torch to your home studio with a quick look at butane, MAPP gas, acetylene air recommendations. In keeping with the home studio theme, shared her unconventional bracelet mandrel - a sawed off shotgun (to be fair, she lives Montana and it's not a working gun). We also checked back in with Kathe on her MASSC Challenge and ... she did it! "Dogfish in Kelp" was successfully completed and submitted on time, so we're all rooting for her in the Challenge. Resources from this episode:
Send us your Questions Our next MAAAA is scheduled for Thursday, June 11th from 6-7pm PDT. This is your chance to get FREE feedback from professional metal arts instructors! Send in your questions or submit an item for one of the other segments and we'll follow up as needed on any details. Want help with a tricky soldering job? Ask Anne. Wondering if a tip you saw really works? Send us the link. Want to share a recent piece or give us a tour of your studio? Send us some pix. Care to recommend a special tool or great class (or instructor)? Let us know! You are heartily invited to send us your questions, works-in-progress, new tool finds and more! Metal Arts Adventures with Anne and Ame (MAAAA) Episode #001 Premieres with over 30 Attendees!5/29/2020 Our first MAAAA was great fun with about 30 participants sharing an hour of jewelry metal arts tips, samples, updates, resources and community. In this episode: Tip Test: a clever technique for cutting tubing using a flexshaft. Handy for making spikes too! Work that Wowed Us: two ingenious pendants with chisel texturing, precision filed edges and flush-set stones made under home quarantine (without a torch!) by Janet Ross (Houston, Tx). What's on Anne's Bench: Anne shows off the gorgeous Monterey Cypress wood box custom made by Earl Bushey to house her newest mokume gane vessel. What's on Your Bench?: Student Joanne Hein shows off some of her home quarantine mokume gane pendants and earrings while Kathe Dunn shares her 2020 MASSC Challenge entry, a large copper pendant with set stones. Ask Anne: Anne Wolf and Deb Jemmott weigh in on a great question from Monica Cardone about using the "Sharpie Technique" for determining if a piece is annealed. Extra Segment: We also gratefully acknowledge the mask sewing work of several of our participants. If you missed it live you can still catch up by watching it below or by heading over to our YouTube channel where you can give us a Like and subscribe to catch future episodes! |
Anne WolfEducator, metalsmith, jeweler, maker of custom mokume gane jewelry and wedding rings.
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