[Jewelry making - Article 00653] - Re: [Orchid] Diversity in our trade

[HE2020]

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     Ok Karl, since I am Black and one of the few... I guess I should
     begin in answering your questions. 

     Hopefully, I won't be stereotyping, but we love to wear it more
     than make it.  It's so much easier to go to the store and pick out
     the pretties to wear. 

     But on the other hand, which is probably truer than my above
     statement, there are fields of education that just are not
     available in the inner city/urban schools where most blacks attend.
      I grew up in Washington, DC... though I did not attend the public
     schools there (Catholic school education all the way), we did not
     have the means to provide this type of art.  In my catholic school,
     we were taught the more advanced mathematics, and chemistry
     classes.  For the other classes which were taught to make us
     well-rounded, we were given classes like home-ec, and sewing
     classes. 

     I can't speak for what occurred in the public schools, but from my
     limited experience of when my siblings and my son attended school
     there, fine arts were not emphasized and rarely taught.  The
     schools are not equipped for teaching metalsmithing and that sort
     of thing. 

     So, those of us who are out there, and there are few that I have
     run into in the recent years, have stumbled upon the jewelry
     industry in our "older" years of life.  I'm unique in that I come
     from a family who was into artistic things ... my mother being a
     seamstress.  I broke a necklace about 6+ years ago, put it away. 
     Then I broke another one, put it away also.  While browsing in the
     fabric store one day, I ran across the supplies for making jewelry
     ... and decided that I could fix my necklaces that I had broken. 
     And the rest is sort of history.  My jewelry experience has sort of
     progressed from using costume type jewelry components to the
     precious metals and gemstones. 

     I've been fortunate to move to a very artsy community and have had
     the honor to meet Sam Patania, who has guided me into other methods
     of jewelry making.  For this I am very grateful, for without his
     mentoring and taking me under his wing for a time period, I would
     not be pounding on metals the way that I am now.  Thanks Sam.......
     btw, that bracelet is still sitting on my counter waiting to be
     finished with you.  ;) 

Helen (in Tucson where its feeling like fall weather outside)

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