Post Classifieds
Club on edge of design
By Gabe Chiddy
On March 8, 2012
Few students grow up wanting to become a jewelry designer.
Even fewer, then, enroll in Buffalo State's jewelry design major.
Still, Students in the Art of Metalsmithing is making an effort to expand interest on
the Buffalo State campus.
The purpose of SIAM is to educate the general public about the ins and outs of what
it takes to design a piece of jewelry and ultimately do it as a career.
"I think you can learn a lot more being part of a group," said Angela Incorvaia,
SIAM's vice president. "Some of the techniques we learn, you wouldn't even know
about if not for the club."
SIAM puts on many events and workshops to help students learn more about the
art. They do a birthday breakfast each month during which they get together before
class to eat and relax. They also do photo workshops, where they invite a visiting
artist to Buffalo State every spring and put together an annual postcard.
Last year, Nicole Jacquard, a professor at Indiana University, came to Buffalo State
for almost a week to teach some techniques.
"Every spring, we bring in a visiting artist, get dinner with them and then they
usually teach for a few days and give a lecture. We're not sure who we will be
inviting this year, but that will happen in April," said Lena Scapillato, SIAM's
treasurer.
The events are open to all students. Many are funded through SIAM's budget with
USG, which is large enough to host informative events even though SIAM is a
relatively small organization.
"There are some restrictions to events depending on the technique being learned,"
Scapillato said. "Sometimes we have to teach a skill before other students can do it.
It all depends on safety."
John Harris, a member of SIAM, said the organization also likes to keep up with
technology.
"We're always getting new gear in here thanks to USG. We get new equipment and
new fancy, fun stuff to do. We're always kind of expanding the studio," he said. "We
always try to stay right on the edge of what's contemporary in jewelry design and
metal design."
Harris said the organization is currently trying to get a new rapid prototype printer
and new cast machines, or anything else that puts them on the cutting edge of
design.
The prototype allows a computer to do most of the metalwork. The program
RhinoCAD builds the forms on the computer and allows the user to print them out in
3D using a specialized printer.
"It's very hard to make perfectly symmetrical designs by hand," Harris said. "It's the
human flaw. Being able to design it on a computer, print it out in wax and then cast
it in metal means that we can be perfectly symmetrical every time."
Scapillato went on to explain that it's also just easier to have the computer do it.
"Some people don't even work with their hands anymore as far as jewelry design
goes. We actually have both here," she said.
Steve Saracino and Tara Nahabetian are the jewelry design professors at Buffalo
State.
"Tara always works with SIAM but the two are both very different professors,"
Harris said.
He added that Nahabetian is a more modern professor while Saracino still likes the
traditional ways to do things, and that it's really great to have both of them working
together because they both always have new things to bring to the table.
Although most of the members prefer hand made pieces, they also said that it's
really great to know programs like RhinoCAD because many places won't even
consider hiring you unless you do.
SIAM is working to get their name out there. They want people to learn what SIAM is
all about.
"It's fun because we are a different organization where you actually benefit from it.
We are a close-knit group and there isn't an overwhelming number of us. It's like a
little family," Scapillato said.
Gabe Chiddy can be reached by email at chiddy.record@live.com.
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