[Jewelry making - Article 00635] - Re: [Orchid] Article: Minimal Metalsmithing

[John Donivan]

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    There are actually two threads here - Nanz's posting, and PMC in
    general. I'd just like to comment on the second, as the first is done
    with and out of everyone's hands. First off, I'd never seen "Art
    Jewelry" magazine, or even heard of it, and someone had a link to it
    here in Orchid. I'd also only seen a bit of PMC work, and I've looked
    at more of that now, too. To address many of the issues raised:
    sintering and even metal clay is not a new invention by any means -
    there's evidence of it from 1200BC. There is nothing in jewelry that
    is new - you should all know that. Lasers? They are heat. And I
    should say that my concept of "Art Jewelry" is more like this:
    http://tinyurl.com/2fcmqp. Here's a quote from an older Orchid:
    [There was controversy when lost wax casting became popular after
    World War II] For instance. I'm not sure what controversy that is,
    since the Chinese and Byzantines were doing it......Jewelry making is
    bigger than everybody here put together. Jewelry making is one of the
    nearest things to "eternal" that we have. Everybody needs to get over
    themselves. Again, somebody said that people are afraid of new
    technologies and methods - nothing could be further from the truth.
    If it is better, faster or easier, jewelers (real jewelers) will
    flock to it like flies to honey. So, yes, Art Jewelry magazine should
    rightfully called PMC advocate magazine, but what's in a name?
    Somebody else mentioned the "glue the popsicle sticks together
    crowd". I'd say that's pretty accurate.... What I saw on the PMC
    guild website though, was a lot of work that didn't deserve the disc
    storage space, truly, and other work that made me think that if they
    were only working in wax they'd have something. It's pretty obvious
    they're battling the material, instead of going with it. I'm sure
    there are more accomplished users out there, of course. The real
    point of this meandering is that if one likes and enjoys any medium
    then that's perfectly fine with me. It's when statements are made
    that all methods lead to the same ends, that clay or casting or
    fabrication can all reach the same goals if we only try hard enough
    and have enough talent or skill, that I put on the brakes. That is
    simply not true. In fact, it betrays a profound ignorance of how
    jewelry is made in the real world. PMC can not and will never be able
    to do the piece I linked to above. It is, and has always been, the
    job of the maker to make the initial decision: Cast, fabricate or
    both, turn or mill or stamp or other, to suit the task at hand.
    Contrary to the quote about casting above, it has been that job since
    prehistory. The jewelry industry has its eyes wide open - it's the
    students and the amateurs who struggle with these issues - that's
    what students and amateurs do in every field. There is little "method
    snobbery" in the trade - "but I never cast!, but I only cast!" Cast
    pieces are cast, fabricated pieces are fabricated, everything's hunky
    dory and we all make money. Casters do the casting, fabricators do
    their jobs, we are all immensely talented and work as a team so we
    all treat each other with the respect that is due. If metal clay of
    any brand had qualities that made it suited to widespread use, it
    would be used widely, and its just that simple. I would use it, if it
    had any attraction or purpose for me (we have an ounce in the safe
    that remains unopened), but I don't, not because it's "beneath me" or
    anything like that. I don't use it because I have no use for it. If I
    did want to do that kind of "smooshy" work, I'd probably use
    sculpting wax - it would give me exactly my model at 1/5 of the cost
    without the porosity issues. The issue for a professional is how to
    do it fast, right and economically and to use the best materials to
    accomplish that - not to grapple with something that really can't do
    the work just because its trendy. If metal clay was the thing for
    that, then that's what I would use. But its not......If it is for
    you, or you just enjoy it, or you don't have a workshop behind you,
    then have at it - send me a picture of your work, I'd like that. Just
    don't try to pretend you're going to make a Faberge egg out of it
    'cos you're not. 

http://www.donivanandmaggiora.com

 
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