Necklace
This necklace which I called “Claire” was made earlier this year out of elements I made with my Bonny Doon hydraulic press. I made the dies myself from an earring template of my grandfather’s. Once I had made the dies and the parts I started wondering what I was going to do with them. I didn’t like them as earrings since they would have to be clip earrings to be oriented correctly. So I was fooling around with the pieces and opposed them with a drop of turquoise. I have many pieces of work scattered on my bench which I mess with in order to come up with ideas. Stones are also all over my bench. It is a mess but I work that way since I don’t draw well.
I wanted to show some of my simpler work on this Blog. I will also get around to show some of my Modernist pieces. Using my grandfather’s templates also gives me a sense of connection to him. I get to walk in his creative shoes by using designs he made but in my own way. Usually I simplify them to be more wearable for today’s fashions. I like to keep the fabricated silver look and feel. Silver jewelry which is hand made cannot be duplicated by casting, it has a much different feel and look. It is alive in a way that a casting is not. My hydraulic press facilitates my ability to fabricate and keep costs down. I have enjoyed using Argentium Sterling because of the way it moves under the press. I love forging it for the same reason. To me the press is a hammer with which I can apply accurate and consistently repeatable force to metal to achieve the design and look I have in my head.
I used vintage Morenci turquoise of my grandfather’s which he bought in the late 1950’s.
I joined the two sides with a half band of silver and added the two half bead elements to finish off the look. I made 3 of these necklaces with different stones, one with Sugilite and two with turquoise. A commercial chain finishes the piece into a necklace.
Two of these necklaces are available at the Arizona Inn here in Tucson. 2200 E. Elm, Ph# 520-325-1541.
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Daniel Culver 10.20.08 at 10:45 pm
Sam,
Another nice piece.