Glacier Metal Arts & Sharrey Dore

This has been a long time coming.

Can't tell you how exciting this is for all us metalsmiths and aspiring metal artists here in Northwest Montana.

Glacier Metal Arts Studio is OPEN!

A dear mentor and friend, Karen Chesna, has opened her own studio and class space in Kalispell, with an enameling kiln, burnout kilns, vacuum caster, centrifugal casting equipment, and a heck of a lot more that I can't fit into my tiny bungalito studio.

This is great news.

The woman! (hurraw!)

and the wonderful class space!

Aaaaand!  She has the studio available for 

guest speakers and teachers!

I had the pleasure of taking a 3-day evening class with miss Sharrey Dore.

(view her talented work in reticulation, granulation, stone-setting, and other awesome stuff HERE!)

I scribbled like a madman. 

Trying to get it all in.

a fountain of knowledge.

"sometimes the best way is to let go of the rules,

and just do what works for you."

-Sharrey

I like that.

a lot.

She cracked me up.

She kept saying

"They're MY tools,

and I CAN Do WHATEVER I WANT WITH THEM!"

bahahahahaah! So true, yet we forget sometimes :)

the project was a bi-metal pin, domed hollow-project,
 and textured.

Tricky.

but MAN, did Sharrey have some tricks.

snappy backs for pins.

crazy pin-heads.

pick-soldering tutorials.

Tricks on getting a good fit.

Sneaky tube settings.

GOLD. solid GOLD.

So much stuff to learn...

metal is such deep water.

From left top

Me, Lynn, Terri, Sharrey, Barb and Rob.

Rob and I.

This was my first metals buddy...

we took night classes at the college three years ago.

We sat together, humming and haawing about the possibilities.

and the struggles.

and the snapped blades.

the melted bezels.

the curse words.

the "Awww...Sh**" moments.

Kinda nice to have that again.

:)

Thank you Karen, and Sharrey.

Ya' blew my wig back.