fusion The Journal of the International PMC Guild
Unless there was a Post Office Mishap, along with an issue of Fusion you received the premiere edition of the PMC Guild Annual. I’ll bet you looked at that first, but that didn’t hurt our feelings here at the Journal. We think the book looks great and we hope you agree. A panel of four jurors re- viewed more than 1,000 submis- sions from artists from around the world. Ultimately, jurors chose the work of 56 artists for inclusion in the Annual. A few things worth noting: If you didn’t get in, do not feel bad. The competition was exception- ally stiff. And if you did get in, congratulations. It’s quite an honor. In addition to going to members of the PMC Guild, the Annual also is circulating in Europe and Asia. Mitsubishi, the maker of PMC, bought 1,200 copies for distribution in Japan. Hattie Sanderson was one of the four jurors for the inaugural Annual. She was impressed with the range and quality of the images submitted for review, and said the sheer number of submissions “speaks volumes about the growth of PMC from its humble beginnings ten years ago.” The quality of the work has evolved tremendously, as well. “It is evident that the PMC community is an adventurous group that is willing to experiment and then share ideas. I think the 2007 Annual is a wonderful representation of PMC as it has evolved to this point.” She hopes the Annual serves as inspiration for new ideas and innovations. “I feel the medium will continue to evolve in a way that we can only imagine as 2 more and more artists and craftspeople from all backgrounds embrace PMC,” she said. Autumn 2007
Every member of the Guild complete their set. In addition, will receive a copy of the Annual as the Annuals will be sold to a retail part of their membership package. market through jewelry supply Tim McCreight, Director of companies and online booksellers. Communications for the Guild, Is it too soon to start thinking explained that members who want about Annual Number Two? additional copies will be able to Absolutely not, says McCreight. purchase them at half of the list The timetable and format will price of $14.95. The PMC Guild be similar, but a different jury will publish the Annual each fall will start from scratch to select to highlight the best and most next year’s featured work. Details innovative use of PMC, and about how and when to submit McCreight envisions a time when work for the next Annual can be a full set of Annuals will make an found at the Guild website at impressive testament to the hard www.PMCguild.com/Publications. work of hundreds of artists. He Take a few minutes to enjoy anticipates that as new members the first Annual… then get to join in future years they will want work! to purchase previous editions to
Yahoo Metalclay
What began from frustration has class. Eager to learn, she bought become a source of pride for Min- a couple of PMC books and nesota artisan Gina Crow. A little managed on her own. more than five years ago, a friend But that only took her so far. showed Crow a pair of earrings Out of frustration, she decided to she had made during a PMC class use the Internet to connect with while on vacation in Iowa. Crow others. She launched the Yahoo was impressed. Metal Clay Group in March 2002. “I couldn’t believe my eyes, This was her first message: and I knew I had to learn how to do this, too,” she said. At the “Welcome and thanks for joining time, that was easier said than the Metal Clay Gallery. I started done. There were only a handful this group to give artisans a place of certified teachers in Minnesota, to share their works of art using and Crow, who lives in the metro metal clay. Why not show off what area of Minneapolis–St. Paul, was can be done with this wonderful unable to locate a convenient clay? Feel free to start a folder
of your work in the Files area. I they’ll get. This has been pretty am very new to this myself and consistent over the years.” I’m hoping to learn from other The topics have changed. At members.” first, the discussions were pretty She’s accomplished all that, basic. Now, the discussion spans and more. In five years, the group the spectrum, with contributions has become an international from people who are new to metal forum for metal clay artists, with clay—as was Crow when she began more than 3,000 members. “I re- the group—to those who are member how amazed I was when considered advanced and experts the 100th member joined,” said in the field. Friendships develop, Crow, who maintains the group on contacts are made, ideas shared. a volunteer basis. People open up their lives, as well. Growth was slow at first, but When a member needed support jumped in the past two years. This while going through cancer treat- year alone, there have been about ments, other members organized 10,000 posts. Crow believes the an auction to raise money to help popularity of the group stems with medical expenses. When from the community aspect of that person passed away, the com- the Internet. People who join are munity mourned. willing to share their successes The easy exchange of ideas as well as their failures. There’s a and information fuels the com- democratic nature to the group, munity, Crow said. There are no and also a focus. restrictions, no fees, and no ties “We encourage members to to sponsors. “We’re a free group stay on topic. That way when they accepting members using either come to Yahoo Metal Clay, metal PMC or Art Clay. Our group dis- clay discussions are exactly what cusses metal clay in general, and
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2007 1597 849 1655 1092 886 854 1632 1463 371 2006 1237 1121 1704 1254 859 981 1367 1779 1644 1399 1057 963 2005 658 642 545 579 674 927 1172 1264 593 614 985 664 2004 213 253 239 317 325 429 346 375 372 424 449 322 2003 45 41 69 59 48 111 188 128 90 69 170 143 2002 47 54 27 31 19 54 56 68 47 73
This table shows the number of messages posted on the Yahool Metalclay group each month. It started small in March, 2002 and now regularly averages well over a thousand messages each month.
not a particular brand. We’re not thank-you notes and lots of posi- sponsored by any vendors, so the tive feedback from members,” she conversations are open,” she said. said. The group’s first featured In the early days, she read artist was Gordon Uyehara. In every post, but now it is simply March 2006, Uyehara introduced not practical. She reads topics the group’s Monthly Design Chal- of interest to her, and skims lenge. There’s a new theme each the rest to ensure content is ap- month, and members are chal- propriate and on topic. She and lenged to create something based Uyehara monitor new members on the theme. “It encourages us to for content, “but after a couple explore outside our own comfort of appropriate posts they are zones,” said Crow. taken off of moderation.” Yahoo One aspect of the Yahoo provides the means to place mes- Metal Clay Group that has proven sages and pictures, but otherwise especially popular is the monthly has nothing to do with the group featured artist. The monthly beyond selling ads. feature includes an image from Crow works part-time as a the artist and a short bio. The registered nurse, and sets aside featured artist in September was time about twice a month, in Elaine Luther, a leading contem- gatherings with other artist- porary artist and instructor, and friends, to work on her own PMC popular blogger. You can find her art projects. She has no doubt the at www.creativetexturetools.com. future of the group is bright. The Crow spends between 15 and popularity of the group continues 20 hours a month on the group. to surge, right along with the The most time-consuming duty is popularity of metal clay. arranging for featured artists and “Metal clay continues to grow updating the home page. When in popularity. I see the group she began the group, she never growing with it—more members anticipated it taking as much time with more techniques and more as it does, but she has no regrets. ideas to share,” she said. “I am “Knowing that so many people very proud of this group, and benefit from the group keeps me it will be exciting to see how it going. I have received several nice evolves.”
An Introduction to Argentium® Sterling Silver®
One of the alluring aspects of PMC Eid, she became curious about is its newness. Its very nature is a how she could use it in her work, process of evolution, and jewelers and more specifically, whether it willing to take chances find them- could be used with PMC. While selves experimenting with the many people use PMC and others material to explore different ways employ Argentium® Sterling to make new objects and make Silver, few use both materials familiar objects better. With PMC together. Landenwitch decided to in its second decade of existence, experiment, to see what she could we’re seeing leaders in the field do and to see how the materials expand the potential of PMC by would respond to each other. combining it with other materials Her findings, reproduced here to create new opportunities. in Fusion, indicate that Argen- Jeanette Landenwitch, Execu- tium® Sterling Silver, PMC+ and tive Director of the PMC Guild, PMC� can be soldered and fused recently conducted a series of together. The result is a strong, experiments using PMC and Ar- durable material that enables gentium® Sterling Silver together. artists to create more complicated Like metal clay, Argentium® designs and to use thinner and dif- Silver was invented in the early ferent kinds of wires and findings. 1990s. Argentium® Silver is a Landenwitch is quick to say that patented, trademarked alloy that she is not the first to use the two has a little less copper and a third together. Nonetheless, her experi- ingredient that renders it firescale- ments mark an important step in free and highly tarnish resistant. the process of understanding the Landenwitch became aware properties of the materials and of Argentium® Sterling Silver how they work in tandem. through an article in the news- Her testing will make it easier letter of the Society of North for other PMC artists to incorpo- American Goldsmiths and by rate Argentium® Sterling Silver talking with other artists about it. in their work, and she’s eager to Last fall she attended a conference try it herself. “Now I’m eager to presentation by Massachusetts- make finished pieces that include based artisan Cynthia Eid, widely Argentium® Silver. So far my time acknowledged as an authority on has been devoted to experiments Argentium® Sterling Silver. to see how the materials act and As Landenwitch listened to react together,” she said.
Argentium® Sterling Silver polishing or covered by plating, was invented in 1992 by Peter and jewelers have done that as Johns, a professor of silversmith- a matter of routine. But a new ing at England’s Middlesex Uni- material without that property is versity. Unlike traditional sterling attractive. The lack of firescale ac- silver, which is 7.5 percent copper, counted for Eid’s initial attraction, Argentium® Silver has a small but she soon discovered what she amount of germanium, which calls “other wonderful qualities replaces some of the copper. The beyond its freedom from firescale. germanium changes the silver It’s highly tarnish resistant, it’s enough to allow it to become more malleable and ductile than heat-hardenable, more malleable, regular sterling, it can be heat- and ductile. hardened using a kitchen oven or Cynthia Eid was attracted to toaster oven, and it can be easily it for its lack of firescale, the dark fused and welded.” layer under the surface of sterling Her enthusiasm has led her to silver. Firescale can be removed by spend a lot of time experimenting
In her experiments, Landenwitch made several key discoveries: • Soldering with Argentium® Silver and Original PMC is touchy. With smaller pieces especially, the two materials reach temperature at different times, making the material -suscep tible to overheating or melting. Larger pieces become more feasible, but require great care.
• Soldering with Argentium® Silver and PMC+ and PMC� works well, probably because of the higher density of PMC+ and PMC�. It’s easier with PMC+ and PMC� to bring both metals to temperature and flow the solder than with Original PMC.
• Argentium® Sterling Silver did not fuse with PMC when fired together in the kiln, but they can be permanently joined by providing a mechanical connection. When the PMC is config- ured to curl around an Argentium® Silver element, the bond is permanent and the metal is tough. A potentially valuable illustration of this technique is to use Argentium® Silver as an armature to strengthen a PMC piece. Because Argentium® Silver is available in both sheet and wire forms, these arma- tures could be quite sophisticated.
with Argentium® Silver, testing Argentium ® Sterling Silver was new alloys and solders, and cor- difficult to find in the United responding with people who have States for many years, it is now questions or problems as they widely available from many dis- learn to work with Argentium® tributors in wire and sheet, as well Silver. “I like to say it’s like adding as in tubing. It costs about a dollar maple syrup to milk… it’s still more per ounce than traditional milk, and it doesn’t look any dif- sterling, which Eid points out, is ferent, but it is much yummier,” a nickel per pennyweight. “I get she said. that nickel back in the time I don’t She’s been using Argentium® spend fussing about firescale,” she Sterling Silver exclusively for said. several years. Through her writ- As with PMC, the market ings and presentations at confer- for Argentium® Sterling Silver ences, Eid hopes to encourage is developing quickly, said Eid, artisans who use PMC to experi- who recently toured the produc- ment with Argentium® Silver, just tion facility where it is made. “I as Landenwitch has done. was impressed with the sense of Eid encourages this kind of craftsmanship and quality control experimentation. It’s part of the at every step of the process. process of discovery, she said. Argentium® Silver is available in She sees great potential for using more gauges and forms. New chain Argentium® Silver and PMC, patterns and more findings appear for several reasons. Among them, on the market every month.” she cited the ability to solder, fire Eid has written two techni- and fuse the materials to create a cal articles about Argentium® material that is stronger than fine Sterling Silver, and both can be silver and with no worry about fir- accessed through the Member escale. Eid would like to see more Section of the Guild website at people experiment with fusing www.PMCguild.com. Argentium® Silver and PMC. When doing so, she advises that the Argentium® Silver be freshly abraded, for instance with Scotch- Brite, sandpaper, or a file. “In short, I feel that Ar- gentium® Silver has the advan- tages of fine silver, without its disadvantages,” she said. Though
Technical Data for Argentium® Sterling Silver Argentium® Sterling Silver has been developed as a bright white alloy that resists firescale and offers heat-hardening options. It is available in a range of products including sheet, wire, tubing, and casting grain. More information can also be found at www.argentiumsilver.info.
Argentium® 930 Silver Composition 93.4% silver + copper and other metals Melting Point 1610˚F / 877˚C Annealing Range 1050–1150˚F / 566–621˚C Heat Hardening 45–60 minutes at 580˚F / 300˚C
Argentium® 970 Silver (CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN CASTING GRAIN ONLY) Composition 97% silver + copper and other metals Melting Point 1680˚F / 916˚C Annealing Range approx. 1300˚F / 704˚C Heat Hardening 30 minutes at 1300˚F / 704˚C, then soak for two hours at 500˚F / 260˚for two hours; air cool. Fine Silver Composition 100% silver Melting Point 1761˚F / 961˚C
Traditional Sterling Silver Composition 92.5% silver plus 7.5% copper Melting Point 1635˚F / 891˚C Annealing Range 1150–1250˚F / 621–677˚C
Comparison of Melting Points
FINE SILVER ARGENTIUM® 970 SILVER TRADITIONAL STERLING ARGENTIUM® 930 SILVER 1100 1150 1200 1250 1300 1350 1400 1450 1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 ˚F
Should I Name My Work? We’ve all been there. We’ve ate. If it’s something simple, think just finished making a piece of twice. jewelry that we feel good about, “If it’s an unusual form and and it’s time to send it out into you really have something going the world. We want the piece to and it looks fanciful, you can evoke stand out and garner attention. As something by naming it. You can artists, our instincts are to give it a tell a little story by naming it,” she name, and perhaps elevate it from said. simply being a ring or necklace “It can be a good tool. But or pendant into something more sometimes it is overdone. Names grandiose. And so we anoint it: can be really silly or pretentious “Source of Life” sounding, especially if the work is not all that innovative.” “Inspired Existence” Tim McCreight, a jewelry “In a Pale Garden” maker from Portland, Maine, tends not to name his pieces. Merle White, editor in chief His sense of design dictates that of Jewelry Artist magazine, has every aspect of a piece of jewelry seen all kinds of names over the has a purpose, including the act of years, and she thinks the process naming it. of naming a piece of jewelry is “I used to name work, but the perfectly fine. Or not. process was usually pretty artificial “It’s really a personal deci- and after-the-fact. Jewelry is not sion,” said White, whose magazine the same as a painting or a sculp- makes every effort to publish the ture. It is in a field by itself and name of a submitted piece, along should create its own standards.” with other details. “I don’t think As Merle White points out, there’s really a right or wrong “Ultimately, the decision rests answer.” solely with the maker and how the White offers this advice maker perceives the work.” to artists: If the piece is truly inspired, a name can be appropri-
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Gerald Haessig
Over the past two years, New Using PMC, Haessig pro- Orleans artist Gerald Haessig duced 150 pieces in various sizes, has learned firsthand how art can setting his sugarcane design on tie sustain the soul and build morale tacks, pendants, and pins. “What’s during troubled times. Haessig so great about PMC is its ability was among the thousands of to create different sizes,” said New Orleans residents who lost Haessig. his home during the flooding as- The work allowed him to take sociated with Hurricane Katrina. his mind off the disaster and his After the hurricane, he had to personal loss. “Making the pieces move to St. Louis while making allowed me to participate in the plans to rebuild his New Orleans creative process and forget about home. the disaster for awhile,” he said. While living there, he got a “It was positive for me artistically call from Michelle Gaynor of the to be a part of this, as it was the Historic New Orleans Collec- first exhibition the Historic New tion. She asked him if he would Orleans Collection put on after create a piece of jewelry depicting the hurricane.” sugarcane for an exhibition called A few months later, he got “Common Routes” to celebrate another boost. First Lady Laura the ties between the country of Bush visited New Orleans and Haiti and the state of Louisiana. . was invited to the Historic New Orleans Collection, where the staff presented her with one of Haessig’s sugarcane pins. “That’s quite an honor for me,” he said. “How many artists Sugarcane have their work given to the First Pin by Lady?” Gerald Haessig. His good fortune did not end with the Historic New Orleans
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all those who lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina, Haessig said. New Orleans is known for the elaborate architecture of their historic cemeteries, and Haessig had long been an admirer; in fact, there are eight cemeteries within a few blocks of his home. Pin by Gerald Haessig used to The cemetery project was raise funds to as rewarding to Haessig as the help restore New sugarcane project. Collectively, Orlean’s historic the work has enabled him to move cemeteries. forward with his life during a time of great personal challenge. Collection coup. Earlier this year, He’s almost finished rebuilding the local cemetery preservation his house, and things are looking group Save Our Cemeteries com- better with each passing day. “Two missioned Haessig to create a years later, two great commis- piece for a fall fund raiser. sions,” he said. “I am extremely His design includes a broken proud of my artistic contributions column with a fleur-de-lis draped to these organizations.” over it. The broken column signi- fies a life cut short, and the fleur- More online at: de-lis is a symbol of New Orleans. He is using the design to create www.geraldhaessigdesigns.com tie tacks, pins, pendants, and key www.hnoc.org chains for the November fund www.saveourcemeteries.org raiser. The design pays tribute to
The PMC Guild is funded by memberships, Mitsubishi Materials, and the companies whose banners you see here. Please thank them for their support and mention that you saw them in Fusion.
Business Profile: Metal Clay Findings The story of a Providence, Rhode Since that email, he’s begun Island company offers a micro view a subsidiary company, Metal Clay of how metal clay has changed the Findings LLC, that caters to metal jewelry world in a short time. clay artisans. The company pro- Anthony Squillacci, Jr. runs a tool vides .999 fine silver findings and and findings company that his other products for those who use father began more than 40 years both PMC and Art Clay. The story ago. The business had changed so of Metal Clay Findings is interest- much, and faced so much foreign ing because it speaks directly to competition, that Squillacci knew the ever-changing world of PMC. he had to stay current to remain Squillacci learned as much as competitive. he could, as fast as he could. He A few years ago, he sent an took a PMC certification class email to a colleague who teaches earlier this year and has begun at a craft school in Connecticut, working with the material himself. asking if she had any ideas for new He talked to artists, visited products that his company might experts, and tried to open up as produce. What does she need that much communication as pos- she can’t find? What are her stu- sible. His goal was to position his dents asking about? How might company for the future, and along his company help them become the way he’s found himself com- better at their craft by offering pletely immersed in the potential new products? The woman sent and euphoria that surrounds metal an email back to him, suggesting clay. that he make a clasp for a PMC “This is the most fun I’ve had bracelet or necklace. in the business for 20-some-odd “Previous to that, I had heard years,” he said. “Over the past 15 of PMC, but I didn’t know much years for sure, it has been nothing about it. It didn’t seem to apply to but a challenge competing with us in the findings business,” Squil- imports. Providence used to be lacci said. It does now. considered the jewelry capital Your favorite one-stop shopping source for the metal clay enthusiast www.wholelottawhimsy.com (520) 531–1966 Register online for certified, store, or designer account
of the world. But as the global “People are just scratching marketplace grew, a lot of busi- the surface with what you can do nesses here have gone under. Only with it. It’s absolutely amazing,” a handful of us are left.” he said. “We look at it as being He does not view metal clay as one of the growth potentials the salvation for his company, but he of our business right now. We absolutely views it as a way to replace consider ourselves fortunate that a part of his core business that has we found it as early as we did. It been lost to imports. He also believes worked out well for us, and we’re the metal clay market is on the verge having a lot of fun with it.” of a major jump in growth.
Enamelist Conference, 2007 The Enamelist Society held its is now a growing interest in PMC biennial conference this year at within the enamelist community. several venues in Ohio. Workshops Jeanette Landenwitch taught a pre- were held at Thompson Enamel conference workshop called “Enam- in Bellevue, Kentucky, Kent State eling on PMC,” and participated University, and the Columbus Art in a breakout session during the Center in Columbus, both in Ohio. conference. She says, “That was Conference activities included particularly exciting because there an inspiring exhibition of enamel were several well-known enamelists work, as well as a live auction of who were genuinely interested in individual works, a silent auction PMC and the possibilities it has in of tools, supplies, books, etc., and a being incorporated into their work. raffle. The breakout sessions provid- They had great questions, and were ed a wealth of information for the inspired by the samples of work beginner as well as intermediate and that illustrated various enameling advanced enamelists. Attendance techniques. I could see the wheels was 111. of creativity turning in their minds, There has always been an and I look forward to seeing PMC interest for PMC people in learning appear in the work of some of these enameling techniques, but there artists.” PMC in NYC
212–947–6879 WWW.SILVERCLAY.COM
Ask Sol Have you ever been in a philosophical quandary and asked yourself, “What would Solomon do?” Well, the Solomon is no longer available, but on this page we’ll try to think through professional issues that any of us might face. Please send your questions to Ask Sol, c/o [email protected].
Dear Sol, I taught a class last weekend based on a project that I saw in a book. My friend says that I shouldn’t use someone else’s project, but I say that since it was published in a book, it is available. Please help us settle the argument. — Teacher X
Dear X, Your friend wins… you shouldn’t use someone else’s project unless you have permission. For what it’s worth, you are not alone in making this mistake. Many people seem to think that once an idea is published in a book it enters the public domain. Not so. When a novelist creates a character and publishes a book, do you think that character is available? If it was, I’d quickly write a book about a young wizard named Harry. In fact, that’s why copyright laws exist, to protect ideas and images when they go public. If an idea is private, there is no need to protect it. When someone publishes an idea, a story, a scientific report, or a craft project, they are making it available to a wide audience, and it is at that point that they need to claim ownership. I’ve known a few authors in my long life, and I know that they work very hard to come up with the projects in their books. What might look easy in print is often the result of many failed attempts and late night anxieties. These folks deserve credit for their efforts, typically through royalty payment or workshops. Full details about copyright protection can be found at www.copyright.gov, but let me address a few common misconceptions:
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I own it, so it is mine to do with what Possession of an art object does I want. not include rights. Owning a Picasso painting doesn’t give you the right to use the image on a product.
It was on the Web so there is no copy- Not true. The format or distribu- right protection. tion system doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t say “copyright” so it’s fair The technical description says game. that work is protected as soon as it exists in “fixed form.” Registering it is considered smart, but it is not required to gain protection.
Copying is OK if I give credit. Nope. Giving proper citation is always nice, but that doesn’t waive the rules about misappropriation, either ethically or legally.
It is wrong to copy or appropriate without permission, but I’ve found that many authors and teachers are generous people. It could be that a simple note or email to an author will be enough to get you off the hook. Ask if you can use their project in your classes as long as you credit the source and put in a plug for their book. My guess is that nine times out of ten, you’ll get permission.
Hope this helps, Sol
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Metal Clay World Conference in Las Vegas
The first Metal Clay World Con- and described how to control the ference was held in late August at factors that affect unexpected the South Point Hotel & Casino results in color and outcome. She in Las Vegas. Hosted by Art also spoke about making metal Clay World USA, the conference clay prongs for odd-shaped items included a keynote address by that cannot be fired in place. Charles Lewton-Brain, a master Hattie Sanderson, another goldsmith, artist, and author. He artist and presenter, said the con- is known for inventing a system ference enabled her to compare of metal working known as fold- notes with many Art Clay artisans. forming and is also co-founder of “Certainly, among the conversa- the Ganoskin Project, an Internet tions were comparisons of the resource for jewelers. two metal clay brands and the Lewton-Brain addressed the attributes of each,” she said. debate, ongoing on various Inter- Jackie Truty, president of Art net boards, that metal clay is an Clay World, USA, said 210 people inferior product. Holly Gage, one attended the conference, including of the presenters reports, “If there 21 presenters, and 10 vendors. She was any doubt about the value hopes to double the attendance of new materials and techniques for the next conference. Ideally, for using metal clay, he put it to she would like to move the confer- rest. He also reminded us of the ence from Las Vegas to Chicago. value of exploration and play for “I was happy to see the enthu- the sake of developing creativity siasm that was shared among the and for the pure enjoyment, and presenters,” Truty said. “I’d love to not necessarily to achieve an see a united, true metal clay world outcome.” conference, put together by both Gage gave a talk called “Un- brands. We may not be there yet, locking the Mysteries of Liver of but I’m confident that, in time, we’ll Sulfur.” She discussed the chemi- make it.” cal components of liver of sulfur
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Recently Published Books for Metal Clay Artists
Setting Gemstones into Metal Clay by Lorrene Baum-Davis published by L.J. Davis Designs 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches, 46 pages Color photos, spiral binding
New Directions in Metal Clay by CeCe Wire published by Lark Books 8 by 10 inches, 144 pages Color photos, hardcover with jacket
PMC Technic Edited by Tim McCreight published by Brynmorgen Press 8 by 11 inches, 120 pages Color photos, hardcover with jacket
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News From and For the PMC Community The PMC Guild’s fourth biennial conference will be July 17–20 at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. As before, the conference will span four days and three nights, starting on Thursday afternoon and ending midday on Sunday. New to the 2008 conference will be a Tech Expo, which enables participants to visit dozens of presentations by experts in specific PMC techniques. Each presenter will create a tabletop display with details and examples of a spe- cific technique. Located near the Vendors Hall, the Tech Expo will be open throughout most of the conference, enabling attendees to browse through all presentations. At various times, presenters will be on hand to answer questions and A sketch of the proposed Tech Expo. offer details for those who want more information. Linda Darty, professor of metalworking and enamelling at the School of Art at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., will deliver the keynote address. Other conference details, including a full synopsis of Darty’s credentials and information about programs and lodging, are avail- able at www.PMCguild.com. The second Clasp Convergence was held in mid-September in Denver, Colorado. The three-day event is sponsored by Rio Grande in partnership with Ganoksin, Bench magazine, SNAG, and the MJSA. Metal clay was represented through demonstrations by CeCe Wire and was mentioned in the context of materials and techniques that will play an important role in the jewelry industry over the next ten years. The next Clasp will be held in Albuquerque in 2009.
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Holly Gage at Gage Designs seeks images to feature in an annual calen- dar, The Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry 2008. All jewelry forms, including necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, and brooches will be con- sidered. Unique and diverse design styles and techniques are preferred. Metal clay is the predominant material, but other media – resin, gems, metals, enamel, and others may be incorporated. For submission details, email hgage�@ptd.net or visit www.HollyGage.com. Submission deadline is Oct. 31. The fall 2007 issue of Glass Patterns Quarterly includes a story by PMC Guild member Carol Giffin that takes readers through a step-by-step process for making a silver and copper inclusion pendant using PMC+. Giffin, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin., will teach the technique at the Glass Craft & Bead Expo in April 2008 in Las Vegas. Catherine Witherell, a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Silver Clay Guild, contributed an article to the September issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. Her feature, “For the Birds PMC Pendants,” includes directions for making hollow-form birdhouse pendants and rivet-jointed bird pendants. Witherell is certified under the Rio Grande program, and will teach two PMC classes in April 2008 at Artfest in Port Townsend, Washington. The Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery in Portland, Oregon, reopens in July with a new name and a new home, designed by Portland- based Richard Brown Architects and Forsgren Design Studio. It is now known as the Museum of Contemporary Craft, and will open July 22 on Portland’s North Park Blocks. The premiere exhibition is “Craft in America: Expanding Traditions.”
Step by step PMC instruction on DVD series Silver in No Time, PMC Classes, products and services by Linda Bernstein.
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