Well Hello

It has been quite some time since I have written. Sometimes I get carried away on a magic carpet ride otherwise known as my life. There is so much fun work (is that an oxymorone?) taking place in studios of Ema K Designs. I feel like I have been on a steep learning curve these past couple of months and it is an amazing feeling to be learning so much.

I have taken a class with Trey Cornette. Trey is a master glass artist and I have admired his work for many years. It was wonderful to meet him in person. He is a truly kind and down to earth man. It makes me happy when a person I have come to "know" through the magic of the internet, lives up to the person I believe them to be in real life. And he is a really great teacher! I spent a weekend in April learning from Trey and hanging out with other lampworkers from my local International Society of Glass Beadmakers, SGB-Boston Chapter. It is always a treat for me to spend time with other glass workers. This is not something that I get to do very often and I treasure the moments. After all we speak the same language, quite literally.

Trey Cornette and me

The stash of beads I created during class. 

I learned some great techniques for controlling stringers (stringers are fine, thin, pulls of glass). We used silvered glass as stringers to boot. Silver glasses have eluded for some time. I finally feel I have the ability to use them and produce beautiful results. I thank Trey for that!

I have also been devouring books. I like to take classes but that is not in the financial cards right now. Most of my income is earned from my participation in fairs or festivals and due to all the crazy medical issues in my family the past couple of years I haven't been able to participate. So I opt for books. Some I have purchased, many I have found at my library. I get so much inspiration from material I have found at my library and tutorials I have found or purchased over the internet. I then take this inspiration to my work bench and apply what I have been reading. 

Recently I have learned how to etch metals from an internet friend, Payton Jett. She sells metal etching tutorials in her Etsy shop. 

A sample of the work I have created using Payton's metal etching tutorial.

Now I had these beautifully etched pieces and I needed to do something with them. For a few years now I have wanted to learn how to use my jewelers saw. I took a metal working class years ago but we didn't we really cover jewelers saws. We worked on soldering. I have tried to teach myself how to use my jewelers saw without any formal instruction but I wasn't very good at it. I would constantly break the saw and I would give up in frustration. Only to pull out the metals and saw a few months later and try again. Again unsuccessfully. I stumbled on this book at my library and next thing you know I was sawing away! Metal Artist's Workbench, Demistifying the Jeweler's Saw. I love this book so much I might have to add it to my permanent collection of books. 

I hope you are learning something new everyday. Perhaps you will tap into one of the links I have provided and  jump in to teach yourself a new skill. Stay tuned because I am very excited about all these new skills I am learning. I see all the individual pieces coming together to create beautiful, artisan jewelry. I don't know exactly how it will all come together but I do know it will. I am very excited to see.