new computer

I now have a new computer. Not that I was in the market for one..

I got one by default after someone (not me) spilled a cup of tea on the keyboard of my laptop.

Now , after  A week of trips to the computer store, angst , tossing and turning and grumbling I am faced with a weekend of learning how to use a Mac. Yup, I made the switch. I had heard so many negative stories about Vista that I refused to be forced to get another pc. 

so....we will now see what all the hubbub is about bub.

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!

special day

Tears of Joy

My inauguration day celebration... at home with my good friend and my hubby...





Our newest President and First lady




Waving the "terrible Towel" of victory



My son's class spent the day watching the swearing in, building the white house with blocks (grade -k-1 ) and studying presidents past by sorting coins..passing on history to the next generation!


even our cat, Kikka honored Dr King's memory...

"I had a dream"


wonderful.

I'm Branching OUT!

Last week I started making ear Tunnels.

First in Mokume Gane, then in circus stripe copper and silver..I'm contemplating making a pair with 18 k yellow and sterling mixed metals.. and then there is etching.... I think I will be doing some plugs soon too...

I'm feeling my urban roots..listening to loud music (the CraMPS, Tom wAITS..nICK cAVE..)

thinking a lot about days of old when I was bold..Art School days..(SMFA Boston) those freezing walks behind the MFA to get to the school..slipping and sliding on the sheets of ice that often formed there. I am feeling nostalgic, a desire for those old grungy smoke filled days. Memory has got to be selective...I know I was 85% miserable for most of those years..(ask anyone, they will tell you)but still there remains the romance of the past.

OH the Joys of Metalsmithing! one thing leads to another..love it love it love it.

ahh.. winter in Southern Arizona!

While most of my family toughs out winters in the Northeast and Northwest, we revel in the splendor of cloudless 70 degree days here in Tucson.

I call it bragging season....

here are a few images I took this week (for my project 365 experiment)

I met my friend Kariman in the park. She was flying a handmade kite with her son

We went for a hike at Catalina State Park, near Tucson. The mountain snow runs off into a series of streams .. that eventually ends up in the Santa Cruz river. (which is dry 85% of the time)

Rhythm and texture found in the remains of a cactus..

Before you get upset about my bragging, remember to mark your calenders for late August, when the monsoons dry up and we here in Tucson are stuck with another 2 months or so of hideous heat ..(then be sure to send me a reminder of the lovely weather you are enjoying)

what goes up must come down.

Snuggle up, put another log on the fire..I'll try my best to send some warmth your way~

ciao- Maureen