1 Fusion, July 2007 - Rio Grande

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDfusionThe Journal of the International PMC GuildWelcome to Fusion1Summer 2007Ten years ago, the PMC Guild launched a small newslettercalled “Studio PMC.” Over the years, that publication grew intoa color magazine, and we’re proud of what we started. Severallarge distribution magazines now cover metal clay, so we askedourselves, “What can the Guild do like no one else can?”We are pleased to announce an innovative two-prong approach.Four times each year, Guild members will receive thequarterly journal Fusion, of which this is the premiere issue. eautumn issue of Fusion will be bundled with a paperback bookin full color called the PMC Guild Annual. at important bookwill have almost no text, just scores of photos of carefully selectedwork from around the world. We are confident that publicationof the Annual will quickly become an eagerly anticipated yearlyritual.What makes Fusion different from other publications?You’ll find that the range of topics and the intelligent writinglive up to the status of a truly professional journal. Fusion willprovide summary information about topics of interest to seriouscraftspeople and artists. In many cases, these summaries willbe enough to help you feel informed about the field. In others,you’ll want to follow up through the resources provided here.Because the Guild is directly linked to Mitsubishi Materials,the maker of PMC, you can expect technical support andnew product information that is unavailable elsewhere. As theprimary publication of the Guild, you can also expect to readabout Guild activities, including insights into the accomplishmentsof our chapters and members.We’re loaded with ideas, but we need your help to makeFusion the best it can be. At the Guild’s website, you’ll find anew button that will give you a direct pipeline to the editor.When you wake in the middle of the night with a questionthat’s been puzzling you, logon and tell us. We’re on it!

SUMMER 2007PAGE 2e Rising Price of SilverFor most of the decade after Mitsubishiintroduced Precious MetalClay in 1996, its price remainedstable. As any jewelry maker workingwith PMC well knows, all thatchanged in 2006. Mitsubishi issueda half-dozen pricing schedules in2006 alone, causing many people towonder what was going on.What was going on, in short, isthat the price of silver is much morevolatile now than it was 10 yearsago, said Kevin Whitmore, productmanager for Rio Grande, the NewMexico-based supplier of PMC andother jewelry materials, includingsheet and wire products. With theprice of silver on the rise, so too isthe cost of PMC.“People who buy PMC fromRio Grande pay a price that isdirectly derived from the price ofsilver on the world market. We designeda system that calculates theintrinsic value per gram of silver, towhich we add a set fabrication fee,”Whitmore said.“Generally, once we set afabrication schedule, we try not toconstantly adjust it. So, only thevalue of silver should cause theprices to vary.”at reality should serve as areminder to people who use PMCthat the material truly is a preciousmetal – and that they might be wiseto start paying close attention toglobal metal markets. In the earlyyears of PMC, when the materialwas new, some jewelry designerslooked on with skepticism and suspicion.As the material has becomemore mainstream and viewed morewidely as an accepted material,some of that reticence is ebbing,Whitmore said.“In this context, selling PMCbased on the silver price does makemore sense to those traditionalistswho are beginning to open up toPMC,” he said.When considering this issue,Whitmore advised people in thebusiness to keep in mind how stablethe price of PMC was for manyyears. During that time, prices forsilver always fluctuated, but not somuch to cause major shifts in thecost to manufacture PMC, he said.But with the inflationary spiralthat began in 2004, the cost keptinching up. Previously, the cost ofsilver stayed at values at or below $6per troy ounce. In 2004 and 2005,the average price was closer to $7 to$8 per troy ounce. e silver marketheated up in 2006, with prices startingthe year at about $10 per troyounce and spiking at $15 per troyounce by May. Since then, silver hasbounced between $12 and $15 pertroy ounce.e future? Whitmore can onlyguess.“My hunch is that world silverprices are going to keep going upover time,” he said. Whitmore shedlight on Rio Grande’s pricing structurefor PMC. All its silver products– chain, wire, findings, PMC, etc..

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILD– are based on the price of silver onthe world market. He offered thisexample of a 16-gram package ofPMC3:If silver is $13 per troy ounce,Rio Grande divides it by 31 to getthe value of silver per gram. In thiscase, it works out to $0.41935 pergram. at is multiplied by the 16grams of silver in the package, fora subtotal of $6.70968. at is thenrounded up to $6.71, to which afabrication charge is then added.Rio Grande’s fabrication chargevaries by volume. A certified artisanwho buys fewer than 10 packagespays a $14 fabrication charge, or$20.71. A certified artisan whobuys more than 10 packages paysa $13 fabrication charge. ere’s anU S D o l l a r s151413121110987654Jan Feb March April Mayadditional price break for certifiedartisans who buy 100 packages ormore of PMC.Rio Grande assesses a higherfabrication charge for non-certifiedcustomers. In the previous example,the fabrication fee for a non-certifiedcustomer would be $20.50, or$27.21 as a starting price.“Rio Grande believes havingthis spread in price is important,”Whitmore said. “We know manycertified artisans lead classes andwish to resell PMC. Rio Grandeneeds to price PMC at prices thattraditional jewelers (who are noteligible for the certified prices) canconsider a purchase. At the sametime, we recognize we need to havepublic prices that allow teachers toresell PMC fora profit. I’ve designedour pricemodel with thehope of meetingboth of theseneeds.”is chart showsthe significant risein price in the spotprice of silver, andalso compares theroller coaster changesof the last year to thegentle terrain of adecade ago.Source: Kitco.comPAGE 3

SUMMER 2007Meet the New EditorAlong with a new name and format,the premiere issue of Fusion alsointroduces a new editor, Bob Keyes.Bob is a full-time reporter on thearts for the Portland Press Herald /Maine Sunday Telegram in Maine.As arts reporter for Maine’slargest newspaper, he’s interviewedPulitzer Prize-winning authorsRichard Russo and Richard Ford,and visual arts icons Andrew Wyethand Robert Indiana. But what heenjoys most about his work is theopportunity to spend time withcreative people at all stages of theircareers.Bob’s strength is his naturalcuriosity. For Fusion, he will makecalls, do the research, and conductinterviews, then compile what hehas learned into clear and concisewriting that quickly lays out thesense of the topic. In this busyworld, few of us can find the timeto sort through the information thatbombards us, and that’s where Bobcomes in.“I see my job as a sort of forwardscout for the PMC community,” hesays. “I’ll try to stay a step ahead,providing information and opinionsthat will keep readers informed andengaged.”Since graduating from theUniversity of Georgia, Bob hasworked at newspapers in SouthDakota, Connecticut, and Maine.He has won several awards, includingawards from the Maine PressAssociation and the Maine Alliancefor Arts Education.Bob is eager to make Fusionthe best tool it can be, and to dothat, he asks the help of the entirecommunity. “Compliments are nice,of course, but what I really need arecandid thoughts about what thejournal should be covering. I’m opento all ideas and suggestions.”You can reach Bob atJournal@PMCguild.com.PAGE 4

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDMake Your Own Oil Pasteere are times when we need toattach parts that have been fired.Slip or normal clay will work forthis as long as sufficient time isallowed for the metals to fusetogether. at’s true, but a kind ofpaste has been developed specificallyfor this purpose. And here’s abreakthrough—now you can makethis paste yourself. is article willdescribe the process and illustratethe testing process that leads us toendorse this method.MAKING THE PASTEe special ingredient is lavenderoil, an essential oil sold in healthfood stores and other places thatcarry herbal medicines. is willprobably come in a small bottlewith an eyedropper top. Carefulreading of the label will tell youthat this is a mixture of oil, water,and alcohol. It is also possible to buya stronger version, but that is notrecommended. A bottle will costabout $10 and will probably last forseveral years.One method is to add the oil toPMC3 Slip. e proportions are notspecific, but a full container of slipwill probably require 25–35 drops oflavender oil. If you have a half-emptycontainer, reduce the number accordingly.Stir well, cover, and allowthe mixture to mingle overnight.e desired consistency is similar tonormal slip, though perhaps a bitcreamier. Add more oil or water toachieve a workable consistency.If you have dried pieces of PMCaround, you can also make lavenderpaste from that starting point. Sandthe dry chunks, working over a pieceof paper so you can collect the dust.Add equal parts of lavender oil andwater, mixing as you go until theconsistency is smooth and creamy.Again, allowing the mix to mingleseems to improve it. As the pastedries out, add equal parts of waterand oil.You can use lavender paste likeany slip, but its specialty is in joiningfired metal pieces. e pieces shouldbe clean; if you have tumbled orpolished them, run them through aquick firing to burn off any residues.Apply the lavender paste with abrush or a needle, set the piecestogether, and fire as shown below.OUR TESTSTo test the strength of bonds madewith various pastes, we first rolledout a sheet of PMC+ and cut it intoregular lengths. ese were firedfor 30 minutes at 1650° F. Pairs ofbars were attached at right angles tomake an L-shape. ese were firedat various temperatures, then cooled.e legs were grasped in pliers andpulled apart, a bit like you’d pull thelegs of a wishbone. e legs wouldAfter making fired strips of PMC,we joined pairs of pieces to form aright angle, using various pastes tocement the parts together.PAGE 5

SUMMER 2007is close-up shows two of the brackets afterfiring. In each case, an equal and generouspuddle of paste was used to make the joint.e pieces were pulled until the joint failed.By observing the amount of curve thatappears before the break, we can comparebend a little and then in most casesthe joint came apart. By comparingthe angle achieved before breaking,it is possible to compare the strengthof the bonds.As you can see, the homemadelavender paste was the strongestmix tested. In fact, two of the threesamples are not broken... our testerwasn’t able to pull the pieces apart!Is this a scientifically rigorous test?No, of course not. But this is the sortof expensive and time-consumingtest that few people can do on theirown. e Guild is happy to offerthis new paste and our data to ourmembers. Please let us know how itworks for you.PAGE 6Each of the L-shaped pieces was fired for 30 minutes, using the three most familiar temperaturesettings. Each one was then grasped in pliers and pulled apart until the joint failed. In threecases, the tester was not able to break the joint.

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDStrength Comparison Test ResultsTemp. ºF Lavender Oil Art Clay Oil Paste PMC3 Slip147015601650e test results show that lavender oil out performed the other oil paste and normalslip at all temperatures. It is always best to fire as long and as hot as possible, butit is good to know that you can achieve a strong bond even when the presence ofglass, sterling, or other components require a lower temperature.OTHER USES OF LAVENDER OILAroma therapists use lavender oilto promote relaxation, to reducestress, and to soothe anxiety. Afriend mentioned that he mists abit onto his children’s pillows tohelp them to a peaceful sleep.Of particular interest tometalsmiths, lavender oil is usedto ease the pain of burns andto reduce the risk of scarring.Jewelers in the know keep a bottleof lavender oil at their bench inanticipation for the inevitableminor burns that arise whensoldering.PAGE 7

SUMMER 2007PAGE 8Ethical Issues in the Precious Metals FieldSusan Kingsley and ChristinaTatiana Miller were workingon parallel tracks when theirworlds merged in 2004. Both hadresearched the issue of ethical metalsmithing,and both had reacheda similar conclusion: Mining forprecious metals was destroying thelives and land of people all overthe world. e issue has receivedwidespread publicity, thanks in partto the Leonardo DiCaprio movie“Blood Diamond.”Instead of working independently,they decided to join togetherand speak with a unified voice.ey found another partner inJennifer Horning, and together thethree women founded a non-profitorganization to raise awarenessamong the people who work withmetal. e result of their effortsis an information-based website,www.ethicalmetalsmiths.orgthat explains mining practices andadvises people in the jewelry worldwhat they can do, as individuals, tochange things for the better.“We had done the same kind ofresearch and were concerned abouthow mining affected our field,” saidKingsley, a longtime metalsmith,studio jeweler, teacher and writerfrom California. “We thought,‘Maybe we can do something here.Maybe we can start by educatingothers.’ Most people don’t know. Wedidn’t know. But people should knowabout this.” e trio began speakingout. ey attended conferences,wrote and distributed papers, andorganized panel discussions.e central issue involves howmining companies extract preciousmetal from the earth. Today, about45 percent of mining is done onindigenous lands, Kingsley said. Asthey say on the introductory page oftheir website:“… Most of our gold comes fromvast open pit mines in remotelocations operated by large, multinationalcorporations. ese minesconsume excessive amounts of waterand energy, create mountains ofwaste rock and fill acres of pondswith toxic chemicals. ey consumewilderness areas, threaten economiesand indigenous communities, andcan cause perpetual pollution.”e fundamental approach tochange starts with education. eirwebsite links concerned people tothe No Dirty Gold campaign site,which includes information aboutthe issue and offers consumers andothers ideas for change.“And that’s great,” Kingsleysaid, “but they’re not jewelers. eyare not the people using metalsand not people invested in jewelryas we are. We felt we could fill thisgap by being a place people can gofor information, and fill a niche toconnect people.”E t h i c a l m e t a l s m i t h s . o r gadvises makers to ask questions oftheir suppliers. Where do they get

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDGolden Sunlight Mine, Montana, photo: Lighthawk/MEICtheir metals, and what practicesare used in extraction? Let yoursuppliers know you are concerned,and that you will find other sourcesif their answers are not satisfactory,Kingsley said.“Become involved. Be proactive.Know the issue,” she said.“Show them that maybe they won’thave such a good market for theirproduct. at’s the kind of thingwe like to do, and what we can do.We can reach the jewelers directly,and that’s really what we’re trying todo.”So far, so good. It’s a grassroots effort. Kingsley, Horning, andMiller do their work as volunteers.ey’ve done some fund raising andhave received small grants. A fewlarger grants are pending. If they getthem, they will attend more conferencesand professional meetings andspeak out with a louder voice thatreaches more people.To date, ethicalmetalsmiths.orghas a mailing list of 600 people—amodest number that is growing. ewebsite also follows the news inWashington, D.C., and elsewhere.e nation’s 1872 mining law iscoming under review, because of theDemocratic majority in Congress. Itwill be in the news in the monthsahead.Kingsley will follow the issue,and speak out about it from apublic-interest perspective. “We donot consider ourselves that politicalof an organization. We are moreconcerned with ethics and theindustry. But this is a real publicinterest issue, and we can – andshould – play a role,” she said.PAGE 9

SUMMER 2007Radical Jewelry MakeoverCan a few people with a good ideachange the world? Some people saythat, in fact, that’s the only thingthat can. It was a few good peoplewith a good idea that created thefirst Radical Jewelry Makeover, anevent that culminated this winter inRichmond, Virginia.e idea is to replace conventionalmining with the “alternativemining” of collecting contributedwork from the dresser drawers andjewelry boxes of average citizens.Every single earring, abandonedwedding ring, and out-of-fashionlapel pin that can be recycledtranslates to a few less tons of orewrenched from the earth.In the end, more than 60 peoplecontributed old jewelry. Studentsfrom Virginia CommonwealthUniversity and Millersville University(where Ms. Miller teaches)then reworked the jewelry to createover 200 new objects. ese weredisplayed by Quirk Gallery, with70% of the proceeds from salesgoing to support the work of EthicalMetalsmiths.In the last decade, we have allbecome aware of environmentalissues around rainforest hardwoods,coffee beans, and tuna. In all thosecases, everyday citizens are makingan important difference. By makingus aware of the ethical issues boundup in the metals we use, these committedvolunteers are helping usall become better caretakers of ourplanet.FOR MORE INFORMATION…www.NoDirtyGold.orgwww.EarthworksAction.orgwww.BetterMines.orgwww.GreatBasinMinewatch.orge PMC Guild is funded by memberships, Mitsubishi Materials, and thecompanies whose banners you see here. eir support allows us to expand ouractivities while keeping membership costs low. Please thank them for theirsupport and mention that you saw them in “Fusion.”PAGE 10

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDMitsubishi’s Environmental PositionMitsubishi Materials Corporation,manufacturers of PMC, is an enormouscompany that handles hugequantities of copper, silver, and gold.ose of us who use Mitsubishisilver and gold are right to ask howthey rate on the issues of responsiblemining. Tim McCreight, an officerof the PMC Guild, was invitedto Japan in 2006 to research thatquestion.“In my opinion, their reportcard could say B-, trending upward,”he says.“I visited one of Mitsubishi’slargest facilities in Japan, locatedon the island of Naoshima on theInland Sea. e manager of the plantdrove me from one vast structure toanother, where I saw, literally, tonsof silver and gold, and hundreds oftons of copper ingots. e companyhas made important strides in thelast few years to enlarge its recyclingfacilities.In their 2006 Social ResponsibilityReport, Mitsubishi describes aprogram that recycles their own industrialwaste in an effort to reducethe purchase of oil. Even though thecompany grew, their energy costswere held below the 2005 level.Also from the report: “Recycledraw material from waste and byproductsaccounted for 18% or 3.07million tons of raw material input in2006. Had the waste—1.89 milliontons—not been recycled, it probablywould have gone into landfills.”e full 50-page report, and a3-page extract about the metalsdivision are available for downloadat www.PMCguild.com in theGetting Started/ Tech Data section.e MitsubishiMaterials refineryand recycling facilityat Naoshima Island.PAGE 11

SUMMER 2007Finishing TipMost PMC artists I know relyheavily on Salon Boards to cleanup edges, remove scratches, andin some cases, create a final finish.ese manicure sanding stickscombine several ideal features: theyare affordable, lightweight, easyto find, offer a range of grits, andperhaps best of all, they have theperfect level of sponginess. Files arerigid and sandpaper by itself has nostructure, but Salon Boards find ahappy medium.Because of this, I often usethese boards to back up polishingpapers, when I move on to very fineabrasive grits. is works well, exceptfor those times when the paper tearsor slips away to expose the originalgrit. Ouch! at gave me the ideaby Tim McCreightof stripping off the sandpaper layerthe next time I’d worn out a SalonBoard. What I found underneathwas a piece of smooth white plasticthat turns out to be very useful.I wrap polishing paper aroundthis to improve leverage and toprovide a flat surface, now free ofthe worry of making accidentalscratches. e boards also makeconvenient spacers for rolling sheetsof PMC. e plastic board measures0.065" (65 thousandths, or 1.65mm) and is equivalent to about fiveplaying cards.e plastic can be cut withscissors or a jewelers saw to makedurable templates, and cut intosmall strips to reach into tight areas.at’s what I’ve come up with so far,and I’ll bet there are other uses justwaiting to be discovered.Besides offering a range of sanding grits,Salon Boards provide a handy piece of plasticwhen you pull off the abrasive papers.Your favorite one-stop shopping sourcefor the metal clay enthusiastPAGE 12www.wholelottawhimsy.com(520) 531–1966Register online for certified, store or designer account

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDTraveling with PMCSoon after the Sept. 11 terroristattacks in the United States, LindaKaye-Moses was traveling fromher Massachusetts home to NewZealand to participate in a PMCworkshop. She shipped her kiln andtools as checked baggage and carriedall the PMC she thought she wouldneed as part of her carry-on luggage.When she got to the security checkpoint, the airport guards were suspicious,and skeptical. ey were unfamiliarwith PMC, and Kaye-Moseshad to convince them, on the spotthat PMC was a legitimate materialand that she was not of nefariouscharacter.“Right there in the securityarea, I gave a sort of mini-workshopto the security personnel and tothe two National Guardsmen,”she recounts, several years later. “Iexplained what the PMC was, howit worked and why it was considereda precious metal. When I was finishedexplaining, one the guardsmenasked if he could learn how to usethe stuff to make a real pendant. Itwas an interesting episode.”PMC is an unusual substancethat naturally causes consternationin our hyper-sensitive, securityconsciousculture. ese days, theburden rests with jewelry makers totravel wisely, to anticipate problemsand strategize the best and smartestway to travel with PMC and PMCtools.Few people have had more experiencetraveling with PMC thanChris Darway, a designer, teacher,and metalsmith from Philadelphia .Chris teaches at least one workshopeach month, and often more. Heoffers several ideas for making traveleasier.First and most important, neverconsider traveling with PMC toolsas carry-on luggage. Not only is itcommon sense, but the TransportationSecurity Administration won’tallow it.Just as important, he said, alwaysallow extra time at the airport, especiallyat the smaller, regional airportswhere security officers may have lessexposure with suspicious material.Arriving 75 or 90 minutes beforethe scheduled departure may not beenough time, he said.“I get to the airport real, realearly—at least two hours. It’s thebag thing. It never dawned on methat even though your bags arethere, someone is tearing them apartand looking through them.PMC in NYC212–947–6879WWW.SILVERCLAY.COMPAGE 13

SUMMER 2007“If you don’t allow that time,you may get on your flight on time,but your bags may be sitting in anexamination room somewhere withthe contents spread across a table.In my experience, I have found thatthey always inspect my checkedbags.”He suggests that makers shouldunderstand why PMC and therelated tools cause suspicion. It’s anunusual substance, and the tools—especially those with gauges—looksuspicious. At the airport, be aspatient and understanding aspossible, and do not confront thesecurity guards or baggage checkerswith your frustration. ey aresimply doing their jobs.Finally, pack your checked bagswisely, and think ahead. Darwaypacks his tools in one bag, andplaces them in plastic containers,all clearly labeled and often with aninventory. He also includes a PMCbook, readily visible on top of thechecked bags. at way, when inspectorsopen his bags, they will seewhat the tools are for and can readfor themselves, if they choose, aboutthe material and how it’s used.e other issue, and one thatsometimes comes up on a return tripafter a workshop, is odor. “Workingwith chemicals can create suspiciousodors, and this has led to somenervous moments,” he said. “I don’tthink the TSA training manual goesinto a lot of detail about liver ofsulfur.”“In many cases, I’ll ship myequipment, materials, and tools tothe class site a week ahead of time,”Linda says. “It increases the cost ofthe workshop, but it’s worth avoidingany hassles or the loss of goodtools due to heightened securitymeasures,” she said. A couple timesI have purchased a kiln and had itshipped directly from my supplier,then sell it to a student at the end ofthe workshop.”One last bit of advice fromDarway: If you don’t have to fly,don’t. “If a class is less than 250miles away, I drive. Besides avoidingthe whole security thing, that allowsme to take a lot of stuff without theworries of weight, rough handling,and the likelihood of triggeringalarms.”Unless, of course, you are goingover a border crossing… but that’sanother story altogether.PAGE 14MED’A CreationsSan Pablo, Californiamedacreations.com510-236-2313Natural & Lab Gemstones,Glass, PMC, Supplies,Classes, & More

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDASK SOLHave you ever been in a philosophical quandary and asked yourself, “Whatwould Solomon do?” Well, the Solomon is no longer available, but on thispage we’ll try to think through professional issues that any of us might face.Please send your questions to Ask Sol, c/o Journal@PMCguild.com.Dear Sol: I had a piece on display at a local gallery show, then a month later afterthe work was back in my possession, someone approached me about buying it. Do Istill owe the gallery their commission?e first thing I’d turn to is your contractwith the gallery. If it providesinstructions for this specific situation,that’s the end of the story. Liveup to your contractual obligations,not only because it is the morallyright thing to do, but because doinganything less besmirches your reputation,and that is worth more thanwhatever extra money you’ll make bycutting out the gallery.If there is no contract, or if itdoes not offer guidance here, the keyquestion is how the customer cameto know about the work. If theysaw it at the gallery or in ads theyplaced, the gallery was doing its joband deserves to get paid for it.On the other hand, it’s possiblethat the customer heard aboutyou through an entirely unrelatedsource, and in that case, no commissionis due to the gallery. I’d suggestto the customer, though, that if hewants to stay informed about yourwork, he should get on the gallery’smailing list.Let me take it a step furtherand talk about the person whointentionally tries to bypass thegallery. Suppose you get a call fromsomeone who offers to buy workdirectly from you when a showcomes down, offering to split theamount being saved by not payinga commission. is is unethical andpretty close to stealing. e galleryhas invested time and money inyou, and deserves remuneration forthat. Not only should you not acceptsuch an offer, but you should tell thewould-be price shopper that his approachis offensive.And that’s what I think,SolPMC123.comServing PMC artists fromSan Antonio, Texas210 - 656 - 8239PAGE 15

SUMMER 2007News From and For the PMC CommunityUPDATE ON THE FIRST PMC GUILD ANNUALe Guild’s new publication program consists of this quarterly journal anda book chock full of images that will be printed and sent to members eachOctober. All metal clay artists were invited to submit work, which was thenjuried to determine which pieces would be included in the book.More than 1000 images were submitted for consideration in the firstedition of the Guild Annual. In addition to North America, the 155 artistswho sent submissions came fromJapan, Australia, New Zealand, andthe United Kingdom. Jurors RobertDancik, Hadar Jacobson, Hattie Sanderson,and Jeanette Landenwitch spentlong hours reviewing the submissionsand making the hard choices inherentin a top-of-the-line professional publication.Guild members will receivethe Annual in October, along with thesecond issue of Fusion.Here are some of the 20 pounds of CDs thatarrived at the Guild communications office.SYMPOSIUM HELD IN LONDONe UK Affiliate of the PMC Guild will host a symposium on July 28 atLondon’s Metropolitan University. Speakers include Kevin Whitmore of RioGrande, Celie Fago, author, teacherand artist, and Tim McCreight,author and communications directorof the Guild. Lisa Cain, director ofthe UK PMC Guild, has createdan energetic program that will be ofinterest to PMC enthusiasts and those who have been watching from thesidelines to see where this new material can lead. In addition to the speakers,the symposium will include vendors, exhibitions, and the announcement ofthe winners of the Small Treasures competition.891C Mikuni Avenue, Northridge, CA 93124 (866) 762–2529 www.pmcconnection.comPAGE 16Your source for PMC, Certification, Specialty and Master Classes, kilns, and supplies

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDCONFERENCE UPDATEWe are delighted to announce that the keynote speaker for the 2008 PMCConference will be Linda Darty, Head of the Metals Department at EastCarolina University. Linda is an accomplished artist and highly respectedteacher whose credits include a Lifetime Achievement Award from theEnamellist Society and the North Carolina’s Board of Governors’ Award forExcellence. She will be familiar to many Guild members through her book,e Art of Enameling, published in 2006 by Lark Books.e title Linda has given to her talk is “Exploring the Creative mpulse:What We Make and Why We Make It.” She feels that some of her mostvaluable work as a teacher is in helping students make connections betweentheir work and their lives. rough personal examples, she will help us explorenew ways to enrich what we do.e conference will be July 17-20, 2008 on the campus of PurdueUniversity in West Lafayette, Indiana, and will include more than 20presentations covering a range of topics. As always, check back regularly towww.PMC-Conference.com for updates and details.NEW LOOK FOR GUILD WEBSITEe PMC Guild has redesigned its splash page, the screen that appearswhen you type in www. PMCguild.com. Users will have the option ofentering the site or clicking toa page that gives access to eightof the most popular and representativepages. e site nowincludes more than 1,000 pages,including a complete archive ofall magazines.Supplier of Fine Silver Findingsfor the Metal Clay Artisanwww.metalclayfindings.comToll-free 888-999-6404Phone 401-305-3999Fax 401-728- 8038Email mcf@metalclayfindings.comPAGE 17

SUMMER 2007PMC MAKES IMPORTANT SHOWING AT SNAGPMC Decade exhibitioninstalled in the recentlyrenovated library buildingat the National OrnamentalMetals Museum.While many metalsmiths have embraced PMC, it is undeniable that thereare still many goldsmiths with traditional training who are suspicious ofmetal clay. Some of those reservations were lifted in June, when PMC madea strong showing at the annual conference of the Society of North AmericanGoldsmiths, which met this year in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition toan important exhibition at the National Ornamental Metals Museum, theconference included two demonstrations of PMC techniques, and severalvendors were featuring PMC and related books and tapes. is visibilitywas heightened by a long article about PMC in Metalsmith magazine, whichfeatures a PMC brooch by Claire Holliday on its cover.e PMC Decade Exhibition will travel to the Brookfield Craft Centerin Connecticut in February.BEAD AND BUTTON 2007e Guild was represented at the annual Bead and Button show in Milwaukee,where more than 14,000 people gathered to attend classes, networkwith friends, and load up on tools and supplies. CeCe Wire, former director,worked the crowd, spreading enthusiasm for the Guild, passing out severalhundred examination copies of Studio PMC and almost a thousand membershipbrochures.PAGE 18

JOURNAL OF THE PMC GUILDPMC in PrintHere is a list of articles about PMC published in the first six months of2007. If we have missed something, or when you know about publicationsfor the next quarter, please send an email to Journal@PMCguild.com. Fordetails on these articles, visit www.PMCguild.com/print/bibliography.Art Jewelry• Andi McDowell, All Sewn Up• Hadar Jacobson with Jill Erickson, e Screen Between• Linda Facci, Silver Wreath; Metal Clay Pendant• Olga Barmina, Make a Pendant Inspired by Traditional Japanese InroJewelry Artist & Lapidary Journal• Hadar Jacobson, ree Rocks• Gwen Bernecker, Pearls in Motion• Hattie Sanderson, Tower RingStep by Step Beads• Lora Hart, Split Lentil• Tia Velani, Pendant de la Mer• Hadar Jacobson, Domino EarringsMetalsmith• Donald Friedlich, Metal Clay: On the CuspGlass on Metal• Janet Harriman & Brenda Rajkovich, 6/20 on Precious Metal ClayFiberarts• Ivory W. Rieger, Playing with PMC: A Research RetreatBOOKSSherri Haab, e Art of Metal Clay (with DVD): Techniquesfor Creating Jewelry and Decorative ObjectsStep by step PMC instruction on DVD series Silver in No Time,PMC Classes, products and services by Linda Bernstein.www.Artique.org847-977-4444LBernstein@Artique.orgPAGE 19

Speak with the Director 859–586–0595Membership Questions (toll-free) 866–315–6487To Join, Renew, or Edit Info Online www.PMCguild.comFusion: e Journal of the PMC Guild, its staff, and contributors specifically disclaim anyresponsibility or liability for damages or injury as a result of any construction, design, use,manufacture, or any other activity undertaken as a result of the use or application of informationcontained in any Fusion issue or article.SUMMER 2007Web ManagerSadelle WiltshireWeb@PMCguild.comTreasurerDarnall BurksTreasurer@PMCguild.comCommunications DirectorTim McCreightTech@PMCguild.comExecutive DirectorJeanette Landenwitch1921 Cliffview LaneFlorence, KY 41042Director @PMCguild.comJournal EditorBob KeyesJournal@PMCguild.comMembers not only underwrite these importantefforts, but have access to special features on ourwebsite, like the ability to promote classes and accessthe full ten-year archive of the Guild’s publications.e PMC Guild is a members organization withthe mission of providing support, education, andexposure for artists working in Precious Metal Clay.PMC Guild1921 Cliffview LaneFlorence, KY 41042