Keum-boo

These are some keum-boo earrings that I demonstrated during class. The trillion shape is one of my favorites as is the squiggle. I colored the sterling with liver of sulfur.

Spiculums

Here are a couple of copper spiculums that I demostrated during class. The enamelled one I did a long time ago when I was first learing to enamel. I like it really well. My plan was to make enough for a neckless of graduated sizes. One of my many unfinished projects.

Tube Setting

These are some simple tube set rings that I have been playing with. I am trying to develop an easy project that students could do in a one day class. While I like these, the project is not quite easy enough. The tube is a bit wider than the ring shank and I have to carefully fit each tube to the shape of the "Crazy 8" wire. The result is pretty cool looking but not easy enough for beginning students. I have some more ideas to try and will post pictures of them when they are done.

More enamelling

These are some examples of enamels that I have done, experimenting with techniques.

Top Left: Cloisonne

Top Center: Water color

Top Right: Scraffito

Bottom Left: Fold formed copper, with liquid enamel which I rubbed back to show the fold forming then covered with transparent enamel.

Bottom Center: Scraffito

Bottom Right: Domed, roll printed copper, with P3 under glaze. Transparent enamel over the top, fired to clear.

Enamelling

This was a piece of copper that I prepared for an enamelling class. After cutting out the basic leaf shape, I fold formed the center of the leaf. I then opened it back up and raised it a bit to give it some dimension. Finally, I formed the tiny spiculum for the stem. I love doing spiculums, more on that later.

During class, I used multiple firings of various transparent enamel colors to give it depth. I over fired it slightly to give a weathered look.

Close Up

Here is a close up of the cuff, showing how the detail is maintained after raising.

Synclastick Raising

This was a demonstration I did on synclastic raising. I first roll printed the copper with one of my plates.

Roll Printing Plates

These are some roll printing plates that I made. They are made from 2"x6", 16 gage brass. Some of them, I doodled on the brass with a black paint marker, this acted as a resist for the etchant. Others, I drew on paper first then copied them onto P-N-P photo transfer medium. I like the direct drawing method best. The P-N-P is a bit of a hassle.

Bring A Friend Day

These are some roll printed bangles that I demonstrated at the "Bring A Friend Day" that I had last fall. I offered my students free studio time if they brought a friend to watch a demonstration (they even got to make roll printed bangles.) It was a lot of fun although most of my students either ended up helping their friends or making a bangle themselves, or both, instead of taking advantage of the free studio time.

Back to work

I haven't posted in a while. After taking a week and a half to travel out west (Oregon and Washington) to visit my family, it was time to get the yard in shape for spring. Then I decided I should get back to building the pizza oven that I started late last fall. I started a new blog for the oven as it is a separate venture from my art. Here is the link if you want to check it out: http://www.pixiesearthoven.blogspot.com/

Anyway, now it is time to get back to the studio and get some work done. I have done a little bit here and there over the past month and a half, but mostly just preparing demonstrations for my class. So, not much to post.

Speaking of class, I have been talking to a school, in Bellingham, Washington, about teaching there when I am in the area. The name of the school is Pouncing Rain. I stopped by when I was in Washington and it looks pretty nice. It is a well equipped metal working school with an attached store that carries tools and supplies. Here is the link to their web site: http://www.pouncingrain.com/home.html, check it out.

I also reviewed the correspondence on my article proposal for the magazine. I had thought they where suppose to make a decision by the middle of last month but it is not until the middle of this month. So...a bit more waiting.