LJ, Metalsmith, and other magazines

I have followed the Lapidary Journal/Metalsmith discussion with
interest over the past few days. I feel many of you that are so
unhappy with LJ and who also are finding that Metalsmith does not
meet all of your needs may be missing something.

Many of you seem to be seeking technical articles. There is a
magazine that will provide this sort of to you. It is
called American Jewelry Manufacturer (AJM).

AJM is geared to help jewelry manufacturing businesses succeed.
Technical articles dealing with subjects that range from casting
problems and stone setting, to selecting the right equipment, to
general business and marketing help appear often in the magazine.
It is the magazine’s goal to run at least one technical article
per month.

The magazine is written for both large and small manufacturers
of jewelry product. While not everyone will find something that
directly applies to them in every issue, over the course of a
year there is something for every serious jewelry manufacturing
business.

Just wanted to let you all know that there are other
alternatives. If any of you would like to know more about AJM you
can e-mail me at @CMarand885. I’ll be happy to get back to
you.

You may also call (800) 444-6572 if you prefer.

Candace Marandola
Associate Editor/AJM Magazine

Technical articles dealing with subjects that range from casting
problems and stone setting

Those who are most disappointed in LJ buy the magazine (or used
to in many cases) because it was dedicated to stone CUTTING.

AJM sounds like a great resource for jewelers, and I have heard
it highly praised.

Regards,

Tom

G’day; Yes, me again! This time I want to suggest that any
given article - a magazine is one example - has an editor/seller
who knows his/her audience/market (Political correctness - BAH!)

  • if he doesn’t the audience stops buying and voila!! he’s done
    his job in. It really isn’t much use complaining to Orchid
    about LJ: (other than to find others who agree/disagree with you)
    Bitch to the Editor of LJ as well! Finally, surely in a
    discipline like jewellery which has dozens of branch-shoots there
    is room for Titanium bashing, rock grinding, silver bezelling,
    bead rattling, wire crocheting, faceting… SO LONG AS NONE
    OF THE ABOVE HOG ALL THE EDITORIAL SPACE. And there you go ;
    my 2x10 to the minus 3 dollars worth.

          /\
         / /    John Burgess, 
        / /
       / //\    @John_Burgess2
      / / \ \
     / (___) \
    (_________)

IMHO the Metalsmith magazine is nothing more than a forum for
academic discussions and full of Artspeak. I cancelled my
subscription when they stopped publishing technical articles for
fear of lawsuits. Michael

 I cancelled my subscription when they stopped publishing
technical articles for fear of lawsuits.  

I didn’t know that they used to offer that! Wow, I’m truly
sorry that I missed out on that info!!!

 It really isn't much use complaining to Orchid about LJ:
(other than to find others who agree/disagree with you) Bitch
to the Editor of LJ as well!  

Hi John! I agree with your thoughts! I’m one who thinks that
Lapidary Journal has become a magazine that I cannot live
without!
If it were only about lapidary, I wouldn’t be looking
forward to getting it. I know nothing about cutting stones
(maybe someday I’ll learn . . . ) and I don’t have the time at
present. I only seek the metal working pages and look at the
designs featured for “ideas.” I don’t even have time to
practice the glass bead making for which I took a class - over a
year ago- gosh, wish I had more time on my hands! I don’t get
excited over the Bead Annual edition . . . although they show
some very beautiful beads!

Glad to see that the recent surgery didn’t remove your sense of
humor and/or your knowledge!!!

I didn’t know that they used to offer that! Wow, I’m truly
sorry that I missed out on that info!!!

Metalsmith (SNAG) had some good technical papers. Some lawyer
must have butted in. I have an almost complete set- please don’t
sue me…

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

Greetings all: Regarding Metalsmith magazine: am I the only one
who finds the editorial content grossly over intellectual? Example
from summer '97 (Frank C. Lewis, Editor): “Because she combines
the tradition of reliquaries with homages to individuals in her
life, it might be expected that Babs Galaro finds the aesthetics
of excess an efficacious strategy. In its insistence on
simplification and purity, modernist design seldom allows for
complexity, contingency, and the profusion of memories,
fragments, and experiences which help us construct our present
selves. The multipurpose functions of religiouse reliquaries as
containers, liturgical implements, monstrances, icons, and
fetishes, among others, demands a formally complex,
iconographically loaded form. Galaro additionally references
both a history of metalsmithing techniques and her own training
and production practices in her curious and almost medieval
Prince Caffeinetta. And while it is arguable that highly personal
work does not ipso facto have to engage more, rather than less,
as an operative strategy, many metalsmiths including Galaro
certainly find that excess lends itself more fully and more
richly to the dense, quirky, private, and associative operations
of consciousness.” HUH? What the hell was all that? In my mind,
the creative endeavors in which we are all engaged derive from a
deeply emotional place. Creativity comes from the soul. In what
way does all that highbrow intellectual gobbledegook further the
cause of art jewelry? How does this attitude toward ones work
make it more accessable to the buying public? My point is this:
I think they need to get away from all that mental masturbation
and leave out all those 25 cent words and focus on providing more
useful on technique and/or business issues. Oh well,
enough outta me. Anyone else care to comment? @DMorton567

It’s not overly intellectual–it’s jargon–or craftspeak. I
agree–it’s essentially meaningless. Sandra

Nice pictures, though…:wink:

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

hahahaha!!! Thank you for posting that! Now, I know WHY I
never read the articles, I have to ADMIT . … I only look at the
pictures!!!

I don’t think they will be offering regarding
technique in the near future (from what I’ve been reading here .
. .) it appears that when they did that, they almost ended up in
hot water!?!

 My point is this: I think they need to get away from all that
mental masturbation and leave out all those 25 cent words and
focus on providing more useful on technique and/or
business issues. Oh well, enough outta me. Anyone else care to
comment?

Right on!!!

If you don’t have anything substantive, baffle 'em with BS!

Dave

Email: nbwidmer@c-com

I found this magazine (editorials and some articles) to be truly
abusive to my intellect. Most of the articles I read, under
extreme mental angst, didn’t offer any useful at all.
For the life of me I can’t understand who might be interested in
this material or who their intended audience is. Needless to say
I have not ordered a subscription, although I might look through
it at the library, for free. Some of the photography gave me
ideas for photographing my own work. If anyone knows of a good
(that means readable) metal magazine, let me know. I’d like a
monthly or quarterly that added to my knowledge base.

Like you, I have found the artspeak babble (which spews forth
from so many of the so-called critics) a wonder to behold. Most
of these people have never touched a file or a brush or a chisel
in their lives, but instead have spent years in the ivory towers
of acadame, aquiring degrees and fellowships and grants and kudos
for their scholastic endevours. When they are presented with the
actual work of an artist or artisan and asked for commentary,
they belch forth great clouds of drivel which are in a code
understood only by others in their cloisterd little community. No
wonder the general public views the whole art scene as elitist –
the more of this balderdash they read, the more turned off they
become.

In what way does all that highbrow intellectual
gobbledegook further the cause of art jewelry?

It doesn't.  It furthers the author's feeling of 
intellectual superiority.

How does this attitude toward ones work make it more
accessable to the buying public?

It doesn't.  It's the "Emperor's New Clothes" marketing 
technique, aimed at wealthy people who want to feel 
that their money equates to cultural superiority.  

I think they need to get away from all that mental masturbation
and leave out all those 25 cent words and focus on providing more
useful on technique and/or business issues.

Excellent point, but it is based on the (possibly 
false) assumption that they are capable of "providing 
more useful on technique and/or business 
issues."  They can "talk the talk", but can they 
"walk the walk"?

Tom LaRussa

 Regarding Metalsmith magazine: am I the only one who finds the
editorial content grossly over intellectual? Example from
summer '97 <snip>

Well D., I think you’re wrong. Many of those words are at least
four bit words. Sounds like the editor got a word a day calendar
& read it all the night before. Rather good example of
pseudo-intellectual keyboard masturbation as you said.

I must thank you and many of the others who’ve commented on
magazines here in the Orchid forum for helping me to judge which
periodicals to spend my money on. Every month I eagerly open my
LJ & turn to the center section where I hope to find useful info

  • seems like it happens less & less frequently. I enjoy the
    pretty pictures, etc but miss the old LJ of Rocks! & Stones!,
    where to find 'em & what to do with 'em once acquired. I buy
    the old back issues from a decade or more ago at rock shows as I
    always find useful info in every issue, whether instructions,
    shop help or jewelry construction which was not confined to only
    the center section. Wish it were still that way. In many of
    the interviews with the artists featured in LJ, the artists say
    LJ was a big help, sometimes the only teacher they had and
    recommend getting those old LJ for all the info they contain -
    why doesn’t the staff at LJ hear that?

It’s time for my LJ renewal, will only renew for 1 year this
time, & am going to take advantage of the 3 month trail
subscription to AJM.

Kat

Greetings all: Regarding Metalsmith magazine: am I the only one
who finds the editorial content grossly over intellectual? 

Nah…well, maybe that’s cuz I only look at the pictures :wink:

Example

from summer '97 (Frank C. Lewis, Editor): "Because she combines
the tradition of reliquaries with homages to individuals in her
life, it might be expected that Babs Galaro finds the aesthetics
of excess an efficacious strategy. 

Funny you should pick this for your example. In fall of '96 I
took a “Metal” class at a local college. The instructor that I
was supposed to have was on sabbatical and her replacement for
the semester was Babs Galaro. She’s a really down to Earth
person, has good sense of humor and is a wonderful Metalsmith &
teacher. So, who writes this stuff?? Can’t imagine those words
coming out of Babs’s mouth although I guess it’s possible. I
tried to e mail her after I read that article but got no reply.
Can’t help but wonder if she laughed as hard at what was written
as I did??!!! =-)

In its insistence on

simplification and purity, modernist design seldom allows for
complexity, contingency, and the profusion of memories,
fragments, and experiences which help us construct our present
selves. The multipurpose functions of religiouse reliquaries as
containers, liturgical implements, monstrances, icons, and
fetishes, among others, demands a formally complex,
iconographically loaded form. Galaro additionally references
both a history of metalsmithing techniques and her own training
and production practices in her curious and almost medieval
Prince Caffeinetta. And while it is arguable that highly personal
work does not ipso facto have to engage more, rather than less,
as an operative strategy, many metalsmiths including Galaro
certainly find that excess lends itself more fully and more
richly to the dense, quirky, private, and associative operations
of consciousness." HUH? What the hell was all that? 

Geeze, I dunno!!! (I know I should’ve snipped some of that but
it’s so darned good !!!)

 Creativity comes from the soul. In what way does all that
highbrow intellectual gobbledegook further the   cause of art
jewelry?

It reminds me of what another instructor taught me, he called it
“Art-ese” , you know, the BS that some people think they need to
spread around to “prove” or promote themselves or something like
that =-)

Kathie

 Greetings all: Regarding Metalsmith magazine: am I the only
one who finds the editorial content grossly over intellectual?

DMorton,

I just look at the pictures.

Mark P.

It's time for my LJ renewal, will only renew for 1 year this
time, & am going to take advantage of the 3 month trail
subscription to AJM. 	

Pls tell me what a 3 month trail subscription to AJM is???

 My point is this: I think they need to get away from all that
mental masturbation and leave out all those 25 cent words and
focus on providing more useful on technique and/or
business issues. Oh well, enough outta me. Anyone else care to
comment?
If you don't have anything substantive, baffle 'em with BS!

When ideas fail, words come in very handy. (Goethe)

Rita