This month, Road 2 Success's SPOT ON will be focusing on Collecting and our format is a Q&A with one expert each week. This week we've been talking with Susan Cummins, Board Chair of Art Jewelry Forum and Board Vice -Chair of California College of the Arts.  In response to the question, "What gets you excited when you look at new work?" Susan wrote:

"I watch what is going on and I am aware of jewelers who are doing
good, strong, serious work, and who

Susan Cummins

are presenting it in a variety of ways. I look for ambitious work, by which I mean unique, original, well conceptualized and well made. I also notice jewelers who participate in the community by writing articles, making comments, assembling shows of other people's work and generally being energetic."

This next week, we'll be talking with Cindi Strauss about her experiences as a collector.

If you'd like to join in the conversation for May's Q&A on Collecting with Karen Lorene, Susan Cummins, David Huang, and Cindi Strauss, go to the Signup Form and we'll get you into the forum as soon as possible.  You can be a part of where the conversation goes next. go to the Signup Form and we'll get you into the forum as soon as possible.  You can be a part of where the conversation goes next.

The Metal Museum is the only museum of its kind in the country dedicated to the advancement of the art and craft of fine metalwork. The Museum engages the metals community and the surrounding region through exhibitions, collections of fine metalwork, educational programs and publications featuring artists of national and international importance to the field. The permanent collection and exhibition program reflect a wide range and mixture of metalsmithing, including ferrous and nonferrous metals, hollowware, jewelry and architectural elements. With its unique focus on artwork and fine crafts made in metal, the Metal Museum helps initiate and promote dialogue and understanding of the field and its relevance in our modern culture.

The purpose of the Curator of Fine Metalwork and Exhibitions Manager is to further the mission of The Metal Museum through the presentation of fine metalwork and related educational programming.

Qualifications: An MA or PHD in art history or related material culture field  and minimum 5 years experience in a museum preferred with a strong commitment to scholarship with evidence of publications and exhibition development in the field of fine metalwork.

To Apply: Please email or mail resume, letter of interest and three references to Carissa Hussong, Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, TN 38106

Learn more

Making Jewelry Magic with the Orion Pulse Arc Welders

 

September 6 - 7, 2014  

 

The Southern Highland Craft Guild and Folk Art Center are hosting the second National Orion Pulse Arc Welder Workshop in conjunction with SNAG.  Attendees will learn what different welder models can do without the high cost of purchasing or maintaining a laser.

 

Learn to repair porosity, re-tip prongs, weld dissimilar metals together, weld bezels together, resize rings, construct jewelry  without soldering, and even weld titanium. Brett White from Orion Jewelry Welders, as well as David Alberts, and Ruthie Cohen of the Mountain Metalsmiths School of Jewelry & Lapidary will be working with each individual on an actual pulse arc welder.  Jewelers are encouraged to bring projects that they are working on to the workshop!

 

Workshop fees are being donated to SNAG and the Southern Highland Craft Guild for their educational programs. A $50 deposit is all that is necessary to hold your space.   

 

For more information please contact Ruthie Cohen by phone: 828-687-7830 or by email 

After 21 years of educating hundreds of art jewelers and metalsmiths, the Maryland Institute College of Art is closing its Jewelry Center at the end of May. The Baltimore Jewelry Center, an independent nonprofit, will continue the tradition of excellence that has made the MICA Jewelry Center into a renowned institution. 

Their business plan includes offering classes, certificate programs, bench rentals, workshops, and hosting a gallery/retail space. The Baltimore Jewelry Center will be a premiere makerspace that provides quality craft education from a state of the art facility, creating a space that will foster community, creativity, and innovation, and raise the profile of craft in Baltimore. The Baltimore Jewelry Center opens in June. Learn more

New Face Productions (NFP) and the Durango Arts Center (DAC) announced the winning entries of its national jewelry design competition and expo.
 
Open to jewelry designers nationwide, 447 submissions from 33 states plus the Virgin Islands were judged for acceptance by internationally acclaimed jewelers/sculptors Jeff and Susan Wise. The creations of 72 designers were ultimately selected for the exhibition and judged for awards by Allison Buchsbaum Barnett, co-owner of Patina Gallery in Santa Fe. The eight prizes totaling $5,000 were presented to the following artists.
 
Best of Show to Tod Pardon - Saratoga Springs, NY
Second Place to Judith Kaufman - Hartford, CT
Third Place to Meghan Riley - NY, NY
Honorable Mention to Jessica Armstrong - Edinboro,  PA
Honorable Mention to Christy Klug - Chicago, IL
Honorable Mention to Lisa Klakulak - Asheville, NC
Special Recognition to Chris Irick -Utica, NY
Special Recognition to Wendy McAllister - Stevenson, MD
 
Recalling her initial reaction to the vast number of pieces she was about to judge Barnett said, "I was overwhelmed with the number and quality of the work," and later conceded that, "I chose the winning entries based on the quality of the craftsmanship and design."
 
According to Regina Hogan, Chairwoman of New Face Productions, creators of the program, "This competitive event was created to attract artists throughout the United States and to enable the regional art community to see and learn more about the craft of jewelry design."
 
Read more

The Red Carpet Exhibition (this year's twist on the Exhibition in Motion) was a huge success!  Artists made pieces for participants to try on, walk down the red carpet and be photographed in the photo booth.  You can see the whole album by visiting our flickr album!

You can also see more photos from our recent From Grains to Gold conference as well as pictures from some past conferences.  The Red Carpet photos come first with other conference photos following (they are roughly chronological.) Visit SNAG's photostream here!

A Million and One Ways to Make a Basket Setting with Sergey Jivetin 6/7-6/8 Brooklyn Metalworks

Three months in London UK.. Aug - November 2014  London apartment and studio available!

City of Asheville Call for Artists for Public Art Asheville, NC Deadline: June 13

"Face Now" Workshop with Ruudt Peters July 28 - August 3, Ravenstein, The Netherlands

Metals Residency at Lillstreet Art Center Chicago, IL Deadline: May 31

$450 Scholarship Opportunity at Metalwerx Deadline: May 30

Shared Furnished Jewelry Studio $350/month, Brooklyn, NY

Fall 2014 Internship at The Smith Shop Deadline: June 30

New Necklaces: 500+ Designs from Around the World Deadline: July 20

These are only a few of the opportunities you'll find on Springboard. Discover calls for entry, teaching positions, workshops, scholarships, grants, studio space and more. You are welcome and encouraged to post opportunities you want to share. Bookmark Springboard today!

  
Take advantage of this member benefit and get more exposure for your work!  Make sure you have at least five high quality images so we can feature your work in Riveting News and on social media.