Here is a print that I had forgotten all about

joseph engraver

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It was done at the request of E.C. (Jack) Prudhomme in 1982. I don’t recall what became of the plate.
It seems to me that several engravers did plates for Mr.Prudhomme and those plates later became part of FEGA’s collection, but I really don’t know. Perhaps one of the FEGA members knows.
This print brought back many memories.
I had just finished my engraving training and was working at my first job as a paid factory engraver for the Winchester custom shop, and I had just gotten married to Franca. I was at the beginning of my career; the flame would burn strongly for many years.
Thanks to the inspiration from Sam's café and Steve's Forum, I have reignited that almost extinguished flame.
A year ago I returned to engraving again, after a seven year break away from my tools. I hope you have seen my work and enjoyed my post on these forums.
This September I went to the States and visited Steve and the Glendo Corp where I saw the new tools for engraving and a superbly equipped school, staffed by some of the worlds finest teacher-engravers. I was amazed by the quality work that new engravers are putting out. Some of it is mind boggling work of the most precise detail and beauty.
Even more amazing are the tools and optics that are now part of a modern engravers workshop.
For many years I wanted to teach the use of a hammer, chisel and burin as I was taught in Italy. However, after my visit to Steve and Glendo Corp in Emporia, I came to the conclusion that it could be a mistake as my tools and methods are now obsolete.
I have been fortunate to have ended up living in one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots on the planet. With its clean air, beach, inexpensive food and temperate climate it is as close to paradise as I will ever come on earth.
There is another dream that has become a reality that both Franca and I wish to share with others while we continue on life’s path.
It is one that has been germinating for over a year now. We are opening our Oceanside cabaña to other creative people for a combined vacation and hand engraving workshop utilizing classical simple tools.
I am at the other end of the candle now and I intend to open my studio and offer instructions to those who would be interested in exploring the many aspects of the continental style of the hammer and chisel.
For more details go to this link www.viviun.com/AD-140557/ or contact me by private message. Thanks for looking, and have a great day a very Merry Christmas.
 

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WDA

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Bison,KS
Thanks Joseph for your posts and sharing some of the wisdom gleaned from
a life of pursuing the life and lifestyle of an artist. As for hammer and chisel
being obsolete I would say it is comparable to an electric and acoustic guitar.
They both can make beautiful music but take a little different approach to
bring forth the song. I still have a place of high esteem for those whose have
put in the sweat and persistance to learn H&C and think there will always be
a place for the craftsmen/artists that use this method.
Christmas Greetings to you and all cafe members.
Bill
 

monk

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neat work to say the least. i too did a plate for mr. prudhomme. he told me they were to be placed in a museum in shreveport, louisiana. the one i did showed 2 dragons facing each other. blowing fire. the fire was scroll. so many years ago, cant remember the date.
i recall a very lengthy chat we had by phone. he was a very encouraging person to talk with. he, mr. meeks, john rohner, roger bleile, and ray viramontez were all people who were more than generous of their time, and quite willing to advise me all those years ago. without them, i would never have "stuck with it" !!!
 

pilkguns

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Wonderful plate Joseph, what a great commerative on so many levels.

Give my regards to Franca. I'm going to come visit you two and hope you can teach me something.
 

Haraga.com

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Which airport do you fly into? I think that would make a wonderful vacation.
 

Christopher Malouf

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That's an excellent plate Joseph.

For many years I wanted to teach the use of a hammer, chisel and burin as I was taught in Italy. However, after my visit to Steve and Glendo Corp in Emporia, I came to the conclusion that it could be a mistake as my tools and methods are now obsolete.

I would like to ask you to reconsider "obsolete". Technology has been evolving for centuries. Whether it was wood, copper or the refinement of steel in the early 19th Century for bank-note engraving, technology made new things possible but the actual chisel has been pretty much unchanged. Most importantly, it was the man behind the graver that made it happen. The finest works in the world were produced with a burin .... and still are. Without the ability to see and create what is aesthetically pleasing while spending a lifetime to perfect it, an engraver is merely executing his technical proficiency with a tool.

My personal belief regarding scroll is that it is just "ornament". Ornament that surrounds the edge of a carpet, wall paper trim or crown moulding in a room. .... and that's precisely because that is how the average person sees it. Nothing beats great scroll around a sculpted or bulino or bank-note style engraved scene.

There are virtually no instructors out there who can teach "art" or drawing with the engraver in mind. This is why many engravers in this country never move beyond a certain level in their own work.

Just a thought to think about Joseph. Anyone with technical knowledge in tools can teach people how they work. It's finding and instructor who can help develop the creative mind of the student so he can translate it to steel with whatever tool he ultimately decides to use.

Merry Christmas to you and Franca ....

Chris
 
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monk

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chris: your words are beyond true. few really learn much that's worthy, without somebody to instill a breath of inspiration in them. without that special passion, one simply goes thru life memorizing poetry, without savoring the beauty in the words.
 

bronc

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Joseph, beautiful work on the plate. I always enjoy your posts.
Merry Christmas to you and Franca,
Stewart
 

Paulie

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:tiphat: Dear Joseph, I enjoyed reading your message above a lot, as I remember reading a number of your posts on the 'Cafe' forum before! May I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New-Year to come !! Often, I (and my wife Nicole, who loves to travel even more than myself!) was dreaming of visiting Mexico, and other countries in South America, we still have the south-U.S.A. standing on our list, too! Those far away, great Continents speak to my/our imagination, not only as an artist /stone sculptor, also just out of curiosity and the call for new adventures! When the right moment comes, I surely will think about you folks and your great idea to combine an engraving workshop in Zihuatanejo/Mexico together with a fine lodgement ! Since I'm learning to engrave about 4 months now, it would be great:thumbs up::thumbs up: to learn some tricks from a pro while travelling! (2010 would be great for me, I'll do my best) I promise you Joseph, then I will contact you some months before ! Kind regards from Belgium, Paulie :beerchug:
 

Marrinan

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Chris, While much of what you mention may ring true I will disagree with your assessment of scroll being "ornamate". To me and many others scroll is the art form and the other things like sceens and fantsies compositions are added to the scroll to crate intersting compositions. I beleive that if you evaluate some of the truly fine bulino works you will find that the artist have failed in the exciqution of the scroll work and have created a distraction for me at least. Like you said-Just my opinion-Fred
 

joseph engraver

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Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Bill, I hope there will always be the individual who finds the more difficult path more interesting.
Monk, thank you for the information about the plates, I wonder how many of us are still around? Mr. Prudohmme was a great gentleman and engraver.
Scott, my door is open wide for you. Let me know when, fly to Ixtapa Zihuatanejo International Airport and I will meet you there.
Andrew I am glad you like my little spot on this planet I call home.
Chris, your response to this post has me thinking.
A person can teach drawing, perspective, and how to see negative space.
One can study and learn all the techniques of engraving, but I am not sure that one can be taught creative thinking.
A person may be able to push their limitations aside if they are willing to take time, and experimental risks with their designs.
It is very easy to become complacent with a familiar style and stop experimenting. Making any change can create a chain reaction throughout the entire design. So why bother?
In order to keep growing and to prevent my designs from being boring, I play a game I call “What If?â€￾ Sometimes the results are for the good, and some times they fail, but it always gives me pause to consider other alternatives.
It is played like this.
Once I have an idea for a project and have done a half dozen two minute sketches trying to convey a particular idea onto paper. I always find that one of those drawings will have an appeal to me more than the others. At that point I ignore the others and refine the selected sketch into a more clarified version.
It is while doing this that I wonder “What should I do next to make this design better?
Change this? Or that?â€￾ It is at this point The Voice tells me what to do and I just follow instructions. It seems to work for me.
Stewart, my thanks to you, and may you have a wonderful year as well.
Paulie, I would enjoy meeting you Nichole and exchanging ideas, tools, and techniques. There is a recently discovered archeological site being explored not far from here that I am sure you will find interesting.
Have a great day.
 
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