Recent MAASV Activities

June 24, 2008 General Membership Meeting

We welcomed in the summer at the Central Park Branch of the Santa Clara City Library

The meeting included a hands-on demonstration by Nancy Banks on creating Loop-in-Loop Wire Forms. Examples of Nancy's work can be seen below.

Necklace made with wire weaving technique

Necklace made of copper, with loop in loop technique

Nancy demonstrated an extremely simple technique that allows one to create simple hollow cables, pods, round beads, baskets or even martini glasses. The possibilities are endless: uniform or undulating forms, the ability to change colors within a single piece, create in large sculptural scale or draw cable down to less than a quarter of an inch. Nancy handed out wire, and then showed us how to start our own piece, end it, as well as increase and decrease the number of loops.

Wire sculptor Ruth Asawa pioneered using this technique to create an entirely new art form– creating sculptural ceiling-to-floor forms. The Sculptures of Ruth Asawa; Contours in Air shows the depth and stature of her work. Ruth’s work is on permanent exhibit in the base of the tower at DeYoung Museum in San Francisco.

MAASV members trying out the technique:

Nancy Banks Demonstrating Loop in Loop to the June MAASV Meeting Attendees

Workshop: Introduction to Etching Red Brass, Copper, and Nickel, June 21, 2008

Local artist and instructor Mona Clee taught a one day workshop on basic techniques for etching designs onto red brass, copper, and nickel.

Etched Bracelet with Rivets by Mona Clee

Students experimented with a variety of resists, including acrylic paint and spray paint, tape, rubber cement, permanent markers, permanent ink stamping pads and rubber stamps, and PnP paper to create textures, patterns, and images on metal. Students made a number of pieces that can be incorporated into finished jewelry pieces. The above photos show the results that students Leanne Maru, Cindy Scott, and Adea Fong achieved.

Custom Clasps Workshop with Alison Antelman
Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25th, 10 am to 6 pm

Clasps made by Alison Antelman and the students
in the May workshop

Alison's studio in Berkeley comfortably accomodated four students

Students created custom clasps that are safe, secure and truly one-of-a-kind. They came up with unique solutions to complete their designs. Alison taught how to create the key and box clasps, and how to make original simple latches. Students explored a variety of solutions to link custom-made clasp to the rest of a piece.

Alison also taught how to create a custom chain end terminals and custom ear nuts.

Key Clasp with Turqoise by Janet Crampton Pipes

About the Instructor:

Alison B. Antelman exhibits and sells her work in galleries and at craft shows nationally. She teaches intermediate and advanced jewelry at The Richmond Art Center in Richmond, CA and is President of the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild. She is often creating one-of-a-kind jewelry in her well-lit studio--an old factory in Berkeley, CA.

www.antelman.com

Alison soldering a demonstration clasp

ClaspWorkshopRequest

Materials and Supplies Needed:
Sheet metal to make clasps and a butane torch; student materials list provided upon signup to class.

Requirements:
Student must know basic metalsmithing techniques including soldering, piercing, sawing and filing.

Thursday May 15, 2008 General Membership Meeting

Results of the Bronze Vacuum Casting Demo at SJSU

Cast Bronze by Professor Rand Schlitz

an open house event
hosted by professor rand schlitz

at SJSU’s Jewelry and Metals Lab

Professor Rand Schlitz discussing the
results of the bronze casting demo

MAASV members and guests visited the Jewelry and Metals Lab at San Jose State University, watched a 3 minute video of the preparation for a bronze casting, and then watched four bronze pieces being cast in the custom SJSU vacuum casting setup.

Rand Schlitz also reviewed his students' raw materials to billet to wire to finished piece project plan. The presentation included pictures of the process and live use the camera over his workbench to highlight some of the finished 'stock' products.

The tour of the lab spaces was open ended with ample opportunity for any and all questions.

We welcomed Alexa, our 50th member!

Fabrication presentation by Rand Schlitz, SJSU Metal Arts Professor

Inserting the flask into the vacuum casting setup

Fabrication presentation- SJSU Metal Arts & Jewelry Lab

The bronze vacuum casting demo in process

Custom Clasps Workshop with Alison Antelman
Tuesday, April 29th and Thursday May 1st, 10 am to 6 pm

Workshop Description

Students created custom clasps that are safe, secure and truly one-of-a-kind. They came up with unique solutions to complete their designs. Alison taught how to create the key and box clasps, and how to make original simple latches. Students explored a variety of solutions to link custom-made clasp to the rest of a piece.

Alison's studio in Berkeley comfortably accomodated four stentsChain end terminals were covered upon request.

Vertebrae Bracelet
by Alison Antelman

Requirements: Student must know basic metalsmithing techniques including soldering, piercing, sawing and filing.

Student Clasps

Box Clasp by Janet Crampton Pipes

Materials and Supplies Needed: Sheet metal to make clasps and a butane torch, student materials list provided upon signup to class.

About the Instructor: Alison B. Antelman exhibits and sells her work in galleries and at craft shows nationally. She teaches intermediate and advanced jewelry at The Richmond Art Center in Richmond, CA and is President of the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild. She is often creating one-of-a-kind jewelry in her well-lit studio--an old factory in Berkeley, CA.www.antelman.com

ClaspWorkshopRequest

Box Clasp
by Janet Crampton Pipes

Key Clasp
by Janet Crampton Pipes Key Clasp with Turqoise by Janet Crampton Pipes

Key Clasp (Back) by Fran Grinels		Box Clasp by Fran Grinels

Key Clasp (Back) in Process by Sherry Cordova		Box Clasp in Process by Sherry Cordova

March 18 , 2008 General Membership Meeting
Hands on Tool Making Demo
by Don Gaubatz

			"Making jewelry can be a very expensive proposition – with all of the special tools one seemingly needs to invest in. However, it is surprising how much one can do at a kitchen table using simple tools and readily available materials, especially steel and wood."
					Sample Set of Tools Created by Don Gaubatz

February 16 , 2008 General Membership Meeting Stone Setting (Channel and Burnish) and Wax Carving a Ring Demo by Jason Sekab

January 26 , 2008 General Membership Meeting
	Creating a Metal Container with Jack da Silva & Amy Bailey Demonstration by EVC faculty Jack da Silva and Amy Bailey were very well received. The demonstrations included insights and information on the design, creation and embellishment of a small container. Techniques presented were synclastic forming and design considerations. About The Presenters Jack da Silva coordinates the 3D Arts program at EVC teaching 3D design, Sculpture, and Jewelry Metal arts courses. His work is most recently published in Art Jewelry Magazine and 500 Vessels. Amy Bailey teaches Art Appreciation and Jewelry Metal arts courses at EVC. Amy’s work may be currently viewed in the Diane and Sandy Besser collection in the De Young museum in San Francisco.		"The Greatest of These" by Jack da Silva "Unlock from Within" by Amy Bailey

	Container by Kirk Righter	Container by Patricia Wagner

November 13, 2007 General Membership Meeting
Broom Casting Demonstration Mission College hosted the November meeting in their jewelry lab and foundry. MAASV member Sheryl Andersen was assisted by fellow members Leanne Maru and Yehuda Tassa in a broom casting demonstration. Broom casting is a form of direct casting used to make uniquely formed jewelry. The straw of a broom is bundled and molten metal is poured into the bundle. After cooling, the bundle is taken apart and the results are interesting stalagmite/stalactite shaped pieces ready to finish into jewelry or other scupltural objects.

		Leanne Maru (left) and Sheryl Andersen Casting Silver Using Broom Bristles

Silver Resulting from Bean Casting		Results of Broom Casting with Silver. Pieces and Photo by Sheryl Andersen.

October 13, 2007 General Membership Meeting
A Presentation: The History and Culture of Yemenite Filigree Yehuda Tassa is working to preserve the history of Yemenite Filigree through his own personal and family knowledge, research, and by spreading the word through teaching. In this presentation, he will shown samples of typical Yemenite jewelry while discussing their symbolic cultural meaning. Yehuda began to work in Yemenite Filigree at the age of six. Taught by his father, a well-known jeweler in Yemen, he worked in the family jewelry business for sixteen years. He studied Aeronautics Engineering and received his PhD. After retiring from an aerospace career, he revitalized his ‘lost art’ by prolifically producing both ancient and modern filigree designs. Yehuda creates jewelry and teaches in the San Francisco Bay area incorporating both ancient and modern tools and techniques into his workshops.
		Traditional Ceremonial Necklace Maker and date unknown

		Samples card #22 from the Tassa family archives

September 29, 2007 General Membership Meeting

Members were invited to bring silver, copper, and brass to patina during the meeting.

Sherry Cordova and Kathy Fulton presented the following patina demonstrations:

Fine Silver Pendant by Sherry Cordova Jewelry

Overnight Patinas on Copper and Brass
-   Boiled Egg
- Vinegar, Salt, & Ammonia
- Tobacco, Ammonia & Vinegar
-   Sal Ammonica & Tobacco

Hands-On Patinas on Sterling, Argentium, and Fine Silver
-    Liver of Sulfur With and Without Ammonia
-    Lime Sulfur

Resists
- Permanent marker
- Rubber cement

Demo Results

General Membership Meeting, Tuesday Evening August 28, 2007 Location: Little House Jewelry Workshop, 800 Middle Ave, Menlo Park CA
Demo 1 - Fusing Argentium and Fine Silver presented by Cindy Scott and Kathy Fulton

	Cindy fusing argentium


	Demo 2 - Etching presented by Mona Clee

(Above left) Red brass plate being etched in ferric chloride, suspended on a sanding pad covered in duct tape. (Above right) Mona Clee removing the PNP image resist with acetone, water, and a soft brass brush. (Right) Etched plate.		"Gazelle" by Mona Clee

Granulation Workshop
Saturday, August 11 and 18, 2007 with Yehuda Tassa, Yemenite filigree master and jewelry artist

What is Granulation?
Granulation is the art of fusing elements to form a decorative surface pattern. The most recognized combination is comprised of spheres fused to a sheet. The elements are held in place with a special glue formulation to limit movement during the granulation process.

Granulation Workshop August 2007 - Yehuda and Leanne Creating Spheres
Granulation Classroom with MAASV students

Granulation Workshop August 2007 - Yehuda and Leanne Creating Spheres
Yehuda and Leanne Creating Spheres

Preparing Fine Silver for Kiln Creation of Spheres

The class headed over to Allied Arts Guild after the granulation workshop, to visit the studio of Davide Bigazzi. Davide and Elisa were very gracious. Davide gave a quick overview of chasing.

Bale in Progress

Fine Silver Prep for Creating
Spheres in a Kiln

Yehuda Tassa creating spheres for granulation

About the Instructor
Yehuda Tassa began to work in Yemenite Filigree at the age of six. Taught by his father, a well-known jeweler in Yemen, he worked in the family jewelry business for sixteen years. Yehuda revitalized his ‘lost art’ recently and began prolifically producing both ancient and modern filigree designs. He creates jewelry and teaches at several locations in Northern California, incorporating both ancient and modern tools and techniques into his filigree and granulation workshops. Examples of Yehuda’s work can be seen at www.sabrajewelrydesign.com

Field Trip: Exhibition "Art of Being Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in a Modern World" Aug 5, 2007 Cantor Centor for the Arts at Stanford University

	Tuareg Earring

July General Membership Meeting July 17, 2007
Members of MAASV presented the following demonstrations:
			Jewelry and Small Object Photography - Adea Fong and Sherry Cordova demonstrated taking photographs of small shiny objects and shared tips they have learned - Kathy Fulton showcased a "photo-studio-in-a-bag"
Silver Metal Clay Local instructor Cindy Scott taught a ring-making technique with silver metal clay

Field trip
June 23, 2007 A Visit to Art Chemicals in San Leandro for a patina demo by Ron Young
and a bonus sidetrip to Harbor Freight

Members field trip on June 9, 2007 to the following locations in San Francisco:

- The Masters of French Jewlery exhibit at
the Palace of the Legion of Honor
- Stuart Moore Gallery
- Velvet da Vinci Gallery

We also visited a few 'bonus' jewelry shops
- David Clay Jewelers
- Zee Continental Jewelry
- Silver Moon Jewelers

Read more about the trip, and the extra stops we made, in the upcoming newsletter

MAASV Members on the June 2007 Field Trip to San Francisco Jewelery Sites

MAASV Members outside the Palace of the Legion
of Honor; behind us is San Francisco Bay

The First Sponsored Workshop
		The weekend of March 30, 2007, in the first month of our organizations existence, we held our first workshop with a visiting instructor. Michael David Sturlin taught his fine silver crocheted chain class. At left is a photo of our members in the midst of the workshop.

Become a Member or Renew Your Membership

General MAASV membership is $40 per calendar year (January 1st through December 31st)
Senior membership (aged 65 and over): $30 per calendar year
Student membership (must provide copy of current year student ID): $20 per calendar year

To join, send an email to membership@maasv.org with your name and phone number with "MAASV" in the subject line. A MAASV representative will contact you. Or, fill out and print the membership form and mail it to MAASV. Or, join right now via PayPal.

Metal Arts Association of Silicon Valley