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February 4, 2025

A Seed of Creativity Q&A Grand Master Michael Robinson

September 2025 Grand Master Michael Robinson will be sharing his talents at the GRS Training Center. He will give students the opportunity to understand how he sees the world in the hopes that he can plant a seed of creativity in them that with care and imagination can flourish into limitless possibilities. In this Q&A, Robinson shares insights into his teaching philosophy, creative process, and lifelong journey in jewelry and stone setting. His answers offer a glimpse into the mindset of a master craftsman dedicated to inspiring his fellow artisans.

 

Q: How did you develop the project for your course?

A: I wanted this concept to be a seed of creativity. A seed that with patience and care can grow into anything the students could wish for.

Q: What are you most excited about as an instructor?

A: The possibility of unlocking something in a student’s mind that will lead them down a path of fulfillment and creativity.

Q: What do you want students to take away from your course?

A: The confidence to find their own voice, confidence to create, and the knowledge that skills are very important, but then it’s what we do with our skills that is of most importance. The skills are necessary to learn as it is necessary to learn the alphabet, but it’s the words we make with those letters, the story we tell with the constructed words that is of most importance.

Q: Where do you go for inspiration? Are there particular artists that inspire you?

A: My inspiration always comes from within. From my thoughts, emotions, and memories. It comes from a need to express myself, to create with the hopes my practice might capture someone’s attention for a moment and make them think.

Q: When creating a new piece of work, what process do you go through (sketches, research, etc.(?

A: There is no familiar path when I make, I enjoy spontaneity and like to let things flow unrestrained. The only constant, I see things very vividly in my mind and I visually work things through before I start creating anything whether that be a line on paper or metal.

Q: How did you first become interested in Engraving/Jewelry/StoneSetting?

A: Jewellery has always been a part of my life, some of my earliest memories come from when I was four years old in my father’s workshop. There was never a time in my life when I wasn’t interested in making jewelry.

Q: Out of everything you have worked on, do you have a favorite project? What is your most memorable project? Why are these your favorite/most memorable?

A: My favorite piece is always the creation I’m currently working on. Every moment I’m working is an opportunity to do better. I love the process or journey more than the finished item or destination. So the piece I’m currently making is my favorite, I’m all about the process.

Q: If you could pass one bit of advice on to other artists, what would it be?

A: Create what makes you happy, eventually the work will find an appreciative audience.

Q: Where do you see the future of hand engraving?

A: Honestly, I don’t give too much thought to things like that. It is out of my control so not worth thinking about. After the Industrial Age, there was an Arts and Crafts movement in response to automation and the loss of humanity in many products. My hope is that there will be a new arts and crafts type movement in the future as a response to CAD and 3D printing removing humanity and skill from jewelry.

Michael Robinson’s journey and philosophy remind us that artistry is about more than just technical skill—it’s about finding your voice, embracing spontaneity, and crafting meaningful stories through your work. By encouraging students to pursue fulfillment and creativity, Robinson embodies the true spirit of craftsmanship. Whether shaping metal or shaping minds, his dedication to the art and its future is an inspiring call to all who create: find joy in the process and let your work speak for itself. Join Michael this September to find your seed of creativity and apply to the Grand Master’s Program. To help your application check out Photograph Your Work: Simple Techniques for Professional Results in order to send in the best photos of your work.