Meet the Artist
Patti invented her line of Wubbers pliers after becoming frustrated trying to use regular pliers to fashion her findings and components. They were uncomfortable for her hand and sometimes damaged the materials she was working with. She realized she could channel her interest in geometric shapes used in design to create a tool specifically for jewelry-making. That moment was the inspiration to design Wubbers pliers. Wubbers pliers are better than standard pliers for jewelry-making because they are expressly designed for jewelry-making. Each pair of pliers in the Wubbers line is suited for a different task.
Where do you live?
Grapevine, Texas
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Nature inspires me. And I love geometric shapes. My interest in creating geometric shapes for my designs led to my interest in designing the Wubbers Mandrel Pliers. I love leaves--anything leaf-shaped.
What inspires you as a tool designer?
There'll be a design I want to do which is hard to do with existing tools. So, it makes me want to invent a tool to do it. I also develop tools because I love to teach and share; to help people with their jobs, hobbies and art so they are more fun and profitable for them.
What medium do you work with mostly?
Sheet metal and wire. I prefer sterling but I'm also known for working with Argentium®. I use and like both. When teaching, I can bring my knowledge about how to make Argentium work to the students.
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Crystal Mountain Pendant
What inspired this design?
I was inspired by the actual stone itself.
How did it come together?
I was inspired by the stone and also a technique. Sometimes a technique inspires me. The technique I used for the silver in this piece was fused silver dust, which I learned from a Navajo jewelry artist. Also, I brought in the leaf shape which I love. The motif of the leaf is carried throughout the design.
Why did you become enchanted with this style of jewelry-making?
One reason I like geometric shapes is that I've always liked a "clean" look--in interior design, art, jewelry ... I also like jewelry to be sophisticated. These shapes and media give me that look and the tools help me more easily create the shapes.