Deb Stoner: eyewear

In about 1991, I started making eyewear. I made the first pair because I needed some reading glasses, and sort of thought, well, how difficult could it be??? I made the second pair because, not only was it really difficult, but because the challenge was really interesting. And so, from about 1991 to 2001, I made a lot of eyeglasses. Here are some of them.
Here's the first pair ever. They're made from brass that's gold plated, with clip on shades with lapis lazuli in the corners. The nosepads are cork lined. They're heavy and almost unwearable. I owe such gratitude to Mel Merrill, who was a teacher at Portland Community College's Opticianry program. He allowed me to audit classes at the school, and learn important details about frame manufacture, all the stuff about fit and form that make eyewear function. I learned to cut lenses (just like lapidary), and conventions about how lenses are held in place so that I could invent my own systems.

This was the second frame, and taking from the theme of learning how to do this crazy thing that seemed impossible...well, once again, I learned a lot...

I cut the frame from heavy gauge brass and nickel, with a coarse file finish. This one is almost wearable, but a still a bit heavy, and with the brow line going so far down the frame, it sort of got in the way of one's line of sight. Next!
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I took a class at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine in 1991. Susan Hamlet taught the class on experimental mechanisms, a topic that delights most metalsmiths. Instead of making samples of some of the mechanisms, I made this frame from brass and steel. The hinges are ball and socket, and the little ball in the bridge has the effect of a level bubble. The lenses are stitched to the frame with monofilament.

I think it was because of this frame that I was invited to teach a class at the Haystack school the next summer. Spending the next year developing that class lead to some very innovative work.
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This is a walnut, nickel and old rusty nail frame. I steam- bent and laminated thin veneer into "plywood" to make the frame front, and glued the wood to metal pieces to make the temples.

	Marcia Macdonald and Kevin Moore eating oysters. Marcia, I miss you so much.
This frame is 18k gold with turquoise and citrine. It's hammered, and so is very light and springy.
	Another gold frame, forged and fabricated with turquoise and pearls. circa 1993.
	Here's a carved wood frame painted to resemble Chinese lacquer.

Here's a frame from sterling silver tube soldered lengthwise to create the groove for the lens to sit in. The tube offered holes that gave structure to the frame. The bridge swivels..
This was the first of a series of more minimal work done in 16th inch mild steel welding rod. I wanted the wire to look like drawn lines.

This series started when I took a workshop on the "fibula" or the safety pin made by the Etruscans...a single piece of wire, formed to create a function. Because of the use of the steel wire, I call the series, "Might Have Been a Coathanger".


Here are more frames from the series "Might Have Been a Coathanger". About 1992-94.


This one is called "Judy's Inheritance" and uses an old wedding ring as the bridge. 1994.
In about 1996, I started doing freelance eyewear design for several fashion companies. There was a terrific mix of very precise prototype making and a huge amount of idea generation. I really enjoyed it.





Below are some wacky frames, just for fun. Embellished on readymade frames, on the left are cast sterling silver people sitting on the rimlocks, and on the right, "Winter in LA", with rabbit fur and gold lame'.

Titanium frames, hand cut. 1998.	Hand fabricated nickel frames.

Bent and fabricated stainless steel frames with delrin hinge pin. 2003.

I still get ideas about making eyewear, especially when I'm interacting with students who are super enthusiastic and interested in the topic. Check out some eyewear that some of my students have done!
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