Concentrating on an Artisan Business in Multiple Wonderful Ways
Christmas showed up at the studio this week with the arrival of a much wanted tool and some light decorating. The downstairs was done before Thanksgiving dinner including the tree and stockings. Perhaps I will include some photos in another post. I always go pretty spare when getting the house ready for the holiday keeping it easy-breezy
Also this week, my contract with the PA Wilds, as Engagement Specialist to members of the Wilds Cooperative of PA (WCO), is not going to be renewed for 2023. With the new PA Wilds Media Lab build out in Kane, Pennsylvania, the PA Wilds Center is handling a lot of what the contractors provided now in house. This change is good and will be liberating for Stephanie Distler Studios moving forward creatively and I imagine for the other contractors as well. I will miss the monthly meetings with a certain lovely like-minded individual as well as the interaction with members but, there will still be involvement, on so many other levels in the WCO, for me moving forward, that I am excited about.
That takes two work tasks off of my plate for 2023! My daily list is now smaller to check off allowing me to provide more value to all concerned which includes my artisan business, the Johnsonburg Community Trust and ECCOTA.
Look at the newest addition to SDS! What could it be? Well....
I have been wanting a throatless shear for years and finally purchased a B2 Beverly Shear from Mittler Brothers, out of Maryland.
Dear husband prepping the shear to be bolted on 3/4" plywood so that it then can be clamped down on a 100 year old table. This makes me smile! I don't know how great aunt Wilda would feel about her kitchen table in the studio. She would love it, I am sure, haha.
How about that! Such a thing of beauty. I love tools <3 The shear will cut soft metal easily up to 10 gauge. Artisan jewelry coming out of the studio has always had more of a natural feel. This bench tool will help to soften those lines going forward making the physical work not as taxing on my body. A co-mingling of the old and the new, in a very utilitarian manner, is my methodology, throughout the workspace.
This funding was to purchase equipment that would help my work load be less physical on large orders was my mission moving forward. After consulting with a technician, from Rio Grande, I settled on the Raytech Vibratory finisher to help with deburring all of those small components. The finisher is seen above with the rotary tumblers, on what is the location of a finishing station of sorts.
Using up scraps of silver to make wire was also a way to be more productive in the studio. So I chose another rolling mill but, this one has the ability to form wire after some preparing of the metal. Both of these pieces of equipment will assist in being more productive as well as having less stress physically and mentally. Hoot, hoot!
I watched a recent documentary on YouTube, from The New York Times, named The Best Chef in the World. It was about the original owner of the French Laundry, Sally Schmitt. Her voice and story is incredible. Her phrase, "piled it high with good conversation", was perfect. She was perhaps meaning that after all of the work is done embrace your customer with authentic, sincere conversations and listen. Through the years this is something that I have always tried to bring about for we are all a part of the same story just in different ways.
enjoy, take care-
Stephanie
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