
	Kate Snyder Jewelry www.joyofsilver.com According to my mother, I have been creating ever since I could hold a pair of scissors and snip. Creativity and problem solving have permeated my life and my career. I have designed and made things over the years and I have worked in several mediums including pottery, collage, beads, and fiber. Since my teens I have been collecting stones and mining various forms of jasper, agates and tourmalines. As an adult I have had an interest in ornamentation, the history of ornamentation and the various forms it take in different cultures. It was not until ten years ago, however, that my hobbies and the medium of metal came together and resulted in a pure passion for making jewelry. Jewelry making allows me to express myself, my love of form, texture, and shape, and to garner great pleasure from working with the metal and stones. Many of my designs are derived from shapes or lines I see in nature, people, or from shapes and patterns found in various cultures. For instance the relationship of a flower to its petals, the various lines and plains of a dancers body, or the affinity between curved and straight lines as seen in the script and word characters of differing languages. Others are designed to challenge and improve my skills. My main goal in showing and selling my jewelry is not to make a living, but to make more money so I can make more jewelry. The prices of my jewelry range from $20 to $$250 with most falling between $40 and $95. I make jewelry for my enjoyment and that of friends, and those who like my work. If someone finds a piece among my collection that is pleasing, then I am happy for it will give them enjoyment as well. I purchase flat sheets of sterling silver between 18 and 26 gage along with sterling wire, sterling bezel wire, semi-precious gemstones, jasper, agates and other interesting stones. I make some of my findings and purchase others, such as pin findings and ear posts. The processes by which I create my jewelry are fabrication, forging, and fusion. Fabrication Fabrication means each component piece of the design is hand crafted. I first make a design on a piece of paper (some people will design as they go along). Then using the design I cut each component from the sterling silver sheets or wire with a jewelers saw. Using various tools, the pieces are textured, shaped, and filed to fit the pattern. A bezel, a cup exactly fitting the stone, is then made using bezel wire and backing from a sheet of light gage sterling silver. The pieces are assembled and soldered together. The finishing can be done in one of several ways. The piece may be highly polished, sand blasted, wire brushed and/or oxidized. Forging Forging is the subtle art of drawing out a design from a piece of sterling silver with the impact of the hammerhead, against an anvil. It is the process of shaping, thickening and thinning of the metal using variations in the weight of the hammer's blow, the type of hammerhead, and the tilt of the hammerhead in relation to the perpendicular axis of the piece. Planishing the piece to remove the forging marks often completes the forging process, however the forging marks may be left in the piece for decorative purposes. As with the previous methods, I begin with a design. Once the piece is forged to the desired shape and thickness I often finish the piece by soldering on a bezel to hold a stone or an additional forged or fabricated piece for added interest. Finally, the findings are applied, the stones set, and the piece receives it’s final finish. Fusion The design of the fused piece is a result of the process and the placing of the scraps of silver. Fusion is a really fun, creative method that requires both skill, and luck. To do a fused piece one begins by placing a backing of light gage sterling (22 or 24 gage) on the soldering block. Then, various cutout shapes or scraps of unused sterling left from other projects are stacked on the backing. The piece is heated with a torch until the atoms of the individual metal scrap intertwine fusing them together. The placing and layering of the scraps, along with the degree to which the metal is heated all play a part in the finished product. Many times the silver will reticulate or form a textured surface. This adds to the character of the piece. Often an additional component is soldered on to complete a concept or a stone used to highlight the design. The piece maybe finished using an oxidation process (darkening of the silver) and buffing to enhance the effect of the layering of the scraps. Exhibits Expressions Gallery, E. Granby, Connecticut 2000-2002 (Pottery), 2001, 2002 (Jewelry) Holcomb Farm Learning Center, Granby, Connecticut 2002, 2003, 2004 (Jewelry) Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon Connecticut 2003, 2004 2005 (Jewelry) Granby Open Studio Tour, Granby, Connecticut 2003, 2004, juried in for 2005 (Jewelry) Pemaquid Craft Cooperative, New Harbor, ME 2002 (Jewelry) Artisans Showcase Granby, CT- 2005, 2006 Membership Member of the Granby Artists Association, Marketing Chairperson 2004, Jury Chairperson 2005 Member Arts Advisory Board, Holcomb Learning Center, Granby, Connecticut, Fund Raising Advisor Demonstrations and Teaching Holcomb Farm Granby Open Studio Tour

Kate Snyder

Jewelry

www.joyofsilver.com

According to my mother, I have been creating ever since I could hold a pair of scissors and snip. Creativity and problem solving have permeated my life and my career. I have designed and made things over the years and I have worked in several mediums including pottery, collage, beads, and fiber. Since my teens I have been collecting stones and mining various forms of jasper, agates and tourmalines. As an adult I have had an interest in ornamentation, the history of ornamentation and the various forms it take in different cultures. It was not until ten years ago, however, that my hobbies and the medium of metal came together and resulted in a pure passion for making jewelry.

Jewelry making allows me to express myself, my love of form, texture, and shape, and to garner great pleasure from working with the metal and stones. Many of my designs are derived from shapes or lines I see in nature, people, or from shapes and patterns found in various cultures. For instance the relationship of a flower to its petals, the various lines and plains of a dancers body, or the affinity between curved and straight lines as seen in the script and word characters of differing languages. Others are designed to challenge and improve my skills.

My main goal in showing and selling my jewelry is not to make a living, but to make more money so I can make more jewelry. The prices of my jewelry range from $20 to $$250 with most falling between $40 and $95. I make jewelry for my enjoyment and that of friends, and those who like my work. If someone finds a piece among my collection that is pleasing, then I am happy for it will give them enjoyment as well.

I purchase flat sheets of sterling silver between 18 and 26 gage along with sterling wire, sterling bezel wire, semi-precious gemstones, jasper, agates and other interesting stones. I make some of my findings and purchase others, such as pin findings and ear posts.

The processes by which I create my jewelry are fabrication, forging, and fusion.

Fabrication

Fabrication means each component piece of the design is hand crafted. I first make a design on a piece of paper (some people will design as they go along). Then using the design I cut each component from the sterling silver sheets or wire with a jewelers saw. Using various tools, the pieces are textured, shaped, and filed to fit the pattern. A bezel, a cup exactly fitting the stone, is then made using bezel wire and backing from a sheet of light gage sterling silver. The pieces are assembled and soldered together. The finishing can be done in one of several ways. The piece may be highly polished, sand blasted, wire brushed and/or oxidized.

Forging

Forging is the subtle art of drawing out a design from a piece of sterling silver with the impact of the hammerhead, against an anvil. It is the process of shaping, thickening and thinning of the metal using variations in the weight of the hammer's blow, the type of hammerhead, and the tilt of the hammerhead in relation to the perpendicular axis of the piece. Planishing the piece to remove the forging marks often completes the forging process, however the forging marks may be left in the piece for decorative purposes.

As with the previous methods, I begin with a design. Once the piece is forged to the desired shape and thickness I often finish the piece by soldering on a bezel to hold a stone or an additional forged or fabricated piece for added interest. Finally, the findings are applied, the stones set, and the piece receives it’s final finish.

Fusion

The design of the fused piece is a result of the process and the placing of the scraps of silver. Fusion is a really fun, creative method that requires both skill, and luck. To do a fused piece one begins by placing a backing of light gage sterling (22 or 24 gage) on the soldering block. Then, various cutout shapes or scraps of unused sterling left from other projects are stacked on the backing. The piece is heated with a torch until the atoms of the individual metal scrap intertwine fusing them together. The placing and layering of the scraps, along with the degree to which the metal is heated all play a part in the finished product. Many times the silver will reticulate or form a textured surface. This adds to the character of the piece. Often an additional component is soldered on to complete a concept or a stone used to highlight the design. The piece maybe finished using an oxidation process (darkening of the silver) and buffing to enhance the effect of the layering of the scraps.

Exhibits

Expressions Gallery, E. Granby, Connecticut 2000-2002 (Pottery), 2001, 2002 (Jewelry)
Holcomb Farm Learning Center, Granby, Connecticut 2002, 2003, 2004 (Jewelry)
Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon Connecticut 2003, 2004 2005 (Jewelry)
Granby Open Studio Tour, Granby, Connecticut 2003, 2004, juried in for 2005 (Jewelry)
Pemaquid Craft Cooperative, New Harbor, ME 2002 (Jewelry)
Artisans Showcase Granby, CT- 2005, 2006

Membership

Member of the Granby Artists Association, Marketing Chairperson 2004, Jury Chairperson 2005
Member Arts Advisory Board, Holcomb Learning Center, Granby, Connecticut, Fund Raising Advisor

Demonstrations and Teaching

Holcomb Farm
Granby Open Studio Tour