April Newsletter

I hope everybody received the schedule of workshops coming up, and the times that the studio is open for your use. Winter is coming, and a time for brooding over creative projects, good books, and warm socializing! We look forward to seeing you at the AGM, and the various workshops and studio time scheduled. Please think about your availability to serve on the committee when we elect the new committee at the AGM in June.
Also don't forget to email me with any news or things of interest you would like to share with the rest of us:)

Contact Details for your Committee Members

Arthur Harrison  (Chairman)   03 382 1332  craftyart2002@yahoo.co.nz

Karen Atherton   (Secretary)   03 337 6632   markaren20@yahoo.com

Noeline Walker  (Class Co-ordinator)     03 322 4131  noelinew@xtra.co.nz

Solvejg Ruarus       03 329 9887  solvejgr@gmail.com 

Diederic Ruarus   (Treasurer)  03 329 9887   diedericr@gmail.com

Crystal Mathieson   03 980 3992   quartzcrystal@hotmail.com

John Weeber         03 322 4242   johnweeber@windowslive.com

Jo Crompton (Newsletter)    03 9818061  joannacrompton@gmail.com

Anita Parris  (Membership Secretary)    0277796857  anitagann@yahoo.com

Visiting Artist Kobi Bosshard - Come and meet him at our Studio

A few weeks ago we became aware that  Kobi Bosshard will have an exhibition in Christchurch in the NG Gallery from the 7th of May.
He is one of New Zealands best jewellery makers over decades,now living in Dunedin.
We sent him a letter asking if there would be a chance that he could visit our new Studio and meet our members, may be answer questions one would have.
Kobi rang me to arrange a time.
I am very aware of the fact that his time could be limited ,but he offered to come on

Wednesday the 8th of May at 10 AM. to the Studio 39C Tanner St.

It is during workhours,but there was no other time available.
If you can make it.. please come along!!!!
Send me an email if you can be there so I can plan enough coffees.

We hope to be able to plan more contact in the future......
Our library has bought the great book recently published about his work and his life story.
Visit the exhibition !!!
Solvejg
email:solvejgr@gmail.com
phone:03-32998

* May's workshop is an Enamelling skill sharing day with Anita and Michelle. 

Saturday 25th May 10am -3pm. $20 for the day. Ring Arthur, 382 1332, to book your place, there are limited spaces available. We have some enamels available for use and will crank up the kilns after a long time of disuse after our relocation. It might be useful to have prepared some copper shapes to bring along if you have something in mind to make.

* The AGM is scheduled for 10th of June, pending our accounts being ready by then. We have information to mail out to you all beforehand, and your membership subs need to be current for your vote to be valid.

* Membership Subs are due.

$65 for the year April 1st 2013 - March 31st 2014. Either send a cheque  addressed to 'The Silversmiths' Guild of Canterbury' to PO Box 19905 Christchurch 8241, or pay online to our BNZ Account 02 0865 0197906 00 with 'Subscription' and your name in the reference lines.

Please email Jo ( joannacrompton@gmail.com), with your details so she can keep them up to date, especially your email address since that is how we communicate mainly! Just click on my email address above - do it now while you are here:)

* Members' Work on Display

There are a couple of members with work being exhibited. Perhaps you might fancy a trip out to see some art and have a coffee!

Noeline Walker has some gorgeous work showing at the Oxford Art Gallery, April 16th - May 12th. She has been working with silver and slate that has come from roof slates from Christchurch Cathedral.

Jo Crompton is exhibiting with her painter friend, Gaby Reade, at the Two Rivers Gallery in Cheviot, during the second half of May and early June. Jo has created a group of brooches and pendants to complement Gaby's arch shaped oils of 'The Virtues', several in a 'Madonna and Child' vein.

* From the library

A big THANK YOU to Pam Englefield!!!
She donated a whole pile of great books to our library.
They will be of such good use for all of us!

I"ll mention 2 now:

The Ultimate Jeweler's Guide by Joanna Gollberg......very  clear in instructions ,lots of great information!!!
This one is reference only ,so come in and have a good look.

The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes by Jinks Mc Grath....also very usefull.and can be borrowed.

All our books are on the shelves now and the catalogue is up to date.
Solvejg

Adding Colour to your Metal Workshop

This was a well attended, thoroughly enjoyable workshop, where several members shared their experiences using several different techniques.

Solvegj shared her use of gold leaf. Using layering and spray adhesive Sol created a manageable sheet of gold which could be cut into a shape, which she then sandwiched between mylar, (this can be purchased from stationery suppliers in A4 sheets), and then riveted into her final pieces of jewellery. Gold leaf is very fine, sticking to your fingers and being easily blown away if you breathe on it. It is well worth the challenges, adding a gorgeous touch of luxurious colour to your jewellery designs!

Noeline had been exploring three different ways of adding colour; gilders paste, colour pencils, and some ceramic paints that give a very creditable enamel look. 

Arthur had been very busy preparing some copper pieces for us to try out the colour pencil techniques, roughing up their surfaces to provide 'tooth', and applying a good coat of gesso. The colour pencils are oil based, and we used both Prisma Colour, and Soft Colour pencils, with turps as a solvent. layers are applied, sprayed with fixative, and heated in a  dedicated toaster oven, before finally being sealed with Renaissance Wax and heated for a final time.

Gilders' Paste comes in lots of colours which are gently applied to your finished piece of jewellery, rubbing the wax into the texture and grooves of the piece. It dries hard, but can be removed by wear, and turps, so ois best used on jewellery that won't receive a lot of contact.

Paebo Porcelaine 150 is a water based media which can be applied to any heat stable surface, and is baked at 300ºF in an ordinary oven to achieve a finish that is as permanent as enamel. I think this has promise!

Top LHS are copper discs with Paebo porcelaine paint applied.
RHS is Titanium with various heat effects.

Jo Shared her experiments with titanium sheet, and Arthur provided us with samples to try our own ideas out on. The main things to concentrate on were to keep things spotlessly clean, as oils from your fingers and gunk on your tools both affect the consistency of colours achieved. John Weeber tested using this interference as a way to get some different design possibilities. Titanium gives a spectacular range of colours and is another way to add colour to your work. It also calls for cold connections to join it to your pieces so provides a different look on that level too.

Look at those waves, made using a resist method

This was a fun workshop using materials and ideas that are new to all of us. Play is vital to keep us fresh and our designs growing and developing along the way. Sharing our skills with each other always gives rise to further possibilities and a new level of excitement in our work. Let's do more of this!

Jo Crompton

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SSG Committee Meeting Minutes Summary

May 8, 2013 

Arthur

Crystal

Solvejg

Anita

Jo

John W.

Diederic

Karen

Noeline

Debi James

Meeting opened at 7 p.m. 

Michelle Boston showed examples of her work including enameled pieces.  On the basis of those examples she was invited to join the Guild.  On the strength of the enameled pieces she was asked to do a workshop soon with Anita on enameling.

Minutes were accepted with some clarifications by Karen.

Noeline and Jo will update our entry in the Arts Participation Guide to include education and pictures.

Matters Arising

 Arthur reported that we have spent all our grant money.  Arthur and Mark will now write a report for Creative New Zealand and include photos to support our purchases.

Arts Centre:  We got a letter from Liz Hodgeson (manager of Arts Centre) inviting us to come look at our vacated space and retrieve any left belongings.  Apparently a small cabinet is still there (probably the metal enamel cabinet) but we don’t need it.  Arthur will contact Liz and let her know.

Arthur will contact Nicola Roake next week to discuss doing a forming workshop.

Treasurer’s Report

Diederic gave us a draft only which was done as the IRD requires.  He will add closing stock and cost of stock.  He suggests no receipts be sent out for memberships.  Arthur moved, Jo seconded .  Accepted and Diederic was thanked by all.

Noeline reported on the stock-take for silver.  There is a discrepancy of 57 grams ($199 loss).  This is much better than previous stock-take results which seems to mean that Noeline’s new system of numbered pre-cut stock is working.  We need to keep online banking slip system.  Diederic suggests that we let him know when a large payment for silver is expected to come in. 

Classes Report:

Noeline said there is not the same demand as last term but we are still getting students:

Term 2:

Tuesday, Level 1, five people  (3 paid)

Weds, Level 2, eleven people (7 paid)

Thurs Level 1, two people (not paid)

Thurs Level 2, nine people (3 paid)

Term 3:

Level 1, three people (2 paid)

Level 2, two people (1 paid)

Substitutions of classes for any time missed by students is working all right.  Make-up time is still at the discretion of the tutors.

Crystal is doing Facebook updates.  Crystal and Noeline will do updates for library.

Karen suggested we offer projects for Level 2 students rather than letting them choose their own.  Karen will do a list of suggested projects but we will still let them choose their own.

Arthur suggests having a tutor training and assessment workshop.  Suggests devising exercises to test competency.

Karen suggests tutor evaluation sheets to be given to students at the end of term.  Noeline asked for suggestions of what to include on evaluations.

Diederic wants tutors to notify him of time worked after each term.

General: 

Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 10.  We need to receive the accounting results in time to send them out 6 weeks before the meeting.  Diederic hopeful that we will make the deadline but not completely sure.  We will ask people to bring a plate and the Guild will supply drinks.

Solvejg and Diederic had the banner made for the outside.  It looks good and everyone thanked them.

Diederic reported that the sanitary bin is not being emptied by the company contracted to do it.  He will follow up.

Solvejg suggested writing to Kobi Bossard to see if he will meet us and maybe answer questions while he is in town for the National Gallery show.  We agreed this is a good idea.  Maybe we could get him to give a workshop or a master class sometime.  Tony Williams would be good to do an enameling master class.  We need to contact Anna at Creative New Zealand to find out about tech-based funding. 

 Noeline will contact Terry Banks to talk about a stone setting workshop.

Exhibition:

Solvejg suggested City Arts space for exhibition.  Karen will check it out and will also write to Magma to reinforce our request for exhibition space.  Our ideal time for exhibition is late November.

If we need more display cabinets we might be able to rent them from Peek Displays since one of our students works there.

Karen suggested holding the exhibition at The Studio but was voted down.

Solvejg suggests having photographic bookmarks made to drop off at cafes, pubs, etc. to promote the Guild.  Crystal will investigate.  Crystal will call in the newsletter for photographs to include in the bookmark ads.  Photos to be sent to her.

Workshops:  

April workshop this Saturday.  Colouring metal workshop – Arthur will prepare some copper pieces with gesso ahead of time.  Twelve are signed up already.

May 25, 10 to 3 p.m, Enamel Have-a-go with Michelle Boston and Anita facilitating.  $20.

June 8, Repousse and chasing, Arthur

July 13, 14, lost wax casting, Arthur and John W.

August 10, PMC with Susan Brown.   Karen will get prices for best PMC deal and arrange how to order.  Limit class to ten people.

Arthur committed to do Thursday Club Nights.

The Saturday and Wednesday studio hours will continue as before.

Working Bee:

April 27 10 a.m. until done.  We will get together to install blinds, sort exhibition stuff and put together remaining display cases.

Meeting ended at 9 p.m.