EM Secret Santa 2010

EM Secret Santa 2010 010
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Dear Etsy Metal Secret Santa 2010,

I've been naughty and your Christmas present is shipping late. Instead of a bunch of whiny excuses, I'll post a photo here so that you might see your ring. I'm also terrible with keeping presents secret..... I'm so thrilled to give presents that I want to immediately tell what's inside.

I hope that you have a wonderful and joyful holiday.

Cheers,
Sara

A Stone Setting Story

Passionate Heart Pendant closeup angle 2
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Many of you know that my husband Hans has been learning lapidary, which is the art of cutting stones. He has been cutting cabochons--the smooth rounded stones--for about a year and has been faceting stones for about 6 months. He is very anxious for me to set his stones. I have put it off as long as possible. I have not really set many fancy cut gemstones, so I admit that I am a bit intimated. This weekend I decided to tackle them. I have a show coming up this weekend and I figured that I needed lots of bling!

This "morganite" cubic zirconia is cut from a pattern designed by Jeff Graham called "White Asterism". It weighs 12 carats. The pattern boasts 72.6 in light return with a mere 73 facets in 6-fold mirror-image symmetry. (I looked that up on the pattern page.)

Here's what I did:
I used 3 shanks of 16 gauge wire about 3 inches long and then notched them in the middle with a file. I bent them in half and arranged them so that they were equidistant from each other and soldered the center together. Then I gently bent the arms from my 6 sided wire snowflake shape over my "rings" and soldered them to 2 large jumprings--one at a time. (this made a little cage--can't wait to explore that idea too!) All solder was done with hard solder. I trimmed off the centerpiece where they were soldered at the bottom and filed it. Next I cut the top prongs to the correct height. I rounded the prong tips and notched them with a little hand tool made specifically for that purpose.

So far I'm really pleased and feel that I'm finding a definitive style by using these bigger, flashier stones. So my darling Hans, I just ordered you some more rough gemstone. :D

My First Brooch

My First Brooch
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Kind of sounds silly, but I was really intimidated to do a brooch. I think its because in order to have a sturdy back you can't use sterling wire to make the "pin" stick part. I have many sketches for brooch/pendant combination pieces, so I'm excited that I've crossed over the threshold. Now everything my be brooches!

Thanks to Andy Cooperman for some tricks for pin backs that he shared with me.

My First Publication

I was so giddy last week when I saw a yellow bubble mailer from Lark Books. I had a hunch that it would be this book!!!! I opened it up and looked inside to see my first piece of jewelry in print. Being included in this book has quite literally changed my life.

In the Spring of 2009, I received an email from Lark Books inviting me to participate in this project. I was confused. At that time I had only been metalsmithing for a little over 2 years--having received my first torch as a present from my sweet husband, Hans for Christmas 2006. My maiden name was Graham and I was immediately terrified that they had mixed me up with a well-known (and famous) metalsmith--Sarah Graham. I consulted with a few friends and then I mustered up the courage to call Lark Books. I explained that they made a mistake and that I probably wasn't the person that they wanted, plus I was entirely self-taught. The Lark representative, Amanda Caresto, laughed good-naturedly and assured me that Marthe Le Van did not make a mistake and wanted me to be involved in this project.

Many of you know that I'm a classically trained opera singer with a master's in voice performance. I had struggled with my life's twists and turns and had really felt like a failure because I chose not to pursue a career and to be a Mom. I had frequent nightmares of being a failure. While I love being a mom, my artistic and ambitious impulses fought to get out. I turned to metalsmithing as a hobby to soothe my pent up frustration. I read every book I could get my hands on and every weekend, I would challenge myself to learn a new technique. I believed that if I had done a technique 100 times, then I owned that skill.

After the birth of my second child in 2006, I adopted my 10 year old niece. I went from one child to three quite literally overnight. I had to make more money, so began to sell my jewelry at church festivals and local craft fairs. It was impossible for me to teach more students because my voice would wear out, but I could make jewelry all night long while everyone slept. I had always wanted to make jewelry, but never knew about "art" jewelry. Now I can't imagine not making jewelry!!!

I want to thank Marthe Le Van and Linda Kopp for believing in me and for allowing me to be in this book. This validation happened at such a key moment in my life and has transformed me as an artist. I also thank my husband and my niece for all their help that allowed me time to work. I want to thank Karen Schoon who has always believed in me and who has been like a second mother to me. I am grateful for my Mom and Dad who have always been there for me. I only wish that my Dad had lived long enough to see me be an artist. And I thank all the people who have purchased my work. I feel so blessed and I am full of joy.

Now I hope that you all will want to purchase your very own copy of The Jewelry Design Challenge!

Inspiration comes in packages....

RAD 148 Inspiration packages
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Today I received a very special surprise from Experimetal (aka Victoria Takahashi). Inside the box were these little packages. Just as I was getting ready to rip them all open, I spied a note with the "rules".

"If you open a package you have to use it, OR use it for inspiration and make a piece within 24 hours.

NO PEEKING! (Fondling counts as peeking)"

So, I decided that I could handle one little challenge before my trip to Seattle tomorrow, so I selected one in the middle of the bag and opened it up. I found this gorgeous rock with the natural hole already in it. I loved the shape and wanted to play with it as a ring.

I've decided to call them my "inspiration packages".



It was an idea that Kathryn Riechert began when she sent a package to Victoria. Its very fun and playful. I feel like a kid again--caught up in my play.

Today's Ring Inspiration

RAD 137 only the days you eat 004
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

My mother in law is one of the most amazing violin teachers I've ever met. She teaches kids in a "Suzuki" method. When kids ask how often they should practice, Dr. Suzuki's answer is that you only have to practice on the days you eat. In this tradition they also do a song 10,000 times before that song is mastered.

As a musician myself, I apply a daily discipline to my metalsmithing. I often challenge myself to try something new. Trying it once is not enough, getting it right once is not enough, so I relentlessly pursue it until it becomes a part of me. I think that there is some magic with number 10,000.

Yep, 10,000 of anyone thing is a lot of doing. This ring reminds me that I have to work at my art "only the days you eat".

"Craft Corps" by Vickie Howell

I am addicted to people's life stories and especially their successes. I normally do most of my reading via audio books when I'm traveling, but I've come across a book that has made me want to sit down and study it! "Craft Corps" by Vickie Howell published by Lark Books is a colorful and engaging book about the lives of hundreds of crafters. The tag line says it all, "Documenting the Crafting Revolution" with "celebrity interviews, profiles of everyday crafters, and tales of making a creative life." I am fascinated with the grassroots community and their overabundant dose of Do-It-Yourself combined with ingenuity. I love that this book instantly captures my attention and makes me want to read more. I think that you will love it too!