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"After the stones are cut then sketches are made. Working it out on paper is important before the forging of silver and gold begins. You need to know exactly what you're going to be doing because sometimes things cannot be undone and when you're working with gold everything has to be precise. Making jewelry with precious metal in sheet and wire form is called hand fabrication."
An acetylene torch is used with flux and various solders for the welding of silver and gold
"I'm soldering 14k gold and sterling silver together to make earrings and a bracelet in my landscape series."

As an oil painter for many years as well as a jewelry artist Marilyn Mack knows the value
in doing a sketch before starting the work. It is one of her favorite aspects of the design process.

Return to "Into Arizona"
Return to Stone Cutting
Return to Ingredients

Design and
Fabrication
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Sterling silver and 14k yellow gold sheet, bezel and wire are the basic precious metals that I use in my work. The tools you see below are the same simple hand tools that I have been using for the past three decades. The torch at right is a basic acetylene set up.

The supplies and simple tools that bring it all together