Karen Brown – Making, Learning, Alloying?

Karen Brown has spent more than 50 years making art, best known for her one-of-a-kind gold jewelry and unusual gemstones. But her creative life didn't stop there. About ten years ago, Karen discovered glass fusing – and fell in love with it. Today, she teaches a glass-fusion class, introducing the joy of making glass-fusion. Karen also continues a decidedly old-school part of jewelry making: she alloys her own gold, combining metals herself rather than simply working with commercially prepared gold. It's a hands-on craft that has become increasingly uncommon. In this episode, Karen talks about a lifetime of making things by hand, why creating has never felt like work, and why it's never too late to discover and learn a completely new medium.