Contents

As people arrived Brenda Scarman (our organiser of the meeting) issued name badges, and Jacqui Armitage (webmaster for this site) ambushed the attendees to see what wonders they had brought for the display and laid them out on the tables across the back of the room.

Promptly at 2:00 pm to a full house of attendees (around 38 in all) Janice began by presenting a slide show about the history of goldwork, including how it has developed and changed over the years and showing examples of the varying skills, designs and uses; the introduction of colour and the imaginative ways it is used today.  There were several stunned silences as we looked at the detail of some of the examples and imagined the time it must have taken to do.  Then at the other extreme, were rather crude examples, but the intricacy of just simple couching allowed the design to get away with it and actually looked stunning.

When the slide show had completed, there was a choice of 'challenges'.  For the complete novice was the designing of a rose or other flower petal, which Janice explained with a few simple diagrams.  For those who were more experienced, it was the button challenge -- to be made out of various kinds of washers or wooden beads.  Silence descended, and heads bowed as everyone set to work.

Janice in full flow!!	Heads bowed, working on the challenge	Still working!!	Oh look at all these goodies for sale!!!!!!	The Display of work
More views	And again	What a talented lot!	And yet more work	Still more...
So many brought their wonderful examples	Still going...	Brenda's wonderful antique cape	The Challenge!

There was a time limit set, and all too soon it came!  Examples were collected up and put on display at the back of the room.

Next, Janice went through the various items the attendees had brought and put on display, having a word of praise and further encouragement for everyone, so we all felt on a high at our achievements.  The examples were very varied and she was delighted at the experimentation and at the work Brenda had done in teaching many of us.

All too soon the meeting came to an end.  Everyone had stocked up on their supplies, and thanks were given both to Janice and Colin for coming all the way from Gloucestershire to attend the meeting, to Brenda for organising the meeting and finally to everyone who had attended, making it such a successful afternoon.

Photos courtesy of Brenda Scarman.