10/29/2005

song du jour: Sikidim, Tarkan

mood: :-)

Shine

I've been fortunate lately that several students have taken time to write reviews of my classes, much of which were passed along to where I teach here in Atlanta. Wow, you know one does hope to hear something positive for one's efforts. To these I can only graciously bow.

Victoria teaches techniques used for millennia to create many of the great works of art one can see in museums. Though these techniques had fallen into disuse due to their labor intensive nature, Victoria has found many tricks that streamline and improve the processes, and she uses them to make strikingly contemporary pieces rooted in the ancient world. She teaches how to make the tools and materials necessary for each technique. One will never go into a hardware store with the same mind set again. Students are given a series of challenges and opportunities to grow their own inner voices and are encouraged to create works unique to them, at their levels of ability. The only downside to learning from Victoria, is that having completed her classes, students will look at commercial jewelry and think " Yes, I could make this, ... but why would I want to make junk?"
The number of places one can learn these skills in the US can be counted conveniently on one's thumbs. In Japan, Victoria would be considered a national treasure, and she would be funded to pass these skills on to the next generation.
-Al Boyers

For more click on the recently updated Classes section of my site.

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