Mel Ward taught me the most. He owned Ward’s Jewelery in Burbank,
California about 30 years ago. He would be about 75 years old today.
He was a lapidary, a wax carver, and a fabricator. His father
repaired watches. He developed his skills as a tool and die maker
before he “retired” to his retail jewelry store.
If anybody knows of him, please let me know. It would be fun to
contact him.
“When you learn to really listen, everyone is your guru.”
-BK in BWA
I sure am enjoying this thread! Thanks to all for sharing! So many
different paths, so many different experiences. Just like the
jewelry we all create.
Who taught me? A whole lot of people, in fact I’m still learning and
I hope I never stop. I started in a tent with my Dad in 1972 on the
Bunny Slope at Loon Mountain, NH (in the summer of course) banging 4
gauge square silver wire into jewelry. Dad was old school and didn’t
believe in rolling mills or any of that (draw plates were barely OK),
so everything started out as 4 gauge square or as an ingot cast from
scrap and then forged and filed to shape. Sheet, shanks, bezel wire,
square wire, tubing, everything. That was my job, make mill products
for Dad without using a mill (I guess I was cheaper than a mill and
he never bothered to tell me that there was such a thing). That was
when I learned how to forge sheet and square wire with a steel block
and a couple of different hammers. Those are probably the two most
important skills I have ever learned, as so much comes from those
two basic skills. It is still amazing to me that it is possible to
make 24 gauge sheet or 18 gauge square wire that is almost
indistinguishable from milled (in some cases, even better) with
nothing more than a good block and a couple of decent hammers. But to
this day, I still can’t forge thin gauge dead square wire with no
twist like Dad could. He’d say that’s because I cheat with a rolling
mill too much and traded the skill for speed. He’d be right, of
course.
I had an incredible opportunity to learn as an apprentice from a
true world class master of enameling back then, but I was young and
stupid, and didn’t realize what I was blowing off. He made me promise
that whatever I learned I must pass on, that keeping secrets of our
art and trade is a sin against our fellow man. I didn’t realize that
he was telling me that he was going to pass on a lifetime of his
learning to me if I wanted to learn it, with the only price, a
promise to pass it on to others. And I sure didn’t want to work that
hard with a crotchety, hard to understand old college professor with
a thick accent telling me what to do all the time. Cruising and
skiing were way more fun, and paid almost as much. Biggest mistake of
my life. It’s because of that promise and missed opportunity that I
participate in Orchid. At least I can say I learned one thing from a
real once-in-a-generation master artist and craftsman (a very fine
gentleman named Karl Drerup for those wondering).
Be very careful when dismissing cranky old men and women, you have
no idea what those old eyes may have seen, where those slow moving
old feet may have walked and what those gnarly old hands may have
wrought. My greatest lesson of the 70’s, officially passed on.
Other than gemological training, the only formal jewelry training I
have is a three day seminar I took in 1984 when I came back to the
business after a few years in college (with a few basic courses in
art) and the Army. Can’t say I learned a lot during those three days,
I already knew how to light a torch. Everything else I learned by
hanging out with the best goldsmiths I could find, both friends and
co-workers. I also learned some very valuable lessons from my own
apprentices. It IS possible to learn from those with less experience
and skill than we have. You just have to keep an open mind, and
always remember that no matter how long you’ve been doing this, you
don’t know it all. In other words, always check your ego at the door
if you want to learn anything new.
I moved 1200 miles and took a major cut in pay so that I could work
at a top-notch retail custom design studio that had some of the most
talented goldsmiths in America. I learned an awful lot there, not so
much about how to do things, but more about what it really is
possible to do and what high standards of design and craftsmanship
really are. I thought I had both of those pretty much figured out,
but I was like a babe in the woods when I saw really nice high-end
custom work being created day after day and started creating it
myself. The best teachers in the world are the people that work at
the benches right next to you when you all demand only the highest
standards from each other and are willing to help each other achieve
them.
Leonid made a post on a concurrent thread stating basically (I’m
paraphrasing here, and I hope I get it right) that it is not
possible to teach goldsmithing, it is really only possible to provide
an atmosphere in which learning can take place. I agree
wholeheartedly with that sentiment. It’s a lot like learning to drive
or learning to fly, you can ride as much as you want, but that won’t
help a lick when you finally sit at the controls. The only way to
learn how to land a plane is to land a plane, many, many times. Same
with goldsmithing. It’s just a little harder to kill yourself sitting
at a bench (and no, it doesn’t mean that any setting job you can walk
away from is a good one).
Dave Phelps
Since we talking about teaching goldsmithing, there is an interesting
historical perspective.
Everybody knows name of Karl Faberge, his father however is less
known.
Gustav Faberge was a very fine goldsmith and he worked for Romanoff
dynasty for all his life. As it is now, so it was then. It was
fashionable to be a goldsmith. One of Romanoff princes decided to
become one, so Gustav Faberge was tasked with setting him a shop.
Gustav delegated this to his foreman, his name escapes my now. The
foreman loved a good joke, so he included in the tool set a leather
belt from full grain about 3 inches wide. When prince viewed the
shop, he noticed the belt and inquired it’s purpose. The foreman
replied that there wasn’t a technique which can be learned without
the help from this belt.
Considering Karl Faberge achievements, there maybe some truth to
that.
Leonid Surpin
...everything started out as 4 gauge square or as an ingot cast from scrap and then forged and filed to shape. Sheet, shanks, bezel wire, square wire, tubing, everything.
David’s post made me think of a couple of things. One was that there
is never just one “right” way of doing nearly anything. Whether it’s
running a store, pricing your product, dealing with customers,
marketing your work or working to become a better metalsmith. There
are a multitude of “right” ways, and thank goodness for that.
The other thing was something his post reminded me of. When I was an
apprentice in the late 70’s, there was no Federal Express or
overnight delivery of any kind. If you wanted manufactured findings
or mountings, you typically ordered them from a supplier on the East
or West Coast (in the US) and then waited 5-7 days for the
registered mail package to arrive. That was almost always too long
to wait if you wanted to deliver the job on time. As a result you
necessarily had to be able to fabricate everything you needed, from
shanks, heads and mechanisms to an entire cocktail ring. It was
great training. I think it’s something that is often lacking in the
younger generations of goldsmiths. I run across goldsmiths who have
been at it for 10 or more years who essentially do nothing but
assemble purchased parts because it’s so easy to get something that
is “close” to what they want overnight. The advantage of learning to
hand-make everything from scratch is that you never feel limited to
what’s available in a catalog. If you can’t find exactly what you
want, you automatically, unconsciously begin to plan how you intend
to make it yourself by hand.
Mark
Reading David Phelps’ post made me once again appreciate 2 friends
of mine, both master faceters and both in their 90’s, who not only
still cut but also freely share their knowledge and wisdom (together,
almost 2 centuries’ worth!). Nothing I can think or say is more
valuable than listening to them when they get to talking. Here’s to
all those “treasures” in our lives!
Emie Stewart
I have to appreciate the fact, that these days, anyone can order
pre-made compoments, have it come next day and simple put it
together. I am part of the League of NH Craftsmen, and our Standards
bylaws require us craftsmen to have 51% to 75% percent of the actual
craft object to be made completely by hand, without any computerized
assistance. As a result, I’ve gotten very good at making all of my
earwires, most of my clasps, all my toggles, half of my pinbacks and
much more. I can’t remember the last time I ordered a figure 8
safety catch - I’ve always made mine. The thing I draw the line, is
making earbacks, lobster clasps, and tiny stone settings. I do not
want to work any smaller than I have to.
After 27 years in the jewelry/metals business, I’ve gotten good at
doing things well, even if it is my first time. Basic construction,
fabrication, and a very good understand of far I can push metal,
plus sheer muscle memory. My hands automatically go into the correct
position of whatever I’m doing. I actually have to stop, think a bit
and explain to my jewelry students what I am doing - my hands are 2
steps ahead and my tongue is striving to catch up. Here’s an old
saying in ballet - Learn the 5 positions thoroughtly and then
quietly forget them. Your body will automatically do what it has
been trained to do. Same thing with my hands and mind.