A few pics from Bead & Button 2011

This is one of the pieces made by a student during my basic metalsmithing workshop, Saw, File and Stamp. The patina on this copper flower pendant and her hard work are not done justice by my grainy iPhone photo. I need a better camera at the show, because so many pieces were fantastic and the photos didn't turn out at all.

Here are a couple of pics of students making prong settings during one of my stone setting workshops. All of our students made great pieces and were wonderful to work with, in every class. Thanks and gratitude to all of you!

Teaching Prong Setting in Milwaukee

Well, I had no idea my bald head was so damn shiny while I was teaching. Thankfully I have the tv to distract the students from their reflections on my head! Instead they can enjoy close ups of my ugly fingers. "Pssst.... Joe needs a freakin' manicure!!"

This was a busy class. 18 students made a pedestal prong setting from scratch, including a custom bail - I worked my class to the bone and filled their heads with lots of information about soldering and stone setting. But almost everyone walked out with a set stone despite a few last minute melted bails and crooked settings. Nice thing about prong settings is that you can take the stone out and reset it or repair the setting.

One thing I'm proud of in these photos - my work area doesn't look like a complete disaster area on day three of our teaching marathon. Anat has been a huge help, taking orders, and helping students with soldering, etc.

Thanks to Patti from Wubbers - awesome awesome pliers - for the photos from class.