[Jewelry making - Article 00193] - Re: [Orchid] Metalsmith's Exhibition in Print

[James Binnion]

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>         I would agree with you that there is a publication void for
>     the type of work that you describe.  It did appear, for a time,
>     that Metalsmith might be the place for this.  I suppose that
>     Lapidary Journal-- until recently and Ornament might provide some
>     of the solution. 

    My impression of Lapidary Journal is that it writes for the beginner
    and hobbyist ( This is not a put down of hobbyists, I was one for
    many years) and Ornament  (which I love) is not the magazine I am
    looking for either with its broad focus on beads,fiber and jewelry. I
    was told that Metalsmith retreated from printing technical articles
    due to fear of lawsuits and has never found its way back. Metalsmith
    states on its masthead that it is "a publication of SNAG, the
    organization for jewelers, designers and metalsmiths" so it claims
    to represent this wide group of makers and designers.  There seems
    to be room to take up 11 expensive color pages with Susan Kingsley's
    polemic on gold mining's environmental impact but not one columns
    worth of space for technical and or trade information for the
    working smith? Is it now Metalsmith/Greenpeace? Please don't blast
    me about the validity of her article I am aware of the deleterious
    effects of mining on the environment. My point is that there is a
    place in the magazine for political statements but not one for
    information about studio work. If the major portion of my dues goes
    to funding Metalsmith then I feel it is only right to see better
    representation of information for a large percentage of SNAGS
    membership. I have brought this up To Dana and to SNAG board members
    in the past and always hear the same thing. Yes lots of people want
    the technical articles but somehow no one ever seems to do anything
    about making it happen. I think that I remember correctly that the
    great majority of the circulation of Metalsmith goes out to SNAG
    members so it should be aimed at them not the virtually non existent
    collectors or the gallery owners. 

>        I think that, perhaps, we need to carefully describe and define
>     just the type of work that we're talking about.   Lines blur easily
>     when we talk about "studio jewelry' or "art jewelry'. It is hard
>     for me to be clear in my own  mind  just what qualities work would 
>     possess to define it as quality, professional artisanal jewelry and
>     distinguish it from either of the far ends of the spectrum.  I
>     believe that all work has, on some level, concept and content. The
>     problem may be that some publications and organizations wish to
>     impose Draconian definitions of those terms-- both the "trade" and
>     the "ivory tower". 

    I agree the terms are subjective and can be used in a pejorative
    way. My reference for a studio smith is one who is making a small
    number of items with the intent of hand crafting the work. I belive
    you are right that all crafted items have some level of concept in
    the genesis of the piece. But there is a group that is most strongly
    represented by the staff and students of Art schools where content
    is everything and workmanship is never even an issue and it seems
    that much of what has been covered in Metalsmith in the past 20
    years has been in that category.

>         There have been many voices bemoaning the lack of technical
>     material both in the magazine and at the conferences. 

    This is what I don't understand. I hear this from so many people and
    yet the board cannot seem to get the editor who works for the board
    to address this. SNAG underwrites the magazine, it is SNAG's
    magazine it should be under SNAGS control. 

>        I'm not sure what the solution is but it is my hope that SNAG
>     and Metalsmith may one day prove to be the "Big Tent" that Don
>     wrote of. Perhaps someone who has followed this thread, someone
>     with enough money and energy, can launch a publication that would
>     feature quality work from professionals making a living at what
>     they do. (But wouldn't that become exclusionary at some point?) 
>     Short of that, perhaps the course of SNAG and Metalsmith can be
>     steered more in that direction. 

    There is not a need really for a new magazine  just a broader
    editorial focus. If you have a copy go back and look at the Winter
    84 issue of Metalsmith and see the wide variety of topics covered.
    There is nothing keeping the magazine from covering art, technique,
    interviews and reviews all in one issue they have done it before. 

>         At any rate, thanks for your response. Will I see you at the
>     Seattle Symposium? 

I don't know yet.

Regards,
Jim Binnion

James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
http://www.mokume-gane.com
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
Member of the Better Business Bureau

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