Reticulated Silver

I love textured metal and almost always use texture in at least some of the metal I use for a jewelry piece.   Reticulated metal is one of my favorites to use for that organic look.  It reminds me of tree bark or of the mountains and valleys where I live when the sun casts shadows on them.  Oxidizing reticulated metal and dressing it up with a spot of 22K gold makes an eye-catching pendant as seen in this pendant/necklace I just finished.  

Harold O'Conner, of Salida, CO, is a master of reticulation and granulation.  I was fortunate to be able to take a workshop with Harold a few years ago in Taos, NM.  Reticulating silver is definitely an art in itself.

Fusing with Argentium Sterling Silver

One of my goals this spring is to practice fusing on Argentium sterling silver, with special attention on granulation.  After reviewing Ronda Coryell's 4 set DVD on Argentium, I decided to give it a go.  Making and fusing the three 12 gauge round wire rings together went rather well.  Applying granulation to the fused ring was a little more challenging.  The idea is to apply the granules with flux a few at a time, letting the flux dry before attempting to add more granules.  A heat lamp speeds up this process.  After 4 attempts, I was finally able to get all the granules fused to the ring.