A jeweler in West Africa will typically own a hammer, pliers or tweezers, and a few other odds and ends that they keep in a hand-made toolbox. Since The Studio’s initial post about the Toolbox Initiative—a project that aims to provide West African jewelers with commercial tools and materials that are rarely available to them—Tim McCreight and Matthieu Cheminée have received donations of hundreds of tools and several ounces of silver to support the project. Read on to learn a little more about these skilled metalsmiths and to make a donation to this fantastic project.
charitable jewelers
The Toolbox Initiative: Supporting Jewelers in West Africa
A jeweler in West Africa will typically own a hammer, pliers or tweezers, and a few other odds and ends that they keep in a hand-made toolbox. They must rely on their ingenuity because commercial tools are rarely available. The Toolbox Initiative aims to address this imbalance. Jewelers and teachers Tim McCreight and Matthieu Cheminée formed The Toolbox Initiative to assist the metalsmithing community in West Africa and to recognize them for their kindness and generosity during the research for the book, Legacy: Jewelry Techniques of West Africa.
Customers Team Up with Rio to Support CERF+
This year, in the tragic wake of destruction that Hurricane Sandy left behind, the good people of CERF+ (the Craft Emergency Relief Fund) have been making great strides in helping artists, arts organizations, and other affected creatives get back on their feet. Read on to learn how you might be able to lend a hand or receive assistance. . .
Thanks for Giving!

During this Thanksgiving holiday, Rio Grande is teaming up with our customers to help Ganoksin –host of the Orchid Jewelry forums –as they recover from devastating flooding at their headquarters in Thailand. Read on to learn how you can help too…
Double H Ranch: Fun Jewelry-Making and What a Cause!
For the kids at Double H, summer camp means learning how to do things they never thought they could!
New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World — A Book Review
I just love a win/win, and this gorgeous new book, New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World, put together by Susan Breen Silvy and Christine Norton, delivers in so many ways!
Thanks for Giving!

We love that we get to play a role in the creative and productive process of so many jewelers, and we honor the contributions jewelers share with the world. On occasion, however, we learn about a customer who uses their creative skill in a particularly generous way. In the spirit of the season, I’d like to tell you two stories…