Amber Wyckoff
Kris Howell
“ the guild members have always been supportive and informative and helpful .
Everyone likes to share their accomplishments , likes to share their ideas , and always will share their knowledge with other members .”
are afraid of that position , but it really jump-started me .”
Each meeting includes a social portion , a portion for guild business , and a program where all the members learn something new . Members are challenged in learning this new skill each month , but also invited to take up the challenge of taking on the role of teacher , showing something unique to the other members . This is often just as impactful , if not more so , than acting as the student in the program .
This approach of challenging each other and producing their best work is reinforced throughout the year . According to Holly , “ The guild members have always been supportive and informative and helpful . Everyone likes to share their accomplishments , likes to share their ideas , and always will share their knowledge with other members . I really enjoy meeting with the other jewelers and finding new ways of creating and seeing what others have created . Each year we voluntarily do a bead exchange . Members don ’ t have to take part but it ’ s a fun challenge . Each member makes a bead or charm using a technique that they ’ ve been working on . They make one for each person who is participating and one for a guild collection . The other fun thing that I enjoy is for the holiday season we have a potluck , and everyone brings an ornament that they ’ ve made for an exchange . Each person then tells everyone how they created the ornament that they brought .”
The broad scope of different techniques , materials , and areas of expertise include work in sterling silver , titanium , copper , and mixed metals , as well as vitreous glass enamel , polymer clay , fibers , found objects , crystal , and precious and semiprecious gemstones . Techniques include silversmithing , beadwork , weaving ( wire , fibers , beads ), designs strung with gemstone beads , fusing , riveting and
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