We recently connected with John Weber and have shared our conversation below.

John, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

In 1970, while attending Colorado State University in Fort Collins Colorado, I saw a local jewelry store owner demonstrate how to make a silver and turquoise pendant. It looked fairly simple to make and very pretty when finished. The store owner offered classes in beginning silversmithing, so i signed up for one of his classes. I purchased some basic silver soldering supplies, silver and several turquoise cabochon stones and began making pendants, rings and bracelets. It urns out I had a knack for designing and fabricating silver jewelry and I began to sell my creations to friends and family. After moving back to Orange County California, I went to work for a couple of guys who were manufacturing southwest style silver jewelry on a wholesale basis. They taught me how to cut the various types of stones to fit into the different styles of jewelry they were making. I learned on the job and at first I was a slow learner. After cutting and polishing my first “Ear of Corn” style bracelet, the owners both laughed at my first attempt. After months of practice on less valuable stones, I became their best person at this type of lapidary work.
I later went to work for an older couple who owned a turquoise mine and I would sort out the raw ore, then cut turquoise cabochons for their retail store. I selected the best and bluest stones to cut and I was working on commission. I was to receive a percentage of every finished stone when it sold. I later learned that every time they sold one of my beautiful blue stones, they would replace it with a lower grade, greenish stone so they would not have to pay me.
After that, I began my own silver jewelry business, making one of a kind pieces and selling them wholesale. There are a few bad photos of some of those pieces on my website JohnWeberSilversmith.com but sadly the photos of most of my impressive pieces have been lost over time.
Eventually in 1982, I opened my own retail Native American jewelry and art gallery in San Jacinto. I called the store “Hanta Yo” after a novel by the same name. By this time, the silver and turquoise jewelry market was fading out and I had to work another job to support the retail store. In 1983, I had to close the store and find employment elsewhere. For the next 25 years, I worked as a Deputy Probation Officer for Riverside County, a job i really enjoyed. After retiring in 2009, I purchased all new silversmithing and lapidary equipment and resumed making silver and turquoise jewelry. I genuinely love the whole creative experience, from conception to completion. Every step of the way is exciting and a learning experience.

John, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I began making southwest style silver and turquoise jewelry, I was a struggling and starving student at Colorado State University. After moving to Fort Collins, I worked for a year to become a Colorado resident so I would not have to pay out-of-state-tuition. After signing up in CSU’s Wildlife Management Program, I found some great roommates and lived off the money I had earned the previous year. As mentioned previously, this is the time I saw a jewelry making demonstration and began making silver jewelry. After a year at CSU, I began to miss the ocean and SCUBA diving. i moved back to Southern California where I grew up to attend California State University Long Beach, this time studying Psychology and Sociology. After graduating in 1976, I was not able to find work in my major so I began making silver jewelry full time. Jewelry has always been one of my primary creative outlets and I enjoy each of my one of a kind creations.
I had been away from silversmithing and stone cutting for approximately 28 years, when I decided to resume making silver jewelry. There was a lot skills I had to re-learn and I started out just making some smaller pieces for my wife. Eventually and slowly, I began to regain some of my previous skills. Today I focus on making only one of a kind pieces that no one else will ever have.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have two amazing step children but none of my own. When I was 25 years old, my first wife forced me to get a vasectomy, as she did not want to continue taking the pill. At the time, (1975) I was the youngest person the doctor had ever performed this operation on. It would turn out to be THE biggest regret of my life. Three years later, we divorced. Since I have no children of my own, my only legacy will be the works I leave behind, whether it is my jewelry creations or my original songs and song parodies (JohnsCoolTunes.com). Being retired, I am not dependent on the income from my jewelry or my music. I am much more interested in sharing my creations with others. When I am gone and all who knew me are gone, I hope my works will keep my spirit alive.

POEM BY JOHN WEBER:

I am the end, there is no more, my lineage dies with me
For I was destined long ago a father not to be

When my end comes, there is no more of my own family tree
A light goes out, a story ends, and so it is with me

My Step-children and grandchildren, will never be part of me
A blood-line lost, a history gone, a sad, clear end you see

My memory may live for a short time, with friends and family past
But with their passing all memories of me will fade away at last

A thousand generations have all come before
But when I pass, those generations will forever be no more

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

In my case, creativity is like a compulsion or spark of an idea I must act upon. Whether it is an idea for a unique piece of jewelry, a song, parody lyrics to a popular song or building props for my present wife’s musical performances. When it comes to my musical aspirations, my wife Ruth is my inspiration. She is a professional musician and song writer and after seeing her create and record several children’s music albums, I decided to write and produce an album of Irish Pub songs. The songs in this album “The Banks Of Skibbereen” by John Weber and Friends, was inspired by our trip to Ireland several years ago. I wrote songs I wish I had heard in the Irish Pubs, instead of the pop music they all played. Like my other creative endeavors, writing and producing this album was simply something I had to do. Much like my jewelry, the process of making a piece of jewelry, writing a song or recording a song, is such a wonderful creative journey that I will continue to do so until I am no longer physically able. Haven’t we all had the compulsion do act on a creative idea, no matter how small?

Contact Info:

• Website: JohnWeberSilversmith.com JohnsCoolTunes.com
• Instagram: johnpaulweber1. j.weberproductions
• Facebook: John Weber Silversmith. John Weber
• Youtube: John Weber and Friends; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUAdbgCcUPk; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt_0oiC8CVg

Image Credits
Professional photos by Melinda Finn, all others by John Weber