Art from Art (Surfingsilver)

 

This drawing was made by my daughter when she was in 1st Grade. I found it and mentioned that I would love for this to be made in to a piece of jewelry. 1969's daughter and husband researched and found a way to make this happen.

I was on Pinterest and I ran across this website

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SurfingSilver?page=2 

Surfingsilver can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - check it out.

All you have to do is email Surfingsilver and share with her your art. She will then contact you. You work out the details together and she sends you a "Proof" of your art to be purchased. Her timing was spot on and the end product is to die for =)

 

Below you will find the profile of Surfingsilver on Etsy.

You can shop below on the link:
http://www.surfingsilver.etsy.com

Surfingsilver's Profile on Etsy

I am a wife and mother of 4. I was born in So California and lived here all my life except for a brief stint in Hawaii. As a child and adolescent in So Cal I lived in a house where we could see the ocean all day, everyday. Having a houseboat at Lake Powell allows me to live on the water for a time each year. Being an artist I have always been fascinated with water and especially moving water. I have studied the movement of water for years. When I first started working with PMC all of my other art immediately went on hold and my paints have been put aside for now. I never thought I would get into 3D sculpture, but I have found that carving has become my favorite thing now, and my pieces are taking on a sculptural quality. I am constantly evolving so I'll just have to see where this takes me. I was trained by the world famous metal smith and international author Tim McCreight and I am guild certified in PMC techniques by RioGrande. I belonged to the PMC Guild until it disbanded in 2012. I also teach PMC classes.

In 2012, Surfingsilver expanded with the popularity of my "Memorial" items. In 2009 I had been the first to put "your own handwriting" silver items on the market and when I added "Memorial Jewelry from the actual writing of your lost loved ones" my shop went crazy and exploded with more orders than I could handle on my own. There was no way for me to provide for the 100's of requests I was getting each day. Carly and Cristen came to my rescue.

CARLY- Carly, a devoted wife and mother of 4, is a mathematician, has her college degree and teaching credential in math, and helps me with sizing and keeping the books, she helps with shipping, ordering supplies, and other time consuming behind the scenes operations. Carly joined Surfingsilver in 2012

CRISTEN - Cristen, a dedicated wife and mother of 2, started out being my model in many past listings, but then became interested in making the jewelry as well. She became my apprentice and was anxious to learn all that I knew so that she could help me expand my Etsy shop. She shadowed me, and was (is) a quick learner. She started off with coloring and polishing silver, graduated to drilling holes, and cutting out hearts,. She has now expanded into more elaborate skills and can do most everything I do.

CARRIE - Carrie has been with me since 2010. Both Carly and Cristen have learned how to give direction to Carrie who does our photo shopping. I found Carrie through the old (now discontinued) Etsy Alchemy system; or maybe I should say she found me. She had put in a bid on the request I made, and she has been there for me ever since. At that time Carrie was a professional photo editor and photoshop teacher who lived in front of her computer screen. In early 2013 she branched out doing other things and has even been in a couple of movies!

Carly, Cristen and Carrie have made it possible for me to expand and make about 3 times more volume this past Christmas season, and even more so for Valentine's and Mother's Day, than what would have been possible on my own. That is how they've paid for themselves, and I've been able to keep my prices the same, and serve so many new customers.

About PMC; To explain what PMC Fine Silver is lets first learn a little bit about sterling silver. Sterling silver is 92.5 silver with the 7.5 content being made up of copper and tin. Fine Silver is 99.999 silver with the .001 content accounting for trace metals, which may possibly be present but not surely present. Fine silver will eventually tarnish, but not as harshly as sterling because of the lack of added copper and tin, because of this its color is closer to the color of Tiffany's silver; but it can easily and safely be given a patina to match sterling, pewter or other metals. Oxidizing with rock sulfur has become very popular and fun for the artist because of it being uncontrollable, there is the surprise element when the silver becomes the color it wants to be. So, now you know why sterling silver is stamped .925 and fine silver is stamped .999 to show their content in compliance to the standards set by the ISO which stands for the International Standardization Organization. PMC stands for Precious Metal Clay it comes in gold, silver, copper or bronze. It starts out in a clay like form, after it is fired the small amount of water and binder is burned out leaving it pure metal. The clay like material has 3 ingredients, the silver pmc has silver in its purest form, binder and water. The silver is in microscopic particles until the firing where they sinter and become joined. Think of wheat that is ground into flour. The flour is tiny particles of wheat, wheat powder. PMC is like silver powder held together with a tiny bit of water and binder until it is fired into pure metal.

He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.
-St.Francis of Assisi

I begin with an idea
and then it becomes something else,
~Pablo Picasso

This is one of my favorite birthday gifts EVERRRR!

Thank you Surfingsilver, I love the product you delivered.

1969