I was given a chance by friend/patron Lona Bjornsen to make a bracelet in platinum of a design I have just recently made. I have always loved platinum but since I work on speculation alot and purchase my materials myself I am not able to afford it. I work on spec. for my own art work since I cannot draw worth a damn and am unable to design other than in metal. I sometimes get work from people where they trust me enough to let me work and give me basic descriptions of what they are interested in. This takes a lot of trust and clients who want my art work. I had my first complete failure in this department where I just got the whole idea of what the client wanted wrong just recently. This was on my dime so they were not out any money and they want me to try again. I will for more expensive projects work in silver to make a model so that the client and I are on the same page before I work in gold or platinum. This helps me work out the engineering as well and makes costing the project out much easier.
Bracelet by Sam Patania 2009
I have made a few of these bracelets all with different ends. Lona wanted one in platinum so I ordered a bar of platinum 6*6 mm square. This was a heavy piece of material, unbelievable. It was such a wonderful opportunity to work with that much plat. but it made me nervous so I made a silver model the exact size she requested.
Bracelets by Sam Patania, 2009
These bracelets are made by filing away what I don’t want and few artists get to work platinum this way, most platinum work is done to conserve material, hollowing out heavy areas and making it thin. This design is not made that way, I designed this to move and flow like forged work but not be forged. I never dreamed this would be done in platinum so I didn’t design it to be light. To cast this design would be to take the heart out of it, solid fabricated work has a living feeling to it.
Thank you to Lona, I hope you enjoy this piece.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Britt Anderson 08.07.09 at 7:42 am
Hi Sam,
I love the honesty expressed in this post as well as the previous post as it relates to your thought process! The bracelet is fantastic. Thank you for sharing the beautiful bracelet image and most especially your thoughts as you discuss, plan and develop a piece. I can relate.
Best Wishes,
Britt Anderson
Beth Wicker 08.07.09 at 7:27 pm
Love the filing on the bracelet. I enjoy using files to shape silver. As always, your sense of shape and space is great. Any chance of getting at top view, and a head on view of the ends - what you have done with them looks intriguing.