posted 06-04-2004 03:40 PM            

In a few weeks we hope to have something to announce.

posted 10-15-2004 02:02 PM            

Please invite any smiths you know (even if they aren't on the Internet) to contact us.

posted 10-15-2004 04:23 PM            

What is the nature of this project? I would like to tell my Canadian silversmith contacts about this, but would like to tell them a little more. Maybe more response that way?

posted 10-15-2004 05:39 PM            

The "Living Silversmiths" forum will be open to the public to read but only smiths who join and moderators will be able to post/respond. The intent is to provide a place for smiths to discuss their own and each others works. And then to provide a place for the public to become familiar with the smiths and their works. Discussions will hopefully include what inspires, the difficulties/pleasures of being a smith today, attracting sponsors, grants, exhibitions, commissions and the things that effect working smiths. I would not want it to become a place where techniques are discussed in any great detail. Generally, the discussions should not leave the non-smith wondering what was said.

Within the ""Living Silversmiths" forum, member smiths may post/respond freely. The public would submit any questions/posts via e-mail to the "Living Silversmiths" moderators (like letters to the editor in a magazine). Then the "Living Silversmiths" forum moderator(s) will select/edit and/or help clarify what is being said/asked and post it to an existing thread or start a new thread. These "letters" hopefully will become a catalyst for some interesting discussions.

I think there should be some prerequisites for becoming a member smith. Exactly what I don't know but generally: (note: I will seek additional /different suggestions from the initial member smiths about what makes sense.)

• A smith must be able to demonstrate that they are a working smith. Whether this is a body of work or acceptance by the art/business world or something else still needs to be determined.

• I only have one basic requirement that I would like to see happen. That the smith must have a unique maker's mark. To join the "Living Silversmiths" forum the smith would have to submit a photographic example of their mark and at least one photo example of their work. With this I will create a separate web page (index of participants) showing their name, the mark, the sample work and any other biographical info they want to provide (i.e., photo, bio, awards,etc.) .

I have other thoughts but would like to bounce them around with the "Living Silversmiths" forum moderator(s) and the other SSF moderators. Fredz has volunteered to co-moderate and Brent has lent his support and is considering co-moderating.

We are sure there is a non-smith audience for a "Living Silversmiths" Forum. We are also certain that the majority of non-smiths will be lurkers (readers) and will not actively participate. So for this project to proceed it will require some number of smiths to join the project and then to actively participate.

posted 10-15-2004 05:40 PM            

Callie

==========================
Callie,

The proposed name for the forum is "Living Silversmiths". So I don't think it will matter where they are from only that they are living and breathing.
As per the Guidelines, please no duplicate posts in different forums.

posted 10-18-2004 11:47 AM            

The Living smiths idea is great and perhaps the above is a distraction from a bigger and better whole?

posted 10-18-2004 02:19 PM            

June’s/my interests and understanding of the smiths techniques might be better than most non-smiths. In fact, in my very early years, I use to make and sell items I made as a blacksmith.

A few years ago June and I attended a day long series of lectures, demonstrations and classes for silversmiths. Each 1-2 hour session would start out fabulous. In the first 10-15 minutes the presenter would give a brief explanation and demonstration of what would be in store for the next 2 hours. After the intro the rest of presentation was just too subtle and detailed for us non-smiths to grasp. For example, there are many approaches to folding/unfolding silver. I would guess we heard about a dozen or more different methods/technics for folding silver but to us it was just more of the same folding/unfolding silver. So we understood that as well as we were ever going to after the first 15 minutes.

I don’t think smiths could nor should they avoid discussions of technic. So I agree with you and would hope that any technical discussion in this particular forum would be “held with non-smiths in mind”.

Once the "Living Silversmiths" forum is going, if it becomes evident that there is a need for other thematic forums then the new forums can be started. Once started, we can move any relevant posts in the "Living Silversmiths" forum to the new forum (for example: "Living Smiths Techniques" forum).

You are right about this project needing a critical mass of smiths to get started. Please contact and recommend this project to other smiths.

Thanks for the input.

posted 10-19-2004 11:40 AM            

quote:

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I'm sure that many of the collectors and scholars among us will have questions about technical matters that might spark some good discussions.

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I am sure and hope you will. I believe it would be best if the non-smith inquiries were veted before being posted. From the above post on 10-15-2004 05:39 PM:

quote:

---

Within the ""Living Silversmiths" forum, member smiths may post/respond freely. The public would submit any questions/posts via e-mail to the "Living Silversmiths" moderators (like letters to the editor in a magazine). Then the "Living Silversmiths" forum moderator(s) will select/edit and/or help clarify what is being said/asked and post it to an existing thread or start a new thread. These "letters" hopefully will become a catalyst for some interesting discussions.

---

posted 10-19-2004 04:47 PM            

Also I have been starting to collect some of the older tools I have come across in my travels that may or may not be authentic for the correct period, such as hammers, scales, files, claspers, and other items that I would love for someone to help me identify the correct period to which they belong...

There are some techniques that were used in times gone by that I am baffled as to how they could have been accomplished with the precision exhibited this log ago...

I applaud the new forum...

posted 02-24-2006 01:39 PM            

So I would encourage our new SSF silversmith members to consider helping us start the Living Silversmiths Forum.

Please let me know you are interested.

posted 02-24-2006 01:53 PM            

I am certainly interested and will help in any way I can.

posted 03-05-2006 03:59 PM            

I expect to see him this week for more specific input. Generally he says that as many as 8 smiths seemed sincerely interested in exploring this Living Silversmiths Forum concept.

In the past few weeks we have seen several new registrations from people who, in their profile, say they are smiths.

New Member Smiths if you are reading this post but because of your new member status are unable to reply in this thread, please e-mail me at info@SMPub.com or post in the New Members� Forum. If you email please make the subject line starts with SSF.

Thanks