Metalsmithing

Art, as one of the most wide-spoken languages in the world, connects people from all over the world and flows through the long, continuous stream of history. From the murals left by the early civilizations of mankind to today’s abstract sculptures presented with modern advanced technology, from the Inca Empire’s vivid bronze figure of a female to the gigantic offering plate from Ancient China’s Kingdom of Shu, art speaks to people through time and space. Gold and silver, due to their inactive and stable chemical nature, became the global currency. Both decoration and functional, metal pieces are one of the largest collections preserved from history. It is apparent that metal has global value and its product is recongnized around the world.

Metalsmithing is the combined art of fire and chemistry, it is a playground to set free students’ imagination and do hands-on individual projects. In this class, students are introduced to a variety of advanced metalsmithing techniques like patinas, pick soldering, casting, and etc. I particularly enjoy this class because it had granted me a chance to speak through time and place to all the great metal craftsmen and artisans through the tiny tip of the blue flame. What drew me to the class was a romantic fantasy about being a master metalsmith. Once upon a time, metalsmithing was weaved into every corner of ancient China: the farming sickles of a low-born peasant, the delicate bronze wine vessel from an aristocratic family, and not to mention the mysterious sword of Goujian that defied time. This is a challenging but enjoyable class, having learned the techniques, I was able to incorporate the skill into making projects. My 1: 16 model of the Davinci flying machine and the sculpture of the eagle skull, are my distant salute to all the innovators and craftsmen through time and place.