Meet Richard Salley

The jewelry that this artist makes is often out of found objects, like jar lids, rusty screws, rusty wire… broken or smashed objects, things that other people throw away or walk past… They end up as beautiful and innovative jewelry. 
I had the pleasure to take a class from Richard Salley at one BeadFest Texas event. I have tried for years to get into one of his classes. They fill up quickly, and I am always undecided if I can get away until the week or possibly two before any event... so I usually end up not being able to catch a class before it fills...
 Mr Salley is one of the most creative and busy jewelry artists that I have met, and other people find his approach to jewelry to be fascinating and refreshing, they find his sense of humor comes out in his design work. A very encouraging teacher, he spends time explaining the technical side of the work as well as the design aspect. Some of his techniques are more advanced but he explains so well  that it possible for even beginners to understand, which makes his classes very sought after. 
 
As well as teaching at BeadFest events,  has retreats in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and in Dufort, France. Always busy,Richard is also an instructor at Art Retreats and  classes in Arizona, Texas, Indiana, California... seems the list goes on and on!


Found objects are a large part of the design in the jewelry that Richard teaches. One of a kind, discarded "junk" become stunning pendants, bracelets and rings. Each student finds that  (s)he can make the exact same design and it never looks alike. Hinges, clasps, cuffs, pendants all come out completely different than the person right next to you, since discarded metals, bottle caps and 'faux bone' are integrated into each design. 


The one of a kind pieces of art made by Mr Salley are whimsical and remind you of a childhood favorites such as his ET pendant,or his interpretation of  elementary art in his pendants using shapes cut from lunch boxes... Fun and fabulous are terms that come to mind when you see his work.

He has a grown up side as well, reminding us that we can be "forever 39" or  his pieces like this one, are for the grown up in you, but he does elegant styles as well... 
Some of his silver work is technically stunning as well as very pleasing to the eye.

 I asked Mr Salley to answer some questions for me,
Me: --Where did you learn to make jewelry?
Mr Salley:
I was self taught as well as took a few classes.
Me:-- Who were some of your teachers?
Mr Salley:

Keith LoBue, Susan Lenart Kazmer, Robert Dancik, Charles Lewton-Brain

Me:--How did you decide to make jewelry?
Mr Salley:

It wasn't a deliberate decision, more like a progression from one type of metal work to another.
He was a teacher in the California Public School system for 32 years,and took his first  jewelry class in 2002.   What an amazing progression it has been!

 This is the online page Richard Salley has rsalley.com which has an online gallery of his work as well as his shop that has some of his more interesting pieces. There are some step by step tutorials as well as his workshop list for the next year.

I couldn't resist adding his workshop list:
2015----

november

10-15 art retreat at the prairie - round top, tx

2016

january

3-9 hacienda mosaico - puerto vallarta, mexico

february

1-7 art retreat in the desert - tucson, az

october 3-10 la cascade - dufort, france
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I have a funny story... well, maybe I'm the only person who thinks it is funny... but it is a Richard Salley story!

I met Richard Salley at a Bead Fest event in Arlington, Texas one year... I am not sure how I got into his class.  Usually, they are completely booked...I never know when I can get away, with working and family stuff, I'm on a schedule from hell sometimes... So I signed up like two days before the class and was whooping because I actually got in... You know... I wish he could clone himself, that way he could double or  triple his workload! ...
Anyway... I was on a fast trip, 6 1/2 hours away from home, and had left not knowing what classes I would take.. usually you can just get into beading classes by then... so, I didn't have a jewelers saw... didn't have much of anything really just a few things that I intended working on over the weekend, mostly beads. I did make a trip to Michael's in Hurst after hunting at Home Depot, etc,  because no one had copper sheet...so at least I had copper, right?

Richard  shook his head when he saw what was in my  toolbox… and I am sure I was so nervous, that I babbled on and on… telling him I had no idea what I was doing…

Which was the truth.

I was flustered. I felt totally inadequate to take his class… The class, the one on cuffs, using found objects… Everyone in the class had finished  two or three cuffs before I got one made.  The copper from Michael's... wasn't real copper... I don't know what it was... but it was like thin foil attached together with thin plastic... and it didn't do well when I annealed it... and... I was just flustered...I broke sawblades... I drew my patterns and I couldn't saw them out at all... everything came out wonky...

 I have to say… Richard Salley... even if he wanted to pull his hair out and scream… DIDN’T.

He was patient, kind, helpful.  He did not make fun of me…

During the class time, I learned so many things from Richard. He is just that skilled, and that kind and patient… that he imparted a lot to me, even if he didn’t think so.

We had a communications problem… My fault, totally… I didn’t understand what he wanted to know… I had to laugh later on, when I realized what he was asking me over and over in slightly different ways…trying to get me to understand him and to answer him
...  and he didn’t pull his hair out…

I went into the classroom, with nothing in mind to make… since I hadn't had time to actually think about it… I wanted to make something funky… but didn’t have a clue… at lunchtime, after messing around for hours with copper from Hell...  I shopped in the auditorium of the Civic Center and found a beautiful vintage button and an assortment of goodies… and had an idea.

My interpretation of a Richard Salley Cuff!

I’d use the button for the focal of the cuff… and proceeded to make this: Cuff bracelet, rhinestone headpins, and the cute acrylic flowers that dangle, and vintage button, with a coconut shell button behind it, the copper has square punches in a pattern, there is some plumbers strapping, riveted down... and the clasp is Richard's design with the purchased keyholder to close it… I love this bracelet! I've had so many compliments on it!

Long story! But it goes to show, How very kind and patient my teacher was… and how he led me to understand the processes of looking at objects that aren’t quite what you would think of a jewelry, and make them into something that you are in love with…

That… is a good teacher.

This is how I would sum up Richard Salley, He is a creative, innovative, imaginative, and a fun jewelry artist, that has patience of Job and the ability to convey to students that you can make beauty out of nothing…