ON THE COVER
Jewelry maker creates to stay balanced
“ I like to stay busy and I don ’ t sit still very well . I take things as they come . If I see a nice stone or a piece of silver , I will get it and may melt it down and make something .” www . meridianstar . com
Neubern Atkinson , jewelry maker
Neubern Atkinson knows when he has been away from his jewelry-making too long . He starts to feel out of sorts – like something in his spirit is not quite in balance . And that ’ s when he gets out his trusty tools – hammers , torches , saws and other items – and starts to create .
“ Sometimes I won ’ t make anything for a while ,” he said . “ And then I will go crazy for a while and make 10 , 12 , 14 or even 20 pieces . Then , I might quit for a while . It ’ s been a continuous pull , back and forth all of my life .”
The 73-year-old said he thinks his brain and spirit benefit from the hyper-focusing he is required to do when he is creating his jewelry , which often uses silver and natural stones .
“ When I create jewelry , it forces me to focus for a little bit . I never plan anything when I am making jewelry . I just start and let it go where I want to . I will change and add , take away and beat stuff with a hammer .”
He said he often describes his work as play when he talks about it to others , and he often reminds other people that he thinks it ’ s important to play throughout life .
“ I get a hammer and just start hammering away ,” he said . “ I melt stuff and put stones with it – and I ’ m just thinking of it all as playing . I look at everything as play , really . It is serious and people make a living from making jewelry . But you ’ ve got to like what you do and if you don ’ t you should stop doing it . Why shouldn ’ t we think of it as play ?”
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