My bio in art
Mug shot from 2009 – in my studio..
I’m Nancy L. T. Hamilton (middle initials stand for Lee Tool or as others will testify, the L. T. stands for “Loose Tongue”) and I am a jeweler, a jewelry designer and an artist. I create jewelry that I call “modern romantic”. My jewelry tells stories.
I use a variety of different materials in creating my work. The design dictates the type of material that is used.
The Past
Mom and Dad and little Nancy. Here’s Susan (one of the sisters) and me. By the time the picture on the right was taken, I’d already decided to be an artist.
Do you think my mother used a “bit” too much tinsel on that tree?
High School
Let’s just skip this part. It wasn’t fun.
College
In college I majored in fine art, interior design and archaeology. I couldn’t choose just one.
Such an old graduate, you might say? I ended up spending over 10 years here!
Graduation day.
The Art Car and The Mid-Life Crisis Center
I also became an art car artist and a performance artist.
The Street Leopard was a 1979 Chevy Malibu and spent her last 9 years as an art car. I formed a group of crazy woman called the Mid-Life Crisis Center and we danced our hearts out on the streets of the west. We won 21 first place awards and numerous second place awards (we didn’t count those as wins). Finally, we ended up dancing on a trailer and I realized we were getting too old. I guess I could form the Senior Crisis Center but I’m too tired.
Here is the Mid-Life Crisis Center after winning first place at the Santa Rosa Rose Parade.
Jewelry
I wanted to make jewelry but was NOT going back to college. Nope, no way, you couldn’t make me! So, I became a stained glass artist instead. Eventually, I noticed that the stained glass windows were getting smaller and smaller. Soon, I was making stained glass pendants. (I got really good at cutting tiny pieces of glass!) Deep down, I knew that I really wanted to work with metal, but that school thing bugged me. So, instead, I beaded, I wove beads, I crocheted beads. I made ribbon flowers, did Irish crochet. I made polymer clay beads. I strung beads. I wrapped wire. But, I knew that what I really wanted was metal! So, after much hemming and hawing, I dragged myself to the registrars office and signed up for that damned jewelry program at our local college. Linda Weiss, my teacher, led me down the metal road. I knew immediately that I wanted this! After my first class, I started settting up my studio in our 16′ X 16′ storage shed and we hadn’t even started our first class project yet! I bought tools that I didn’t know the use for and a small propane torch even though I didn’t know how to solder. After much experimenting and a whole load of books for reference, I learned to solder. Linda saved me from completely reinventing the wheel and taught me the rest of what I needed to know. The books still help and I often jump headlong into stuff I shouldn’t be playing with but, who cares! I’m having a blast. When I tell people that I have to work, I am actually saying: ” get out of my way, I want to go play”.
(mugshot from summer 2010.)
Today
After about 10 years, I’m still in that studio I set up. Except, that now, the studio has totally taken over the storage shed and I finally know what all of those tools are for. I’ve added many, many new tools to my collection. Actually, I’m a self proclaimed “tool whore”. I told myself the other day that I have pretty much everything that I could ever need and should now stop buying tools. But, immediately, I knew that I was lying – there’s always new tools or a new skill to master. Who did I think I was kidding?
The Office Assistant
I work with a four legged studio assistant – LuLoo who is murder when I work with the metal clays. I’m constantly picking fur out of everything!
As you can see from this site, I work with Metals of all types and do all sorts of cruel and unusual things to it: bending, forming, hammering, etching, coloring, rolling and drilling. It rarely complains and always delights. Guess I’ll keep doing it.
So Seth, On the spinner rings, I used my hydraulic press to create the basic shape and soldered the two pieces together. For the flowers, I usually repousse them, using punches and a pitch pot. I also use chasing to add detail. Another technique used in that ring is roller printing – for the pattern on the ring surface. Does this answer your questions? If I haven’t given you enough info, just drop me a line, here at my email. Can’t guarantee a speedy reply, as I stink at keeping up with all my emails AND making those videos. We just made a new one and another is about to be released. As usual, my roll is that of an idiot with a lot of info in her head (just can’t remember what things are called anymore, like metal, hammer, you know – important words! ) Thanks for watching and for your patience. Smooches. Nancy
Bravo, Nancy! I love your work, and your leaves are -achingly- beautiful. But how do you do the “compound” doming (anticlastic?) on your “cloverleaf” designs? The blue flower on Spinner Ring #2 is a good example. Do you dome the cloverleaf, then dap each individual leaf on an upturned punch? Many thanks……and please consider spending all your “free” time making more highly entertaining videos!
-Seth from Washington, D.C.
Hi Kathy, thanks for the fabulous comments. Yes, I teach classes but, don’t have a venue to teach them in – at this time. My studio used to be setup for classes but, I took over all the student desks and now there isn’t even room for me anymore. Must get a larger building! If and when I get a venue I will notify you. Thanks again. N
I was looking for ideas to make jewelry and found a couple of your YouTube videos which are awesome and then went to your site and fell in love with your work. Do you teach any classes? (answer YES!) and Thank you for sharing your skills with people.
Sincerely, Kathy
Hi! I’m trying to teach myself how to solder & I’m actually having a difficult time w/it. I’m using medium silver solder paste & I cannot get it to melt or “flow”. It just sort of crusts up & falls apart. While searching for help online, I came across & watched a few of your videos. You seem very knowledgeable & nice, so I thought I could ask you & see if you had any ideas why the solder paste just will not seem to melt? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks So Much, Jen
Hello Nancy,
Wow, your comments about setting up your studio, owning tools, and taking the plunge into working with metals sound like they could be about me. I am a lifelong artist and novice jewelry metalsmith. With metals, I feel like I have tapped into this great, whole other universe of information to learn and way of life that I want to be a part of. I have recently enjoyed watching some of your videos on You Tube. Thank you for sharing a lot of practical information, and thanks to your videographer for clear shots of what it is that you are doing. I liked seeing how your organize your tools and workspace.
I’d love to meet you in person some day, and I wish you continued success.
Nancy,
thanks so much for the videos. i am just learning jewelry/metalsmithing and have learned quite a bit from you. You have wonderful presentation skills…
looking forward to more.
Hi Nancy—
My two cents in response to gluing paper templates onto metal— have you tried using rubber cement? That is what my metal instructor has us use in class. It’s worked very well for me and easy to remove.
Nancy-
I love your art work! I too have worked in stained glass and loved it. I worked as a industrial mechanic for 30 years and now use a lot of the shop skills I learned doing jewelry. The was a Metals art class at the college I work at and I thought here is something interesting. I could have chosen to do other metal work but I chose jewelry fabrication and fell in love with it.
I’m just starting out and am not of your caliber but you are an inspiration. Thanks for sharing here on your website-I visit often.
Thank you Carol. Gee, I’m blushing. Keep up the good work and HAVE FUN! Don’t be afraid of the metal. Beat it up, melt it, get over the fear, then love it. Retirement is going to be a very busy, happy time for you!
Your jewelry design and techniques are superb! I am so inspired by your work. Your collection is a feast for the eyes. I am just a fledgling in jewelry-making. But like you, I started out stringing gemstone necklaces, wire wrapping a few pendants for a hobby that serves as my seated form of meditation – it feels so good to produce a thing of beauty. I am 4 years from retirement and I want to take this hobby to the next level and learn more about jewelry-making and go into it full-time then. I am currently taking a beginner’s class in jewelry fabrication and I am enjoying working with metals immensely. I would love to have you for my teacher. You keep the tutorials very entertaining and informative. I look forward to hopefully taking live feed classes with you when you have them. In the meantime, I will keep watching your tutorials.
Thanks Crystal! Sounds like a familiar story, hmmm…. Yeah, on giving in and taking the plunge. I hope you will be as addicted as I am and – as in love. I’m working on teaching somewhere, anywhere . Check my site occasionally, I’ll post any classes on my home page. I used to teach in my studio BUT, there are too many tools in there in there now. Our next video will be a project video. Eventually, I’ll have kits available (for sale) to do the projects along with the video. Someday, (I hope, I hope) – I will do a live feed – a class in your home – where we can talk about any problems or concerns people have, as well as, watching me do live demos, etc. -using Skype or something. It’s in the concept stage now. Thanks for watching! Nancy
OMG Nancy…I too have been flirting with metal all the while getting burried with beads, wire wrap, minerals, leather and just last week gave into temptation. First metal class this weekend…the real question? Do u teach anywhere in person or just video?
Thanks Trish! Life is too short to be bored. Glad you’re enjoying the vids! Keep watching, I’m sure to do something stupid in the next video! Nancy
I have been watching you videos on YouTube, and want to thank you. Most how to videos are so boring, but you make me laugh. I am gonna continue watching and laughing and learning…thanks Nancy!
You are so funny! I really have to thank you for the jiggly belly laughs. Your senior moments I relate to and you humor is priceless. I picked up quite a few tips and appreciate what I learned on YouTube from you. Thanks! Do you hold any workshops anywhere?
Hi Dale, as of this date, I have no perfect solution. You raise a good point and I’m thinking about it. Ideally, the metal should be very clean, the glue spread perfectly even, the metal sanded but, I don’t want to waste the time scrubbing or gluing perfectly and I don’t want to sand smooth, shiny metal. One of the reasons that I like the glue stick is because I can soak the paper off before I torch it and clean off the super glue (with good ventilation!) and separate the two pieces of metal (I usually saw 2 at a time). Also, it’s not too messy and it’s cheap. What I do, if I have unglued areas, is to re-glue the piece that is misbehaving and wait until it is dry and try again. If that fails, I hold it down with my finger. I’d shrug my shoulders at this point (if it was a visual sort of communication), as that’s the best I can do for now. If one of my viewers (or you) comes up with a better idea, I will post it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!!!!!!!
You stated in you video on sawing that you use “Office Depot glue stick” for pasting a paper template to metal. I saw your paper get loose in your demo. I used Elmer’s Wood glue (that’s all I had) and it came up too when when cutting out a section with tight curves close together. Do you still recommend the Office Depot glue stick or have you found a better glue for paper and metal? Thanks
You offer some of the best jewelry tutorials out there—you’re both funny and informative! I’ve blown through all your tips and can’t wait for you to post more.
Until then, I have one quick question: what is your favorite clip art book? I’m not much of an artist and want to start adding more embellishment to my work. Thanks for all your video tips. BTW, have you thought about writing a basis jewelry skills book or creating a video. I for one would run out and buy it.
Nancy, Your jewelry is amazing…so beautiful! I am so inspired by it…thank you for following your dream so that others around you can pursue their own.
Hi Laura, I had a manicure for a trip to Vegas and my thumb nail caught on fire. I chewed the remaining nails off – that day – although, I was tempted to burn them off! Thanks for the great comments. I hope to make more videos and hopefully, can meet everyone’s needs. (Totally unrealistic – but, I try). I wish you were here too, but, Georgia is pretty danged beautiful. If you were here, I’d probably make you vacuum the cat hair off of EVERYTHING, though. So, maybe you’re luckier than you think. If you need any assistance or a poke with an inspiration stick – let me know. Thanks again. Love you guys! Nancy
Katie, Thanks so much. Glad I could be an inspiration – I often use others to inspire me too! Ya know, once you get hooked, you’re a goner. I’ve learned a lot of what I know by reading books, watching videos and taking as many classes as I could afford/find. I didn’t start making jewelry until I was in my forties. I do have regrets – wish I had more time to create, wish I had more time to learn, etc. But, all that I can do is to keep playing and (hopefully) moving forward. Keep up that struggle for happiness and remember that the journey is what it’s all about. I hope you have a lifetime of creative moments and find joy in all you do! Thanks for being there. If I can help, let me know. Nancy
You are great to watch and learn. I wish I lived in CA instead of GA and I’d come clean the tools or something in order watch you work. Very easy going. And no french manicure!!! ha ha. Thanks!
Ok… this is me- 42 in a few days, took metalsmithing in the dark ages (all relative : 1987/88) was fooled into thinking I had to be a responsible person (since I was a single mom) and went to nursing school instead of pusuing art. Flash forward to the almost 42 yrs. young, and all I want to do now is finally stop being a nurse and make some jewelry!!! There are no jewelry classes in my area really… and I am daunted, but I have a lot of tools, and a bunch of silver and copper… I found your website and I think you have inspired me! PS my shed is already set up. Thanks. Your work is enchanting and very romantic.
Sincerely and excited,
Katie Conklin- Asheville NC
Okay, Let’s start this reply off with the same answer I gave Natasha. I’m an idiot and didn’t even know I had a comment section on my website. So, now i do. That was a heartfelt apology for being so slow at responding. I’m not even sure where this comment goes! My work is no longer at ACCI. Now my work is available at: Mara Shepard Designer Jewelry in the Santa Rosa, CA, at the Coddingtown Mall. At Bess Nathan Rice’s Studio Creations in Sonoma, CA, At the Sebastopol Gallery in Sebastopol, CA and (the first weekend in November) at the Mendocino Art Center Gallery in Mendocino, CA. Thanks for being patient. Hope this helps! Nancy
Saw your work, it is awesome! Couldn’t find you on ACCI website, where else is your work sold? Do you sell direct to retailers or do you consign and do you ever sell direct to the public as an artist direct sale? Thanks Tina