my new fun

i am wrapping up my tenure at the Recreation Director at the island's rec center, this is my last week! i am excited and sad to move on, but it was time to move on. in the fall i'll be starting my master's in clinical counseling, which i am looking forward to with great anticipation! i will be working with my brother-in-law Stephen this summer on his boat the Predator; however i realized that i needed to find something to do until then. i love to make jewelry and have been itching to learn metalsmithing. so... lucky me, i approached my friend and local metalsmith Gail Miller and asked if she needed any help, and boy does she. she has a studio on the island www.millerdesigns.com and i started working for her a week and a half ago. I LOVE IT! i am starting out with some basic and tedious work but i am having so much fun. she has a hydraulic press that i use to cut different shapes out of brass, nickel and copper. recently i have been texturizing the metal, mostly my hammering the metal with various hammers and other instruments. a great way to get some aggression out! while i am hammering away i am envisioning my own designs and look forward to when i can experiment on my own. but first i have more to learn... sanding the metal, soldering and buffing!