Andes Cruz Designs

This week, I was interviewed, by a group of my peers, Metalsmiths Unite! If you’d like to read it, I encourage you to pop over the The Metalsmiths Unite! Blog where it’s posted and have a look 🙂 Here’s what you’ll learn: 1. How would you describe what you do as an artist? 2. What inspires your designs? 3. How long have you been involved in this type of making? 4. Where are you located? 5. Do you have a website or etsy/artfire/1000market etc store? 6. What other ways do you market your work? 7. Do you teach? if so,… Read More »artist interview 2011-07-06

A Couple months ago, I was contacted thru my website by a visitor to my hometown, Rossland, BC. Roland was here visiting from Australia for the winter, working in the ski resort, And wanted to commission me to create a keepsake for his time here. It was a most enjoyable project – as you all know how much I love * all things snowflake* As we discussed ideas, and looked at some of my past works, this is what transpired. A snowflake pendant – but done in reverse, so to better capture the patina, and an overall total black finish.… Read More »Snow Vacation (snowflake project)

Well… I suppose there is a lot of people I’d love to study with. Many don’t have names… Just things I know I want to learn. One person, however, I have wanted to spend time learning from for well over a decade – is Charles Lewton-Brain. Charles is a master metalsmith, and brilliant thinker. He is not confined by a box – as seen in several of his published titles – including “Cheap Thrills in the Tool Shop” which teaches you haw to gain many of the tools you may desire, from alternative sources. (Here’s a great Compilation of over… Read More »“What teachers/mentors/masters would  you like to study with?”

My roots begin with being eternally attracted to Art, as a kid growing up. And also to Rocks. I remember coming home every summer from camping trips, with shoe boxes full of rocks. I can always be counted on to fill my pockets with rocks. Some things, never change. 😀 In high school, I began wrapping natural crystal points with copper wire, and selling them in a local consignment shop. ( People didn’t really do that back then 😉 ) Then, in the summer of 1994, I spent a summer taking art classes. I took Silversmithing classes at the Taos… Read More »Tell us about yourself – how did you get to where you are now with your skills?

As always, This is a difficult one for me to answer; so…… I think I am gonna take you on a photo essay for my answer 🙂 My personal reminder – “Create” . This is who I am. Rocks – I often don’t know what I want to make until I look at the stones I what to use that day. Beautiful Scenery. Especially Winter. 🙂 Music. Always music. Must have a Studio playlist at all times. Tools. (a shot of my favourite hammers) Striving for Excellence (2010 Winter Olympic Flame Relay, passing thru my hometown.) Things to be repurposed.… Read More »“Where do you draw your inspirations for creating from?”

Well. This is a hard question this month. In a good way. The short answer – is “YES.” I want to collaborate. With all kinds of other artisans, doing all kinds of things I probably can’t even imagine yet. 🙂 But, to elaborate, after giving it some thought, because believe it or not, off the top of my head I couldn’t come up with one things I am dying to do… but now, I have a few to share with you. I would *LOVE* to work with a damascus steel artisan, someone who creates blades, especially, and collaborate on some… Read More »“Are there specific artists you’d love to collaborate with? And what kinds of things would you like to create with them?”

For me this is an easy answer. No. Most Definitely Not. I definitely do not consider myself a Jeweller. (It even sounds ridiculous in my mind when I think it and say it 😉 ) I prefer the idea of Metalsmith. To encompass the idea that I do not work with only Gold, or silver to create jewellery, or steel to weld, or bronze to cast…. But even this is limiting. I also cut stones – to use in my jewellery. This is a Lapidarist. I also do enamel, this is an Enamelist. Though these skills are *related* to Jeweller…… Read More »“Do you consider yourself only a Jewellery artist, or do you work in multi media application, a

For me this is an easy answer. No. Most Definitely Not. I definitely do not consider myself a Jeweller. (It even sounds ridiculous in my mind when I think it and say it 😉 ) I prefer the idea of Metalsmith. To encompass the idea that I do not work with only Gold, or silver to create jewellery, or steel to weld, or bronze to cast…. But even this is limiting. I also cut stones – to use in my jewellery. This is a Lapidarist. I also do enamel, this is an Enamelist. Though these skills are *related* to Jeweller…… Read More »“Do you consider yourself only a Jewellery artist, or do you work in multi media application, and/or draw techniques from other fields to use in the creations you’re working in?”

So, I felt the need to revisit the Copyright topic. First I have been doing research on *exactly* what copyright IS, and how you (in this case me), as the artist are protected. It is important that you (me) as the creator know just what it means to be protected – how you are protected, and what to do about it. Secondly, there has of course been a continued dialog in the community about Copying, since the last Handmade Division Talk About blog within our team. It has evolved thru comments left on the members blogs; and in private. As… Read More »Return to the topic of Copyright.