It’s been a while since I posted since I was caught up in the Tucson Gem Show. I have been enjoying the show like I do every year and getting behind in my work and catching up with my work. Now I have some breathing room I can post some of the work I have been doing.
The gem shows ( there are 30 plus shows at venues all around Tucson) are wonderful to see what is going on in the market in my industry. I get to see many friends who come to town for the shows and the tool trade shows are amazing for a tool junkie like me. Rio Grande puts on a great show as does Stuller and Otto Frei. I get to see and handle all the tools they bring. My favorite gem supplier comes also, Tim Roark who got my loyalty when I saw him set up at the SNAG conference.
I have had two commissions both to duplicate previous generations of Patania’s work. Frank Patania and Frank Patania Jr, my father and grandfather, were and are very strong designers and their work has become very collectible and getting scarce. I am asked to duplicate their designs on a regular basis. I still have turquoise they bought so I can offer that to clients and in one case I had silver elements of my grandfather’s to incorporate into the work.
I find this work very challenging since I find myself trying to think like they thought when they were making the original pieces. My own techniques and ideas creep into this type of work though and I look at them like they are wrong. These clients are asking for duplicates of work, not my ideas. It’s tough sometimes but I am so grateful for the work. I get to use materials I love, silver and turquoise and learn how they thought through their work. Interesting.
Necklace and Bracelet by Sam Patania
The necklace and bracelet set were the first pieces I completed this past week. I had been working on it for a week when the gem show hit. I would work on it a few hours aday during the show as well as the next peice pictured.
Bracelet by Sam Patania
This bracelet is a variation of a design my father made in the 1960’s He called it Bits-O-Silver so I continue calling it that. I used Bisbee turquoise I bought from Bruce Mead in this piece and Persian turquoise int he necklace and bracelet above. The Persian was turquoise my grand father bought in the 1950’s.
Thanks to Orchid for the many friends I have who come to Tucson each year and for the opportunity to meet more people in my industry. Robin Hawke, Dave Arens and Kevin Potter deserve special mention this year. I love Orchid.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Robyn Hawk 02.24.09 at 2:55 am
Sam - It was wonderful to get to meet you and see your studio - I have since learned quite a bit about the 3 gemerations of Patania’s! You are so lucky to come from such creative traditions…I can see why you still get requests for work in the style of your grandfather - what a talent!
but you are a talent in your own right - I will never forget your generousity!
Tucson was memorable this year and your are one of the reasons!
Robyn Hawk