Copper and Fire: 2018

Martin is strictly a gold and silversmith who uses a hammer to shape metal. People have been wearing gold and silver for millennia and he feels that he is participating in a very traditional use of precious metals. Martin’s work is not exclusive to themes, but rather, his designs are of a classic nature. He finds that his work is influenced by his past and you may find Martin forging fish hooks inspired by the West Coast which “has been such an integral part of [his] past career as a wilderness guide”.

Martin notes that the Museum is a wonderful location for someone who works in metal. He believes that the Museum references the source of the materials rather than simply focusing on presentation which is usually the case in a traditional art gallery. 

At Copper & Fire, Martin will use antique tools to demonstrate repoussé (a metalworking technique where metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief). Martin says “the general public is unaware that most jewelry is cast from a mould. By watching and talking to me, the public can develop a clear appreciation of the difference between cast and handmade one-of-a-kind pieces.” 

Martin’s dream project would be to pull his extensive collection of European antique goldsmithing tools out of storage and create a working museum that would also operate as a workspace and retail outlet. Martin’s advice to aspiring artists is to enjoy the "immense satisfaction one gets from creating something with your hands from raw materials, and [from] transforming something very plain and uninteresting to something that is so beautiful.” 

You can meet Martin and view, purchase and/or watch him demonstrate at Copper & Fire on Saturday, September 15 from 10:00AM – 3:00PM. Click here for more information. 

Martin Vseticka’s Biography 

Before finding his career as a goldsmith, Martin Vseticka enjoyed many years of work as a landscape architect and a wilderness guide. Martin Vseticka, like the fathers of his European grandfathers, believed he would know his destiny when he encountered it. When he made his decision to become a goldsmith, Martin Vseticka studied for five years under Master Goldsmith Jurgen Schonheit in his internationally famous atelier shop on Granville Island, in Vancouver, British Columbia. There is no doubt that after exploring the world as a wilderness guide for twenty years he would bring his love of nature into goldsmithing through unique design and environmental ethics. Mr. Vseticka incorporates his environmental values into his goldsmithing products by utilizing recycled and hand panned gold whenever possible. Some of his work can be seen on his website (http://www.vseticka.ca) 

Mr. Vseticka is an award winning jewellery designer with his trademark halibut hook design. He loves contributing to the world of jewellery through articles in trade magazines. It is his passion for perfection that will continue to make him an internationally sought goldsmith. You can find Martin and more of his work at Gallery 33 in Vancouver, and at his workshop in Brackendale.