Silversmith Lessons

July 8

Today was our day to learn to silversmith.  Easel, Rusty and I took a silversmith class.  We met some very nice Australian tourists, one in particular who came to Bali for three weeks and has ended up staying three months.  It sounds odd but being here one can totally understand how this might happen.  

Rusty's design.

Cutting out the tree.

Precise work.  

Someone needed to borrow reading glasses...

The artist at work. 

The tree before receiving the backing.  

A little bit of soldering.

Easel adding texture.  

Rusty's finished product.

Polishing the silver.  

My finished ring...a different easier process but still wearable.  

The silversmith workshop was fun and the host was super sweet.  He started and ended our session by hugging us and all through the lesson genuinely modeled compassion.  We saw him working with one young boy and I really saw a true teacher at work.  He provided a high degree of support and encouragement, he displayed an infinite amount of patience and eventually released him to practice the skill on his own.  All classic teaching techniques, the amazing thing was how quickly he gained the trust of the little boy and how much care he displayed.  I imagine this excellent mentoring technique as opposed to direct instruction technique would go a long way for many of our most vulnerable western students.  I really don't know why we meter out our trust and care and affection as it were a commodity that shouldn't be wasted. It can and should be given freely.  We deal with so much fear and suspicion and guarding against possible ulterior motives.  It was truly inspirational to see that stripped away if only for half an hour between a teacher and pupil during a jewelry making class.