Creative Couple Finds ‘Silver’ Lining
Husband and wife team express handy-artistic side making jewelry while sheltering in place at home during the pandemic.
Dr. Jeff and Penny Priluck at home during COVID-19 discovered that their new flexible time frame offered an opportunity to express their creative sides.
We caught up with the Dunwoody dentist’s wife and asked about the couple’s new pastime.
AJT: How did you start?
Penny: As the Jerome Kern song says, one should always look for the silver lining. These past several months have certainly been challenging, but the coronavirus has also provided an opportunity to enjoy time away from our normal schedule and evaluate what is truly important in our lives.
Time away from our careers and businesses has allowed us to consider other options for creativity. My husband and I both come from dental careers and we have each discovered an enjoyable hobby, which has allowed us to continue to create with our hands. I have always been intrigued by the art of designing and creating jewelry, so I took several classes for beginning jewelry and metalsmithing at the Spruill Center for the Arts last year and found the classes to be intriguing and challenging. Now, with the current COVID-19 restrictions and no classes to attend, I decided to set up shop at home.
AJT: Where in your home is the studio located, and what tools do you need?
Penny: After convincing my husband I could handle a blowtorch without burning down the house, I chose our barbecue area as my new metalsmithing studio. I purchased a number of tools, metals and stones and timidly began to explore this new hobby, homestyle. What started out as just a minor interest has blossomed into a passion for a hobby, something which I have never before experienced. I have designed and fabricated bracelets, earrings, rings and brooches.
AJT: How did Jeff start and how do you determine the best schedule for both of you?
Penny: There’s a saying that goes: Ask some people what time it is, and they will tell you how to build a watch. For Jeff’s birthday, our daughter Shayna decided that Dad now has ‘time’ on his hands and that gave her the idea of the perfect birthday gift. Shayna bought Jeff a watchmaking kit, which included all the tools, instructions and parts to build a watch. He opened the box on his birthday and that was the last time I saw him. He has spent hours in our lower level wearing surgical gloves, a mask and magnifying glasses, following YouTube instructions, and building a masterpiece of a watch.
I find the best time to work on my hobby is when Jeff is working on his. We are sure everyone has taken their own extra time to find a way to express their creativity. This is probably the opportunity of a lifetime! Let’s all look for the “silver” lining. In my case it’s silver jewelry, and the next time you see Jeff, ask him what time it is.
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