Soigne is please to welcome Paul Tanner. Paul started his jewellery career through the co-op education program at his high school in Victoria, BC. Working at a number of shops, he did a variety of jobs including casting, repairs and fabricating silver jewellery and silverware. After high-school graduation, Paul continued on the path to becoming a jeweller by working for several companies in the Victoria area and learning a range of skills. He worked at company called Porter Bolton, where he learned mass-production casting by making the brass badges for Princess Patricia’ s Canadian Light Infantry, and learned repair work by working on items for Birks. He also worked at a studio called Goldman Jewellery, where he completed commercial repairs for 13 Peoples Jewellers stores. Paul then moved to Shimmer Design Studio/ Atkinson Diamond Setters where he learned diamond setting in bead, channel, gypsy and pavé styles, and continued to hone his custom work and casting skills. After many years of knocking on doors, Paul got an apprenticeship with Idar Jewellers, where he completed a four-year apprenticeship in three years and learned how to make hand-fabricated jewellery, to do engraving and stone setting and to fine tune his casting work. After over five years with Idar, Paul moved to Van Isle Jewellers and Francis Jewellers, where he continued to practice his fabricating skills. Paul retired from commercial jewellery after 10 years in the field, but continues to create special custom pieces for private customers, friends and family.

Soigne is pleased to welcome guest teacher Ina Stehle. Ina is a German apprenticed goldsmith and is visiting Vancouver for one year to find new inspirations for her work and to inspire others. She made her apprenticeship at a well known jeweller’s in Aachen from 2001 until 2005 to learn the traditional handcraft of a goldsmith. During this time she participated in additional goldsmith training for special techniques and won several prices from the guild of goldsmithing. After becoming a goldsmith she worked for different businesses to improve her technical skills and became self employed in Hamburg in 2007. She designed and manufactured mainly one of a kind jewellery – fascinated by modern design and the beauty of gemstones. You can see some of her works at www.inastehle.de She taught several jewellery courses over the last three years in her atelier in Hamburg. The wedding ring, wax carving and casting courses were particularly popular. Now you have the possibility to learn the traditional metalsmith techniques from her. In the spring Soigne will be offering Metalsmithing level1 and 2 as well as Casting Techniques. More info you can find under section: CLASSES on the right hand side of the blog. Closer to Summer Ina will be teaching Wire Wrapping, Finding, Beading class and Wedding Ring for Two.

Thank you everybody for stopping by our table at Portobello West.  Thank you all for participating in the draw. Soigne is pleased to announce winners: 1. Pendant (attached picture)  goes to lucky winner: Ewa Polaszewski 2. 2for1 level 1 solder pendant course goes to : Carla Kushner Thank you all for participating and visiting Portobello West.