Student of the Week- Tamra Stoller

by jeanettecaines on October 24, 2010

 Congratulations to our latest Student of the Week- Tamra Stoller. Tamra went to Rome and was inspired by the motif she saw on a column.  She came home and worked long and hard to make this beautiful piece.  She worked with one of our most talented instructors, Louise Parrish,  who has since passed away.  Louise specialized in the jewelery of antiquity.  Together they worked out a magnificent pendant which would not look out of place at any ancient Greek or Roman gold exhibit. 

   This pendant’s construction is based on three main techniques-fusing, wire shaping and repousse.   The wire shaping of the petals is the first step using 22k gold wire Tamra made herself.  To insure proper fusing we at JAI alloy and mill our own gold using our own special alloy.  Fusing is similar to granulation in that we attach 22k elements to each other without the use of any solder or flux.  To get the most beautiful shapes for our wires the key is to use your fingers as much as possible to shape the wires against the pliers.  Too much grabbing and squeezing of the wire by the pliers ends up with the wires looking chewed up and ragged.  The lightest touch possible is essential in making them beautiful.  The next point is just as essential.  If you need 10 petals, make 20 and then just choose the 10 most beautiful that match each other the best.  This is the thing the really great jewelers do without hesitation and the most difficult thing to convince students to do.  If you need 10 and only make 10, I guarantee you a least a couple of them will be not as nice and take the level of your piece down a few notches.  I’m not a believer in trying to make your piece perfect, that leads to madness.  However, trying to make it as beautiful as possible should always be our goal.  Tamra clearly followed these maxims and look at her amazing result!  I suppose we will talk about repousse another day but here is to Tamra.  Well Done!

jeanettecaines

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Kenya October 29, 2010 at 7:22 pm

Beautiful work!!!

Anne Bellissimo October 26, 2010 at 7:21 am

Beautiful. Thanks for the tips (making multiples,etc.). It all helps.

Sam October 25, 2010 at 11:22 am

Wonderful work, beautiful plain high karat gold, classic.

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