Winter 2021 Design Challenge and Virtual Party

white with black outlines of two hammers crossed over

Members attend Free!

MBMAG 2021 Virtual Winter Party
with Featured Speaker Jeannie Pratt
and
2021 Winter Challenge Results

Party Time:
Zoom, January 24, 2021 from 1 – 4 pm

Challenge: Entries due by January 10! Scroll down for more information.

Party details

Members join us free on Zoom, January 24,  2021 from 1-4 pm for our annual winter party. We’ll have a talk from our own Jeannie Pratt, introduce our 2021 Board members and enjoy catching up with each other. We’ll also be announcing the winners of our 2021 Winter Challenge. Our Zoom account is limited to 100 attendees, so you must register to assure your space. Free registration for the party is now open.

Jeanie Pratt talk “My Journey as a Metal Weaver, Enamelist and Insect Enthusiast or Nothing is Ever Simple”

 

Metal artist Jeanie Pratt uses a variety of textile techniques including weaving, knitting, twining, looping, and bobbin lace – all with metal! Her fiber art and metalsmith backgrounds inform how she approaches the construction of each piece, but it is her entomology background that inspires her designs through form, color, and texture. “I love making interesting woven patterns for my beetle brooch wings and twined bodies in gold and silver for my insect brooch bodies.” The synergy of her two life-long pursuits in one body of work is unique, dynamic, and full of life. “Although I hadn’t used my entomology degree in many years, I am now relearning about insects and am drawn to critters that are real, but surreal.” She lives by a philosophy that “bugs are beautiful” and the organic nature of both her subject and her artistic process give her pieces beautiful harmony with a whimsical touch.

Metals Challenge Details

As a response to the strange and stressful year of 2020, you are being challenged to create a pair of eyeglasses that will see into the future. Three prizes will be awarded!

The challenge is open to members only.  Become a member or renew your membership by going to WWW.MBMAG.org.  Membership will be good for the entirety of 2021.

THE METALS CHALLENGE:  Create a pair of eyeglasses using anything you have on hand: wire, found objects, gems, beads, etc.

Let your imagination run wild!

  • We encourage you to have lenses in your eyeglasses that will express your vision
  • There will be no kits for this challenge
  • Photos of your completed piece must be emailed by Jan 10, 2021
  • No more than two photographs, JPEG, not to exceed 4 Mbytes.
  • Send all entries to Dick Walvis at dick.walvis@gmail.com with MBMAG 2021 Winter Challenge in the subject
  • Prizes will be awarded in the form of a gift certificate to Rio Grande or Otto Frei!
    • First prize: $250.00 value
    • Second prize: $150.00 value
    • Third prize: $100.00 value
  • Voting by MBMAG members happens the week of Jan 18, 2021
  • Winners will be announced at the Winter Zoom Party on January 24, 2021

Thanks to Emmy McKenzie for inspiring this challenge
Your Challenge Chairs: Annette Nemes and Toni Danzig

Summer 2020 Design Challenge Results

white with black outlines of two hammers crossed over

Last January we challenged the membership to create a wearable piece of work which would include at least eight pieces from a kit. 

The results were fantastic and creative as we would expect.  The pieces were voted on earlier this month and winners elected by the members, as shown here.

The winners were announced by email and are listed below:

First Place
$ 250
Nancy Yee

Second Place
$ 150
Lynn Guenther

Third Place
$ 100
Susan Shallenberger

Now it is time to auction some of the pieces.

If you are interested in a work, please contact the artist directly and make an offer.  Put MBMAG Summer Challenge Bid in the subject line of your email.

(To see a larger image, right click on the image and open the image in a new tab or window)




Annette Nemes



annettenemes@comcast.net



Dick Walvis



Not for sale.



Emmy MacKenzie



emmymackenzie@gmail.com



Lynn Guenther



Not for sale.



Marylou Forrest



alohacglass@gmail.com



Nancy Yee



Not for sale.



Rebecca Thielbar



bex-1@comcast.net



Ron Baldwin



Not for sale.



Susan Shallenberger



susanshallen@comcast.net



Tim Robinson



americanshorthair@juno.com



Tim Yee



Not for sale.

Using Instagram to Sell Your Art with Nicole Ringgold, July 27, 2020

Nicole Ringold collage of instagram photos of her nature inspired jewelry

FREE to MBMAG Members

Monday July 27, 2020 at 4 pm via Zoom

Preregistration required.
Space limited to 99 participants. 

MBMAG members can see the video of this presentation here

Last week’s fantastic presentation on Social Media for Artists was a great introduction to the world of selling on Social Media. Next we’ll dive into the world of Instagram as MBMAG presents another free Zoom event for members.  Nicole will share her secrets for selling jewelry on Instagram.  With 115,000 followers on her Instagram account, Nicole has shown that social media can indeed extend a jeweler’s reach. 

The presentation will be held via Zoom. You must pre-register, and you must be a member of MBMAG to attend. Once you are registered, we will send you the link and password for the Zoom meeting. Our Zoom room is limited to 99 participants, plus Nicole. First come, first served! 

You do not have to have attended the first presentation to enjoy this one, although we recommend that you read through the first presentation PowerPoint slides.

CANCELLED: Albion Smith Overlay Cuff Bracelet Workshop

Class cancelled due to CoVID-19 virus. Noted silversmith Albion Smith will teach his elegant Silver Overlay technique. While making their own silver overlay cuff bracelets, students will learn engraving and stamping techniques to embellish the overlays, then learn Albion’s method of soldering the pierced pieces to the underlying metal. In the course of the two days, Albion will share his tips and tricks gained over 35 years of working with metal.

A two-day workshop on April 18-19, 2002 from 10am – 6pm at Creator Haven.

For more details and registration …

MBMAG December Speakers

calipers, pliers, graver and hammer surround the Speaker Series announcement for the Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild

Angela Gleason and Lynn Guenther

Hammering Away-Art, Education, and Environment
December 11, 2019, 6:30 p.m.
Cabrillo College Jewelry Room VAPA 3001

Presenters Angela Gleason and Lynn Guenther will talk about their work and how  they make meaningful lives with their creative practice.

Angela will talk about her work and her SCRAP (Santa Cruz Recycled Art Program) exhibit, opening December 6.

Angela has always been fascinated with found objects, recycling, and re-use and often works with strong political intention. She is currently finishing an Artist Residency  with SCRAP utilizing a vast array of unexpected materials from the Resource Recovery Facility at Dimeo Lane to create art with environmental, educational, and  social statements.

Lynn Guenther will show a short video about her teaching trip to Rosebud Reservation and talk a bit about other educational programs that she is involved in.

Rosebud Reservation student hammering
Rosebud Reservation student hammering

Lynn is collecting tools and donations to complete the “tool kit” she left for the students to use at the school on Rosebud Reservation.
Below is what they are missing. You can bring any donations to the meeting.

Lynn says, “Fortunately some artists were very generous with materials last year, but the kids are using them and they could always use more if people want to donate any extra stuff they have. 20 or 18 gauge copper would be helpful, too, for bracelets.”

  • 15-20 design stamps (expensive, $8 each!)
  • alphabet stamps
  • number stamps
  • 3 ball pein hammers
  • rawhide hammer or delrin
  • drill
  • drill bits
  • 3 more saws
  • 3 bench pins
  • saw blades
  • bracelet mandrel
  • cutting shears
  • gloves
  • patina
  • a few more pliers, wire cutters, and files
  • Copper, brass, nickel, stones and beads
  • Cash donations towards tools and materials are also welcome
Angela and helper working on the SCRAP project
Student at the Rosebud Reservation School hammering away

At ZFolio: Back to the Future

front of postcard image for ZFolio Gallery show "Back to the future" features a brooch, pendants, earrings, a bracelet, and a ring

Reception Sunday, December 8, 2019 4-6 pm.
Exhibit from December 6, 2019 – January 5, 2020

ZFolio
750 Cannery Row, Suite 112
Monterey, CA 93940

More than 25 members are exhibiting their work this year! ZFolio is located on Cannery Row and is a short walk to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Check it out, amazing work! Maybe we will see your work next year?