Learn Hand Engraving in Tuscany next Spring with Vincent Hawley

by Metalwerx on November 18, 2013

If you were at Metalwerx this summer you may have had the chance to witness the creation of a pair of sacred vessels, a chalice and paten for a local Catholic church, Saint Gregory the Great in Beverly, Mass. Vincent Hawley, an instructor and  Studiomate at Metalwerx, spent many a sunny afternoon outdoors raising the pieces from sterling silver sheet.

It took five months to complete the vessels from design to finish. Vincent earned a BA in metalworking at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and at Art Studio Fuji in Florence, Italy. He has studied engraving with the master Franco Benevieri in Florence, and continues to do so because, as he says, “Hand engraving is a life-long process.”

Chalice and Paten

Both pieces were raised from four square feet of 18 gauge silver. The chalice consists of a cup, a base, and a stem with a center node, called a knop, and is used to contain consecrated wine, or the Blood of Christ. Vincent raised the seven-inch chalice with hammers and rawhide mallets on an anvil, using synclastic and anticlastic forming tools and mushroom stakes.

Forging on mushroom stake at Metalwerx studio

The center node is a single piece, but the stem is tubing formed from sheet. He carved three medallions in wax, which were later cast and soldered onto the base. The images are of Christ, St. Gregory, and the Chi-ro, a  Greek symbol for Christ. As per Church tradition, the inside of the six-inch wide cup is gilded with 24 karat gold, applied by electroplating. Vincent hand engraved two inscriptions on the chalice, ‘This is my blood shed for you and for many’, and ‘Holy Gregory pray that all may drink of this cup’.

The paten is a shallow, nine-and-a-half inch plate that holds the host, or consecrated bread, that represents the Body of Christ. It bears a dedication engraved on the underside of the rim, honoring the establishment of the new church and its first pastor, Jurgen Lilias.

Hand-engraved paten inscription

“My inspiration for the chalice design came from a few pieces dating back to the eighth and ninth century, and the medallions were modeled after images of these figures from the same time period,” he said.

Chalice with cast medallions; wax model ready for carving

Vincent has created several religious objects in the past, but these were his first sacred vessels. The Massachusetts native completed the objects in August, just before moving to Cleveland, Ohio. He will soon open a store featuring his jewelry and other works in the downtown theater district. “Property value here is amazing,” he said.

He is recognized for his expertise in hand engraving, and has demonstrated his talent at gatherings of the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (MJSA), and at Metalwerx, where he has taught semester classes on the elegant techniques of Florentine engraving and Traforo. Jewelers interested in learning these classic traditions have the opportunity to study with him next spring in the heart of Tuscany, Italy.

Vincent will teach the technique in two, two-week sessions at Art Studio Fuji in Florence, and students will be housed in Santa Croce near the city’s historical center. The sessions run from April 26 through May 9 and from May 10 through May 23. The program includes field trips to museums and artisanal jewelry shops, and features a lecture with an expert on the history of Florence, its art, and architecture. Classes are limited to six students, and are filling up fast. Learn more about this exciting opportunity by visiting Vincent’s website.

“It was great working at Metalwerx over the summer,” he said. “I specifically wanted to work there because of the vast amount of tools and resources. It’s a great, supportive community.”

We wish you much success in your new venture, Vincent!

—by Yleana Martinez

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