Jewelry Artist Podcast: Kieu Pham Gray Makes It Work, Plus 6 Jewelry Tools She Developed

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What do jewelry teaching, jewelry tool development, working ever smaller, and focusing on the functionality of craft pieces have in common? They’re all about trying to figure things out and keeping at it until you do. They also share an important place in the heart of Jewelry Artist podcast guest Kieu Pham Gray.

ABOVE: A sampling of torch-fired enamel pieces, from Kaleidoscope, one of the classes Kieu Pham Gray teaches. All photos courtesy of Kieu Pham Gray.

Join Kieu Pham Gray and Host Katie Hacker in the Jewelry Artist Podcast

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Listen to Katie and Kieu chat in the podcast episode above, and find out about Kieu’s latest adventures in teaching and attempts at work/life balance. Learn about her approach to jewelry and tool design in the Q&A below.

Q&A with Kieu Pham Gray

In her podcast, Kieu says she first learned to make jewelry so she could afford to dress the part for a professional position. I started by asking her for her ideas on what makes jewelry professional looking.

MW: If you were creating a line of jewelry intended for professional appearances — workplace, conference, or teleconference — what would some of the most important aspects of it be?

KIEU PHAM GRAY: Before I truly answer this question, I must point out that I am incredibly conservative when it comes to dress for corporate work. If I were to create a line of jewelry for professional appearances, pieces would be small. Earrings, mostly studs, would be quite small. No hoops would be larger than 3/4″ and anything that dangles would be less than 1-1/2″. Necklaces would mostly be pendants or small charms on a chain. If they were beaded, they would be no larger than 8mm with a variety of shapes and sizes. I don’t like just round beads (way too pedestrian). Definitely no crystals or pearls except maybe a little accent here and there. If there was a pendant, then the beaded necklace would be about 4-5mm to allow the pendant to show off.

MW: What drives your designs most when you’re creating for fun?

KIEU: Assuming we are talking about jewelry making, when I am making things for myself, I like to challenge myself with really small pieces. If we are talking about general crafting for fun, then it is about functionality. I like things that are functional, like the purse I recently made. I also like my designs to be modern.

MW: Are there components or tools your shop carries that you’ve designed? Tell us about any.

KIEU: Yes, a number of them:

1. Stamping hammer

Metal stamping being our primary business, I wanted to create a hammer that reduces the need for accuracy and does not lose impact.

2. Tool Bandz

With so many students bringing their own tools to classes, I wanted a way to identify not only my tools but also theirs. I was annoyed with tape because of the residue, markers wore off, and I was too lazy to be spray painting my tools. I got the idea from my electric toothbrush. It came with bands you could slip onto the heads to identify the user, and I adapted for jewelry artists from there.

3. Center finder.

Unable to figure out how to use a standard center finder, I created an easier way. It took three years of R&D to find the vendors to produce it. It literally took three vendors to get it to completion.

4. Magic Solder Powder.

I was looking for something that would make filigree soldering “neater.” Having a relationship with the manufacturer, I was able to work with them on this product for jewelry artists. The result is a solder powder to which you can add your own flux and control the amount of solder.

5. “Tool whore” apron.

It just needed to be said on an apron! Teehee.

6. Stamp Perfect tape.

This is simply a washi tape that has a grid printed on it used for lining up letters or designs while stamping. Bead weavers also like to use it to keep things lined up. I designed this because there was another company selling tape, but the reality was you could buy “tape” anywhere. It was about making it more functional. Additionally, I made one line red every five lines to make counting and centering easier.

Jewelry Artist as Teacher

MW: What do you think is the most successful class you’ve conducted, and in what way do you think it is successful?

KIEU: A few years ago at the Bead & Button show I conducted a class called Soldering Workout. There was no project connected to the class. Everyone was handed a bunch of wire, sheet metal, and jump rings to solder together. Through the class we worked on several soldering techniques and challenges, including sweat, stick, and pick soldering.

What made it successful was the fluidity of the class. Even though there was an agenda, as people presented challenges and questions (that I never thought of), I turned it into an exercise for the entire class. Everyone walked away with more experience and new skills. I could not have planned it better, and it surely is a model I will use again.

MW: What is the next thing you want to learn to do, or learn better, and what do you like about that?

KIEU: I want to learn how to make glass beads. Nothing like working with an even bigger flame!

MW: If you could study with anyone from any time, who would it be and what would you like to learn from them?

KIEU: Again, assuming you are talking about jewelry, Michael Good. Sculpturing metal.

MW: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a jewelry artist?

KIEU: That sometimes you don’t have the skills to execute your ideas. Then you need to give yourself time for your skills to catch up.

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When she’s not teaching jewelry classes, Kieu Pham Gray offers lessons in Vietnamese cooking. Learn more about Kieu in this profile!

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Interweave Projects from Kieu Pham Gray