CONGRATULATIONS!

Check out this GREAT Esty featured seller interview with Wilmington metalsmith Sara Westermark.
Way to go Sara!!!!

Wounded Warriors -Metalsmithing?

Hey Folks, If anyone is reading this let me know what you think... I have this seed of an idea. What if we teach Wounded Warriors how to make jewelry and basic metalsmithing?
It will probably require going to Camp Lejeune and taking tools up there. I've made some inquiries anyone interested?

Open Studio Day!

In my personal studio
at Independent Art Company
Thursday May 21st from 2-5pm

$15.00 per person

This is a time that I offer, as a favor, for people who don't have their own studios, and want social time with other metalsmiths, to use my personal studio while I work on my own projects.

YOU MUST HAVE METALS EXPERIENCE!
This is NOT a class!
I will not be instructing, therefore you must know the proper use and handling of the tools. They are my own personal tools, be mindful!

Also, You MUST email
or call 910-538-1246 to sign up
we are limited to the first 5 people due to space.
Bring your own metal and any small hand tools you have like saw, pliers.
I do have 5 benchpins.

Riveting Jewelry Workshop

This will be a RIVETING workshop with me Melissa Manley!




On Saturday March 14th from 2-5pm at Independent Art Comapny's Wabi Sabi Warehouse, 19 North 9th street, I will teach you how to connect metal with cold connections and hand made rivets like the tube rivets pictured here. Fun!!! this is a great thing to learn if you don't have a torch at home. You can make all sorts of jewelry just with a saw and rivets.

Bring
Metal -if you have it. I will have lots of recycled copper and brass pieces. You can buy small sheets of copper and brass at Craft American Hardware near Wrightsville Beach (Across Wrightsville Ave. from the new Harris Teeter). I go in there all the time and buy tiny copper tubing for tube rivets. They know I teach, and send students there. They've been very helpful to people I've sent there in the past. Ace Hardwares often have the same display case with metal sheets strip and tubes in it.

A drink if you need it. We do have a little kitchen with water, fridge and a stove for tea, coffee machine....

Your close up glasses if you're use to using them.

Moolah! I don't take credit cards, so if you want you may pay through paypal on our meetup site here or at paypal bring a check or cash.
Wabi Sabi is located on the corner of 9th and Princess Streets. One block from the Cape Fear Museum. Its the bright blue building with the yellow garage door, can't miss it. We have our own parking across the street.

NC ABANA

Hey folks! I went to the local ABANA meeting!!
The Artist Blacksmith Association of North America was so cool! They had a demo by Peter Ross an extremely accomplished blacksmith, along with another demo by Jimmy Alexander the NC ABANA president. The event was at Intracoastal Iron's shop off Old Wrightsboro Road out near Castle Hayne. SOOOO cool! And I'd made a keychain and put in the "Iron in the Hat" raffle. Raffle tickets were $1. The money is used by NC ABANA for a scholarship program for members to go to blacksmithing workshops. They grilled food and had a big spread for lunch and took lunch donations. There had to have been 30 people there it was so exciting. I met Dumay Gorham and Paul Hill both local sculptors, and saw my pal Cindi Buell. I'd love to get her involved in our group. I think we should have a raffle!

Anne Dinan

Its not often I find TRULY unique metalsmithing on etsy. Don't get me wrong! I LOVE etsy, and adore gazing at metal on there. but it really gets a little hum drum all the hammered stacking rings and PMC. This woman really has a unique take on using copper and enamel check it out:
annedinan.etsy.com
It really has her personality in it. I plan on showing my Metals 2 class tomorrow. They're enamelling right now. Just love to share.
Have you seen really far out designs on etsy or elsewhere? Please share!

New Ideas

Hey y'all! Lots of new ideas percolating here with our little group. If you haven't yet, check out our Meetup.com site. We have polls and discussions. We will have a new Yahoo egroup starting up soon. Also Deborah Beasley has suggested a CFM Etsy store and/or a CFM sale to raise general funds. We all would love a co-op metals studio here in Wilmington for workshops and open studio time. To make that happen will take tremendous work and time and money. But I think it would be enormously popular. I also have numerous out of town metals friends who'd love to pay for a trip here by teaching you guys their stuff. So I am interested in any input about what you'd like to learn.
LOVIN' the snow! Robert and I have gone out to walk in the woods, and also walked to the nearby store tonight just to get out in it!