描述
6.5" Michael Schmaltz, Algonquin #8 turquoise cluster ingot silver cuff bracelet. Unworn, "new old stock" condition. Weight and measurements in pics. Amazing piece with untra high grade natural American turquoise from the #8 mine.
The best of both worlds life as a silversmith and painter
Michael Schmaltz loves painting women, all kinds of women, as they go about their daily activities. He photographs them in not your typical pose and what he gets is an image for a painting. However, his current work is a painting of his daughter when she was 10, sitting on the floor reading the “funny papers.
A once passionate jewelry maker in his prime years, he is now embarking on living his lifelong dream of an artist, something that his parents heavily discouraged him in pursuing when he was a teen. He says that he always knew in his heart since he was five years old that he had artistic abilities.
“I just had a knack for it, he said. “I was recognized at a real young age at being artistic. But, I was discouraged from pursing art by my parents, whod thought it would be a waste of time.
Schmaltz talks about enlisting in the Army, putting his artistic dream on the back burner, and how he remembers while he was aboard a ship, he was so bored he did some oil paintings. But, that was short lived because once he was out of the Army, he made jewelry making his passion for 40 years, however, he says that he always wanted to paint.
“I didnt have time to paint because all of my energy went into producing jewelry, he said. “It takes a lot of concentration and energy to paint. I couldnt do both until I got to the point where I dont need to make jewelry for a living anymore. Now, I paint and hardly make any jewelry.
Born in Winslow, Ariz., Schmaltz has been residing in Gallup since he was four. He is a self-taught jewelry maker and artist. He remembers during the early 1970s, when jewelry making was popular but he could not find anyone who had the time to teach him how to make jewelry. So, he bought a propane torch, some silver and taught himself the craft.
