gilk
http://www.ArtJewelryMag.com 63including farmer’s markets, craft events, and Maker Faire
Milwaukee. At over 250 lbs., and looking like something
most people have never seen, the ArtCycle always draws
a crowd.
The main goal is to interact with the community and
educate people about what metalsmithing is, and what
handmade jewelry is. Most people have never seen a
jeweler’s bench, much less had the chance to see how
a piece of jewelry is made.
Bernard distributes fliers for UWM workshops, in-
formation about the ArtCycle, and — here’s what really
gets people involved — he makes spectators a mono-
grammed pendant [k] while he talks to them about what
this project is and why he’s doing it. Using textured brass
and copper, Bernard pierces and rivets a simple pendant,
giving the public a peek into the jewelry-making process.
For anyone whose idea of jewelry is what’s available at
the mall, seeing someone make a piece of jewelry from
scratch gives an appreciation for what goes into making
a piece of jewelry by hand.
Bernard sometimes even lets folks work on a pendant
themselves [l]. In this way, he’s not just telling people
about metalsmithing and jewelry making; he lets them
get their hands dirty and see what it’s like to be a maker.
One boy stands out in Bernard’s recollections:
“One weekend this past summer, I had the ArtCycle
out at the Riverwest farmer’s market. A young man
named Dennis approached as I was working on a pen-
dant. He was 12 years old, very shy, but also very interest-
ed. He observed me working for at least 10 minutes, and
then I asked if he wanted to help me make a pendant for
him next. He said yes, we introduced ourselves, and we
started working on an ornate letter-D pendant. He helped
by drawing out the letter to be pierced, filing, sanding,
and setting the rivets. As we worked, he told me he was
at the market helping his grandmother, Dee, who sells
jars of homemade relish, pickles, and various salsas. When
we finished his pendant, he said thanks and ran off to
show his creation to Dee.
“He soon returned, and quietly said that he would
like to make another pendant to surprise his grand-
mother. This time around, he did most of the labor. We
traded spots, he sat at the ArtCycle bench, and I taught“From the beginning, ArtCycle has been
about interaction with the community in
order to educate people about making. A
funky-looking tricycle gets a lot of stares,
and in Milwaukee, people have no problem
coming up to someone and asking ques-
tions about a bike.”
— Rachel Andrea DavisPhoto by Casey Sheppard, http://www.caseofthenomads.com.Photos c–j courtesy of ArtCycle.