News from the workshop
The Stone Setter
The stonesetter is doing her thing
My clever colleague Mia Guldberg is setting the stones in most of my jewellery using a microscope and the finest craftsmanship. It is handy and inspiring to have her expertise in the back of the workshop at Gl. Mønt 37.
Gemmology and precious stones
Gemstones have always fascinated me and over the last years I have used more and more precious stones. With that I felt a strong need to know more about the precious stones, and in spring me and two of my colleagues took a course in gemology. We learned the techniques used to differentiate the stones, their different qualities and what to look for when purchasing gemstones. What stroke me most was the complexity of the field of gemmology; a stone is not always what it appears to be so having reliable and trustworthy suppliers is absolutely crucial!
I had the pleasure of making a great commission for a customer; a gold ring in the coral collection with a large ruby and five spinels. For those not familiar with spinels I can recommend this article about the rather overlooked precious stones, that comes in a great variety of intriguing colours: http://www.guldsmed.dk/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/AuClock_2009_10_Spinellen.pdf
Rapid Kunsthåndværker
3D modelling of the meringue box
Jeg bruger 3D modellering* og rapid prototyping en del i mit arbejde og har gjort det siden jeg gik på Royal College of Art i starten af dette årtusinde. Som håndværker forsøger jeg altid at være bekendt med de forskellige værktøjer jeg har til rådighed og jeg ser netop rapid prototyping og 3D modellering som et stykke værktøj med ligeså megen anvendelighed som mit lavteknologiske håndværktøj, min gamle engelske svingpresse eller de gamle sølvsmedejern jeg har arvet fra mine forgængere. De seneste år har jeg oplevet at teknologien er stormet afsted og det fremkalder naturligvis nogle helt eksistentielle spørgsmål for mig som håndværker og designer.
Jo, det går stærkt, og hvor efterlader det så os designere og håndværkere???
En af de største bekymringer, når vi diskuterer moderne teknologi og håndværk er ofte, om teknologien vil erstatte den håndværker og om håndværket vil være tabt for evigt. Ridley Scott, William Gibson og andre science-fictioners har gjort stort indtryk på os i den forbindelse. Jeg finder det altid lidt morsomt omend lidt frustrerende, når folk forudser at inden længe vil håndværkeren kunne erstattes af en maskine; og for tiden oplever jeg netop hvordan det modsatte er tilfældet. Flere og flere vil gerne betale for håndens arbejde; for umage og flittighed.
Dengang, for 10 år siden da jeg først snusede til denne nye teknologi, havde vores afdeling af RCA en 3D printer der printede tynde lag af voks ovenpå hinanden og dermed byggede en voksmodel, der efterfølgende kunne indgipses og støbes i et ønsket metal. Teknikken bruges stadig, men dengang var den både dyr og langsommelig, det kunne tage flere dage at få et brugbart resultat, der var ofte fejl og problemer med emnerne og opløsningen var ikke noget at skrive hjem om.
Jeg hygger mig tit over hvor hurtigt teknologien udvikler sig, og at det der var ’state of the art’ for 10 år siden for længst er overhalet af billigere og bedre maskiner der kan producere finere overflader i et utal af materialer med mange forskellige egenskaber. Profetier som at vi om få år alle har en 3d printer stående hjemme på skrivebordet er snart opfyldt; 3D printere er blevet fantastisk billige og nemme at gå til og den kommer endda som en slags Ikea-saml-selv model for de fingernemme.
Men jeg bliver så glad når nogen kalder alt det her teknologiræs ‘den tredje industrielle revolution’; den første var i starten af det 19. århundrede og af dén udsprang den smukke og i dén grad håndværksudfordrende Art Nouveau stil; den anden i midten af 50’erne gav os pop-art som både kritik af og hyldest til massekulturen og hvis vi er midt i den tredie ligenu, springer der måske ligeledes en ny kilde af skønhed og håndværksstolthed som reaktion på at det nu er nemmere end nogensinde før at få materialiseret sin idé. Jeg tror på det.
Har du brug for hurtigt at få en fysisk model af din tegning behøver du nu ikke engang at kontakte de dyre RP’ere personligt; ved blot at uploade din 3D tegning til en webbaseret service som f.ex shapeways eller ponoko kan du hurtigt og nemt bestille din revolutionerende idé i et stort udvalg af forskellige materialer og endda til en pris der er uhørt billig.
Materialerne er hovedsagligt forskellige plastik arter, men også ædelmetal og keramik er med på listen over muligheder. Simple tryk på taster og 3 uger senere har du pakken med din fikse idé omsat til en fysisk genstand. (3 uger!!!! Ja, der er stadig lang leveringstid, men det bliver hurtigere og hurtigere for hver gang jeg bruger dem.)
Og det er dér, når jeg modtager pakken med de små gnidrede plastik og metal dimser, at det går op for mig; mine bekymkringer om håndværkets endeligt forsvinder som dug for solen. Aldrig, ALDRIG,( ok, man skal aldrig sige aldrig, men alligevel) kan maskinen erstatte hånden og åndens arbejde, for det der differentierer de printede rå produkter fra mine lækre, indbydende færdige må-have-værker er; at mine hænder har kælet for alle detaljer og har tilføjet værket en overflade og en finish, som man ikke kan opnå på anden måde end ved håndens flittige arbejde. Jeg benytter ofte servicen i min hverdag, men min baggrund som detaljefikseret håndværker gør det umuligt ikke at fjerne den kornede overflade med en god gammeldags fil og tilføje værkerne den finish der er så altafgørende. Det er dén efterbehandling der retfærdiggør at jeg sætter endnu et produkt i den verden der ellers er så proppet af ting.
For at du kan se/mærke forskellen på mit og maskinens arbejde har jeg lagt tegningerne af min populære kyskageæske til fri afbenyttelse hos Shapeways og her kan du printe din helt egen kyskage på https://www.shapeways.com/shops/Lovschal ; (Jeg får naturligvis royalties for alle dem der bliver printet)
Du skal blot vælge materiale og trykke på print og husk at der er to dele! Når du så har modtaget pakken er du velkommen til at komme ind i butikken og sammenligne dit eksemplar med den kyskage jeg selv har haft fingrene i.
På gensyn!
Kyskage i finsølv
(*Egentlig er 3D modellering en skidt betegnelse da det meste modellering jo foregår i 3 dimensioner, men her mener jeg altså modellering på computer.)
http://ing.dk/artikel/fremtidsforsker-3d-print-bliver-den-tredje-industrielle-revolution-134489
New name for the shop
After some time in the new shop I feel at home and most of my customers seem to have found me, after all; it is just around the corner from where I used to be. We have decided to change the name of the shop and are very proud to present our new logo. Being three jewelers and me; originally a silversmith but lately working entirely within the field of jewelry, it felt quite right to name the shop ‘Guldsmed’ in an old-school-no-brand-kind-of-way. In that way passers-by will know what we stand for and we hope more and more people will understand that our work is produced here, locally, in a small scale, often in only one-off.
Customised signet ring
This ring is made for a very special lady. The coin is from the regin of Christian the 4th. and impressed with his portrait and on one side of the ring there is a silhouette of one of his spectacular towers from Rosenborg castle. The ring is thus made in Copenhagen now and then, in fact, the monastery where the coins were produced is in the exact same area as where our shop is today. An exciting project fulfilling the customers wishes.
Flere broscher
Five broches from the Coral Collection, sterling silver
Efteråret har været præget af arbejdet med udstillingen ‘Smykkernes By’ i Rundetaarn. Kjøbenhavns Guldsmedelaug stod bag udstillingen der var en præsentation af de tre talenter der var nomineret til at modtage den prestigefyldte Skt. Loye-pris. De tre nominerede blev akkompagneret af tidligere modtagere af Skt.Loye prisen og heriblandt mig der modtog prisen i 2006. For de der ikke nåede at se udstillingen ‘Smykkernes By’ i Rundetaarn er her mit bidrag til udstillingen; fem broscher af sterling sølv alle bygget op af små fatninger der gentaget danner korallignende strukturer, nogle lettere nedbrudt og nogle ‘forurenet’ af sort oxyd – en enkelt dekoreret med safirer i rødlige farver.
Smykkernes by
Endelig åbnede vi udstillingen i Rundetaarn som jeg har arbejdet så meget på det sidste års tid. Der var masser af gæster til ferniseringen og alle var glade og begejstrede; min kollega Lasse Bæhring fangede dette billede af HKH Kronprinsessen der tydeligvis også lod sig imponere af mine broscher. Kig ind i Rundetaarn, der venter fine oplevelser.
Årets bedste unika
Jeg har i år deltaget på Kunsthåndværkermarkedet på Frue plads og i forbindelse med åbningen af markedet torsdag den 13. august. blev markedets pris ‘Håndfuglen’ uddelt. I kategorien bedste nye unika modtog jeg prisen for min brosche i sterling sølv.
Årets Jury for håndfuglen 2015 var designer Nikolaj Steenfatt, Museumsdirektør Sidsel Maria Søndergaard fra Øregaard Museum og Keramiker Steen Ipsen og de var alle begejstrede for mit arbejde.
Broschen er lavet i sterling sølv og tager udgangspunkt i den lille fatning der skal til for at holde en sten på plads i et smykke, således at stenen præsenteres bedst muligt. Fatningerne er gentaget i korallignende strukturer der giver smykket et blødt, organisk og levende præg og distancerer det fra den meget stringente struktur som traditionelt præger juvellérarbejde. Ved et kig på tidligere tiders kronjuveler der ligger i alverdens skatkamre ribbet for sten, fik jeg øje på skønheden i det virvar af metal der ligger gemt bag de dyrebare sten og så dyrkede jeg det til fulde. Broschen er en del af en større serie af smykker med samme udgangspunkt.
Foto: Camilla Hey
Balloon Ring
Springtime will soon be here!!!
While I’m waiting for the world to put it’s bright green dress on; I play with glass bubbles and balloons.
Juleknas
Alliance ring fra The Coral collection – Sterling sølv
Photo: Camilla Hey
Julemåneden byder på mange gode stunder og det ville glæde mig hvis du vil komme og se mine nyeste værker i min dejlige julepyntede værkstedsbutik, hvor alt bliver lavet af skønne materialer og med kærlighed til det gode håndværk.
Lørdag den 13. december mellem 14 og 17 vil der være lækkerier til store og små, gode tilbud, lidt julelotteri i samarbejde med mine søde naboer hos Mano Motus og der vil osse være mulighed for at lave smukt julepynt på værkstedet – adressen er stadig Møntergade 14.
Alle de andre dage i december vil der selvfølgelig også være julestemning og fine sløjfer om pakkerne, så I er meget velkomne til at kigge forbi og finde en helt særlig gave i ædle metaller.
Jeg glæder mig til at se jer. Mange kærlige hilsner Lone
The Coral Collection and 14 karat
This year the Goldsmiths Guild of Copenhagen celebrates its 585 years anniversary and what would be more appropriate than to honor great craftsmanship with a little competition.
The winner of the competition will be announced tomorrow at 16.00 so please cross your fingers for me as I’m up against very talented and skilled goldsmiths and designers.
Here’s a little more about the contest and my designs:
585 is the hallmark for 14 karat gold, a gold alloy that holds 58,5% gold, and the brief for the competition was to create a 14 karat gold ring, no heavier than 5 grams, with a 0.05ct diamond set in it. The ring could then be backed up by a series of rings with a more artistic feel.
So the silversmith (me) started working; and from this sprung a series of rings in gold and silver sprinkled with a bit of diamonds, sapphires and pearls with a soft and organic feel.
The collection takes it starting point in the structures of traditional diamond jewellery which is often a bit too rigorous and edgy for my taste. My solitaire ring is straightforward; the setting for the stone is organic and rounded and the ring shank has been given extra weight at the bottom, so it sits light and elegant on the finger, but does not seem stingy.
The next rings (unfortunately not photographed yet) copies the structures of classical 5- and 7-setting rings, but an asymmetrical and random placing of the settings gives the rings a lively and organic expression. And then in the next generation of the rings the settings has had their own life and grown wild, just as some lush undersea vegetation.
After handing in my work for the competition in February I have continued working with the little organic settings with or without stones and have had a great response to the pieces. They can be seen and tried on in the shop over the next months.
Kisses of Silver
A few years ago i made this little silver box for an exhibition on Bornholm (one of my favorite places in the world). The title of the exhibition was ‘Lækkerier’ (‘Sweeties’) and I found it intriguing to work with the delicious shape of a meringue; making a box that would protect your meringue, should you bring it with you in your pack lunch.
¨The shape is a complex juxtaposition of curves that comes naturally when extruding the egg/sugar-fluff with a piping bag. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to use that technique when baking a fine silver meringue; but, with the help of a press tool I made up for the purpose and a lot of hammering and fitting, I succeeded. The result being a very beautyfull yet rather expensive piece of silver, as it took quite some time to make.
One of my aims when joining the Royal College of Art was to look into methods of production which would make batch production more accessible in smaller companies such as my own. I still find it intriguing to find ways of producing more of the same without loosing exclusivity and finish. (I might have inherited my fathers ‘this-could-be-made-easier’-gene; more on that subject some other time)
Back to the Kiss; in Danish we call this meringue a ‘kiss-cake’.
I was overwhelmed with the attention this little piece of silver got and it spurred me on to work on a less expensive version, that would make it possible for more people to bring their meringue unharmed to work every day, or simply add some more beauty to our world.
In Case of Emergency...
Bubble rings; silver, gold, glass, diamonds
I always dreamed of being a glassblower. Glass is magic, it has vibrant colors, transparency, is worked when it is glowing hot and it is a relatively cheap material; everything that gold and silver isn’t.
I never had the chance to learn glassblowing and now I’m quite content to work in metal. However I feel very happy to have taken the time to experiment with some lampwork and have practiced blowing tiny bubbles of colorful glass in my workshop.
The result being ‘In case of emergency – break glass’;the name of the ring where an airy glass bubble embraces the setting of a sparkling diamond in a silver or gold ring. A poetic and humorous take on the classic solitaire ring.
Snowdrops
Beauty, simplicity and the flora of the Nordic countries is the starting point of my new series of jewelry. Little elegant buds in polished or oxidized silver to remind us that even though the winter is long, cold and dark, it is filled with bright moments and spring WILL return once again.
All pieces are produced by hand at the workshop in Copenhagen; some in series and some in one-offs. Stop by the shop to see some more models.
Spån
The spoon is just a simple tool that does not make much fuss, but spoons have a very special place in my heart and with this exhibition I will try to share that passion with you.
The spoon is lovable because of its friendly and feminine nature, with its round leaf as a head and its long shank as a body it resembles a small person.
The spoon represents, for example, the regular everyday life and have always done it, it is an object we all handle on a daily basis and even put in our mouths.
The spoon is the first tool we learn to handle and thus it is the spoon that separates humans from animals, as we have learned the good manners so we can consume our food in a civilized manner. To elevate the spoon to be a symbol of the culture we have created is perhaps going a little too far, but through my work I want to put more focus on this little creature being placed above the plate and signals that there will be something sweet after the main course.
As an opposition to the use-and throw-away culture, I want to create unique objects that speak to the senses and generates joy through daily use. My spoons are made by hand and must be experienced by hands: therefore I have called the show ‘Spån’. Spån is Danish for chip and refers of course to the manufacturing process and in addition, the English word ‘Spoon’ is a derivation of the word ’spån’.
The exhibition is a part of the Sct. Loye event arranged by the Guild of Jewellers in Copenhagen. A list of the other exhibitions can be seen here.
A brooch for a queen
In connection with Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee, I was trusted to make a brooch which was given to her when she, on her trip around the country, visited the town of Exeter. The brooch was designed by the Danish couple behind Studio RoSo whom I met during my studies at The Royal College of Art. The two designers has just designed a very beautiful piece of art to be installed in the town of Exeter, and the brooch was a miniature part of this sculptural representation of a tree.
The many polished facets was a great challenge to my craftsmanship, but with a good deal of patience and technical skills the brooch was successfully completed and the queen was indeed happy when she received it at May 2nd in Exeter.
Photo: Iben Kaufmann
World economics and my hammer
In the middle of a worldwide economic crisis some might say that it is absolutely not the right time to open a new shop presenting luxury goods. Oh well, I’ll be happily naive and go ahead anyway, because I actually believe it is a perfect time.
A wise colleague of mine often say that ‘There is always a need for skilled people’. I keep playing that mantra on my internal player while I keep calm and believe that it’s the right thing to do.
I am a craftsman and designer and therefore I can create objects with my hands and I posses the skills of innovation and creativity much valued for the future of f.ex. the Danish production industry.
I can take a piece of material, use my hammer on it and create some value or I can draw a design on my computer, 3d print it, make it a prototype and thereby take the first step towards a larger production.
I know that it’s a drop in the ocean and that I sound a bit like some famous egg-selling lady, but I just love that my metier is so simple that I, by combining new technologies with traditional manufacturing techniques, creativity and good old craftsmanship, can create something valuable out of a piece of raw material.
Koldt ned ad ryggen
I was invited to make a choker for a jewelry exhibition. A choker is a necklace that is very tight around the neck and often very nasty to wear. It comes into fashion every now and then but never seem to hang around for long. Possibly because it isn’t as nice to wear as the very popular sautoir.
Finding it very hard to create such a piece I decided to make a very thin line of silver at the front of the neck and from that; a drop of silver that runs down the back and possibly send shivers down your spine, which is why it’s called ‘Koldt ned ad ryggen’
I’m pleased with the result that can be seen next weekend with lots of other chokers, at the yearly get-togeather of trades people within the gold and silver industry in Denmark, in Bellacenter. After that It’ll be on display at the SAS-hotel at Vesterport.
Photo: Iben Kaufmann/Eyespice
Summers almost gone...
No no no, not yet!!!! It’s only the beginning of August and we’ve just survived a very rainy July.
I’ve always loved the month of August; being revitalized upon a good long summer holiday and thrilled about the beginning of something new. Enjoying the long warm lazy afternoons in the mild sun, hoping for a round of indian summer. Lots of fine weddings that has to be held before the nordic nature again turn cold and harsh. Plums and pears and lots of ice cream…ohhh yes, ice cream…
I’ve made this ice cream spoon for carrying in your pocket so you don’t have to use the colourfull plastic ones you get at ice cream bars. They are simply too small and too plasticky!