Reminiscing on the Academy

Michael David Sturlin, Alan Revere, and Myself Hamming it up in Drawing Class

Its been 7 months since I finished up the graduate jeweler program at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco. It was a tough time and great time. Quite often we were at it in the Graduate Jeweler program 6 days a week 9-5 and sometimes 6pm. It was really intense but getting to learn from people that are the luminaries of the jewelry industry was priceless.

Alan Revere saw my sculpture/drawing portfolio and asked me to teach a class classical  drawing class while I was there. It was really quite the honor ! I ended up having not only Alan Revere in my class (talk about being nervous) but also well known goldsmith and jewelry designer Michael David Sturlin. As things turned out we had a great time. It was great to be around people that share my passion for truly fine art, whether it be in jewelry, sculpture, painting or any of the true fine arts.

I think the thing that has stuck most in my mind  (besides learning the skills I would need to produce high end jewelry ) would be how much the most successful people in the jewelry design industry follow certain patterns when coming up with a new line of jewelry . There is a stepwise working method that is adhered to in one form or another.  So, as a wise man once said “If you have a problem make it a process”

• The first step in  coming up with a line of jewelry that was stressed at the Academy was the seed idea. This is incredibly important to giving wings to your creativity.  After an initial idea was conceived, ( I usually get my basic ideas after pouring over forms in nature) it is put down on paper. Then using tracing paper its traced and then changed from the basic original idea. This is done over and over again allowing you to develop an idea without destroying the original drawing. You can easily work up idea after idea on paper until you have that eureka moment.
• The next step is to work up the idea in 3-D. Being a  sculptor I use a variety of materials for this. Anything from bake in the oven Sculpey, plasticine clay, cardboard and tin foil to traditional carving wax. This allows you to get a stronger idea of what things will be in their final form while. You can mock up everything, including the stones and the findings ! This leaves no guess work when you get ready to create the final piece. You know exactly where you are going.

This is  just brief glimpse into the world of a jewelry designer and the process we use to develop jewelry ideas. Its just the beginning however, I think most people have no idea how much planning and effort goes into creating a line of jewelery. It’s never done off the cuff.

Lastly good news ! My grant was approved for my metal casting and other shop equipment. I should be installing things in the next few weeks and start getting all those wax models in silver and gold

-Cheers

Tags: "jewelry artist" Revere Academy Silver Jewelry Sterling Silver Jewelry