Skyline Ring
CREATIVE PROCESS:
Brenda’s intense focus is on her work, and her love of the work as she creates. Not surprisingly, it can take six weeks for a jewelry piece to be created at Radford Studio. The process involves roughly seven steps:
1. The piece is designed and rendered, workshop drawings are created from which metal weight is calculated, materials are listed, and the sizes of gemstones determined. This step involves the client's input and requires interaction before approval is achieved. Radford offers a specialized service to custom clients by showing them virtual images of their jewellery as the design is refined. Costs are estimated and materials are sourced.
2. A precise 3Dmodel is created from the design, often using ArtCam JewelSmith software technology and a Model Master 4 axis CNC milling machine for wax cutting or a rapid prototype machine for wax growing.
3. The wax model is cast, or moulded and then cast in the chosen metal(s).
4. The raw castings are cleaned using hand and power tools and tumblers, then all soldering is completed and the piece is polished on a polishing lathe.
5. Gemstones are set by a skilled gemsetter. If the piece is to be enamelled, it will be done in the studio kiln.
6. Each piece is hand finished in the studio and assembled for delivery.
7. The finished piece is photographed with a digital camera, and the images saved for documentation.

 

BIO:
• Jewellery Arts Diploma, George Brown College
• BEd, Univ. of Western
• BA, University of Guelph
• Havergal College
AWARDS:
• Pat Cooney award for the best design of jewellery for production manufacture
• Louis Frankian Diamond award for exceptional design and technique and for using diamonds creatively and appropriately.
• Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence Certificate of Achievement, 2000
• TV Ontario Award of Merit for the creative use of innovative teaching methods