The Collected Works of Darlene Armstrong

The Naja Tool & Supply, Inc. is pleased to announce we will be kicking off our 2014 Jewelry Exhibition with Denver jewelry artist and Denver School of Metal Arts teacher & director Darlene Armstrong. The collected works of Darlene Armstrong will be on display at the Naja from January 27, 2014 through March 31, 2014. This showing will feature 32 jewelry pieces created by the artist. This diverse grouping of pieces includes work in sterling silver, gold, fused glass, PMC and other mixed media all handmade by Darlene.

Darlene Armstrong started creating jewelry in the 80’s, but had known she wanted to be a metalsmith her entire life. Armstrong states, “I am Cherokee and Scottish, making jewelry is in my blood.” Since the age of 5 Darlene dreamed of creating beautiful silver jewelry. Spending a vast amount of time in her grandmother’s garden, young Darlene developed a creative imagination. She would spend hours in the garden, inspecting flowers, counting petals, examining the seeds and studying the detail of colors. Darlene’s Metalsmithing career began with beading and sewing. She would sew deer skin flute pouches and attach metal findings and turtles that she had beaded. Darlene also created beadwork jewelry both on and off the loom. Wanting to expand into metalwork, Darlene enrolled in an adult education class. After taking two beginning Metalsmithing classes Darlene found that she learned better through trial and error rather than in a classroom setting. She began to collect materials and experiment, starting out with basic stamping projects, drilling holes, and wrapping beads. After years of experimentation Darlene built up a vast repertoire of beautiful, inspiring work. The immense amount of time she has put into learning her craft has led her to become not only a successful jewelry artist, but an extremely dedicated teacher, determined to share everything she knows with her students.

Darlene has an incredibly unique style that is easily distinguishable throughout her bodies of work. The time she has put into her craft is well reflected through her jewelry and her teaching. Between teaching at the Denver School of Metal Arts, running the school, and doing her own personal jewelry work, Darlene’s life is consumed by the craft that she loves so much

 

Naja Interview with Darlene Armstrong

 

Naja: Why did you pick working with metals as your art form versus another medium?

DA: Jewelry is something that has always fascinated me. I have dreamed of making jewelry since a young age, at about 5 years old I knew it was what I wanted to do. In a way I guess I always knew I wanted to be a metalsmith, it wasn’t deciding to work with metal over another medium, it was just obtaining the skills to do so.

Naja: Do you have an all time favorite piece you have made? Where is it now?

DA: My favorite piece of all time would have to be a cuff that I just recently made. This wire cuff bracelet with pearls down the front has become my favorite piece due to all of the challenges that arose while I was creating it. It was definitely one of the most challenging pieces I have ever made, which is why it is my favorite. I love to figure out the complexities of how things are put together. The piece is currently at home in my personal collection.

Naja: What is your favorite part of the creative process?

DA: Taking a design out of my imagination, creating it and bringing it into reality for everyone to see would definitely have to be my favorite part of the creative process. The course of actually fabricating my design is a long progression in which many challenges arise, that is why it is my favorite part. When it comes to constructing a piece I love to assess the challenges that occur, I love the process of figuring out how things are put together, step by step.

Naja: What does a perfect day in your studio look like?

DA: A perfect day in my studio would be a solid 8 hour day, working in my shop like crazy the entire time. In the morning I would listen to some music with no vocals, something like Joe Satriani, and just get er’ done. After lunch, lots of green tea and snacks, I would go back into the studio for some uninterrupted time by myself, where I could unplug from the world around me, feeding my soul and spirit in an inspirational, creative place. 

Naja: What is on your bench right now?

DA: Currently, nothing is on my bench. I tend to work in bodies, creating multiple pieces that flow together cohesively. I am excited to say I just recently finished my latest body of work and cannot wait to start my creative process all over again. (Author note- We are very excited to see Darlene’s newest body of work, which will be on display at the Naja from January 27, 2014 through March 31, 2014.)

Naja: How has teaching affected your jewelry career?

DA: I think that my jewelry career has affected my teaching more than my teaching has affected my jewelry career. Being a metalsmith for 25 years has really set me up to run a school. I love teaching; I get a kick out of it. I really enjoy teaching people how to do things, I enjoy people in general, meeting and getting to know them. We have a lot to offer at the school and I really love making jewelry. I am always making jewelry, even while I am teaching I make the projects with the students. Although I do not have as much time as I used to for my own personal work, I find the time to work on what I love. 

Article By Casey McGovern

Fused Glass & Sterling Silver Bracelet By Darlene Armstrong

 

Sterling Silver, CZ & Pearl Cuff By Darlene Armstrong

 

Sterling Silver, Raku Face, CZ Pendant By Darlene Armstrong

An NYC Adventure!

This past holiday I went home to New York! I grew up about an hour from New York City, with easy access to many tools stores, galleries and other great places for a jeweler. This time while at home I decided to make a visit to some Metalsmithing supply stores, just to oogle some tools. Monday morning, December 23^rd, my mother and I boarded a train and ventured into NYC. Our first stop was going to be Metalliferous, on West 46^th St.

We climbed up two flights of stairs before entering the first small room; it was filled with drawers, floor to ceiling and one stack of drawers in the center. These were filled mainly with base metal findings, and there were a few scattered cabochons. After a lady came in and told us we were not supposed to be in that room (whoops!), we exited and she roped off the entry way behind us. We then stepped into the main room of the store. It was almost like a hallway, a counter on one side, behind it was several employees packaging items and doing miscellaneous busy work. On the other side was a short wall, about the size of the findings wall here at the Naja, filled with a few pliers, burr blocks and several other tools. At the end of the counter and the wall were several short hallways, probably about six feet long, also filled with drawers of base metal findings.  The last row had some base metal chain you could buy by the foot or yard. After poking around for several minutes and not finding anything I was particularly interest in I decided to ask the woman behind the counter if I could see some of their raising stakes. She pulled out a catalog and handed it to me, stating she wasn’t exactly sure what that was. After I found what I was looking for the woman informed me that they didn’t carry those tools, only shipped them in when asked. I left, slightly disappointed and moved on to the next Metalsmithing supply store, All Craft.

After walking 17 blocks to West 29^th St. we stepped into an elevator which brought us to the second floor of the building. We wandered down the hallway and came to the door number 205, we had arrived at All Craft. We stepped in the doorway, but didn’t get very far. You could probably walk about five feet into the store before hitting a counter, behind it was a very nice woman who presented us with a catalog. Again I looked through the catalog to hopefully see some tools this time. I picked out a stake I wanted to see and she walked back into the room filled with shelves floor to ceiling, piled high with ton of tools. After a brief moment the lady returned with what I had asked for. She showed me some new things that they had started to carry and suggested a few books. I left somewhat satisfied, All Craft at least had the tools I wanted to see, just no showroom.

Upon my return to Denver, I was eager to get back to the Naja. I had been missing friends and co-workers and the luxury of walking around a store where I could take my time and look around at all the tools and get the answer to almost any question I might have. I guess after having The Naja in my backyard this whole time I have been a little spoiled. Tending to take for granted the knowledge you can attain and beautiful storefront where you can look at every tool you have ever wanted, pick it up and actually touch it, you forget that there are not a lot of places like The Naja.