Ode to the Lapidary

I met George Ingraham through these blogs and then on Twitter.  The first thing I noticed about his work was the sets that he made and then the uniqueness of his stones.  The lapidary is the unsung hero of the jewelry world.  We tend to just select a stone and then make something taking all of the credit, as if we had just found this rock lying on the ground.  Whoever cut the facets on a ruby or diamond just falls into oblivion, just as he lapidary who cuts the cabs or the beads.  This dangerously makes way for cheap cabs from Mexico or beads from China.  Big corporations drench the US market with cheap crap findings.  However, if you take a minute to look at the quality of our lapidaries here in the US, there is a difference.

A good lapidary selects the more unusual of rough to start with, making a more unique product.  Yes, it may cost more, but it is funny how some people strive to buy the cheapest for the ingredients for their art, when they would never just buy the cheapest car on the lot, the cheapest house in the neighborhood, or the cheapest shoes on the rack.  Some things are just worth the extra it takes to get quality and uniqueness.

So, Lora and I worked with George to feature his work in the shop, a trunk show.  He mailed us a great selection of cabs, and I offered to set stones for customers in a simple frame and prong setting for meager cost.  This was just a simple setting, no frills, just a simple jump ring bail.  And, if they wanted something more unique, I would set down with them and sketch up something.  Lora liked this also because they could buy beads to string up their own creations.

simple frame and prong settings

Granted, I was busy for a couple of weeks, with each setting taking just under 30 minutes.  It boosted sales for George and I made enough to pay for my entire summer off from teaching.  And, I was asked to make a couple of very unique custom orders.

Sterling silver and Mexican crazy lace agate

This was a ring using one of George’s Mexican crazy lace agates.

copper, sterling, and crazy lace with marcasite

This is a cuff using a cut that has some very unique marcasite inclusions within the laces.

Mar's Cuff; sterling silver, kabamba, and an African star ruby.

And, this is a cuff using some of his kabamba.  Ohhhhh, the kabamba.  I had never seen this stone before.  It reminded me of pictures of space from the Hubble space telescope.  So, I added one of my own cut African ruby stars.  The cabs created a framed theatrical space between them to depict Mars holding up his red planet.  I have always loved Cézanne’s The Bather, and how he manipulated the paint along the legs of the bather to make it look as if he was stepping right off of the canvas.  So, Mars is depicted here, carrying his planet right out into our world, breaking the illusion of spaces.
Oh, and I also have a new gallery, close by, and willing to represent me.  The Blue Phrog Gallery of Montevallo, AL.  The owner is a very “keep it real” guy, and I am his first jewelry artist.  I have works in other galleries, but I don’t feel as if these really have my interest at heart.  They are all so far away, and they seem to be run by jewelers who just promote themselves and their own work.  This will be a great new venture, and I am hoping that once he sees how the arts community takes to the jewelry arts, good things will come.

Now, you guys can all go and continue to buy the cheapest stones and beads from overseas, or you can make friends with some of the best lapidaries in the world right here in our own backyard.  All of my stones will be either cut by me or someone I know.  I don’t drive the cheapest or wear the cheapest shoes on the rack :o) and, you will be able to tell by my stride.  That’s just how I roll.

www.cosmicfolklore.com

Tagged as: Aesthetics, Musings, My work, Resources