Interview with Louise Coulson
Question: When did you start designing jewelry? I had combined beads with my loom weaving in the 1980's. Don and I both realized that we wanted to work with metals in the 1990's. We bought a torch and a pile of equipment, but it wasn't until years later that we found a jeweler to study with. He was quite a taskmaster. I learned to solder gold by repairing a small chain he had broken into 1 inch segments. -- Question: What inspires your jewelry designs? I learned to knit at 5 years old and have knitted nearly every day since. For a number of years I was a weaver and I still spin my own yarn. Metals to me are just another form of yarn. Much of what can be done with yarn and thread can be done with metals, but it is more beautiful and long-lasting.--
Question: What is your background? I have moved nearly 60 times in my short hmmmmmm... years. I have lived in a motorhome, 8000 sq. ft. house, a boat and a 600 sq. ft. cabin. The only constants in my life have been my family, working with my hands, reading and the fact that I am a transient. We have bought a place in Mississippi and have retired here. We grow vegetables in the dirt between shows.--
Question: What are your other interests and hobbies?
Gardening, knitting, reading, playing the cigar box guitar badly, boating and kitties. Question: Were you creative as a child? I started knitting at 5 and have knitted nearly every day since. I wrote my first book at age 10. The title was "Our Rocks and Minerals". Of course only one copy has ever been printed, but it was the beginnings of a life-long passion for beautiful things that shine. From then on, I wrote every school paper on jewelry and drew fanciful jewelry designs on every flat surface. including my paper dolls. I always wanted to see something I had made at the end of the day. I have always been "Thinking outside the box". What box? My husband says that I have "both feet planted firmly in mid air".--
Question: Why have you chosen jewelry design as one means to express your creativity?
Would it sound too shallow to say I love shiny things? I just love silver and beautiful stones. Its such a tactile festival to touch the metal and shape it with your fingers and to make settings for stones. With 58 years working in fibers, it is only a natural extension to shape the work to suit my fantasies.--
Question: How do you design your jewelry?
I do a lot of drawing then make models of the piece to get the proportions and intricacies of how it will work mechanically. I have a bag of scrap metal that are "originals". On the woven pendants, I just do a little bit of drawing and then start weaving. I design them as I work, so actually have little idea of what the finished piece will be when I start because the stones and placement of other elements dictates the design.
---
Question: What is your favorite jewelry material to work with and why? Do you have a favorite gemstone or precious metal?I prefer working with .999 fine silver. It doesn't work harden easily and conforms to the designs very smoothly. Copper is a wonderfully forgiving metal. I can get color and texture to complement my designs.
A favorite stone? That is almost like asking which child is my favorite. I love lapis, malachite and rhodochrosite. Sometimes black onyx can be just right counterpoint for a weaving, and I can rarely resist a beautiful amethyst or London blue topaz.--
Question: Describe for us one of your favorite pieces of jewelry. I have a woven pendant with coral, onyx and a silver-gray pearl and a triangular lapis set in gold filled metal. I have developed an interesting technique for setting large faceted stones and have some real favorites coming out of this series.--
Question: Do you offer custom-made jewelry? Unlike most jewelry artisans, I rarely do custom work. We did custom boat canvas for a while. Fitting the boat and the vision the owner had, was both a time consuming and frustrating process. I usually make what I love then find the person who loves it as much as I do.--
What new techniques have you put into your work within the last year or so?
We are doing a lot of surface design with copper, silver and titanium. We are adding texture, patinas and doing some anodizing and flame painting. It is very exciting to see what can be done with just a piece of sheet metal.
--
---
What would you like to learn?
How to use that Orion welder we just ordered! How to use the stake and the new pitch bowl and tools.
----
What jewelers do you look up to?
Hanne Behrens, Loren Damewood, Katherine Palochak, Dory Brown, Mary Lee Hu, Linda Chandler, Stuart Golder
----
What is your favorite part of making jewelry?
I love the materials, but probably the best part is the tactile experience of weaving and coiling the metals and the mystery of what the finished piece will be.