{"id":965,"date":"2013-04-11T21:48:59","date_gmt":"2013-04-11T21:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/metalwerx\/?p=965"},"modified":"2013-04-11T21:48:59","modified_gmt":"2013-04-11T21:48:59","slug":"meet-the-masters-tom-herman-seven-fingers-jewelry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/metalwerx\/2013\/04\/11\/meet-the-masters-tom-herman-seven-fingers-jewelry\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Masters: Tom Herman, Seven Fingers Jewelry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The work of Tom Herman is ornate, but not flamboyant. Romantic yet modern, evoking classical metalworking traditions from long ago. No two pieces of Tom Herman\u2019s jewelry are ever alike, because he designs and carves each item, taking for inspiration organic forms such as leaves and flowers, or the cut of a stone he\u2019s created. Tom\u2019s heirloom-quality jewelry is not<\/span> the kind of work that will sit in the bottom drawer of your jewelry case. But to hear him talk about it, his work is \u201cso simple, anybody can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

$\"Brooch$ <\/p>\n

To someone other than an accomplished jeweler, it might be intimidating to attempt a design with ornamentation such as is found in Tom\u2019s work. But he insists it can be learned if the student has the desire. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have it, it can\u2019t go the long run,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

$\"Jewelry$ <\/p>\n

He\u2019s on his cell phone, shopping at a large grocery store near Woodstock, NewYork, on the hunt for gallons of olive oil. His passion for jewelry making comes through loud and clear, excitedly making the case that piercing, chasing, and engraving techniques can be mastered with properly adjusted tools and practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople stop themselves, oftentimes. This kind of work looks complicated, but it\u2019s been done for centuries, thousands of years.\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s been done the same way for three thousand years. And if I can do it, anyone can do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

$\"Transofrming$ <\/p>\n

The Minnesota native might slyly be referring to how, despite not having five digits on one of his hands\u2014his business is named Seven Fingers Jewelers<\/a>\u2014he has become an internationally renowned master jeweler. He started his career in San Francisco at Van Craeynest Jewelry<\/a>, an atelier that follows the European-style apprenticeship system. All lesser-experienced staff receive training needed to keep alive the revered traditions of jewelry craft\u2014even, according to its website, \u201cskills for which we have no current use.\u201d Tom worked at the venerable company for four years, which he said was \u201clike getting paid to go to college.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was there that he learned the techniques he will share in an upcoming workshop at Metalwerx, \u201cCarving Techniques for Gold and Other Metals,\u201d<\/a> June 19-23, the first offering in Metalwerx\u2019s 2013 Summer With The Masters<\/a> series. Using chisels, hammers, chasing tools, and a couple of gravers, students will practice bas relief techniques to turn metal into dimensional forms with geometric balance.<\/p>\n

$\"Tom$ <\/p>\n

\u201cMy job is to stand there and say, \u2018One two three, ready set go, and take off. They (students) already pretty much know what to do–and I\u2019m surprised at how many do know this–but they\u2019re only waiting for someone to tell them it\u2019s okay to do it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s in all of our DNA!\u201c<\/p>\n

Tom recommends that students come prepared with a design, which is then transferred to metal sheet with a tracing punch. He uses a method to give the developing piece support without using pitch, which allows you to chase it and really move the metal.\u00a0 \u201cYou get the drama mostly with the chasing punches,\u201d he said, and no, you do not need super-human hand strength to get your metal to come to life. \u201cThe strength is in the hammer, that\u2019s the beauty of chasing.\u201d<\/p>\n

$\"Brooch$ <\/p>\n

Tom learned to make specialized, lightweight chasing hammers while an apprentice at Van Craeynest. Almost every chasing hammer on the market is two to three times too heavy for this kind of work, he said, 35 to 40 grams as opposed to the 17-gram hammers needed for chasing silver and platinum. Tool making, he stressed, is something you have to invest in. \u201cThey say, \u2018the better the tool, the better the outcome,\u2019\u201d and he wholeheartedly agrees.<\/p>\n

Students will learn to modify hammers, make chasing tools, to sharpen and mount gravers, and use chisels, which Tom says takes away \u201cthe fear of driving that graver right through your hands. I\u2019ve done that many times.\u201d Additionally, the anatomy of the saw frame will be discussed, as blades will be used not only to cut metal, but to file and shape it.<\/p>\n

Tom will take his workshop students on a field trip to view the jewelry and tsuba collection at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He hopes the visit will spark a discussion about what kind of work they want to make, and to come up with plans to \u201cfocus their desire.\u201d<\/p>\n

$\"2011$ <\/p>\n

\u201cI think the most important thing that someone can bring to class is desire. So many of these things take so much time, it\u2019s only your own self that gets you through it.\u00a0 You have to be able to look at something and say, \u2018I could do this better,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cIt takes a lot of personal responsibility. It takes commitment and purpose, for this kind of work is about precision. This is all about detail and, basically I teach how to effectively work with detail.\u201d<\/p>\n

To register for Tom Herman\u2019s workshop, click here<\/a> or call Metalwerx at 781-891-3854. The entire Summer wit the Masters Series may be viewed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

–by Yleana Martinez<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"