I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading these mini bios of all the folks I
see in my Orchid inbox every day or so. Seems only fair to chip in:
1st life: software designer, mainly in the telecom industry, later
as consultant.
2nd life: dogsbody in the film and TV business.
3rd life: webmaster and hack writer.
4th life: working on it.
Cheers,
Trevor F.
http://www.touchmetal.com
WOW…what a thread!
In High School, I took every shop class I could. Was a class A
welder, lathe operator and did milling before I left school. Also was
a very good wood worker and draftsman. Always had an interest in the
tech stuff.
Joined USAF and they sent me to Yale U to learn Chinese (that or a
cook!). Spent 2 years in Taiwan in the 50’s. Went back for more
Chinese and did 4 more years in Taiwan. Left AF and joined Dept of
Def. Went to Vietnam, three years in Korea and back to Taiwan in
early 70’s. Thats when I learned stone cutting and fabrication…in
local factories in my spare time. On return home continued my jewerly
studies in local guilds/classes.
Retired in 94 with nearly 40 years Govt service. Moved to SOFL and
immersed myself in making jewelry. Began teaching 5 years ago at Boca
Raton Museum Art School and never looked back…I love it!
Cheers from Don in SOFL.
So interesting to see how people make a living versus following their
dream…sometimes one and the same! My day job involves being a
full-time musician. I perform harp recitals, give lessons and buy
and sell used harps. But I love creating jewelry because I have
something concrete after hours of labor-intensive work. I sell just
enough pieces to pay for my “hobby” which is great, because I fear if
I worked at designing full time, it would not be as fulfilling.
Karen
I had no former life, I was always in jewelry since I was in high
school. Lived in Tehran,Iran for one year as a high school student
as my mother got a teachers job at the Tehran American School, just
to travel. I started jewelry when I was a teen as an after school job
for my dad, easy money I thought. I didn’t even really have a love
for the work other than to be proud of each job done well, I made
multiples of many family designs. I didn’t start designing for 10
years, then only very slowly did I try to make a technique mine,
apart from family. Repousse’ did that for me and I loved it for
years until I realized that in the big bad world few appreciated the
amount of work that each design took. I was Arizona Army National
Guard, in the field artillery, for 9 years. Fell in love with making
jewelry and here I am.
That’s it for me.
Sam Patania, Tucson
www.bahti.com ( look for Patania gallery)
I was born into a family jewellery business, but opted to get a
degree in Agriculture ( Agronomy), and spent a few years consulting
in fertigation (applying liquid fertilizers through pivot irrigation
systems) and it’s technology. But alas, I could not resist the power
of gold…and have been making my living off it for the last 25
years, with my two sons ( third generation) enjoying the luster of
the metal as well.
Dave
Hi there,
I started out as personal secretary to an architect, and then a
quantity surveyor in South Africa, and then a lawyer in London. Then
14 years as a masseuse for my husband’s practice as a chiropractor.
Did an around the world trip by air. Wonderful.
Remarried and sailed around the world in a Tri-maran for 12 years
with my late husband. This was such a character building time and I
loved meeting so many diverse people and looking at so many different
cultures. Took a two day class on silversmithing when in Australia
and loved it.
On arrival in the USA we disovered my husband had cancer and he
suggested I take silversmithing classes locally in Port Townsend,
Washington, to have something creative to do. This kept me busy over
the very sad 6 months he had left to live. After his passing I
remained doing this until by chance I took a class on videography.
I now have two documentary programmes per month with two local TV
stations. One is, of course, called, “Artist on Your Doorstep” where
I
videograph local artists and their work, including writers and poets.
The second is called “In the Know”, where I get to do our Winter
Wanderlust series (this year, a woman sailer who taught 47 other
women to sail while travelling around the world, and a women who went
as an artist to Antarctica - she is also a writer plus a couple who
went hunting for flowers in India). Then a talk by Chaplin Yee about
his wrongful incarceration by the US Army for the ACLU and another on
hurricanes, earthquakes, the Pacific Fault Line by Dr. Brian
Attwater. Never a dull moment. I have been doing this for five years
now.
I only make jewelry for myself (did the gallery scene for only a
short timebut hated the months I did not sell anything but was paying
to have the stuff in the gallery). Filmed the Seattle Metalsmiths
Symposium last year. Loved the work shown by Lois Sher (writer of
Indian jewelry traditions etc.) so am making my own collection of
"Indian" jewelry without copying the really gifted people in her
book.
Cheers Glen Paris-Stamm
I found jewelry making while studying at Ga Tech. At 23 I became a
designer and model maker for a factory in Rhode Island that primarily
made rings. My brother and I mostly made models in white metal and
sterling for them. Since leaving Rhode Island, I have worked as an
independent jeweler, usually in a retail store. For the last 9 years
I have been using CAD-CAM to increase the range of my jewelry
designs. I have a wholesale line, private clients, and do repairs and
custom orders for several stores.
Rick Hamilton
Ok. Since my background seems a little unique, I’ll contribute too. I
worked for 15 years as a plant scientist…did the whole education
thing, then worked first at Rutgers and then at Penn State as a
professor. (At the end of my career, in 2000, I published a book
called The Berry Grower’s Companion. It’s pretty unusual for a
tenured prof to leave for any reason, but I did…My consort/spouse
had an opportunity in a way-far-away state, we moved, and I started
all over again. It’s been great, though becoming an incompetent
starving artist in lieu of a tenured professor may not be the
brightest thing for most folks to do. Trouble is that I was always
Making Things, and could never forget the metalsmithing/enameling
class I had as a sophmore at Montgomery Junior College. Trying to
get a Real Studio now, rather than the guest room, and having to
think about things that I Don’t like…like marketing, keeping
inventory…Still. This is a very honest way to try to make a
living. Emphasis on “try”.
Barbara Louise Bowling
Hi All-Teri wrote that I unleashed an avalanche. She’s right, but I
kind of expected it. What I didn’t expect was how hard it is to put
people into categories. I should have known that Orchidians are
really complex people and can’t be pigeonholed. As you can see,
however, it is all really fascinating and fun, and hopefully will
yield some interesting results. It will take awhile–but I’ll keep
you posted.
Best Wishes,
Sandra
When I was in high school, I came across an article in Newsweek
about something called “contemporary jewelry”. They had photos of
some of the stuff that was being done by cats like Olaf Skoogfors and
other artists. I thought, "Holy Shit, human beings can make stuff
like that? Could I do that, too…? Years later, as an Art major, I
signed up for a class in college taught by a guy named Bob Jefferson,
from Berkeley, described as a “goldsmith” (I liked the sound of
that). Ended up taking a workshop with Robert Ebendorf, George
Maclean came into town, studied under Ed Lund at Fresno State
(forever indebted, Ed…)and, well, the rest is history. My point is
that I had no former life. Thirty years later, I’m still doing
it…something has always kept me interested and excited. Maybe
even… passionate…
BK in AK
I’m adding on to my first answer to this post, I felt I should have
noted what inspired me to actually do the jewelry stuff. As I
mentioned, I’ve always been an artist/craftsman but I only started
the metalsmithing in '99. I don’t know why it took so long for me to
do it, except maybe that it’s an expensive hobby! My
great-grandfather & my grandfather were both watchmakers, and they
opened a jewelry store in 1914, so I grew up around jewelry. I worked
there as a kid lining boxes, turning over price tags, and even
learning how to knot pearls when I was 8 or so. My grandfather sold
the store when he retired at about 77 years old, back in 1980 or so,
but it’s still there, now on its second owner since then & totally
redone on the inside. Wm H Diller Jewelers in West Reading, PA. At
any rate, I always thought I’d like to learn the trade, and one
fateful day I happened into a jeweler’s gallery with family on a
vacation in WI and I saw this tiny little gold pendant pierced to
show a flower design. So delicate, so pretty. I’ve always loved
working with small things, and when I saw that pendant, I just KNEW I
had no choice but to finally go forth with learning to make jewelry
myself. I bought the pendant, then when we got back to the house I
showed it to my husband & informed him that I had to learn how to do
this! I’ve been in love with it ever since, and I now get to make my
pieces while working at my great-grandfather’s bench in my basement
(as well many of his tools that were in the drawers), bought from the
current owners as they totally re-did the place. 
Lisa
Designs by Lisa Gallagher
www.designsbylisag.com
This thread has come at the most appropriate time for me. Two weeks
ago I was widowed after being with my husband some 24 years. He died
at home and just a few hours after his body was removed the snow
started and we got over 4.5 feet in 24 hours.
I started out as a Lab Technician for Lever Brothers, then got my BS
in Chemistry at Ramapo College in NJ. Did an assortment of positions
such as a Forensic Chemist for NJ State Police doing drug evidence,
Inks & Toners for IBM, Paint chemistry for Red Devil Paint,
Hazardous Waste Analysis for AZ State Health Dept and photo
lithography for the making of computer chips for AT&T/Bell Labs.
Photography, rock hunting and jewelry making was a hobby.
Before I married my late husband, I was told that when he retired
from Hoffman-La Roche Pharmaceuticals, HE was going to return up here
to where he was born and open his dream of a rock and mineral shop;
if I was to make my life with him it would have to be up here. Only
problem was that there is no job opportunities for chemists up here
so I went back to school and got my Graduate Jeweler -Gemologist at
GIA and have been working in hubby’s store for the last 20 years.
There is no more pension or social security income. Now I find there
was no more life insurance as he cashed it in at least 18 years ago.
So the shop is now closed, I’m having to sell out everything I can
including the property and will have to start the search for a new
job at age 56. But this time I will head for some place warm. Should
any of Orchid’s readers have a position available I would like to be
considered.
Judy Shaw
Jasco Minerals
North River, NY
My day job is microelectronics engineer. I support a lab for
research in nanoscience, bioengineering, and microelectronics. My
part-time job is making microfluidic devices with plastic. There is
not a day that goes by that I don’t think about how all this would
apply to making jewelry. I also take what I have learned from making
jewelry and apply it to my day job.
When students need tools or supplies, I let them borrow my Rio
Grande catalog.
Recently we fabricated a tungsten “woodpile” using interference
lithography and thermocompression bonding. I got the bonding
technique from this group. The professor wants to make me co-author
of the paper, but I told him that the credit goes to the members of
Orchid. Did you know that hydrogen peroxide (30%) is used to etch
tungsten? I learn something new everyday. Yesterday I learned that
the material index of refraction changes with the frequency of light
(e-beam lithography with salmon DNA). This has me wondering how a
gemologist can call out a stone’s index of refraction with white
light, or do they use a laser? 
Cheers!
Jeff
Jeff Simkins
Microelectronics Engineer
University of Cincinnati
Ski bum
Accountant
CEO of a fairly large toy company
Buyer for a chain of department stores in Japan (after the toy
company went belly up) US State Department.
This is a great thread. Let’s see what I’ve done since high
school…
I started working in clothing retail at 17 and continued through
college. I graduated with a BA in Communication and a minor in
English Lit. Since then, I’ve been:
A DJ for an adult rock station (Jethro Tull anyone?)
Music store assistant manager (very fun)
Administrative secretary for an ER (not so much fun, but interesting)
Receptionist at a public television station where I taught myself
graphic design and did that for 14 years
Marketing manager for a small Internet company
Creative director for an ad agency
Freelance style writer for a local lifestyle magazine (which I still
do)
I’ve been a metalsmith for less than 5 years, but I love it. I’m
currently taking more classes at a local University and have almost
completed my advanced welding class. Gold, silver, nickel, steel,
aluminum, you name it I love it.
Tammy Kirks
This has been a fun thread, and nice to hear about what everyone has
been up to before getting into jewelry making.
I have been an RN since '79, and it has been a wonderful career,
allowing many different jobs to keep things interesting. My hospital
nursing included floating to all areas in a small upstate NY
hospital-ICU/CCU, maternity, med/surg, peds, etc. but the majority
of my time was in the ER. (In a small hospital, the nurses are the
ones defibrillating or “shocking the patient” during the codes,
unlike on the TV shows.) Very exciting, dynamic, and life changing.
I saw every day how fragile life is, and it taught me to never take
my loved ones, or life, for granted. (Please say those kind words
TODAY-hug your family members.) Worked in neonatal intensive care at
Georgetown University Hospital while living in Alexandria. Also
worked in doctors offices, in pharmaceutical sales, and as a nurse
recruiter. Currently still have my “day job”, in a rheumatology
practice, but only part time (mother requiring more help, with her
declining health) Blessed with a husband who supports my need to
make jewelry, and to buy tools!
Have worked in stained glass, and got into jewelry making after I
took a glass fusing class. Bought a kiln, and have been taking as
many classes as I can-metal clay (awesome class with Saul Bell
winner Gordon Uyehara, -thanks Gordon! and Celie Fago-amazing
artist!), lampwork beads, and more traditional metal working classes
at Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute in Utica. Creating jewelry
has been a wonderful, creative outlet for me. After caring for
others, I get to nurture my spirit, too. I notice many health care
providers in the jewelry field.
Love this forum-humble thanks to all who share their knowledge every
day, and to all my patients who have shown me their remarkable
spirits-even in the most trying of times.
With gratitude,
Carol Stanyon
This thread is wonderful.
I’m struck by how many of us mention taking a jewelry course in 9th
grade (or thereabouts), and the passion taking root from there.
That’s how I started.
Seems like such an element of serendipity for many of us.
Tracy
This has been a very interesting discussing ! I feel rather "young"
with all the talent in this group as I am still learning. I still
have the full time job as a collection specialist for an oil company
here in Texas. But I look forward to the day when my husband and I
can “retire” and devote full time to making jewelry. As I look at
every ones website, I am just so impressed with the levels of beauty
of each piece ! We are mostly into organic jewelery but that too is
always evolving. Thank you everyone for sharing, it has been a great
read !
Tina Tangible Dreams Jewelry
Love this thread. So interesting.
Me? Former fashion model and “child star” in the movies…Oh, and
also, chairman of the Art Department at a regional university in
Oklahoma.
Hello all,
At the age of ten I apprenticed under my Dad in the hotel restaurant
and got my degree from the Culinary Institute of America. I spent
six years in the Navy on the White House staff as chef at Camp
David. After 18 years in the food industry I blew a gasket and got
out. I took my veterans benefits and got a four year jewelry
apprenticeship.
Since the age of five I have also been on stage as a singer, dancer,
choreographer, actor and have been a member of the Barbershop
Harmony Society for 32 years. All in all my jewelry career of 28
years pays a heck of a lot better then all of the above, and with
more free time.
Gotta love it.
Hope to see my friends at the Bench Jewelers Conference in April.
Larry Silva
Da Gama Designs