Process

Snowdays and Art Jewelry in the Studio

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It is a winter wonderland in Durango Colorado which means excellent days for making in the studio! These are my favorites days carving in wax and creating new designs for the year... And it will be quite a year of the Red Monkey!  

Please enjoy this process picture of carving wax monkeys that will very soon be rings, pendants and earrings! And, stay tuned for updates and jewels to come! 

Happy Snowday! 

xx

Crystal Hartman

Hand carved wax monkey soon to be cast and ready for the Year of he Monkey in the lost wax process by Crystal Hartman in Durango Colorado

Hand carved wax monkey soon to be cast and ready for the Year of he Monkey in the lost wax process by Crystal Hartman in Durango Colorado

The Lost Wax Casting Process

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It's late June and I am am busy as a bee carving and casting new jewelry in the studio.  In the lost wax casting process we melt down silver, bronze, gold and pour it into molds.  

...ready to cut and melt pieces of history (sterling silverware) for a new life as artisan jewelry. 

...ready to cut and melt pieces of history (sterling silverware) for a new life as artisan jewelry. 

The molds are made of a material called Investment (similar to plaster)  poured in iron flasks around wax trees made from the wax carvings we will cast into jewelry.  

Image of a mold right after silver has been poured in it. 

Image of a mold right after silver has been poured in it. 

Each wax carvings is handmade, organically carved and filled with good energy -courage, compassion, bliss and abundance... meditations.  Each casting is a surprise as we see hours and weeks of work turn from fragile beeswax to silver, bronze or gold jewelry, heirloom jewelry that will last for many generations. 

Hand carved, sculptural wax rings... 

Hand carved, sculptural wax rings... 

Lost Wax Cast sculptural jewelry in recycled sterling silver. 

Lost Wax Cast sculptural jewelry in recycled sterling silver. 

This summer we will celebrate Carbondale Mountain Fair!  Come and see us July 24 -26, 2015 in Carbondale Colorado :-) 

xx

Crystal Hartman

 

Studio Days

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We are busy in the studio, casting jewels and setting turquoise -high grade Royston Turquoise, Blue Gem and Manassa Turquoise, Spiderweb and Kingman Turquoise- for the holiday season! Here's a quick look at the jeweler's bench in the midst of a big project day... Dremmel tools and burnishers in the back, safety glasses, bracelets, rings and earrings in progress atop stones used to keep the flames and heat in during soldering, raw silver pendants ready for stones in the front and pliars and Turquoise waiting to join off to the right.  Happy week everybody!

xo

Crystal