SkyGlass Looking

I have some news, I was hoping for a great announcement to share, but I want to share my best effort and the results with you.

See the picture? That's a class proposal sample I made for an application to teach next year.

I called it a Skyglass Prism. It has a kaleidescope inside, it's a viewer.

When you hold the end with the small opening up to your eye and look through with your other eye closed, you can see through to the room beyond, but in a kaleidescopic colorful view.

I made two proposals to teach at Artfest 2011, and this was one of the items in the proposals.

Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted, there were lots of proposals and I didn't make it.

This time!

These are fun items I've been thinking about making for a long time, so I decided to make them the focus of the propsal, and to use them as a finished project item for teaching creativity in polymer clay, 3-D sculpture in miniature and using acrylic paints with polymer clay to create colorful aged and antique looks.

This one has a sun-face on the top with wings. I made four of them all together, they're all different colors and images but the design is the same.

I think they're very cool-looking and fun. I was so hopeful they'd be unique and different, and would catch the eye, to give me that opporunity to teach them next year.

But alas, that isn't how it turned out.

But we have to keep trying and doing new things. Don't we?

Now I'm considering whether I should write a proposed article for Belle Armoire on these, how they're made. Not sure how much like jewelry they are? I know I'd wear one as a pendant, but I might not be the usual jewelry wearer!

Here you can see through the prism end to the hole at the other end.

Just because I think they're cool might not mean that anyone else would like them!

So what do you think of them? Would you wear something like them for fun?

I think I'm going to list this one in the Etsy shop and see if anyone falls in love with it.


And ....

If any of you know of others who are looking for a teacher for a project like this - pass the word along! I'd love to teach how to make these Skyglass Prisms, and I'd love the chance to meet all of you in a fun class somewhere!

Faux Fun is Real Fun

I thought I'd return to the experience I had at Artfest, now almost four weeks ago, and talk about another wonderful class I took there, showing some pictures of the finished piece. I really love how it turned out!


Richard Salley taught a class on my first day of classes to create an etched copper faux bone letter opener.

Here are some photos I took in class of his pieces, he had them available for inspiration. And the class example he made was really beautiful, too. He has a very distinctive and recognizeable style, and everything he makes has a finished and grounded look to it, which is part of the reason I wanted to take the classes with him.

They look very organic and have a weight and color that marks them as uniquely his own.


He's a great teacher, really knowledgeable and grounded, the pace of the class was just right and covered all the high points, while allowing some freedom to make the piece individual.


This is my letter opener, I wanted to make my blade look more like horn or antler than like a bone blade. And Richard had some examples of what real horn looked like, to help me reach for that look. I was very happy at the fit between the two pieces, they slide together easily and come apart with little pressure, but hold together tightly. Nice!



The design pattern etched into the copper is from one of my very favorite rubber stamps, it has lettering and intricate detail. I was happy that I didn't lose any of the detail. I used texturing hammers to create the rough patterns in the end pieces. The whole thing is darkened with liver of sulphur to make the pattern show up, and give a time worn patina to the piece.


I wanted the letter opener to look like something very ancient, as if it was discovered in a dig at the site of an ancient monastery or castle site.

I have some ideas on using the copper etched pieces to create some more things, without the faux bone.


I bought some ferric chloride etchant, I usually use a stronger etchant but decided I'd get some of the FC Etchant to play with also. When I get some time I will be doing more etching in copper, I love the look and color of the copper combined with the pewter pieces.


Later, I'll take some photos to share here with the piece I created in the other class I took with Richard, so you can see how it turned out.

It's raining here, chilly and windy. I keep an eye on the weather while working in the studio this morning, it's a gray and blustery kind of spring day. The darkened sky seems to enhance the brilliance of the ornamental pear blossoms and red buds blazing in the yard.

I slept in this morning, it is rainy and cool, good sleeping weather.

And I stayed up past midnight last night watching a period piece show on Masterpiece Classics, and I know the look and feel of the jewelry and buttons on the costumes is seeping into my unconscious - Can't wait to see what comes out ...

Old Time New Way

I took classes with Melissa Manley and Richard Salley on enameling with a torch. It seemed very new-wave and up to date, a brand new method of working with enamel and copper.

This is a photo of one of Richard Salley's class projects for a class he's teaching later this year. That central part is enameled copper. Lovely, isn't it? I wish I could take some more classes with him, he's a great teacher. I'll talk more about the class later on in other posts.


I got curious about the background of torch firing enamel and started doing some research; I found an amazing old article from "Popular Science" magazine, it was published in November.

Of 1960, that is.

A while back. And yet the instructions are very similar to the methods used and taught in the classes I took last week.

I find that facinating.

What's that old saying about "nothing new under the sun" - yet again we find how true that can be.


Of course, there is some new technology also. There's no need to cut down a tin can if you don't want to go that way, you can get a soldering trivet.

But I guess if you don't want the expense of a soldering trivet, there's probably a metal coffee can around somewhere, right? I might give it a try just to see what happens.

And the BenzOmatic propane torch shown in that quaint old photo - it's basically unchanged, and the torch head is the same also.


Just goes to show, how old things become new again.

I've been doing some historical research on enameling on copper. It is a very ancient technique, and it's been around long before tin cans or propane torches.

And it's still evolving now. Facinating...

At the Waterline, At the Skyline

I love being near the water. For many years I lived by the water on the Gulf Coast, but I've been landlocked now for almost the same length of time, here in the midwest. I guess I could go down to the mightly Mississippi river, but somehow that's not quite the same, at least not to me.


So when I get to Port Townsend in Washington State for Artfest, I like being in the Dorm that's close to the water, with the scent of the salt in the air. That's the building on the right, I was in a room at the top of those stairs.


It's cool and rainy, with the grey tones of color in the sky and water, but that only seems to enhance the natural colors around them.


The cliffs of green grass, the bright colors of a lighthouse seem to pop out of the grey midtones more strongly than they do in a bright summer lightness of sky and sun.


It's a lovely area, I walked around in my raincoat because you never know when a little shower will start. Can you picture a picnic at this table, with this view?


It's easy to be inspired in this setting.


The colors are rich and saturated, a feast for the eyes.


It makes me miss being close to the water.

Artfest Trades Do Pencil Me In

I've been thinking and thinking about what I wanted to take with me to Port Townsend, WA for Artfest to use as trades.

I wanted something useful.
But also fun.
Something different.
Colorful and distinctive.
Something unusual but with a purpose.

Why put all these rules on it? Well, add to it that I wanted it to be inexpensive for the materials, not terribly time consuming to create, and still something that someone else would want to trade for - not too much to ask, right?

No wonder it took me so long to come up with something.

Do you ever have that feeling that you've thought of something important and needed, but all of a sudden it's gone out of your head and the harder you try to bring it back the further it recedes?

That's what happened to me this week. And I need to finish my trades because I'm packing for Artfest and I need to put them in the suitcase. And I don't have them. Um-Hum, that's an issue.

Yesterday it came back to me. I decided to create little colored pencils, like the short kind you see for golfers and at the library for taking notes. Except these would be covered in beautiful papers, and have a hanging wire for a charm.

Not so long that you worry about spearing yourself on it, but long enough to actually use. For journaling or just coloring on a napkin, if you get the inclination.


This is the first batch. Of course after I started putting wire on them for the hangers I thought - hey, these need some beads. They need to be a little funky and fun. These are covered with an old map paper, but I have lots of other papers I'm going to use.

So what do you think - would you trade with me for one of these little colored pencil charms?


Question though, you can help here, do you think I should put big jump rings on them, so folks can hang them right away, or just let people put a silk cord through the hole at the top.

Do you like them - are they funky and fun, or just silly and funny-looking? Be honest....

Week of Working, Week of Packing

I've got my supply list for Artfest printed out so I can start packing my things. Some things I won't be able to put in the zippered container until right before time to leave because I use them all the time, like my jewelry pliers.


It means I'll be away from the shop some next week while I travel, but I won't close up the shop and I'll just leave a note on the Etsy door that says things will be shipped when I get back. Like those small coffee shops where you sometimes see a note "back in ten minutes" and you just have to wait for a bit.

The theme of Artfest 2010 is Fairy Tales, like Alice in Wonderland or the Brothers Grimm. I'm still working on my trades, most everyone takes things to trade with other people, that's part of the fun.

I hope to see some folks I met last year like Nina Bagley and Catherine Witherell while I'm at Artfest. I am staying in a dormitory, it's like a throwback to years and years ago for me. Sort of an Art Boot Camp.

I'm taking two days of classes with Richard Salley and the last class with Melissa Manley, there will be some enamel torching and copper etching involved, I can't wait!

I love that part of the country too, so pretty and different from the Midwest, right by the water too.

Oops, did I give away that I'm getting excited?

Artfest 2010 Classes Still Available

I think I mentioned that I'm headed to Artfest at the end of this month.

Last year was my first time to go, I had a grand old time and met some lovely people and learned a lot.

If you've ever wanted to go, you may think that if you don't get your request in early you won't find any classes available.

I did send mine in last August and got all the classes I hoped for, but I noticed today that there are still classes available.

It's not too late, even now, to get classes and book a flight. If you've ever had the dream to go, don't hold back. It's totally worth it!

Some other people on the Yahoo group for Artfest are having to sell their spots, so you may be able to get a whole package that way, too.

Just wanted to mention it - in case you always wanted to go, but thought you were too late! And if you go, we could meet up and I can put faces with names, that would be very cool indeed.

Talented

Isn't this necklace beautiful?

Riki Schumaker made it, using one of the pewter pieces. I love how she combined the chain in the center to make the dangles. I should probably have put a loop or a hole there in the center of the focal wings bead, but she just added the chain, and it looks gorgeous that way.

And the coppery-bronze golden tones to the whole thing. It's just scrumptious!


I have a small locket almost like that one. And I have an angel charm just like that, a friend gave it to me at Artfest last year.

Speaking of that, I have signed up again to go in the spring. I can't wait! I'm taking all the classes with Richard Salley, unless life intervenes. You know how that is, sometimes!

I don't know how I'm going to get a butane torch to Washington State on an airplane (I probably won't, I'll have to buy one there and ship it or something) and all the other things I'll be needing, I should should start gathering them up now.

Anyone else headed to Artfest in Port Townsend? Maybe we could find each other there...

Well, I have a lot to do this weekend, and it's very chilly, so I better not hold still too long, gotta keep moving.