Looking for some Inspiration?

Or maybe just want to learn some new techniques?

Recently, I read through The Penland Book of Jewelry - Master Classes in Jewelry Techniques:

The Penland School of Crafts is located in the Southern Appalachian region of North Carolina and has been teaching crafts (lovely art) for more than 75 years.

From their website: "Penland offers one-, two-, and eight-week workshops in books & paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. The school also sponsors artists' residencies, educational outreach programs, and a craft gallery."

But even if you cannot make it to the school in person, Penland has put together a series of books that offer intermediate-level technical information. This book is the third in the series and includes not only a wonderful, inspirational gallery of pieces created by Penland artists and instructors, but also features 10 projects and detailed instructions for creating breathtaking jewelry pieces of your own.

Featured artists and techniques include: Marilyn Da Silva (Nontraditional Color on Metal), John Cogswell (Forging), Jaime Pelissier (Alloying), Rob Jackson (Fabricating with Steel), Heather White Van Stolk (Casting), Jan Baum (Die Forming), Tom McCarthy (Alternative Stone Setting), Maria Phillips (Electroforming), Mary Ann Scherr (Etching), and Douglas Harling (Granulation).

Each section begins with a sampling of the artist's work in the technique being focused upon. The featured artists have all written introductory essays to accompany the tutorials. Following the detailed lesson is a gallery of other artists' works selected by the featured artist.

If there were no lessons at all, the amazing pictures alone would be reason enough to get this book! Full color, highly detailed images allow you to examine the work closely, giving you "an insightful look at the creative process."