The Studio
The artist's studio is fully equipped. Including tools for casting, forming, soldering, etching and gem setting. All metals are formed by hand using traditional stakes, forms and hammers. Gold, Silver and Bronze are among the favorites in the studio.
Metals
Sterling Silver 92.5% fine silver 7.5% copper
Bronze 92% Copper 8% Tin
Bronze holds it glowing gold color for years without the need for coatings or wax to seal.
Brass – 85% copper 15% zinc - used for gold plating
Brass takes on a yellow tone that is perfect for 18kt plating.
Forming
The first time I applied a hammer to a flat sheet of metal and marvelled at how I could transform it into a curved form, I was hooked! I knew then that I had found my artistic self, a metal smith. I use numerous miniature stakes and numerous hammers to bring my visions to 3D forms.
Polishing
Etching
The beautiful detailed graphics I use are purchased as Limited Edition productions from amazing International Graphic Artists. I have worked with Graphic Artists through out my printing career. I believe in letting experts excel in their own art forms, they do it much faster! These stunning graphics intrigue me, as I always see them 3D. On many of the graphics, I have reworked the artwork to rescale many details for the small-scale jewellery art demands. The craft of etching is to take a very detail image and reproduce it into a metal object. Holding that detail to create deep etchings is the fine art of etching.
Etching is a skill I learned in the printing industry. I have trained many years to achieve the beautiful etched graphics I apply to sterling silver. I use the process of electro etching; mild chemicals are stimulated by adding an electric current to the solution. This stimulation takes 7 hours to etch the beautiful tactile sterling sheets produced. Each plate comes out differently, even two plates with the same graphics will be different when the process is completed. So, each piece is truly one of a kind.