The STFZ web site www.stfz.art.pl has been created and exists as result of free volunteer activity of our members. That is why we are sorry for not beeing able to translate to English all texts in links enclosed, publishing in English just brief information on each of described topic. But please, take a look at the pictures, we believe that with the English texts published they make sensible message on what we do in here.

■ Polish artists goldsmiths are usually very busy in the month of November. Many customers browse the jewellery galleries in search of unique Christmas presents. Knowing this we try to have our works presented and ready for sell not just in the Christmas season but also during coming carnival time. This is a great chance for presentation of new designs, which will be immediately verified by the market - choice and preferences of amateurs of artistic jewellery and other goldsmithing objects.

Our artistic silver keeps special position on Polish scene of applied art and jewellery. After the WW II silver replacement gold as material for creation of artistic jewellery. These days gold was not available for artists in Poland.

Thus for the years to came Polish jewellery artists have been working entirely in silver, having their works widely exhibited at home and abroad. Polish artistic silver jewellery became one of few luxury objects available at home. On the end of the seventies and in eighties our artistic jewellery joined main streams of European art of goldsmithing, and in the nineties Polish silver with amber became known worldwide.

The works by Polish jewellery artists are to be seen today in galleries all over the world. We believe that it would be an interesting project to investigate the contribution of Polish jewellery artists to the process of legitimisation of silver as rightful material used for creation of artistic jewellery and goldsmithing objects.

■ The STFZ Steering Committee and the STFZ Council has met again on November 19th 2004. The major topics were: setting the precise date of the STFZ annual general meeting, discussing our current problems and preparation for the STFZ participation in the INHORGENTA 2005 fairs. We have received several invitations and propositions for cooperation. The important topic was the STFZ budget, which at it's present level severely limits our activity.

■ In November 2004 the STFZ president has received the invitation from the Flow Gallery of London for presentation of a choice of works by STFZ members. The gallery, situated in the heart of Notting Hill, was established in 1999 to showcase the best of British contemporary applied arts. The gallery was conceived by its founding director, Yvonna Demczynska, after 12 years of dealing with British makers' exhibiting in USA and Japan. Flow represents over 40 artists working in ceramics, glass, wood, textiles, basketry, metal and jewellery.

The STFZ Program Council has invited 22 STFZ members to submit their works for a kind of internal competition. It will result in collection to be shown in Flow, consisting of works by 14 authors.
Continuing our cooperation with the Flow Gallery we are happy to inform, that in August 2005 the works by British artists chosen by Flow will exhibit at the Bielak Gallery in Krakow.

■ On November 22nd 2004 the Warsaw's Bristol hotel was hosting the seminar organized by Polish-German Jeweller's and Watchmaker's Forum, introducing to the INHORGENTA 2005 fairs. The STFZ will be present at the INHORGENTA 2005 fairs, exhibiting there works from the "Prezentacje 2004" exhibition.

■ The regulations for competition DEKONSTRUKCJA - REKONSTRUKCJA (Deconstruction - Reconstruction), the leading event of the Legnica's silver revue in 2005 was published in November 2004.

Difference of opinion on composition of jury between organizers and the STFZ caused resignation of our association from co organization of this event. We are afraid that the body of jury of the Deconstruction - Reconstruction competition doesn't represent in proportional way different views on matters of artistic goldsmithing. Regardless what's written above, we want to be constructive and we remember, that the Legnica event is, according to our knowledge, the longest time lasting regular artistic goldsmithing competition and exhibition in our continent. So the STFZ decided to designate our representative to the jury of the Legnica 2005 event.
Regulation and submitting form at the Legnica gallery web site >>>>

■ The one man exhibition named "The artists and his black and white world" presenting works by the STFZ member Grzegorz Blazko of Krakow opened on November 28th 2004 in the Galerie Spiegel owned by Barbara Jablonska - Warcholek. The Galerie Spiegel is situated in Eisbergen by Minden, Germany. At the opening there was the recital of pianist Pit Witt and awarded jazz band "Unterhalting Jazz".

Grzegorz Blazko runs in own gallery Blazko Kindery in his town - Krakow, exhibiting works of his own and of invited artists from home and abroad. In July 2004 the Israeli artist Yaakov Greenvurcel has been exhibiting at the Blazko Kindery.

■On November 29th 2004 the Bielak Gallery has presented to the Krakow' audience the "SMS" - Short Silver Message" exhibition, consisting of works submitted to the Legnica's competition under the same title. The "SMS" - Short Silver Message" was one of the major events of the Legnica's Silver Festival in 2004.

The discussion on presented works continued long in the night. The audience believe that some authors of presented works have understood in very specific way meanings of terms like "Silver", "Short" and "Message". Unfortunately, it's been impossible to read and understand messages sent by some artists through their works. Many viewers developed the feeling, that not all the authors kept up to the topic.
See photos >>>>

■ On December 3rd 2004 the Warsaw's gallery MILANO opened it's traditional annual exhibition to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the gallery. This year the subject was "Bizuteria na medal", which translates as "Jewellery of Quality" (so good that it is worth of being distinguished by medal).

The exhibition presented works by 43 authors, see photos from opening (pl) >>>>.

■ The regulation of the 9th international competition for design of jewellery with amber AMBERIF DESIGN AWARD 2005 has been published on the beginning of December 2004. This competition is one of events accompanying the 12th International fairs of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones "Amberif 2005". The subject of the competition is "PRODUKT ORGANICZNY" = "ORGANIC PRODUCT".

Authors are requested to submit designs or images of their works on cardboards (2-D), not ready jewellery pieces.
More info www.amberif.pl/amberif/en/
Works presented at ELEKTRONOS 2004 competion (pl) >>>>.

■ In December 2004 the STFZ reached agreement on conditions of paid access to the full contents of the web site www.klimt02.net for the STFZ. Due to our financial situation only 10 full accesses to the Klimt website are granted to the STFZ members.

■ The 80th edition of INFO - the STFZ internal bulletin was edited in December 2004. Our INFO is addressed to STFZ members and to galleries recommended by STFZ.

■ The Stanko Gallery in Wroclaw since the half of December 2004 presents the exhibition "Prezentacje 2004".
This gallery owned and run by Aleksandra and Janusz Stanko belongs to 15 Polish galleries distinguished by the STFZ recommendation. Owners of galleries recommended by STFZ have been supporting numerous activities of our goldsmithing circles by establishing and founding awards, purchasing works at the author's studios and presenting exhibitions of artistic goldsmithing.

■ On December 7th 2004 in the building of the Glowny Urzad Miar i Wag - Central Office of Measures in Warsaw, Elektoralna Street 2 there's been celebration of 85th anniversary of this office. By this occasion a number of persons contributing to the matters of measurement and assaying systems were decorated with medals. One of the persons nominated for decoration by the Assay Office of Warsaw is the STFZ member of honour, prominent historian of goldsmithing art, Michal Gradowski, specialist on marks on old silver.

■ On December 15th 2004 the owner and editor of magazine "Polski Jubiler" (Polish Jeweller), President Cezary Widorbski has been hosting "friends and sympathizers" of his magazine by the occasion of special Christmas meeting. The president extended his thanks to persons who have created and have been contributing to Polski Jubiler, has introduced new team with new editor in chief, Robert Pytlos and informed on plans for the future, declaring his openness for initiatives of our goldsmithing circles. The meeting at Polski Jubiler was of more universal dimension, due to participation of persons active at the Council of the Gold Silver Time fairs. Therefore the meeting also served as a contact platform for different persons, connected with our "goldsmithing industry".

The Polski Jubiler, which has been in the past partly created by the STFZ, till today indicates the STFZ at the info on the editing team in each issue. We are trying to set up new platform for cooperation with the new owner of the magazine.

■ On January 22nd 2005 the STFZ members will meet at the annual general meeting. We shall be electing new Steering Committee, Program Council, and President of our association. There were many changes in previous year, and it is more and more hard to run our workshops. Present situation and plans for the future will be thoroughly discussed at our general meeting.

■ The Bench Exchange link: www.ganoksin.com/orchid/BenchExchange/index.htm in the famous web site www.ganoksin.com guides to many images of workbenches, used today by many American and Australian goldsmiths. Most of their benches are of the American or Diderot model. Thus the Bench Exchange provides us with fairly large iconography of contemporary workbenches.

Unfortunately we do not know many original old workbenches surviving until our times. Two workbenches, now in the museum of the city Middlefart/Fredericia, at the Jutland peninsula, Denmark, belong to the oldest genuine benches preserved in Europe. They are dated around 1705.

According to our knowledge the oldest workbench in Warsaw is situated from the very beginning in the same place - goldsmith's workshop at the Nowy Swiat Street 41. As we see at the picture, it is the bench of the Diderot model, with parquet top/werkblatt. It comes from the workshop of Master Goldsmith Albin Jaszczold and it is placed and used till now since the thirties still in the same place.

If you happen to know an interesting old goldsmith's or silversmith's workbench, please, sent it's image and description to jar@webmedia.pl or to stfz@stfz.art.pl.

From the past

■ In May 1994 the second exhibition of the Camelot cycle - the CAMELOT 1112 has opened at the Camelot gallery in Krakow.

Jury consisting of: Andrzej Bielak (STFZ president), Wladyslaw Pluta (deputy rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow), Grazyna Starzecka (owner of the OFIR gallery), Jaroslaw Westermark (winner of the first prize at the CAMELOT 1111), Tomasz Zaremski (also prize winner at the CAMELOT 1111), have chosen works by 27 artists for exhibition. Awards went to: Ewa Chycinska - Ogrodowska (first prize), Jacek Byczewski, Bohdan Jan Suchodolski, Jakub Zeligowski. Special prizes were distinguishing works by Magdalena and Tomasz Stajszczak and Janusz Bozek. Works by Anna Sawicka and Joanna Wajnikonis were distinguished by distinctions.
catalogue >>>>

■ The 8th Polish National Review of Goldsmithing Forms "Srebro `94" ("Silver `94") in Legnica is commemorated by catalogue with characteristic dark blue cover, which serves today as an interesting source for these who are interested in history of contemporary Polish artistic goldsmithing.

The jury consisting of: Andrzej Bielak (the STFZ president), Irena Huml (historian of art), Michal Gradowski (historian of art), Giedymin Jablonski (the Fahrenheit association president), Marek Nowaczyk (general consultant), Leszek A. Rozmus (the Legnica`s gallery director), Jaroslaw Westermark (jewellery artist) and Wojciech Zielinski (director of department at the KGHM "Polska Miedz" S.A. company - the Polish Cupper A.S.) at the meeting on August 22nd 1995 have chosen for presentation a choice of works by 48 authors. 143 works by 77 artists were submitted to the competition. Awards and distinctions went to following artists: Leszek Weiss, Piotr Cieciura, Michal Smyka, Agnieszka Bruzda, and - Slawomir Fijalkowski and Dariusz Szafranski. Leszek Weiss - first prize winner was also awarded by two other awards.
catalogue >>>>