Jim Malone’s start with jewelry began with a desire to see the country.  In the 70s he traveled to Tucson, Arizona, where he met friends who were making jewelry.  What began as making wire earrings in the back of a camper turned into a full-blown jewelry career.

Jim’s inclination toward jewelry has roots in his youth.  His father was a machinist, and his skills in creating and repairing  were passed onto his son.  Jim began working at de Jonghe Jewelers in Saratoga ten years ago.  Through this affiliation, Jim has had the opportunity to learn much about custom design and the jewelry making process, from cutting stones to creating a piece from a simple sketch.

Jim's personal creations are quite separate from his professional approach.  Dennis de Jonghe’s jewelry is often wrought in gold, but Jim's focus is sterliing.  His personal designs, which he markets under Diamond Point Metalsmiths,  also differ in that they are not created for a particular audience; they reflect Jim’s own vision.  This sensibility is revealed in Jim’s latest medium, Precious Metal Clay.  Precious Metal Clay is a relatively new medium for making jewelry.  It is a type of clay with semi-precious metals suspended in a binder that melts away when fired, revealing a pure metal piece.  PMC has revolutionized the jewelry-making process by allowing artists of all abilities to create sterling and gold pieces with a relatively low initial expense.

Jim and his wife, Sue Bain, are certified instructors in PMC and are active members of the Precious Metal Clay Guild.  They consistently contribute articles to the PMC Guild online newsletter.  They teach PMC classes out of their home year-round.  One of the best parts of teaching Precious Metal Clay, according to Jim, is that the “students’ imagination determines the design,” and he is always surprised at what they envision.

Although Jim and Sue teach this class out of their home, they are flexible about location since the PMC process does not require burdensome tools and supplies.  Jim and Sue have their own kiln for the firing of PMC, so students who would like to continue working in the medium can fire additional pieces at a nominal fee.

Examples of both Jim’s PMC and traditional method jewelry are now on display and for sale in the Lapham Gallery during LARAC’s annual Holiday Shopping Showcase from November 23-January 4. Gallery hours are Monday-Saturday from  10 am-5 pm.  Visit the Diamond Point Metalsmiths at www.adirondackjewelers.com or call 668- 3987 for class information.