celebrated anxiety 11

celebrated anxiety 11
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

This is a piece that I just finished last week-
it's fabricated pewter, about 10" tall, and has 3 box compartments when it is dismantled.

The title is "Celebrated Anxiety" - it's about that twitchy nervous feeling you get when you are late for something.

The text that encircles the top and middle box reads "I'm Late, I'm Late, for a Very Important Date" then "No time to say Hello Goodbye I'm Late I'm Late I'm Late" (from the Lyrics of "I'm Late" in the Disney Version of Alice in Wonderland"

In making this piece I came to realize that "Late" means different things for men vs women- I'm not saying this as a criticism or anything- it's simply a natural fact- women's bodies are ruled by the moon, the changing of seasons and time- and being "late" can mean wonderful and horrifying things to a woman depending on the state of their lives.

Men have a very different relationship with time- late is a fact-
and I wonder if they experience a similar anxiety or if it is completely different, if we secrete diverse chemical responses- similar to the diverse responses that prey animals feel vs predators when startled by a loud noise.

In any case- this is the piece I made- it's a cross between a wedding cake and a trophy- I was thinking these thoughts wile I made it, and I hope you enjoy it- I'm planning on entering it into some shows this year- so hopefully it will be seen in a gallery soon!
thanks for your comments-
ciao ciao- Maureen BZ

MBZ Fred Fenster and Hiroko1

MBZ Fred Fenster and Hiroko1
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

ahh, love. I must say that my Haystack experience was the most intensely amazing lovefest in the studio that I have ever experienced.
I am left with a feeling of fortune, to have been included in the wonderful group of students that attended the session with me. Every one had contributions to bring to the table- each personality complimented another, in a way that only magic could explain.
Haytack Session 4, Metals....TLForever
xxxooo- M

Report from the Far West

Amazing Artists,

Historic Buildings, 

Sunny skies, 

Free Trade,

Flowing Liquids, 

Campfires, 

Singing, 

Dancing, 

Saw File and Soldering.....

Just a few descriptive words for the Magical annual event called the Yuma Sumposium

(click here to see the YS website) The last weekend in February, the dusty 

desert outpost of Yuma Arizona hosts artists and creative minds from around the world. 

This year was the 30th anniversary.

I describe it like this:

the Yuma Symposium is where your heroes 

become your friends

and your friends become your heroes

Me and Harlon Butt, the President elect of the 

Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG)

and the creator of the most poetically gorgeous cloisonné vessels you will ever set eyes on

his website is at: http://www.harlanbutt.com/

(I had the privilage to take a workshop with Harlon a few years ago and I get to see him every once in a while at metalsmithing conferences. It is always wonderful to see him)

Yuma is where you get a good dose of kitsch, 

with a flair that lets you know

(in no uncertain terms)

that you are on the edge of California

it's a place where

a man on a segway with a cellphone

ambles by a Giant Rooster...all on webcam 

(see Yuma's live webcam here)

(the webcam had more interesting images when we were there, that's for sure)

It had been 6 years since I had last attended the Symposium, but I declare now that 

I will move heaven and earth to attend next year. 

It was that good.

really.

New Rings and "Franco SonoStanco"

" Maremekko" ring

I'm introducing a duo of solid silver rings

this week in my Etsy shop.

"Paisley Silver"

these were made during my time studying engraving

in Florence Italy.

And When I met one of my many Mentors...

My instructor is known as one of Florence Italy's most versatile

Master Jeweler.

He continues today to teach stone setting and hand engraving

4 nights a week at Fuji studios (via Guelfa). He is also the head goldmith for Graziella Jewelry, Florence Italy.

His name is Franco Benevieri,

but I always call him Franco "sono stanco"

(Franco "I'm tired"...)

He would come in and teach

5-10 of us (mostly foreign) students

the art of hand engraving and stone setting

after he put in a full days work at the bench.

Sitting in the Big arched entry hall of the studio,

smoking countless "MS" cigarettes..

sometimes listening to soccer...

He would come around to the bench and do

a quiet demo...

in simple Italian
for those who didn't yet speak the language..

and

All the students would leave the program with

at least a few phrases..

"fai Buchi"- drill holes,

"e' torto"- it's distorted

"fatto male"- made poorly

and if you were lucky......

"Brava"( good) usually followed by..

"coolo"- slang for lucky...

and of course,

" sono stanco",

(cause the guy works all the time

and is exhausted by the end of the day)

I got to visit him last summer..

here's a pic...

Thanks (Grazie) Franco for all of those days

that you go to teach, even when

you are "stanco morto".

Your knowledge and expertise are so valuable, and sharing it

will help many other metalsmiths continue

to uphold the standards and traditions that you teach.

I hope to see him again this summer... until then..

Fai Buchi!

Ciao!

Introduction? thank a mentor

Here's the thing- I jumped in to blogging without a plan other than to start. to dive.

Like I jumped into metalsmithing....innocent to the path it would lead me

Now I realise that I should at least introduce myself! I'm going to give a little history of my involvement in metals..

(in installments, so it's not as daunting a task)



so, here goes nothing----"the early years"

It all started By Chance and My Mother's Lament over my immense un-hire-ability

Metalsmithing discovered me back in 1986 when I couldn't get a job during summers home from college. The owner of my mother's favorite jewelry store took pity on a scruffy artsy punk rock girl and offered to take me in as an apprentice..




I worked my bondoonie off. 6 days a week that first summer, driving 30 miles each way from my home in New Hampshire to the coastal town Ogonquit Maine, and Perkins Cove. Summerwind Silversmiths' owner, Mel Reisz would spend a couple of hours each week training me to perfect my techniques. Believe me, I went through a Huge amount of silver that first month! (thank God for refining) All summer I mostly made silver chain and earrings..nothing too exciting but great practice. Invaluable.



I hauled my sorry butt every morning to my rickety Gum-and-Wire-Hangers Ford Fiesta and trekked to the cove, shaking myself awake all the while. (the car helped shake too) My shoulders ached from forging and my teeth suffered from the presence of the penny candy shop next door..One night my hand slipped while I was cutting 10 gague wire, and I ended up with 10 stitches holding my finger together...(middle finger) It was rough at times...



BUT- By the end of that first summer, I could solder like a madwoman and forge chain like a pirate!



I look back on that summer and see the impossibility of it all. One of those moments where I think, well, "what if?" and I think I owe gratitude to my early mentor for giving me a chance.



Now that I have " a few links under my belt" I enjoy teaching metals to beginners..and have seen the excitement when my students start to become proficient...My hope is that 20 years from now one of them is passing their passion about craft on to an apprentice as well....



Thanks Mel.