SNAG Be sure to buy a raffle ticket this year


Well I guess its official I won't be going to SNAG in Houston TX this year. SNAG www.snagmetalsmith.com is such a great educational, inspiration and social event for the metalsmithing enthusiast. There is something for the jewelry artist, jewelry designer and the jewelry craftsperson. I especially enjoy the professional development seminar. A huge force behind that program is Harriet Estell Berman. She has a site askharriete.typepad.com The site is chock full of marketing information for the artist. She usually updates the site with the information from the SNAG conference so I will be sure to check it out. I recently read an article in American Craft Magazine titled "Thinking about Nothing". It reminded me of the reuse, recycle type work done by Ms. Bermen. As a jewelry artist it is impossible to not view any relic or found object as a potential jewelry /adornment item. The article talks about the trend of simplifying, de-acquisitioning and how the economic trend is affecting this movement towards less is more. I know as I work I am constantly subtracting, and refining so as to find the core of what it is I am making. The quest to mimic the simple movements and patterns in nature has provided a lifetime of ideas and curiosity to artists for generations, myself included. So simple yet so complex. As with jewelry it all begins with a structure and having a plan. Contrary to the idea of de-acquiring and non consuming a typical room of jewelers benches and studios generally are so packed and cluttered with objects and collections, items horded for future use and possibilities.The same American Craft " Hard Core Romance" proclaims Lola Brooks is a self proclaimed hoarder. Her work and jewelry objects seem to be structured ornamentation of her collections. It seems a lot of jewelers fall into this same method of finding materials for expression. So rather than go to SNAG this year I will go to Penland, or on a vacation out west. Something to inspire me. I will find a rock or twig, I will study jewelry, read articles and look forward to SNAG 2011.





Stone Setting at Pullen Art Center



Megan Clark teaching the stone setting workshop at Pullen Art Center
Check out her website at www.meganclarkjewelry.com

Keep your eye out for another Stone Setting Workshop at Pullen, this one was a great success.

These are some of the samples of flush setting with setting tool done at the workshop:





















East Carolina University Metals Symposium


Mary Pearce initiated a design workshop with specific parameters. Use one material only, no talking for the first 30 minutes and problem solve ie. stick with it and complete the project. The materials offered were rubber bands, black mesh and saran wrap. The object was to let the materials speak to you. After the 30 min. silence the project and results led to a lively verbal and social interaction between the participants.
ECU put together a very interesting day with more to come tomorrow including Bob Ebendorf, Brush Making Workshop, Linda Darty , Enameling and Tim Lazure ,Tool Making. There were also several exhibits of current students, past alumni and metal professors from ECU, University of Georgia and Winthrop College throughout the art building. ECU metal professor Misook Hur currently has an exhibit which we viewed at Emerge Gallery. Thank you, ECU!


Today I attended a metal symposium at East Carolina University. The two workshops I attended were presented by Rob Jackson and Mary Pearce. Both from University of Georgia, Athens. Rob Jackson demonstrated sweat soldering sterling silver to a wrought iron nail to create an inner ring sleeve. Next he demonstrated his technique of forming the circle and using hog ring pliers for holding during soldering. He brought several of his pieces, transported in his copper handmade brief case. They were a visual and tactile delight. He
also brought several of his found objects, that were part of his visual library.










Especially Rings


I'm ready to get started on some new designs. Heres to the new year. I was fortunate to get to go the Blaine Lewis stone setting workshop in Virginia Beach, and so Im looking forward to practicing some of the skills that I learned in class. For now to help get the ball rolling I am putting together a ring show at the Pullen Art Center. I teach there and run the jewelry program and am looking forward to having a great variety of rings. If you are reading this and would like to submit ring or rings in this exhibit please contact me to get info. this show will be up for the month of Feb 2010. Work can be for sale. bettty.mckim@ci.raleigh.nc.us


"The Customer and The Story." After the frenzy of the holiday show season its nice to reflect on the impact and enlightenment derived from such an intense sales environment. I try to listen to the Bruce Baker tape before doing a show as I do think he is right on with advice for show etiquette and selling success. I bring this up because at one of the 3 day shows I did this season I had one of my best and most interesting sales literally 5 minutes before the second day of the show was over (Bruce says never pack up early). A woman tried on and purchased the Rosette medallion, it looked like it was made for her. She paid for it and wore it out the door. The next day a woman came to the show and sought me out because the night before she was out for dinner and so admired the woman across the rooms necklace that she asked where she got it. She arrived, told me the story, which certainly was a compliment to me, as well as the woman who originally bought the "one of a kind" piece. Our conversation continued concerning the reference to the rosette which immediately brought to her mind the cathedral window at the Notre Dame Cathedral. My window came from a local church, but the reference was worth further investigation. This woman bought a pair of rosette earrings. And actually she was one of two that had been referred by the original customer. This series lends to many more pieces for me and certainly is one of the more conversational icons I've used. Something to consider.



Day 2 of blogging. Several of the pieces I have made are about clusters and overlapping, mimicking the rhythms of nature. These leaves grow on a gate and I always enjoy seeing them. They are located at the 1940s brick church where I used the rosette window as an inspiration for several pieces. This idea was generated by the call for entries for a Decorative Resurgence Exhibit where ideas were related to architectural details. I see that building everyday and plan to use another window for a new series of pieces.


Took me a while to join up with the bloggers but decided to give it a try for the new year. Im amazed at all the information and internet conversations out there so Im going to see where this takes me. My favorite blog to read is bruce metcalf blog it always makes me think deeper than I thought I could. My friend jeweler Marlene True recently told me about it. My goal for 2010 is to continue to make jewelry that reflects me and speaks to the wearer. Through writing I hope to discover ways to articulate what I am thinking and feeling about the things I am making. I find the real joy is in the making, while in the process, the creating seems almost subconscious followed by a realization or declaration of a reflection that has been defined through the object. This has been a very natural way of working. And so, through this verbal written document I hope to discover a different approach to my creative expression in my jewelry. If for no other reason than to compare and contrast the outcome as seen in the end product.




Hello, my name is Betty McKim, I'm a Jewelry Designer and this is my new blog. Here are a few examples of my jewelry: