I then made a couple of all silver dots bracelets experimenting with different sizes of dots and\u00a0made one or two in two colors using 18K gold and sterling silver. I played with the background texture on which I placed the dots. Then I was provoked by\u00a0my muse\u00a0who sent me a picture of a bracelet which had varying shapes of circles which interacted with each other. That set me off and I made several drawings for this muse\u00a0so she could make sure I was\u00a0going in the right direction for her with my designs. I don’t usually draw much and I certainly can’t draw well but these were coming out in a way that pushed the original idea.<\/p>\n

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Well, the first bracelet I made didn’t follow the drawing at all and I found that when working in metal I did things which didn’t occur to me on paper. The second bracelet followed the bottom drawing as close as I could do it. I followed the drawing just to prove to myself that I could do it. I have made an other Martian bracelet with 18K gold elements in three colors, green, yellow and red along with sterling. I am currently working on another gold and silver Martian and will post about it when I finish.<\/div>\n

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Sterling Cuffs by Sam Patania<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The one on the far left is a piece which I had on my bench for months, planning to make it into a negative “Dots” bracelet but, it fit right into the Martian series. Many times I start something and have to wait along time to finish since I can’t figure out the engineering or design or something which will allow me to finish. I don’t figure this is any mystic artist thing but rather disorganization. I have come to accept lots of disorganization as part of my method, if a method exists. It doesn’t translate very well to bookkeeping though but I keep trying.<\/div>\n

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Cuff bracelet, overlay<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I love making these bracelets, they are challenging. I cut all the shapes and lay them out on the frame which I make first. Then I completely disassemble the piece so I can solder, I flip each piece onto the soldering surface, and after melting solder onthe back of each piece I try to re-assemble the design I layed out. This presents problems, I really love my lay out but I can never remember how it went when re-assembling it. I could take pictures and refer to them while re-assembling but I don’t. I have found that if the lay out works then I have all the pieces I need to make a good design and it will come back together, I don’t worry about it. It is hard to do that if I have done a drawing which a client has seen and desires. Maybe they will read this and understand me?\u00a0or at least trust me? Who knows, I try to tell new clients that part of the process is to let it happen and I always deliver more than I think I can.<\/div>\n

I hope some budding artist finds my blog and it helps them to understand that ,in my case, I find that dogged determination to the point of stupidity and all evidence to the contrary in the income department I persist and keep working. I have had lots of family help and clients who trust my vision. I have been blessed but many times I don’t feel that way. I do understand that producing work is the only way to make my point. It takes time and I don’t like to wait so instead of waiting I work. Chasing the market is not where I shine so I decided a few years ago to just work and if it got in front of the right people, somehow, I would be able to support myself and family, and I am now most of the time. I just got a handful of bills which weren’t red! Just keep working and trust and focus on the client, give them everything you have.<\/div>\n

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