American Stories, Paintings of Everyday Life at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Another one of the newer exhibits I viewed at The Met on Friday was called American Stories, Paintings of Everyday Life 1765-1915.   (Be sure to click on the link because they have a great online sample of the paintings and narrations of the show.)

This show is so well put together. It's a series of rooms, small collections that each make a point and lead us through American Art. It's not preachy, it's enjoyable. So many old favorites are there, but there were quite a few surprises for me. 

One of the first paintings made me laugh. It's called Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam, ca 1752-58. The scene looks right from one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The painter has poked fun of himself and painted himself vomiting in the hallway.

Another surprise, Why didn't I ever know about Lilly Martin Spencer (American, 1822–1902)? Her paintings are delightful. I am going to look into more about her. Painting from a women's point of view in the mid-nineteenth-century, with wit. We can't get enough of that.

Some of my favorite American painters had multiple works in the show - Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, William Merrit Chase and John Singer Sargent. But walking into one of the rooms, I was drawn to a huge yellow canvas. I was surprised it was Frederick Remington's Fight for the Water Hole.It looked so different outside of the Western themes that I'd expect it in. In this room it more than held it's own, it dominated the room. It looked to me like a brand new painting, because of the fresh perspective. 

It's a lovely exhibit. If you can't go to see it, the online exhibit is worth browsing through.

A visit to the Met

Yesterday I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. I have a membership there this year and have been trying to take advantage of that. I wholly recommend anyone in the area to do this. The Met has so much to offer and there are new exhibits every month, so there is always something new to discover there.

 I went to see the special Vermeer exhibit called Vermeer's Materpiece The Milkmaid. The focal point, of course is the titled piece, on loan to the Met. They have also gathered all their own Vermeers together and some other works by Vermeer's contemporaries. 

The Milkmaid surprised me. I thought I knew Vermeer. I thought I knew what all the fuss was about him. The light, the composition, the servant girl, I've seen these before and admired them. I have always loved Young Woman with a Water Pticher. 

But the Milkmaid is not the same! It is crisp, crisp, crisp lines. It is so much more of a photographic portrayal. And the colors are just so right. It is beautiful. It is worth going to see if you have the opportunity. 

I loved that the exhibit had the other works nearby, because I went back and forth, looking at Water Pitcher and Milkmaid, observing the differences between them. Water Pitcher is more diffused, as through a veil. I still love Water Pitcher, but have even more love and respect for Vermeer after seeing The Milkmaid. 

It also pointed out to me yet again, how important it is to see works of art firsthand. A picture of the works can never fully give you the same experience.  In a book, pictures of these two works will look very similar. In the same room with both originals, you will be struck by their differences.

Stay tuned.. I'll review some of the other exhibits I saw in the next few days.

A New Day, A New Direction
Well, I did it! I finished the course at Studio Jewelers, Ltd. It was not easy, but it was sooooooooo wonderful. I learned more about making jewelry than I thought was possible. I am so grateful to the wonderful teachers there. They are really the best!
(Check out their website at http://www.studiojewelersltd.com/index.html ).

So, now I have so many new skills and so many new designs swirling in my head. First, I need to set up my own studio so that I can do more of the types of work I just learned. There is so much, though. A little at a time is all that is possible.

But the main, major tool for a bench jeweler is the bench itself. It's so specialized, there are so many features that make perfect sense and become a necessary part of creating.

The jeweler's bench height is important. It's higher than a regular table or desk. The bench pin (the wedge of wood sticking out of the middle) is where most work happens. That often needs to be eye level, or chin level, for comfort. A chair that easily adjusts height, is also required. There are two openings on either side of the bench where slats of wood for arm rests can go. When setting stones or holding something firm, the arm rest helps to hold the project steady. My bench also has holes to hold mandrels. When banging rings or bracelets, it's so much easier to have the mandrels held firm. Another very important part of the jeweler bench is the pull out metal lined tray. Without it, the floor is a mess of metal or wax shavings and dust. Besides, tiny stones and metal pieces of a project tend to fly at the most unexpected time. Without a bench, a jeweler will spend most of her time, on hands and knees, searching for a stone that dropped. Believe me..I know this for a fact! There's also a cut-out tray that slides out and has a little shelf above it. This
is another way to catch the precious pieces and ensure there is no space between the jeweler and the bench. If you are working with a precious metal, you really don't want to lose anything. Some frequently used tools can go on the shelf. In my case, a jeweler's saw and some files.

A jeweler's bench is much more than just a workbench. It really is a tool, that allows a smoother creation process.

I was so excited to recently receive a jeweler's bench as a gift. Here it is! It took quite a bit to get it where it stands today. The UPS couldn't handle it (cracked the first one). So, I drove myself up to Zak's in the Diamond Distrit, NYC and in the pouring rain, they loaded a new one and took back the broken one. (Those guys are great, if you need any jeweler tools). I was so happy with this brand new bench in the back of my van. I looked up and realized I was in the middle of Times Square. The lights were shining for a new day, a new direction in my designs. The whole world of moving the metal ahead of me.

Here's a picture of the bench before being christened. If you can see, the bench pin is a rectangle. I had to cut it, as jewelers before me, into a v shape. This requires woodworking saws. What an ordeal! I felt like I was committing to jewelery making as I realized again and again, I did not want to be a woodworker!

It stands in an alcove of windows that overlook the forest. It is a joy to sit at this bench and create objects to adorn my friends - those I have met and those I hope to meet someday. I look forward to this bench getting old, with nicks and holes from making many fresh and inspiring necklaces, bracelets, rings, brooches and maybe a tiara or two. Oh...and the kitty is looking for a diamond cat collar.