I love learning new silver smithing techniques! This weekend I took an Advanced Stone Setting class. My brain is spinning with the possibilities of what I might create next. It's also spinning with the new information I absorbed. Our instructor, Natalia Khon taught four different techniques for setting stones. Tube, gypsy, prong and flush setting.
Already quite familiar with tube and gypsy settings I still learned something new about each. Natalia had her own unique way of teaching. I appreciated both the skill and confidence she possessed.
I was not so familiar with the prong or basket setting as she called it. I didn't have a lot of success completing my example in the class. Using an unfamiliar torch I managed to melt it fairly soon. I didn't let it bother me because I know that when I learn something new it doesn't always work the first time. I am confident that eventually I will be able to do it but I also know that it may take many attempts. You see I don't only preach about practice I also practice what I preach! Besides silver has more than one life. If it doesn't want to be a basket setting in it's first life then it just may find it's way into a pile of beans and who knows what it will be after that.
I have to admit that a headache got the better of me and I left class early. However I didn't want to miss the demonstration for the last setting. So I stayed until I watched and had asked enough questions that I thought I could give it a go on my own. I've never seen this particular type of setting before and it's difficult to describe. The round cabochon was inserted through a hole in the pendant which was somewhat smaller in diameter so that two thirds of it would be visible from the front. The bezel that had been soldered onto the back side of the pendant was folded over the bottom of the stone which set it in place. I apologize if the description is fuzzy. If anyone gets what I'm trying to describe and knows of an image I would love to hear of it. While I'm not sure if I would use this type of setting it was still interesting. Of course new knowledge is never wasted and I did learn about using an inverted bur to create a beveled edge. One day I'll be scratching my head wondering how to make a stone sit just right and with luck I'll remember this technique.
As an instructor it was a particular treat to see how someone taught and Natalia was great. She has a great sense of humour which in my books is extremely important. It's the only way to bring the many different personalities of a class together by uniting them with laughter. We all relax a little, take ourselves less seriously and then really settle into learning.
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
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