My story was recently featured on VoyageATL. Please check it out along with many other stories about my fellow fabulous Atlantans of note. It’s wonderful when living and working “outside the box” has a location where we can all safely gather.

About those mummies and their metal…It’s funny how often I’m asked how I became a metalsmith and how often the answer I give is just about the last one people expect. My story’s uniqueness is part of what prompted me to tell it in the unusual way of Giving Voice. Definitely not your average memoire or autobiography, but then, I suppose I’m not your average character.

Beginning Soon!

You asked for it, you got it – Live Class Support Time for my Russian Filigree DVD/video

Whether you are completely new to Russian Filigree, or you need a refresher in order to take more advanced classes in the future, my new live online time is an add-on support class, tailored to work in conjunction with my Russian Filigree DVD/video. The session will feature brief demos to answer your questions, give you the sense of classroom community, and provide a little structure to help get you motivated toward completing the video’s 5 filigree projects.

THIS CLASS WILL MEET FOR 2 SESSIONS

THURSDAY OCTOBER 8 & THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

3:00-4:30 PM EASTERN TIME

And the Serendipitous Combo of These Online Features…

A few weeks ago Ganoksin featured an article that John Shanahan wrote for MJSA Journal a few year back about how I began doing filigree that includes some technical advice and tips for fellow metalsmiths and jewelers.

It’s been a wild filigree ride this summer and fall. My 3-D Sculptural Filigree class should have been called “Death Defying Acts with Filigree,” given all the secrets of my wild twists, turns, and folds that I was able to share with my students. If you missed it, stay tuned for when it comes back around next year.

As that class winds up today, and the Russian Filigree Online Live Support begins next week, I am seeing the light at the end of the course development tunnel, and it looks like granulation, unique rings, and Eastern repousse. – At least that light doesn’t look like the proverbial oncoming train, which is what fighting with my tech equipment to video and share everything in 4K has felt like. After coaxing my 64Gb, iPhone 11 into storing just one more video of my fast moving pliers, my son said this week, “Want me to order you a flash drive for your phone?”

“They exist?!?”

“Sure, for a while now.”

“And your telling me NOW?!? Not, two months ago?!?”

“Uh, yeah. Want a 256Gb?”

“Yes!!!” my husband yelled before I had a chance to answer. I get the feeling they’re tired of hearing me bitch about my phone not uploading everything to iCloud because it’s so full it can’t think.

Demos in 4K are just seriously cool, however huge the files end up being. I worry less how wonky the Zoom connection looks because once I hit “share screen” during class, everything is much sharper. At least with some equipment upgrades and storage I won’t have so many tech fights next month when I begin filming next year’s online workshops. My family may be in for a shock when Apple releases their new 2021 Macs, and this time I don’t protest that my old iMac is just fine like I usually do. After all, if I’m stuck at home, why shouldn’t the big flat box where I get to connect with everyone else be, well, outside the box and on the cutting edge?