Ethicalmetalsmiths

Jewelry Discussion
1

Greetings,

For those of you interested, a gallery of jewelry is posted on

http://www.ethicalmetalsmiths.org/GO/GoldenOpportunity.html

I see the names of a few people I know. Yes, I have a piece on there
as well.

Lawrence M. Silva
Da Gama Designs

2

i looked at the gallery of this web site first i saw rob jacksons
piece about the indelible stain i thought, wow! this is gonna be a
great site then i saw t shirts, works on canvas, wood sculpture with
gold leaf and last but not least, computer generated image/art. with
the exception of rob jacksons piece how does all this stuff make one
a metalsmith? perhaps these folks who are unknown to me are
metalsmiths of immortal quality who have moved on to other things
and we are still obligated to pay them homage, kind of like michael
jordan was in basketball. desperatly seeking enlightenment here
-goo

3

Say there goo,

First of all I agree there is more there than metal work but there
are quite a few pieces that are.

My piece is real and not computer art and was quite a joy to create.

I also have been a metalsmith for 27 years and would put the quality
of my pieces and workmanship up against anyone.

What I am saying is to have an open mind and not paint with such a
wide brush. I suggest you go to the web site and read the premise of
the exhibit and maybe you will understand it a little better.

L Silva
Da Gama Designs

4

Goo,

I, too, went to the site and was less than thrilled with some of the
objects shown. However, I met Larry Silva last year at the Jeweler’s
Bench Conference and talked with him again at this year’s conference.
I’m quite impressed with this gentleman’s work. Not only is the
quality top notch, but the designs are fresh and interesting. The
pearl ring that was shown on the website isn’t my favorite piece of
his that I’ve seen, but that’s just my personal taste. He makes some
beautiful one of a kind jewelry with outstanding quality and design.
My taste is too conservative to appreciate some of what others call
art, yet it doesn’t make it any less art. So, I too, didn’t care for
some of the items on that site, but there are some jewelers there
that are every bit a metalsmith as you and I.

Have a good day and happy metal working.

James S. Cantrell CMBJ

5

James - thanx for the reply, i made a mistake not reading the part
about what the web site purpose is and will now need to search the
archive for the link if i want to read this statement. i dont think i
looked at larry’s piece i am sure you and he are in fact of the
finest calibre of metalsmiths, i suppose i was waylaid by my
expectations of what i thought i should see with the title of
"Ethical Metalsmiths", had i seen the title “expanding traditional
concepts of ethical metalsmiths” i would most likly not have replied
to the post and instead filed it under things to think about in my
head. ive been encouraged to pursue a state of greater openmindedness
when it comes to art (which i thought i was openminded). if a great
metalsmith creates a “T” shirt with gold leaf on it or a computer
generated image i suppose his/her greatness as a metalsmith will
legitimize(sp?) the work as metal smithing on a higer level ? anyway
thanks for the reply look fwd to more on this from you?- goo

6

Hi:

ive been encouraged to pursue a state of greater openmindedness
when it comes to art (which i thought i was openminded). if a
great metalsmith creates a "T" shirt with gold leaf on it or a
computer generated image i suppose his/her greatness as a
metalsmith will legitimize(sp?) the work as metal smithing on a
higer level ?

Actually, I didn’t quite think you were not being open minded, just
honest about your impression of the site. My impression of the site
was this: I read the subject line of the post “ethical metalsmiths” I
thought to myself “oh no, more on no conflict diamonds or the
desires to destroy the environment and promote unfair labor
conditions…ok, I’ll give it a shot anyway” I open the website, I
don’t see anything that looks like it is actually metal work, I close
the site. The title was “ethicalmetalsmiths”…I thought what I
would be viewing would be mostly metal

I have read the content of the site and the only issue I would like
to bring up is the title. Do you think it may have more impact and
draw more people/metalsmiths/artists/consumers etc to the content of
the site if it encompassed more of what your organization is really
about? In other words…I saw the word metalsmith…I went to the
site hoping to see metalwork. When I didn’t see metalwork, I got out
of the site. I completely missed the point because I was expecting
(from the title) to see something completely different.

Now that I have gone back and read the content of the site, my
interest has been gotten and I would like to (and intend to) learn
more.

Best
Kim