Vickie Hallmark

More Sterling Clay Experiments

2012-02-01T17:24:00.003-06:00

I ran another course of sterling clay through the kiln last night, technically finishing my Four a Month project on time, although I didn't do the patina until today.

I made a couple of small hollow-form heart pendants or charms.

This first one taught me to remember to protect openings from the carbon, as the carbon wedged inside the piece caused it to crack. I'll have to repair it.

This version utilized fine silver syringe work on top. It's not true that fine silver must be fired in air -- it works well! It IS necessary to remove the binder with oxygen available, for all of the metal clays in fact. But after the binding is gone, sintering takes place either open or buried in carbon. Fine silver and gold were the first metal clays manufactured because the pure metals don't oxidize when sintered in air. However, nothing untoward happens when they are sintered without oxygen, as long as the binder has been removed.

One interesting detail here is that the two hearts were cut from the same templates, but came out different sizes. I assume this is a function of all the fine silver line work, which doesn't shrink as much. I'll have to think about how this could be useful.

No-Solder Sterling Clay Post Earrings

2012-01-25T15:45:00.002-06:00

Hate to solder? Then sterling clay is the thing for you. I embedded sterling wire posts into my latest sterling clay earrings with good success.

In my learning, I did break the post off one of the four earrings I made, but it was my own fault. I didn't support the wire well while work hardening. It did not break at the join, but just above where I applied the wrong force. The next three worked great. The damaged pair of earrings is undergoing the next test of soldering on posts the old-fashioned way.

Please forgive the low quality image. My beloved Nikon D80 needs to go to the doctor after a sudden error condition that can't be cleared.

Another Affirmation in Progress

2012-01-24T08:16:00.000-06:00

This Book of Affirmations will be a long term project, as each page takes some time. I'll just keep slowly adding to it over the next many month, while still going through my affirmations on index cards every morning. But it will be more inspiring when they are all finished.

This one you can see is midway. I'm just starting the tree. In the last two journals, I kept adding details to almost all the pages long after they were mostly complete. It's a way of integrating them all together.

Handmade Journal, Part 3: Page Process

2012-01-22T17:14:00.000-06:00

Having recently produced a set of daily affirmations for myself, the notion of compiling them all into a lovely little book to peruse every morning seemed perfect for my journaling project.

Being that this is the third bird journal I've created, I have a pretty firm process. The process makes life so much easier! As I'm working on new studio and business routines right now, following this process is an instant reminder of the power of habit and ritual.

Here's my page process (assuming I'm starting with the pre-painted page):

Paint the spiral in white.
Outline the spiral in fine black ink.
Add a color shadow to the spiral with watercolor pencil.
Float a stream of ink bubbles behind the spiral.
Glue on a printed bird image (I'll modify later).
Pen the affirmation, first just lightly, then black in and add the flourishes.
Add the black line tree.
Enhance color all over with the watercolor pencils or other paint.
Modify the bird image (yet to come).
Add more hatching, color and other details (yet to come).

It's not fine art, but it's creative and fun and a much more personalized set of daily affirmations.

A Ceramic Distraction

2012-01-18T14:50:00.001-06:00

Over the holidays, I had several fun artists play dates with a good friend who is a potter. Melodie specializes in tile mosaics, but she also produces a lot of ornaments, especially around the holidays. I was invited to make some ornaments of my own.

Of course, I used the copy of my bird journal that I took for her as the model for my carvings. I started with a flat slab of clay that Melodie provided, sketched on it lightly with a pencil, then cut around the outline. I filled in the details with a carving tool. After firing, I returned to add glaze. Although intended to be off-white with some faint color details, I obviously didn't apply enough glaze. Even so, the thin coat leaves the details really visible, so I think they'll be perfect hanging in my studio.

Hand-carved tile mosaic by Stickhorse Studios

To check out Melodies' amazing work, visit Stickhorse Studios. I'm lusting after a pillar for my new garden addition, with some of her birds.

Handmade Journal, Part 2: From a Blank White Journal to Colorful Pages Ready for Artwork

2012-01-17T13:40:00.000-06:00

Because the blank page can deter me from even starting to work in a new journal, I get rid of it as fast as possible. I pull out the paint and slap it onto the pages.

My method is to choose a color randomly and apply it rather haphazardly to a few pages spread throughout the book. I prefer Golden Fluid Acylics with plenty of water. Then I switch to another color and keep going until all the pages are full. The entire process for this 68 page journal couldn't have taken more than half an hour. Don't think; just do.

Eventually in the process, I start adding second colors to a page, and I add a few bits of metallics here and there.

You can see that I make no effort to get a uniform color on the page. In fact, I much prefer there to be some underlying structure, and I create it deliberately. I know I'll be adding more color to each page, so I keep them relatively light in value.

FAM Challenge #2: The Design Phase

2012-01-16T13:55:00.001-06:00

The view from my sketchbook: a new earring design with NO birds. Currently in process in sterling clay.

Handmade Journal Part 1: Construction

2012-01-15T13:03:00.002-06:00

I've had the paper torn and folded for my new journal for months now, but I was blocked at the question of what I would journal about this time. The answer came this week, so I quickly stitched the book together this morning in preparation for painting.

I used a variation on Teesha Moore's Amazing 16 Page Journal. I tore my sheets from one large sheet of watercolor paper into pieces and folded to get 4" x 4" pages for the final journal.

Because I have more pages, I stitched them together with a coptic binding and included two heavier covers. The next step is painting in the backgrounds, which I do quickly and randomly. This book will have all two-page spreads, so that's one reason I wanted it stitched before I paint -- all the page coordination is already done.

Making Original Drawings into Textures for Metal Clay

2012-01-14T18:02:00.001-06:00

It's time to update my textures that I use repeatedly for my jewelry, so I've been working in the sketchbook.

My process is as follows:

Draw until I get a design that appeals to me.
Scan the image and upload it to Photoshop.
Convert to black and white, maximize contrast and clean up all edges.
Upload and order an unmounted rubber stamp of my original work.

Energize Yourself for the New Year: List Your Accomplishments for 2011

2012-01-10T13:56:00.004-06:00

Like everyone else, I'm feeling the push to clean, organize and reassess my life for the new year. While last year also started off with that energy, by the end I felt I was crawling along and accomplishing little. So when I began to list the highlights of last year, I suddenly felt a little more energetic.

1. Nesting Earrings, 2. Sunbird, 3. Sentinel, 4. Twining, 5. Meadowlarks 4, 6. Treetop Cuff, 7. Nesting, 8. Overflight, 9. Bluebird, 10. Blue Skies, 11. Nestling, 12. Aloft, 13. Freebird, 14. Garden Window, 15. Chicakdee, 16. Cactus Wren

120 blog posts. Even with my quietness toward the end of the year, that's more than two per week on average.

Eight publications.

Bead & Button Magazine interviewed me for a three-page artist profile.
PMC Guild Annual #5 included four images of my finest work of the year.
Bead Design Studios included my blog banner in a bead business marketing article.
The Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry 2012 Calendar included one of my pieces for October.
Metal Clay Artist Magazine published one of my enamel pieces in their Gallery section.
Free as a Bird, my print-on-demand book from Blurb, reproduced my multi-media bird journal.
Lone Stars III: Texas Quilts Today included two of my quilts in their compendium.
I finished my last Master Muse stint with a tutorial for syringe cloisonné earrings.

Eight exhibitions.

Glass: Surface at the Bead & Button Show and at the ISGB Gathering; Small Treasures I online at Crafthaus.
Metal: New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World on Crafthaus and at the Metal Clay World Conference; Small Treasures I online at Crafthaus.
Fiber: It Takes a Village to Raise an Artist at the International Quilt Festival included my quilted bird house. Two of my quilts were included in Lone Stars III at IQF and at the Texas Quilt Museum.

Latest Publication: Bead Design Studio

2012-01-07T15:03:00.004-06:00

I'd almost forgotten that Bead Unique (now renamed Bead Design Studio) contacted me weeks ago about including my website in an article on Marketing. They asked to publish my website/blog header and a short marketing tip. Of course, I said YES!

Today I finally spotted in the December 2011 issue (yes, I'm behind!) of Bead Design Studio Magazine, directed toward bead businesses, the informative article "Bead Business Marketing 101" written by Rachel Baron. The three page article includes info and examples about using business cards, social media, blogs and forums to promote your work. Of course, the rest of the magazine is also packed with beading project tutorials, book and equipment reviews, and lots of tempting ads.

Here's the cover of the issue with the article, although there is a newer issue out since this one.

Thank you, Bead Design Studio! My attempts at presenting a professional presence are paying off.

Finished Treetop Brooch -- Four a Month Challenge #1

2012-01-06T11:06:00.000-06:00

A little patina goes a long way to making the details pop on the new brooch, and a signature and date on the reverse mark it as a one-of-a-kind piece. With my Treetop brooch finished, I'm on my way with one of the new challenges I've joined this year: Four a Month. Last year I joined the Ring a Week group, and I participated into mid-spring when life got too hectic and I tired of rings, which I only rarely wear. Of course, rings are difficult to sell as well, because invariably my one-of-a-kind pieces are not the right size for a particular admirer. So I faded away on that challenge. This challenge is better for me because there are no restrictions on the type of project.

Organized by the inspiring Lora Hart, Four a Month doesn't even require you to perform on a regular schedule. If you are the type to produce four at a time, post them all and you're done for the month. If you miss a week or two, just catch up when life allows.

Check out the images on the Four a Month Flickr website, and join us in the challenge if you would benefit from the collective energy of facing a challenge with 138+ other artists. I guarantee you'll find something to amaze you amongst the offerings.

Mad for Brooches -- Double Stem Pin Back Mechanisms

2012-01-05T09:46:00.000-06:00

Since I spent so much time recently agonizing over how to do my pin back, I thought I'd corral a bunch of inspiration and how-to here for my future reference and to help any of you who might also be searching for input.

But first, here's my back, finished with the inserted double pin stem. I rank this as quite easy! This photo raises an interesting question of how to photograph a brooch that is open enough to reveal the closure mechanism. But that's a question for another day. Today, let's consider interesting versions of double stem pin backs.

Aran Galligan

This is the ultimate in double pin stem mechanisms - a stand to hold the brooch when not wearing!

Chris Irick

These turbine brooches have the classic tube hinge and wire catch construction, but the pierced backs and curved pin stems elevate the look.

Shana Kroiz

An interesting variation is shown here, with a constructed hinge and soldered stem wires.

In terms of instruction, there is a simple diagram of a double pin stem system in Charles Lewton-Brain's Ganoksin entry on Hinges and Hinge-Based Catches. He also has an entry titled Some Hints on Pinback Placement.

Murano Silver

For a simple single stem fibula, try Nicola Callow's blog tutorial, which demonstrates soldering both ends of a sterling wire onto the back, then cutting and shaping the spring loaded pin and the catch.

Sterling Clay Firing Results

2012-01-04T12:02:00.004-06:00

It was an exciting moment to pull the brooch out of the carbon this morning. Overnight I had begun to worry about possible issues. I realized I should have provided more support to prevent slumping, but in my concern over carbon getting inside the window I forgot to address the second issue. Silly, really, when I'd just done the vermiculite open firing to provide such support. I placed it front side down on the stainless steel mesh, with only the tree in contact and the window slightly elevated above the surface. I woke up expecting the window frame to have moved under gravity until it contacted the steel.

So it was no surprise that the piece came out all wavy. In some ways it's almost nice, giving the piece a bit more dimension. However, I quickly went to work smoothing out those waves to give a more pleasing flow to the brooch. The sterling feels much stronger than a similar fine silver version would have. Even so, I was able to cushion the surface and carefully reshape the window.

The color of the fired sterling is lovely. Not bright white like with the fine silver, but a mellow low shine. When I polished up the back of the brooch, it seemed to take a bright shine more easily than fine silver, perhaps because it's harder. Now I'm torn on whether to polish the front or leave it matte.

This photo with the index card template I used to cut out the window shows the shrinkage, which I measured to be 18-19%. The fired weight of the brooch is 9.1 grams or about a third of an ounce.

Next, I need to check the hinge hole diameter, which looks pretty fine, and I may have to drill it larger. Then I'll cut, install and sharpen the double pin stem.

Firing Sterling Clay

2012-01-03T21:58:00.001-06:00

Today I did my final finish work on the Treetop brooch, so that it was ready for firing. Because both the front and back are not flat, I supported the piece in a bowl of vermiculite for the open shelf firing.

After 30 minutes at 1000°F, the piece looked relatively unchanged, but perhaps even darker gray in color.

To prevent carbon inside the open areas from distorting the shape during substantial shrinkage, I placed the brooch face down on a crude envelope of fine stainless steel mesh. I just folded the mesh in half with a slight dome to the top. The packet was placed on half an inch of carbon in a stainless steel container, then covered with another half inch and a lid. I held the dome in place while covering half of the packet to try to avoid compacting down the envelope on top of the piece.

My only concern now is whether the contact with the mesh at the bottom will provide enough drag to limit shrinkage. Perhaps I should have placed a sheet of fiber paper there as well or instead of the metal mesh. Even so, the kiln is firing to 1500°F for two hours. The package says 30 minutes is sufficient, but as with all sintering processes, longer times give denser material, although with diminishing returns. I'll let the piece cool overnight in the kiln and check it in the morning. Wish me luck!

Testing the Strength of Sterling Clay

2012-01-02T12:49:00.002-06:00

One of the prime potential advantages of sterling clay is improved strength over fine silver clay. Adding copper to silver to make sterling is traditional for just this reason. While fine silver is easy to work with, it’s necessary to use more of it, to build heavier to take abuse, and generally to compensate for its inherent weakness. So trying a brooch for my first experiments with this material offers me the opportunity to test its mettle. With a fine silver brooch, I’d make the pin mechanism from another material. In the past, I’ve tried a variety of approaches: perhaps an embedded commercial sterling finding with a nickel pin stem added after finishing or a handmade forged sterling wire fibula soldered in place. With sterling clay, I wanted to try making a traditional mechanism inherently designed at the clay stage.

After agonizing over all the options and finding myself frozen with possibilities, I decided to stay simple for this first experiment. A double pin stem hinged clasp requires only a short piece of tubing for the hinge joint and a C-shaped catch to capture the ends of the U-shaped wire pin stem.

I rolled out a 3 cards thick slab of sterling clay and rough cut it to shape with a scalpel. Then I loaded sterling clay into my extruder to make a hollow tube. Unfortunately I don’t have a hole plate for the extruder as fine as I would like, so I modified the fat tube by inserting a straight piece of wire inside, then rolling the supported tube with a flat plastic roller as if I were making a regular clay coil. When I had the thickness of the coil reduced, I removed the wire carefully to restore the hole and left it to dry on a sponge.

After drying, I filed out the opening in the catch, then cut the tubing to hinge length.

Both were attached to the back of the brooch, near the top to insure that the pin hangs well. After some final refining, I'll fire the piece.

Updates for a New Year

2012-01-01T13:47:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! I, like everyone else, have a lot of resolutions for the new year. Among them is a plan to get more organized and to catch up on some small details that niggle at the back of my mind, but don't get the attention, including website and blog facelifts.

New Header

One such item is my blog and website header. Because Facebook Timeline is coming and allows a large cover image, I decided to modify my existing header to fit. While I was at it, I thought it was high time that I updated some of the small images that make up my simple design. Not every single one changed, but there's clearly a different feel.

Old Header

Now I'm busily trying to remember how to insert the new images into the blog and website templates, along with updating copyright dates and other minor tweaks.

Experiments with the New Sterling Clay

2011-12-29T17:28:00.000-06:00

I've finally had a bit of time to experiment with the recently released sterling silver clay. After debating whether to do some simple test pieces first or just go all out, I decided to work on a design that has been calling to me.

I began by rolling and cutting out the window. The clay itself is darker in color than fine silver clay, but very malleable and easy to work with. After making dozens of tiny leaves, I'd say that sterling clay is actually easier to work with than fine silver. It seems to hold moisture better and longer. I had absolutely no issues with cracking or drying out the clay from too much handling. When I felt I needed to remoisten something, I just spritzed with a fine mist of water, which absorbed quickly and returned the clay to beautiful consistency. Assembly worked well with thick paste, and the bird took details beautifully, both pressed and carved. Essentially, I worked it just as I would PMC3.

Now, onward to the test firing, once I get the pin back details ironed out.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:23:00.017-06:00

The big day is almost here, and I have at last admitted that no more will get done. There's only so much time for decorating and cooking, and then I must just stop and enjoy it the way it is.

No, the draperies for the new family room will not get made before Christmas, but there's always next year.

I can enjoy the fun I had with limiting my decorating palette to match the espresso, cream and lime of the new room. The boxes of more traditional ornaments still sit in the garage, waiting for me to return to them in future years.

The mantle will not get swaged with greenery, but stay in this rather pristine state. There will be no cream quilted stockings to hang here this round, but the old traditional stockings will pop out in the morning, stuffed too full to safely hang.

I loved all the photos of bare branch Christmas trees that I collected on Pinterest, so I made a quick version for my living room coffee table with frosted branches from Michael's nestled into a crystal vase filled with rock salt and hung with tiny glass balls. I really wanted a huge pot filled with tall white branches, but maybe I can do that next year.

I still didn't get the shelf painted so that the family china can go back into the buffet, but Christmas Eve dinner was served from those plates anyway.

It's time to stop and enjoy what I did accomplish. Dreams are always bigger than reality, but without the dreams we'd stop far short. I hope your dreams took you far this year. Merry Christmas to all!

Buy Handmade for the Holidays

2011-12-23T15:01:00.000-06:00

In trying to do my part to support artists during this holiday season, I placed my first order to Artful Home. I ordered a pair of handmade ceramic mugs. These are technically my father's gift to me this Christmas, but I got to do my own shopping.

Aren't they beautiful? The light clay base is covered in black slip, then hand-carved by the artist, Jennifer Falter. For bird lovers like myself, these should be perfect for that morning cup of tea or coffee.

I hope you also have searched out some special artwork to grace your gift giving this year. Merry Christmas to all!

The Great Annual Studio Reorganization

2011-12-10T15:32:00.000-06:00

As I've struggled recently to get any work done in my studio, I've blamed it on the occasional artistic ennui, a time to fill the well. The recent demise of my trusted PC has led to a new tenant in the room, an elegant, alien iMac occupying less space than its clunky, techy cousin. Bringing in that big and beautiful toy prompted reassessment of the desk, covered with mountains of "stuff."

Thus began the Great Annual Studio Reorganization (I checked -- it has been a bit over a year since the last iteration). I realize now that part of my aversion to working is not quiet time to recharge, but rather an inability to work around the clutter covering every surface. Pushing things back to clear a tiny workspace is not conducive to free creativity!

So far in the last few days, I've cleared off my desktop around the computer. I've reorganized two drawers full of office gear, and I've started purging the paper files so that I can find room to stuff something new into the drawer. I've also committed to a more paperless existence, scanning myriads of documents I hate to toss, but which I could undoubtedly never locate if needed. Now they reside on my hard drive, with searchable titles. Five boxes of books, mostly homeschool related, went to the buyers at a local used book reseller. While these mundane tasks don't seem directly related to making new art, I feel freer just being able to see the top of my desk again. I've at least been able to stay on task with this particular assignment.

Anyone else having the urge to reorganize your space at this crazy time of year?

Earrings Old and New

2011-11-28T17:26:00.001-06:00

Finally today I was able to finish up some earrings hanging out on my work table. First up is a new design, with a domed oval set into a flat frame. Called Nesting, these earrings depict a parent bird and a hungry nestling in the treetops.

This design is an extension of my favorite Meadowlark earrings, which incorporate that flat window frame with sculptural branches and birds. I've sold several pair of the Meadowlarks, each set one-of-a-kind with different birds and branch configurations. This is the design I choose to wear myself, day in and day out as I think it represents my personal imagery at its very best.

I'm trying to extend the concepts that I like the most about the Meadowlarks to make a larger collection of earrings, since I want to try approaching galleries about carrying my work. Meanwhile, both sets of earrings will be available in my Etsy shop, in case you're looking for a special gift for someone on your list (or yourself!).

SOFA Travel Art Project

2011-11-18T08:28:00.000-06:00

This year, we stayed a bit longer at SOFA, which made more more time. More time to visit the show on three consecutive days, seeing different things each pass. More time for sleeping and eating incredible food such as tapas and a seven course tasting menu. More time for cruising the corridors at Blick (the store front version of Dick Blick) for art supplies. More time for writing in my journal about what I saw and for recording new ideas in my sketchbook. And more time for a travel art project.

When I recently ordered a new leather ottoman for my remodeled family room, I collected leather color samples. I started to toss them out, but some little voice in my head said that I would need them soon. Sure enough, I saw an adorable tiny book necklace in blogland and perused lots of examples on Etsy. Thus the idea to take supplies to make tiny books was born. Truthfully, I am still mourning a tiny book left behind on my last Italy trip.

I packed the leather samples, thread and needles, a stack of copy paper pages trimmed to 1” x 1.5”, and a selection of beads and cords for trimming. Sitting in my hotel room in the evenings, Julie and I cut leather covers, creased pages, formed pages into signatures, and then stitched them onto the leather bindings. Eventually, we decorated them in our own styles. I used a Coptic marker for my design, while Julie scratched hers into the surface. A few pearl beads and a wrap of faux leather cord served for a closure. Then we shopped at Navy Pier for cheap bead necklaces to hang them. I haven’t strung mine yet, and may not do so.

However, I am looking forward to some tiny entries.

Highlights of SOFA 2011, Part III

2011-11-17T15:19:00.004-06:00

Big computer issues here in the Hallmark Studio – hardware damage on the disk right in the area where my e-mail program resides. If you are waiting for a response from me, I may have lost your message into the abyss or I may just not have dredged it back up yet. I’m learning lots about running “safe” mode. Thank goodness there is a computer wizard at my house, at least when he returns from his latest business trip.

Silke Knetsch & Christian Streit

Here are a last few impressions from SOFA before I move my writings on to other activities. Being that I love jewelry, I’m very attracted to the many galleries who exhibit jewelry at SOFA. Aaron Faber from New York City was in their usual booth with case after case of interesting adornment. Silke Knetsch and Christian Streit had some striking rings. I wasn’t familiar with their work, so I had a jaw-dropping time perusing their website.

Wendy McAllister

Wendy McAllister’s enamel jewelry at Charon Kranson Arts, also in New York City, was as compelling as always.

Jacklyn Davidson

They also had new work from Jacklyn Davidson, cuffs and collars made of blackened steel.

Artist needed

Other random work that really captivated me included this all-seeing ceramic owl. Unfortunately my photo of the artist’s name is unreadable. I’d love to give attribution if anyone recognizes this piece.

Eunmi Chun

There was entire menagerie of these small animals, constructed of cow gut and gold-plated hair! The artist is Eunmi Chun and they were shown by Ornamentum Gallery in Hudson, NY. I didn’t realize until I looked at the website that they were brooches, as they were all at least fist sized.

To get a better taste of SOFA Chicago 2011, check out the SOFAexpo Flickr stream.

Highlights of SOFA Chicago 2011, Part II

2011-11-10T09:54:00.002-06:00

By far the most inspiring works I saw at SOFA this year were the bronze sculptures of Ted Gall, shown by Donna Schneier Fine Arts from Palm Beach. This former animator constructs complex sculptures with articulations that just wowed me. Interestingly enough, now that I’m home, I don’t even see him listed on their artist list, and the SOFA exhibitors show him with two other galleries. I wonder about that interesting story. Suffice to say there were loads of smaller pieces that were all sold. The artist wandering around opening the pieces no doubt contributed to the fascination of many.
This piece has tiny people carrying wings walking into the back of the head. The top of the head tips up to reveal inner workings. I don’t seem to have the actual title saved, but I know it involved Wisdom.
Here’s a smaller bird house, tipped open, with its red dot to indicate it sold ($3800).
I was also drawn to a Da Vinci flyer piece with movable wings, at the far right side of this photo.
A new gallery that I really enjoyed was Lucky Girls Gallery from New Orleans.
The jewelry made by Ann Marie Cianciolo captivated me with tiny bird rings, including the carousel that spins and a birdcage (how often I’ve contemplated one of my own!). Unfortunately, her website seems to show only the more conventional pieces, which were nice but not as unique.
Other fun items included the heavily beaded sculptures by Betsy Youngquist, with porcelain faces, glass eyes, and other doll parts. Go to her website to see a menagerie of wild characters and watch the many videos of their creation.
More inspiration coming up!

Highlights from SOFA Chicago 2011, Part I

2011-11-09T15:39:00.002-06:00

Flying to Chicago for SOFA, The International Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art, has become an annual pilgrimage for me. I look forward all year to a jolt of inspiration and a heavy dollop of introspection about my own direction. This year’s show felt quite reminiscent of last year’s, with lots of repeating artists represented and seemingly the exact same work appearing in at least one instance. My major impression was that the work was very similar but scaled back. There were far fewer enormous glass sculptures and overall the prices seemed commensurately lower. The red dot representation this year was also lower in my estimation.
Some of my favorite artists from last year’s show presented similar work this year. The adult-sized glass wings by Mathieu Grodet and Tanya Lyons, exhibited by Galerie Elena Lee in Montreal, shrank from last year to child-sized this year. Sometimes size matters, as these just didn’t carry the same sense of awe as those last year, and none sold that I saw, despite similarly scaled down pricing.
I wished I could lift the top off Janis Miltenberger’s exquisite lampworked birdcage, exhibited by Thomas R. Riley Galleries from Cleveland. I don’t think many people realize the level of detail in these pieces and that they come apart to allow viewing of the interior. They always make me want to pull out the borosilicate glass and work more sculpturally on the torch.
There were also artists that weren’t present last year, like the masterful Bertil Vallien. Hawk Galleries from Columbus presented a huge space filled with his incredible cast glass sentinels, heads and boats. Go to the gallery link to view the catalog from his current solo show.
Seeing his work promted me to press my friend that attends the show with me to bequeath her Vallien sculpture, won as a prize in an art quilt competition, to me in the event of her untimely passing before me, well her elder. Cast glass is another potential direction I debate exploring.
Emily Brock‘s wonderfully detailed glass dioramas were perfectly presented in a dark space with spotlights so that they seemingly floated. This piece, Telling Stories, combines kiln-formed, cast & lampworked glass. Habatat Galleries showed a room full of these as part of their immense glass exhibit.
More details coming soon.

Refinishing Furniture with Chalk Paint

2011-10-31T12:55:00.004-05:00

After a week of work, the buffet finally moved back inside this weekend. I’m happy with how it looks, but not necessarily satisfied that it fits into the new look of the space, which is more contemporary.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is interesting. It’s a special paint that can go over anything without primer and is then sealed with wax. The appeal is that it is easy to distress, in that its chalky finish abrades off with sandpaper beautifully and it doesn’t have that plastic texture from latex that peels. I admit to feeling less than enamored with the paint, as it took multiple coats, left lots of brush marks, scratched off easily, and cost a fortune (for paint). However, I do love the wax finish, which gives a very soft, mellow feeling to the entire piece. I even used wax on the top after I stained it darker with Minwax PolyShades “one-step” stain plus polyurethane (five coats! so definitely not one step). The black water ring is undetectable after my bleaching.

I only have the interior shelf left to paint and wax, although I’m contemplating lining the drawers with wallpaper since I have my doubts about how well the interior paint will wear with the daily use of pulling out table linens. So, I should be getting back to metal and glass shortly, but first I have the second Roman shade for over my breakfast table underway.

My Favorite Class Sample

2011-10-28T08:34:00.002-05:00

Class samples are interesting things. They have to be simple enough that even beginners can make them (because there always seems to be someone new diving into metal clay). They also need to be interesting enough to not bore advanced students nor drive me crazy, as I need a new one every time to show construction techniques.

My Garden Windows Pendant workshop is all about painting on glass with vitreous enamels and then setting that glass into silver. Although there are many ways to mesh glass with silver, I demonstrate a sample that can incorporate a lot of techniques to increase complexity for those who want to push their skills, but can stay simple for the newbies.

The last sample I made included a painting bird and nest with a lot of detail, although there’s a limit to the detail you can put onto a tile 5/8” x 1 1/4” in size. The flat window of this pendant is what makes it simple, but it can also seem limiting. Although I love a basic oval, and have many class samples with that shape, I encourage students to experiment with variations. A slight change in the outline makes the work more original and intriguing. This shield shape is my latest.

Family Room Remodel

2011-10-27T11:59:00.003-05:00

Wondering where I've been since I returned from Pennsylvania? I've been putting the family room back together. It's the domino effect! We love the remodeled kitchen, but it made the adjoining room look dowdy. So we decided to finally commit to the built-in bookcases we talked about over 13 years ago when we bought the house.

The finishing touches of the installation were done right before I left town, so I came home to find the sofa in place with the TV and stereo installed by my husband, but all the other belongings still packed away. Important things, you know! Actually he did clean the floors and unroll the rug and bring back in a couple of chairs, since replaced. I've been busy unpacking boxes and scrounging decorative items from elsewhere in the house to stage the built-ins for a photo shoot this morning. The remodeling company is entering photos of the kitchen and matching family room cabinetry into a remodeling magazine competition. Let’s hope Heather takes better photos than I did this morning.

Despite more than a week of furious work, I still have lots to go. My antique oak buffet is half refinished after hours of applying oxalic acid to bleach out the water mark from a leaky houseplant, then more hours staining just the top surface dark, and even more hours applying two coats of Old White chalk paint (all the rage in DIY blog land). I'm almost to the point of distressing the paint to highlight the carved details before waxing the entire thing multiple times. Funny how I thought one of those blogs described this as a fast process. Not for me!

Then there's the window treatments and throw pillows. I have the Roman shade over the kitchen sink made (it's too embarrassing to admit how many measuring/sewing/ripping errors I committed!), and I’m taking a breather before the one over the breakfast table. The kidney pillows for the white chairs are cut (1" too short in one direction, sigh), so waiting my trip to a fabric store to search for trim to extend them. Rolls of fabric, green with arabesque embroidery and cream linen, are standing at attention waiting for me to construct the color block draperies for the family room. I’m so glad I’m saving zillions of dollars by doing this all myself, but I understand why these things are so expensive to hire out.

What do you think of my tuxedo cabinets? The cabinetmaker came out to see them installed and told me he thought I was nuts when he saw the design called for half dark and half white. I wanted to tie into the kitchen, which has a dark island and dark counters, as well as balance the super dark brown leather sofa sitting on the opposite wall. The cabinetmaker now says he likes it, but maybe he was just saying that to please his customer.

I only finally started to unpack my class luggage this morning, when it occurred to me that I left an almost full syringe of silver clay hanging out in there. EEEK! I need to finish the house (this area anyway!), so I'll have some creative energy left to get back to jewelry.

Glass Painting and Silver Clay Workshop at Gage Designs

2011-10-17T12:10:00.001-05:00

I'm home from my weekend in beautiful Pennsylvania, where I led an exploration of painting on glass and setting glass into silver clay. The class of ten students did some beautiful work. Unfortunately for me, despite sitting in the charger for weeks (evidently unplugged), my camera battery was nearly dead. Luckily, Holly's camera worked!

Enamel on glass paintings by Holly Gage (two on left reverse, others surface)

The class learned two types of painting on glass: surface painting onto an opaque white glass with watercolor enamels and reverse painting onto clear transparent glass with opaque enamels. To appreciate the detail achievable in the paintings by the talented Holly Gage, you need to know that the glass size is 5/8" x 1 1/4"!

Enamel painting on glass
Top, L to R: Helene Richards, Karen Quirk Douglass (2); bottom: Kimberle Gage Swanson

I also demonstrated my method of setting the glass in silver by pre-firing components and then firing the assembly with glass inserted.

Dorothy Thompson - painted enamel on glass set in fine silver clay

Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of all the work, but these photos were all posted by Holly Gage.

Enamel painting on glass set in fine silver clay
Karen Quirk Douglass

Painted enamel on glass set in fine silver clay
Terri Werner

Can you believe that this wonderful owl pendant was the first metal clay project ever for Terri Werner??? While Terri was a bit intimidated by the skills of her fellow students, I think this is a simply stunning piece!

Enamel painting on glass set in fine silver clay
Kimberle Gage Swanson

This beautiful pendant was designed and executed immaculately by Holly's sister-in-law, Kimberle Gage Swanson, obviously talented in her own right.

Enamel painting on glass set in fine silver clay
Christine Miller

Enamel painting on glass set in fine silver clay
Helene Richardson

It was a great trip. The students were fun, enthusiastic and productive. Holly did an amazing job of preparing and assembling supplies. She and her family also welcomed me into their home, where Holly shared her studio and supplies with me for late night play sessions, while her husband pampered me with gourmet meals (pumpkin lasagna!!) and her daughter, Megan, aspiring veterinarian, showed off her amazing domestic leopard cat and miniature rabbits. After a few days of rain, the weather turned sunny and gorgeous, with trees turning red, an amazing sunset after the last storm, and images recorded in my memory of pristine farms on rolling hills with Amish horses and buggies pattering past.

Glass Breakage!

2011-10-06T13:26:00.002-05:00

That’s what I get for bragging on my technique for embedding glass into silver. I’ve never had cracks before, but here they are, right after I opened my big fat mouth.

Yesterday morning I took photos of the pendant and all was well. As I was constructing the necklace to hang it, I noticed a flash of color from the glass that made me pause. It appeared to be a fine crack starting from the back of the glass and propagating toward the surface.

As the day wore on, the crack propagated, and more formed. There are multiple possible causes.

Perhaps the mounting in this case was too tight. I left a bit of space all around the edges, as usual, so I suspect that’s not the cause.
The back of the pendant was not completely flat, because of deformation caused by the bezel cup on the front. When viewed from the back, there is actually a depression where the cup is attached. I believe it’s more likely that non-uniformity of stresses across the glass could cause the breakage.
Finally, I did some things differently in the enamel on this painting. Specifically, the enamel is much thicker than usual. Because the cracks really appeared to emanate from the back surface of the glass, where the enamel was applied, it makes me think this may really be the issue.

So, you can be sure I will be much more careful in the future, as I try to figure out these factors. Meanwhile, I’ve looked up the tricks of the trade for “healing” cracks in glass. It seems that windshield cracks are often mended by applying a resin to the surface, so I will see if a clear resin coat here will make the cracks less apparent.

Completed Freeform Glass and Silver Pendant

2011-10-05T10:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I assembled the pendant and fired. Today I brushed up the silver and added a dark patina and set the labradorite cabochon. Next, I’ll be adding some special details to the necklace from which the pendant will hang.

For those near Philadelphia, I believe there is one seat left in my upcoming two-day workshop, October 14-15, where you could learn all the details of the techniques I used in this pendant. It’s easy and fun and offers unlimited possibilities for adding color and personalization to your work. Contact Holly Gage for details.

Freeform Glass & Silver Pendant

2011-10-03T16:15:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned, the new pendant has a different design process. The silver box form that holds the glass was formed first.

Then the front of the pendant was textured with tear-aways on both sides, and the hand-sculpted bird and branch were applied over the top. The bezel cup will hold a 10 mm cabochon.

Only after the components were complete and fired did I trace the box form onto glass. After cutting and grinding to a perfect fit, I applied the enamel design to coordinate with the sculpted branch.
After assembly the pendant will be complete. This one called out for a very different necklace design, so I fused some Argentium rings onto the corners for attachments.

Developing a Jewelry Design

2011-09-28T20:16:00.000-05:00

As I work with glass and silver recently, I'm consciously trying to move the designs forward. Originally I worked with rectangles of glass, since that's the easiest to cut. I combined these with flat mountings at first, then incorporated more decorative elements to go into the third dimension. Last week I finally moved to circles of glass, always harder to cut and grind, especially when they are tiny. I also tried a new setting, using a traditional lentil construction.

This week, I'm going more free form. I've flipped my process around, making the setting first this round, whereas I usually paint and then design a mounting. It allows me a lot more freedom, as I can do the sizing perfectly the first time with no shrinkage calculations. And I can integrate the design of the setting with the painting, as here where the branch design is part silver 3D sculpted on top and painted glass in the background. It reminds me of my quilt designs where I would flip color values at borders for more interest.

I've gone back to drawing in my sketchbook as well. These two drawings show the evolution of the latest pendant design. I started out with a triangular shape with an offset opening, then in the process of drawing in the texture, I realized I should make the silver and glass work together. So I drew a new version incorporating that idea. The setting was cut and refined easily. Now I need to cut the glass and paint it to assemble tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Art Making Requires Stubborness

2011-09-26T10:51:00.003-05:00

I just thought that the studio gremlins had retreated after I vanquished them over the last Garden Window glass and silver pendant. My idea for a new mounting seemed much simpler, but didn't prove to be so.

How many issues were there?

Shrinkage. I calculated based on diameter of the glass disc insert, but didn't account for the thickness.
Breakage. I tossed the front piece onto the floor going out to the kiln. Three pieces from one!
Poor workmanship. One repaired seam held; the other did not.

I made three glass tiles and two silver mounts before finishing one piece. In effect, it's just a lentil with glass in the center. The simplest of the simple, right?

The glass slumped to fit the curve of the back piece, so it has a nice hollow feel to it. Good thing I did not put it in the kiln upside down, or there would have been a fourth item on the list above.

Thank you, studio gremlins, for finally caving and letting the work move forward. I credit them with having a heart as my birthday hour neared.

Creativity is Everywhere

2011-09-18T22:15:00.000-05:00

Even my fortune cookie is telling me something. Too funny!

New Glass & Silver Pendant Finally Finished

2011-09-17T14:52:00.002-05:00

Why do simple ideas sometimes get more involved? I thought I was going to whip out a few simple Garden Window Pendants, but then the muse took over. The simple oval I've used so many times looked flat and boring, so I cut a new shape. Then I had to carve out the corners to make that triangular shape more reminiscent of birdhouses. I decided to fix the flatness issue by adding a couple of bezel set sapphires and a bunch of vine decorations.

Then the back looked neglected, so I added more leaves and berries there as well. After firing, I tried a plain heavy jumpring bail, intending to texture it with pliers, but that just didn't seem substantial enough. So I cut out a selection of bails. Only to have them be too small after firing. Remember that shrinkage thing, Vic? So I finally got smarter and cut a bail from an index card to match to my original index card template for the pendant. Fool me only once! That simple bail called out for some decorations of its own.

You can see the next issue coming, can't you? The simple ball chain just won't do. Now I have these visions of a necklace to suit the pendant.

When, oh when, will I get to those other glass paintings?

I'm Presenting at the PMC Guild Conference 2012!

2011-09-14T19:21:00.002-05:00

As you may know, the final conference ever for the PMC Guild is coming up next summer. After the conference, the Guild is disbanding, so this is should be an especially bittersweet meeting. The program has just been posted, and I'm honored to announce that I'll be abetting Barbara Becker Simon with a demonstration on combining glass with metal clay.

Tim McCreight introduced the team demos last year and they were a big hit. Essentially, the two presenters trade off fast and furious demonstrations for an hour, leaving room for questions as well as entertainment. Barbara and I will try to present an interesting array of ways to combine glass with metal clay, while avoiding the most predictable and well known.

Amongst the speakers: Keynote Speaker Ellen Wieske, Tim McCreight, Jeanette Landenwitch, Elizabeth Agte, Lisa Cain, Susan Dilger, Celie Fago (w/ Ellen Wieske), Holly Gage, Lora Hart, Hadar Jacobson, Donna Penoyer, Helga van Leipsig. Other demonstrators by Chris Darway and Terry Kowalcik, and a Japanese artist to be announced.

Back to Glass with Silver

2011-09-13T20:11:00.003-05:00

I have a stack of enamel-painted glass tiles stashed in a drawer for the day when I make new silver mountings for them. Yesterday I cut and formed the metal clay pieces for a new pendant, and today I did a lot of detailed sculptural details on the front -- nothing fancy, but vines, leaves and bezel cups for cabochons. Tonight as the kiln is clicking away, I'm pondering the options for the glass to mount inside.

There are three types of enamel paintings here. One tile has just the black tracing. Several are reverse painted on clear glass with a coat of white on the back. The others are painted on the front with different enamels. The reverse paintings on clear are more vibrant, but they tend to react more with silver. Which to choose?

This is the technique I'll be teaching October 14-15 in Pennsylvania. One full day will be playing with the various enamels on glass. And the second day will be constructing a setting for one of the glass tiles. There are still seats available. Holly Gage has more information.

Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry 2012 Calendar Now Ready to Pre-Order!

2011-09-12T12:18:00.009-05:00

The fabulous Holly Gage has done it again! Along with jurors Emma Baird, Tracey Spurgin, and Lesley Messam, Holly selected work from over 300 submitted images to fill the pages of the 11" x 17" (open size) wall calendar.

From the gorgeous detail of Terry Kovalcik's locket on the front cover (above) to the work of the three jurors on the back, the calendar is filled with inspiring images of the best in metal clay today. Works from about forty of the best known and most accomplished artists in the field are accompanied by statements of inspiration or technique and website addresses. The calendar includes conference and competition deadlines to keep you on track.

This edition of the calendar is the most eclectic ever, showcasing silver, rose gold, bronze, copper, and steel clays. Take a look at the calendar preview and pre-order your copy today here.

I'm incredibly honored to be included again this year, with my syringe cloissone Vine earrings showing off enamel with silver clay in the month of October.

Overcoming Artistic Obstacles

2011-09-11T13:17:00.000-05:00

I'm relieved to put this brooch behind me! I finally decided that the message was to use plain copper for the sandwich, rather than enamel. After I finally removed all the enamel from the etching, I just polished it up and proceeded onto the riveting, which was more trouble than usual as well.

Overall, this piece is not what I envisioned, so I guess it's time to go back to the bench and try again. But at least I can call it finished!

There were some successes. I included my first ever commercial pin finding, sterling silver and nickel. That was easy enough. Usually I make my own findings, but it's good to know how to do both. And I had all that practice at enamel removal. And I'm back in gear with etching.

Art is a dance, forward and back.

Removing Vitreous Enamel

2011-09-09T10:47:00.002-05:00

Enamel is so beautiful when done correctly and so hard to remove when done wrong! Lately I'm getting a lot of practice with removing enamel. The technique I'm using came from Pam East's book "Enameling on Metal Clay." I've viewed this as a learning curve so as to have this skill in my toolbox when the day comes that I need to remove enamel from silver or copper clay. At the moment, I'm not removing enamel from metal clay at all. In fact, I'm working traditionally with smooth, sheet copper for my painted enamel, then mounting the enamel in silver via rivets. Even in this simpler situation, removing enamel is laborious and messy. Indeed, sawing a new piece of copper would be much easier, but not as educational. I expect that removing enamel from metal clay might be significantly harder, due to porosity of the metal surface, even if burnished heavily.

This particular brooch has been a torturous project. Sometimes, pieces just have a mind of their own. The enamel I used for the first pass at the center layer bled into a black blob, causing me to embark on this enamel removal training. Then I reapplied the enamel carefully and successfully with a different material, only to realize that somewhere along the way I'd rotated the copper so that the text was upside down. I tried another coat of white enamel to see if it would cover the black well enough, but the results were not very successful. Daunted, but determined, I embarked on enamel removal number two.

unsuccessful overcoat

Removing Vitreous Enamel from Copper

Mix equal parts of cream of tartar and salt. Add just enough distilled water to make a creamy paste.
Cover enamel with the paste. Place the work on a sheet of mica.

paste on enamel on mica

Pop into the kiln at enameling temperature, where the paste will proceed to burn, blacken, bubble. and smoke.

cooked removal paste on enamel

Pull the piece out and drop immediately into a bowl of cold water (you may have to dig the piece out of the mica with tweezers, as it sinks in). Pick off as much enamel as possible. If the enamel is thick, it may need several treatments, especially if there was counter enamel, as on this piece.

first pass

Repeat until enamel is gone. Then clean up the copper with a metal brush, sandpaper, pickle, etc.

third pass

Somewhere along in here, I decided to change the enamel to revisit the techniques coming up in the class I'm scheduled to teach in Pennsylvania in October. (Get info here on Holly Gage's Website, and contact her for seat availability.) So I etched a design into the copper instead of painting it. Then I added a layer of enamel, front and back. Usually I do this technique with a torch for control, but I decided to experiment with the kiln instead because we may have better kiln access than torch availability. I became distracted with cleaning up some of the mess in my studio (right in front of the kiln, so an obvious hazard) and overcooked the enamel, causing it to pit. Sigh. Just repeat all those steps shown above, with extra rounds to get all the enamel out of the etching. Call me a pro at removing vitreous enamel!

Studio Setbacks

2011-09-08T14:13:00.004-05:00

Some days are just not good studio days. Today I got SO close to finishing a ring that has sat on my bench for a year. I cut copper discs, then etched, domed, torch-enameled, relief-sanded and heat-patinated both. I chose my favorite for the ring and started to form the bezel around it. One of the reasons this ring mount has been sitting is that I didn't make it quite right. I made the bezel wall a bit too heavy, and I forgot to do the decorative edge before it was fired. Thus, today the bezel didn't fit as neatly as I would have liked, and the plain edge caused me to push the forming a bit too far. One slip and whack onto the enameled copper caused the glass to chip right off. See the bright, shiny copper area in the upper right quadrant? One ruined ring, this close to finished ...

What do you do when some days just go wrong? This isn't the only project I'm trying to progress on today, and it isn't the only one being difficult.

How to Personalize Your Design Sketchbook

2011-09-04T11:16:00.004-05:00

I've blogged many times about how I use my sketchbooks to work out design ideas. More and more frequently now, I actually reduce sketches to practice, with very close resemblance. For example, I blogged about the long delay while I learned to make the beads I drew in my sketchbook in just the way I'd visualized them here. My motto is "if I can draw it, I can build it." My choice of sketchbook to keep in my bag has heretofore been a large (5"x8.25") Moleskine plain paper sketchbook. I've gone through a stack of them, and more recently I have turned to the Volant soft cover notebooks that come in fun colors.

A few weeks ago I was thrilled to receive an announcement from Blurb that they were offering a new blank paper notebook option. As soon as I found a few free moments, I whipped together a sketchbook with illustrations from my Bird Journal and ordered copies in color and black-&-white to inspect. Now I'll be giving them a whirl as new tote-around sketchbooks.

Want a notebook with your own personal artwork on the front? I can imagine lots of possible uses besides sketching -- a log of accomplishments, a 'to-do' list file, a guest book for studio or booth, ... Just follow my easy directions below. My design is also available in my Etsy shop.

Design Your Own Notebook/Sketchbook:

Download BookSmart bookmaking software onto your computer from Blurb.com .
Start BookSmart and select Notebook, a 6" x 9" format book with full-color covers and blank pages. Click Continue.
Choose Lined, Grid or Blank pages, then click Continue.
Upload images from your computer or photo sites (you can add more later). The optimal cover image sizes are 1684 x 2584. I used Photoshop to add borders above and below to my previously square images. Click Continue for the guided step-by-step construction.
Drag photos from the 'My Photo's pane on the left side to the target cover or page. A slider bar at the bottom lets you scroll through the 100 pages. Just click on the page of choice to edit. This notebook template is set up for photo insertion every sixth page, but you can just leave the entire thing black inside if you prefer. I just drug in one of my high resolution square images to each of the templated image pages. These can be printed later in either color or black&white.
Add text (title and author, for example). I did my text when I added the borders in Photoshop, but it's easy to add here.
Make sure you add the back cover and a copyright statement somewhere inside.
At any point, click "Preview Book" to see what the book will look like. Beware images at too low resolution -- a yellow warning sign will appear. Return to make changes by clicking "Edit Book."
When the book is finished to your liking, from the Preview, click "Order Book."
Fill out information about the book, choosing whether it's private or public, add an author bio, set up preview pricing info, and order from the Blurb link. B/W notebooks are obviously much less expensive than color. That's all there is to it!

Front Page at Red Bubble

2011-08-31T21:10:00.000-05:00

I'm a star today! RedBubble chose one of my bird journal page images for their front page today. Less than 3 in a thousand works make the home page, so I'm honored. The front page theme is Spring (now, for September 1st???)

And my Spring image certainly fits that bill. Click on the image in the rotation on the RedBubble home page, or go directly to Spring Songs.

Upcoming Metal Clay Classes

2011-08-22T16:08:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to report that I have classes upcoming. Holly Gage has asked me to teach a couple of metal clay classes for the Greater Philadelphia Metal Clay Guild. Both of the two-day workshops involve combining other materials with metal clay. The dates are 14-15 and 16-17 of October, so they are just weeks away. If you live in the Philadelphia area or can visit the Northeast for a little fall weather (sounds good to this Texas girl on the 68th day of triple digits!), please contact Holly for more information.

In the glass class, we bring color to the world of metal clay with enamel painting. Using several types of enamel "ink" and "paint," we explore enameling on small slips of glass that can be set into various structures with a metal clay window. I've used this technique for pendants, bracelets, and rings, so the concept is pretty easily generalized. Previous students have really enjoyed drawing and painting on glass. It's fun and easy. Don't be intimidated if you don't draw or paint! I provide small drawings for copying, if you need a little inspiration. I also give a short drawing lesson, where I show you how to break images down to simple components -- circles, lines, curves, etc. You might be surprised at what you CAN draw! And there are a lot of other possibilities as well -- using a rubber stamp to print with enamel, for example. Of course, it is a metal clay class, so we build silver settings for the glass. Discussions include shrinkage, metal-glass reactions, prefired components, and a variety of embellishments from syringe to hand-forming.

The copper class focuses on adding color through enamel as well. We'll explore etching copper with a variety of resists to get your personal image onto the surface, cutting discs from sheet, and doming the discs. Then the color fun begins. I show how to apply enamels, how to use a torch or a kiln for firing the enamel, how to remove part of the enamel to reveal the raised areas of copper, and how to use color blending to get some beautiful shading in your enamels. Of course, mounting the enamels in metal clay is the ultimate goal, so we'll experiment with a ring setting. A variety of shank options are demonstrated -- wire, strap, and inserts. The setting options include bezels, tabs, and other cold connections. We will obviously also discuss shrinkage and sizing.

And in both workshops, I'll bring extra activities to jumpstart your artistic inspiration -- my ideas about creativity, originality, and personal voice. I hope you can join me!

Artistic Resistance Peaks after a Creative Hiatus

2011-08-15T15:28:00.003-05:00

Returning to a work in mid-process is a common trick for jump-starting studio time. This weekend I tried to resurrect a creation that has been sitting on my bench for months. This brooch has been a trial from the beginning.

Lessons learned:

Don't get cavalier with your medium. Just when you think you have it mastered, new issues will arise.
Cutting two pieces with the same template doesn't guarantee that the clay will dry evenly so that they match, and irregular shrinkage in the kiln can undo even greenware ministrations to fix the issue. Clay has memory, and repeatedly working it leads to trouble. Handle as little as possible.
Mistakes are opportunities. Repeat this statement as often as possible when Resistance strikes. Lots of mistakes mean lots of opportunities.
If the silver pieces don't match, there could be an insert showing to give a new edge and extra design options. If the enameled text on the insert bleeds into a huge black blob, it's an opportunity to learn to remove enamel from copper. Or an invitation to improve speed in fabricating a new blank with saw, file, and drill.
New ideas near completion may conveniently be accompanied by mistakes to insure that there is an opportunity to experiment. Take a deep breath. Maybe the day's work is done. But tomorrow's work will be to back up and try out that new idea.
How lovely that the pen work did not bleed on the second try ... but the background is boring. Naturally, the nature of those riveted holes will guarantee that the upside down artwork will be removed a second time.
Laugh. And then get back to work. Resistance is a sign that you are on the right track.

The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it. -- The War of Art

Fighting Artistic Resistance

2011-08-14T11:25:00.008-05:00

Back in the studio this morning, trying to attract the Muse, I'm pushing ahead on the enamel setting, despite feeling that the work is too much the same as some previous creations (but different enamels). Just do it, I tell myself.

When we sit own each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.

-- from "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles" by Steven Pressfield

I realized again today, as many times in the past when I've had a bit of a creative block, that I haven't bought any new music in some time. So I've caved to Reistance long enough to visit iTunes and purchase a couple of new albums. In my memories, specific albums are attached to major work. Something about the music actually makes the connection to the Muse easier. So today, I'm listening to Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars and Brandi Carlisle's "The Story."

Overcoming Artistic Resistance

2011-08-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Summer is filled with distractions. It's really almost impossible to not get off track somewhere and lose momentum in the studio. This week, I've been battling the hated artistic Resistance. What is Resistance, you ask? Let me quote from "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles" by Steven Pressfield:

There's a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don't, and the secret is this: It's not the wrting part that's hard. What's hard is sitting down to write.

What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.

Yes, he's talking about writing, but just substitute your creative activity of choice and the secret is the same.

Resistance is the enemy within.

Today I've ventured into the studio to complete a couple of projects, with deadlines looming, after a huge bout of Resistance telling me that other activities were more important this past few weeks: unpacking kitchen boxes, nursing the teen after wisdom teeth removal, trying to help my father find a pain management physician that will meet his needs, researching curriculum for a new school year.

This morning, I've cleaned my metal clay work area and begun unpacking the suitcases full of supplies still sitting in my studio floor after two summer trips with gear in tow.

More importantly, I calculated the size for a setting for one of my enamels from my recent workshop with Charity Hall and then sat down and built a polymer clay form to support the sides. I rolled and textured silver clay for the first time in many weeks, then cut out the back disc and wrapped clay around the sides of the form for the bezel.

I've begun to fight the Resistance.

Using Sketchbooks: Making a Vision Come True

2011-08-04T14:48:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love most about my ever present sketchbook is that it preserves ideas for later inspiration. Sometimes bringing a vision to fruition can take a while.

I first drew the treetop beads on October 15, 2009, almost two years ago. I envisioned a necklace of various soft colors with unifying silver glass stringer. Of course, I found that I couldn't make those beads, because the process of reducing the silver glass stringer would produce metal fumes that would change the color of the base bead. I struggled for ages, trying every color I could reach. Sky blue and copper green were less susceptible to the fuming, while a few other colors transmuted to something tolerable, but most just turned sickly brown.

Finally, after probably a hundred beads, I stumbled upon a way to finally make the beads of my vision. And the necklace looks remarkably like what I drew! I didn't take a very good photo, but there is a bird on every bead (at least one). I sold many of the best treetop beads during the ISGB Gathering Bead Bazaar on Saturday, so I need to make a few more to put the necklace together in the way I desire. Colors available: goldenrod, apricot, peach, orchid, lilac, gray, kiwi, lime, sky.

I think I'll go revisit my sketchbook for more good ideas long past due.

Make a Bead Display from a Shadow Box Frame

2011-07-25T21:54:00.005-05:00

Since I'm heading off to the Gathering this week, I've been working on new displays for beads. I'll have a half-table at the Bead Bazaar on Saturday. In addition to a collection of treetop beads in all colors, I'll have copies of my electro-forming book, electroformed beads and vessels, bird vessels, and a few koi beads.

The new displays are made from shadow boxes with hinged magnetic covers. I removed the glass panes, cut slots to hold steel mandrels, then mounted the beads with tiny o-rings at either end so they don't slip off. It's pretty easy to open the cover to remove a rod of beads, then slip the o-ring off and select the appropriate bead. We'll see how this plays out in real life. Of course, vessels are a different matter altogether.

I'm trying to keep my display minimal, since I have to transport it all to Louisville and checked bag fees really eat into the profits. Of course, carrying the merchandise is mandatory, but displays, table cover, lights, packaging, and so forth (not to mention clothing) really add up to an extra bag very quickly. This display can be set up in my room the night before, then transported to the show hall intact and quickly placed on the table. Back home, it'll make a nice display for in my studio.

Now, I want to make a necklace to wear from some of these treetop beads, but I need it to be simple because I'll want to disassemble it to sell the beads! If only I'd made more...but there's nothing to do but take what I have.

Catalog Available for "New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World"

2011-07-20T17:55:00.001-05:00

Last week the Metal Clay World Conference hosted an exhibit from CraftHaus called New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World. The CraftHaus exhibit is an online exhibit, so the conference exhibit utilized large format photos of each work. The first half of the exhibit premiered several months ago, and the second half is now online. I'm pleased that my Birdwatching bracelet is included along with the finest work of many amazing metal clay artists.

New Directions: by Susan Breen Silvy & Christine Norton | Make Your Own Book

To immortalize the exhibit, a printed catalog is available through Blurb, including all the juried photos. Part of the proceeds support CERF, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.

Kitchen Remodel, Complete

2011-07-18T20:39:00.000-05:00

This weekend we got to start unpacking the myriad boxes of kitchen supplies. Yesterday we cooked for real at home for the first time in five weeks -- baked potatoes in one oven, apricot cobbler in another and mushroom wine sauce on the cooktop to go over the grilled steaks. Then this morning we had to make breakfast, and I whipped up fish tacos with honey-cumin slaw and chipotle sauce for dinner tonight. What a relief to have real home cooking again!

Here's the view of the finished kitchen, before the mess of unpacking began.

I love the Shaker feet added to the cooktop and sink cabs.

So far my new pantry is more functional than the old corner closet pantry, and the room feels much bigger without that visual wall. The drawers below are better than shelves for bags of pasta and grains. All my baking supplies are now more logically together in the cabinet left of the cooktop.

The Roomba and Scooba robots live with their charging stations hidden below the island.

The trash and recycling bins live together in the trash pullout, while baking dishes pack efficiently on side in the oven drawer.

We have lots more work to do to truly be finished: dividers and organizers inside drawers and cabinets, new window treatments, and - oh, yea - unpacking.

Treetop Beads for the Gathering

2011-07-15T12:46:00.000-05:00

Interspersed (widely) with the kitchen remodel, I've been making a few treetop beads out in the broiling hot studio. I've narrowed the focus down to just this one style. The only variation I allow myself is the color of enamels I use, as I experiment with various combinations. Naturally, they are all one of a kind, as each branch and leaf and bird is unique. The freedom of having a formula to follow is rather meditative.

Destined for my half table at the Bead Bazaar in Louisville, KY on July 30, and then my Etsy shop after that if unsold.

Kitchen Remodel, Hood & Paint

2011-07-14T17:31:00.004-05:00

The remodel is winding down. One to five people have been working steadily all day. This morning the electrical service for the oven was repaired, the hood installation was completed, and the walls and trim were repainted (BM Sherwood Tan = SW Latte).

This afternoon, the hardware installation started and touch-ups for the cabinets are underway. The drawer for under my cooktop arrived, having been completed only once it was certain how much the gas line and cooktop might constrain it, but hasn't been attached yet. The Shaker feet for the sink and cooktop cabinets were put in place.

Months ago when I purchased the hardware, I also ordered white Gilder's Paste to apply a cream patina for the island hardware. Despite hours of searching, I never found separate hardware that I liked more than my leaves, so I patinated six pulls today to contrast with the dark wood. We'll see how well it wears. Funny that Gilder's Paste, which I've had in my bag of tricks for two years now, has become all the rage in the metal clay world just recently.

The tile under the hood looks much better with light, which gives shadow and dimension to the 3D basket weave border. I'm amused that the two wildflower tiles I chose to include are Mexican Hat and Turk's Cap.

I'm looking forward to getting back to normal life, complete with cooking and cleaning. I find the continual interruptions of the workmen hard to reconcile with working in the studio. Two weeks from today I'll be at the ISGB Gathering. I'll be bringing some beads to sell at the Bead Bazaar, but right now I'm thinking there won't be a lot to offer. I need to focus for the next two weeks, but first I have to unpack the kitchen!

Kitchen Remodel, Backsplash Begins

2011-07-11T20:41:00.001-05:00

The backsplash installation started today. Several years ago (I'm embarrassed to admit I've been holding these that long!), I commissioned a friend to make accent tiles for a new backsplash. I did mount the tiles she made for my fireplace myself (and I even finished the edge on that!), but never got around to the kitchen project. So when I started designing the kitchen, the tile was a driving force in decisions about colors and surfaces.

This Texas wildflower focal point was hand carved by Melodie Greider of Stickhorse Studios for over my old 30" cooktop. Since I changed to a larger 36" cooktop, I had to add a border to make the work more substantial.

I have another 13-14 of the large diamond tiles that will go somewhere else. Originally I planned to space them out on the perimeter, replacing the original green tiles. Now I think that approach seems dated and would detract from the focal point.

I am debating putting one on either side of the sink window bumpout, but can't decide whether that is a distraction as well. I'll need to make that decision by tomorrow morning, when the tile layer returns to finish off the installation. The tile over the cooktop will go all the way to the ceiling, and then the glass canopy Miele ventilation hood will hang over that, with lots of light to make the special tile pop. The grout lines will make the seams less obvious, not to mention the ever-so-attractive spacers will depart. I also feel relieved that the paint I tried on the wall seems to be perfect.

The focal rectangle took a lot of laying out and plotting to get just right, whereas the staggered 4" x 4" on either side just flew onto the wall. Funny how I tried several other possible layouts to use more of the larger tiles, but finally returned to the original plan. How to waste a weekend mocking up backsplashes in Photoshop!

Kitchen Remodel, Appliances

2011-07-09T19:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I only thought all the big items would be complete this week. Another week coming, for certain.

On Thursday afternoon, the new installer stared in disbelief at the joke of an installation by the first contractor. I wish I had a photo of his face -- it was priceless! The inept appliance guy with "forty years of experience" had bent tabs never meant to bend. He also reversed the mounting brackets, which oddly enough meant the oven wouldn't just slide in easily, so he forced it, further bending the brackets. Even so, the side trim just wouldn't go on.

No worries! The new guy took it all apart (forcing the oven back out), flattened everything and mounted it properly, in 15 minutes. The first guy spent over an hour, with an assistant, to do it wrong.

Another hour saw the second oven and cooktop installed and the markings for the hood on the wall. The oven breaker is still off until all the setup is run through, but the cooktop is functional at this point.

The plumber hooked up the new faucet, soap dispenser and disposal air swich in the evening. With running water, it feels like a kitchen again! The new counterdepth, French door refrigerator was delivered on Friday morning, with no issues.

The tile man showed up near Friday lunch time after a delay in the previous job, and we discussed layout for over an hour before he unloaded his tools and the tile. The eight boxes of tumbled travertine 4" x 4" tiles look nothing like my three samples. I describe them as moldy swiss cheese. The stone is extremely porous, to the point of one tile that I pulled out having a hole the size of a quarter in the center. This is the nature of natural stone, I'm told -- it varies. Some of the tiles were very dark as well, which distressed me less than the texture, since I have travertine accent tiles with high density and crisp edges. Refined travertine meet rustic travertine -- now go home.

So I spent my afternoon searching for better travertine tiles, finally finding a helpful warehouse guy who let me sort through a full pallet of Mexican tiles to find the ones with the sharpest edges. This stone varies a lot less in color, as well. Monday we'll try that tile thing again.

Meanwhile, I've been exploring paint, since the wall color was too close to the cabinet color.

Kitchen Remodel, Lights and Faucet

2011-07-07T09:25:00.001-05:00

Now in the fourth week of work, the kitchen remodel end is in sight. Yesterday the island was bolted to the floor, the electrical outlets in the island were installed, and the pendants over the island were hung. Three holes were drilled behind the sink for faucet, soap dispenser and air switch, waiting for the plumber to hook them up this evening.

Moldings are going in over the fridge wall cabinets, but there has been a tiny hitch there. The counter top on one side is 1/2" lower than the other side, due to tile on one side but not the other. This led to a gap at the ceiling, but that side is being raised today to solve the problem.

Appliance installation started on Tuesday, but the installer seemed totally unfamiliar with the Miele appliances we selected. After having to demand that he move the dishwasher back so that it didn't extend two inches past the granite and watching as he tried unsuccessfully to put the trim kit on the speed oven in the corner, we pulled the plug. A different installer that we had spoken with back at the beginning of this adventure, who doesn't need to read the cryptic German installation diagrams because he has done it before, is coming this afternoon to continue. With such a large investment in equipment, we don't want to have something installed incorrectly to void warranties. I particularly don't want to see my glass hood crashing off the wall.

Appliances this afternoon. Plumbing tonight. Refrigerator delivery in the morning. Backsplash installation tomorrow. All the big things should be done this week.

Bird Journal Prints Now Available

2011-07-06T13:55:00.003-05:00

For all those who have asked about prints for the wall, I've opened a Red Bubble shop. Here's your opportunity to get greeting cards, postcards, matted or laminated prints, canvas prints, posters, or even framed prints of my bird journal pages. This avoids the issue of me having to mass produce prints at high investment, but I still get a small profit from each purchase. So far, five pages are active, but I'll be adding more.

Prices for cards start at $2.60. Bird Journal Print Shop I hope some sell so that I can buy a set for my own wall!

Drawing and Painting with Enamels on Copper

2011-07-04T10:42:00.003-05:00

My head is full of ideas now that I've spent a week exploring a variety of painting and drawing with enamels. Charity Hall is an incredibly gifted artist who originally trained as a botanist and is married to an entomologist (hence her many bugs). There were many scientists in class; perhaps we just naturally gravitate toward enamels?

Some of the huge number of Charity Hall's enamel samples.

I think the class should be renamed to "Enamels for the Intimidated" or something equally encouraging, since I fear the class title frightened the more artistically challenged. Our class of seven was just over half full, a shame as Charity was a terrific teacher and the material was not inherently difficult. Yes, to draw or paint realistically requires previous training, but most of the techniques had easy and effective applications not requiring so much skill. Everyone in our class loved Charity's shortcuts, developed out of her experimental nature to see what happens if she goes against traditional wisdom. For example, cleaning metal is not really necessary for opaque enamels, although it does matter for transparents.

CW from upper left: sugar coat, transparent green over P3 brushed over chasing, overfired liquid 969, sugar over P3 and tracing black applied with pen, clear over P3 brushed over chasing, green enamel onto ink stamp on white base coat

The first day was spent making basic samples: sugar, orange peel, and glossy surfaces. We also experimented with simple surface design techniques -- enamel stamping, metal chasing, under and over firing, using black enamel with a pen or brush.

Graphite pencil over enamel base coat.

On the second day we learned to solder on sterling tubes for mounting stones and to prepare liquid enamels. One of the simplest techniques we learned involved drawing with a regular pencil onto a stoned enamel surface. The carbon from the pencil lead is absorbed by the enamel and leaves a permanent, if faded, image.

CW from upper left: enamel over Micron pen, sugar clear over underglaze pencils, glass painting watercolors, metal watercolors, underglaze pencils, clear over P3 by pen

Next we coated substrates with the liquid enamel for sgraffito and learned to use watercolor enamels in decidedly un-watercolor fashion. Then we mastered using the flex shaft and burs to cut the mountings for the tiny stones.

Sgraffito samples
upper left overfired, center left too thick
upper and lower left with tube mount CZs

For the next to last day, we experimented with glow powder for pieces to be viewed in the dark, fusing silver balls and wire into enamel, drawing with a pen, and underglaze pencils. Finally, there were demos of constructing various simple mountings for enamels, champleve and cloisonne.

CW from upper left: watercolor over sgraffito, sugar clear over watercolor, base + watercolor + pen + clear,
overfired base + watercolor + pen + clear, base + underglaze pencil + graphite pencil + watercolor + sugar clear,
base + underglaze pencil + graphite pencil + watercolor + sugar clear

I got side-tracked with the painting, which offered the possibility to finally build surfaces in enamel that follow the procedures I use on my bird journal pages. Once I started experimenting with layering the different media, I stopped making single technique samples and started building more detailed trials. Enamels are fussy, requiring close attention in the kiln, and even then I unfortunately overfired several of my favorite samples. I experienced the crackle patterns of transparents over opaques, the ever present burn out of some colors, and loss of detail from a final clear sugar coat. My favorites, of course, look faded and blurred compared to before they headed into the kiln.

I came home with a long list of items to order so that I can continue my experiments and a desire to clean up my studio so that I have a good layout for this work.

Kitchen Remodel, Counter Tops

2011-07-02T14:19:00.007-05:00

While I was away for the week, work on the kitchen continued without me. Photos via e-mail kept me up-to-date, but even so I walked straight to the kitchen last night to view the progress for myself.

Even before I left, the partial floor tiles were chipped out and replaced. Tape marked the new tiles to remind us not to step on them until the mastic was dry. The puck lights in the glass uppers were also installed, as well as part of the crown molding.

The sink was set into place, with a small issue due to the fact that the apron is 9" tall while the sink itself is 10" deep, and the cabinet was made for the deeper measurement. This was addressed with an insert of granite into the gap. The sink itself is flush mounted with the granite counter top, a rather fussy and delicate operation done on site that was probably best missed.

The Brown Antique granite is absolutely gorgeous in contrast with the creamy cabinets. Along with the espresso stained island, it nicely relieves that huge expanse of white. Although the granite reads as black from a distance, there is lots of action on close view, but hard to photograph.

with flash

no flash

The prize of the kitchen so far is the Calacutta Oro marble on the island, which returned after an excursion to rectify originally reversed Shaker legs (rather odd looking, I must say).

Overall, I've made selections of materials for the kitchen to blend with the overall look, but this stone was the one thing I went home after seeing and said I had to have, even though it was expensive. After all, it's only a small island, and luckily it was a half slab. The veining was perfect to run across the diagonal. I can hardly wait to roll out pastry.

The marble is more cream than white and the veining is quite brown rather than the gray I had seen in most stone yards. Finally I understand the Oro in the name, as this piece has flecks of metal (both gold and silver) in it that sparkle on close inspection.

Undercabinet lights are also installed, as well as the pendant over the sink. Despite the admonition that I might have enough lights for an operating room, I am still looking forward to two more pendants to brighten up the place. All appliances but the fridge were delivered to our garage while I was gone, and we purchased the new counterdepth French door refrigerator this morning during the Independence Day sale for the lowest price we've seen since we've been looking. Next week: backsplash, grout, moldings, lights, paint, cabinet hardware, faucets, disposal, appliances.

Workshop with Charity Hall

2011-06-24T22:29:00.001-05:00

I'm abandoning the remodel midway to fly to cooler territory. As if the disarray downstairs wasn't enough, we had the upstairs central heat/AC replaced today. All I can say is 5-6 workers in my house and drive makes for a busy place.

Tomorrow I'm heading out to Idyllwild Arts Center for Metals Week. I'd heard good things about this program and love to venture somewhere new, so when Lora Hart suggested I try it, I jumped at the chance. Not only is it a long workshop, five days, but it's also in cool weather! Out of the six possible options, I chose the enameling workshop with Charity Hall.

I was unfamiliar with her work previously, but the notion of painting with enamels is definitely not new to me. I figure I will probably pick up a few new tricks, as well as have five glorious days to just focus on art without the distractions of a house in flux. When I come back, I expect the granite countertops will be in place and perhaps the appliances will even be installed.

Kitchen Remodel, New Cabinets

2011-06-22T20:19:00.002-05:00

They're here! After days of an empty kitchen, it felt so odd to see the big tall towers coming in and eating up the space. I thought my kitchen was feeling very small for a while there. Tipping the refrigerator surround up into place was quite a feat of maneuvering. I somehow expected all the cabinets to come in smaller sections, but they are custom built to super tight tolerances and some of the runs were long and heavy.

The color is a bit creamier than I anticipated. It's so hard to tell what paint will look like in big doses, even though I painted a two foot square board as a sample. It will be beautiful with the Brown Antique granite and espresso island, coming later, but I definitely need to tweak the wall color.

The missing floor tile is where the island used to be, since we had the previous cheap engineered hardwood replaced with tile when it became worn and discolored after about 5 years. There are other missing tiles around the perimeter as well. Some of the cabinets were cut on the spot to work around that, and tiles will be replaced on Friday.

Now the room looks somehow larger, perhaps because the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling. Tomorrow the puck lights in the top glass cabinets will be wired and the crown moldings and toe-kicks will be added.

We've only found a couple of mistakes. I had requested that the insides of the glass cabinets be painted, but they were left with the clear-UV-coat birch showing. That was a choice that I was on the fence about, so evidently the powers that be thought there was enough white (it was less work, for certain). What do you think? Beyond that, the apron of my stainless steel farm sink is only 9" high, whereas the sink itself is 10" deep. The sink cabinet was made for the larger depth, so it needs to be modified. Obviously, we should have asked for more detailed drawings. It's fairly straightforward to change the rail on the front, but I also asked about the possibility to add a piece of granite or espresso maple trim underneath as a drip rail. Just another reinforcement that mistakes are opportunities.

Kitchen Remodel, Cabinets Moved to the Garage

2011-06-20T08:58:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, we tackled the dreaded garage clean out in order to install a subset of the old kitchen cabinets out there in the bump out. Keenan pulled everything out of the space into the middle of the garage floor, then we took down the shelf along the top of the wall which was covered with boxes untouched for a decade. Finally we maneuvered the cabinets into place, screwed them to wall studs, and headed out to buy countertops. For convenience, we purchased two smaller lengths of premade formica countertop, then ripped them to size with the circular saw. First check: the saw and saw horses get to stay.

The gray organizer drawer sets that I purchased for my studio before I found the white ones have been waiting patiently for this day, when we dumped all the old scrambled drawers and toolboxes and reorganized everything. Now we actually have drawers dedicated to washers and wood screws and hose gaskets. Labels needed.

Brutally culling equipment that we've stashed in case we might someday use it, we took a small SUV completely loaded with give-aways to Goodwill: stunt bike, scooter, scroll saw, power painter, coolers, canning pot, Halloween cauldron, street hockey goal and sticks...

It's amazing how much the cabinets will hold compared to the open shelves that took up so much space. The sturdy angle iron shelves are next to vanish, in order to get the cars back inside out of the wicked sun.

Free As a Bird Book Now Available on Etsy

2011-06-19T14:50:00.003-05:00

Finally, the books have arrived from the printer. Here's your chance to collect all the bird pages for yourself, a total of 40 pages. Keep the book out for avian inspiration or maybe even cut the pages apart to frame for your wall.

Free as a Bird by Vickie Hallmark | Make Your Own Book

Order direct from Blurb, or for the same total price (more for the book, but less for shipping) you can order from me and receive it signed and gift-wrapped.

Kitchen Remodel, Primed

2011-06-17T17:58:00.000-05:00

Doesn't look much different, does it? Today the texture was sprayed on and dried, then primed.

All those unprimed areas will be hidden behind cabinets or tile.

Kitchen Remodel, Sealed

2011-06-17T08:34:00.000-05:00

Wiring within the walls is complete! Everything has been sealed up, and the contractors are getting ready to texture the ceiling and the small amount of wall showing along the cabinets, mostly near the door and window.

Look at those six recessed lights, one still dangling! My personal favorite is the hole in the top center of the far wall, the opening for a real ventilation hood! It cost $300 to retrofit, so I'm sure the builder must have saved $100 max by not putting that in thirteen years ago. Just one of many cheap cuts that I don't understand.

The light over my sink is now centered. Although I assumed there must have been a stud that forced it off center, it appears there was no reason for it to be 3" to the right. Probably a contractor saved 2 minutes by not measuring back when. Instead they put in a spot light that could be angled to fix the issue. I've wanted a pendant there for years, but couldn't do it because then it would be obvious that it wasn't centered. Another excitement: the wall switch for the disposal is gone, to be replaced with an air switch on the counter next to the faucet. No more walking to the side of that 6 foot window, or leaning way over, to clear the sink.

Kitchen Remodel, More Gone

2011-06-16T10:45:00.002-05:00

Here's the state of the kitchen yesterday morning, even more gone than Day 1. The sheetrock wound up with so many holes that it became easier to just tear it out. You can see that the ceiling looks like a pincushion. The plywood is support for the hood to come. This is the part where it's not so clear what's happening. Wiring and plumbing is getting relocated to needed positions, and there's a lot of new wiring as well -- undercabinet lighting, puck lights in the glass cabs, recessed cans, pendants, etc.

Today, the sheetrock is all back up and getting taped and floated. The can lights are being cut out and extra wiring/boxes are being sealed up. Tomorrow is texture day; Monday is paint day. The cabinets should be installed on Tuesday!

Kitchen Remodel, Gone

2011-06-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

The kitchen is no more. Well, technically, I have a stash of cabinets destined to be fitted into the workshop niche in my garage, but the kitchen itself is empty.

Tomorrow: electrical, plumbing, the hood vent, and drywall.

Kitchen Remodel, Before

2011-06-12T21:07:00.003-05:00

My kitchen is 95% packed up for demolition scheduled to begin tomorrow morning. For the record, here's the before shot. I know there are many people out there who would find this kitchen looks superficially great, and think I'm crazy to invest time, money and sanity in such a project. Hear me out.

It's not so obvious from a short distance that these are cheap, builder-grade vinyl-coated MDF cabinets. They turned from their once pristine white to a nasty nicotine yellow after only five years. I had them painted back to white, which helped for a few more years. Then the paint started wearing off, so there are yellow rings around the most heavily used knobs.

The vinyl coating has also now started to peel in places. It's a matter of time until I catch an edge and strip the whole front off.

At least one drawer has needed some heavy duty nailing to keep it together and a few hinges are wobbly at best, with screws that are trying to hold in disintegrating particle board aided by wood filler. We debated repainting, then refacing, then decided to just start over.

There's also some lovely white formica countertop. After ten years, it started to stain if someone just looked at it. Everyday scrubbing with power cleanser was required to keep the rings at bay, and even then there are marks that won't come out with bleach or any other wicked concoction this chemist has applied.

Appliances are what finally pushed me over the edge. The builders love GE, but I'm not a fan. I crave a cooktop that can boil water for pasta in less than 20 minutes or actually sear a steak. I demand an oven big enough to hold a full-size cookie sheet or two pies on a single shelf. I deserve a second oven for holiday cooking. I need a hood that actually vents to the outside world rather than just distributing smells and grease to all parts of the house. Getting the appliances I want required changing the cabinets, which just reinforced the notion to replace them.

Beyond that, there are more minor aesthetic and functional issues. First up, the great bug coffin in the sky, that sterotypical marker of 90s spec homes -- the fluorescent light box, nicely off center over the teeny, tiny island.

Second, the waste-of-space less-than-half-shelves in all the lower cabs, where you can't reach anything on the upper shelf without going into full prayer mode, making essentially one big shelf on the floor, perfect for pygmies.

Third, the novel dual-sided island with shelving on the floor again, and one third-shelf open to both sides to allow always losing the item of choice off the back, no matter from which side you attack.

Then there's the crown molding that stands on the top of the cabinets, obscuring any decorative items you might want to place up there on the unfinished, rough, impossible-to-clean tops. Even if you did put something up there, you'd probably forget that the corner is just empty space and lose said item into an unrecoverable entropy hole.

Perhaps if you weren't born under Libra, the fact that the green inset tiles are not centered behind the cooktop won't bother you. Well, really, they are centered with respect to the black burners, just not with respect to the entire cooktop, the hood, and the cabinets -- obviously a difference of opinion between me and the unknown tile setter.

I could continue.

There ARE a few things I love about this kitchen. It's white, which is a huge part of why I bought this house thirteen years ago. White kitchens are an anomaly in Texas suburbia, where worship of oak in the nineties and now cherry is the rule. The bump out window, though placed a bit low for my extreme height, is my favorite window in the house, where I can watch the bird feeders and grow happy orchids and African violets. I also adore my handblown light fixture from Wimberley Glass and my Miele dishwasher, so they get to stay. As the only other fixture in the room that I selected, the updated 18" floor tile will remain, as long as the new tiles I rounded up for the repairs match well enough. Everything else, including the step-in corner pantry with the ever cluttered floor preventing such a step, disappears...

tomorrow.

Treetop Beads -- Better Colors

2011-06-10T14:12:00.002-05:00

Finally, I had a bright idea regarding the colors for my treetop beads. Since the enamel on the beads from earlier in the week didn't react as badly with the silver glass, I switched to clear beads with only enamel for the base color. I'm totally in love with the pink and flesh colors. Yum!

Of course, this raises its own issues with rough enamel edges on the bead. I guess I need to learn to deal with that next. But at least I can see that necklace coming together. Now I'm dreaming about spacers to work with the treetop beads.

Now I just need to play around with all the luscious colors available. Back to making my own set of color sample beads, or I can just refer to this one online from bodaciousbeads.

"Free As a Bird" Now Available

2011-06-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

I finally made the newest book, "Free As a Bird," available to the public via Blurb. I've ordered a stash to put in my Etsy shop, for those who prefer the addition of an inscription and gift wrapping for a total price less than the Blurb direct price (their shipping for one book is a bit high, but then they use FedEx Ground and I'll just use the good old US Postal Service). But it will take another week or two before I have them, so if you just can't wait, go ahead and order direct to save a few days.

Click here to link to the Blurb preview and flip through the entire book.

Treetop Bead Collection

2011-06-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

My collection of new treetop beads is growing. I'm still having issues with color interactions. Poor choices of base colors again, with the pinks going peach-tan, even with encasing. And can you believe that top one is blueberry? My favorite of the new batch, a pale spring green casing over white, broke coming off the mandrel (I overheated the end of the 1/16" mandrel and left it marred, just enough to crunch the end of the bead as it got to that point).

So I'm unhappy with the colors still, but I like the concept of making enough of these in various colors to make a necklace.

This is the sketchbook drawing from a year ago, yet to be realized.

Treetop Beads Revisited

2011-06-06T21:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I felt the urge to work in glass. Of course, since it's 100 degrees plus outside, that makes it the prime time of the year for going out to the sunroom to turn on a torch and kiln. Yes, I have AC, but it's not nearly enough. It keeps the temperature about a balmy 90 degrees.

Even so, I had fun making a few treetop beads. I've decided to limit myself a bit, in the hopes of getting something to show for my efforts. It seems sometimes that I go out there and try a zillion variations and nothing is good enough to keep from the junk bowl. I know I can make this basic bead style, but I'm not happy with the coloration, so I'm just going to play with variations on a single theme to get more data.

Procedure:
1) Opaque base.
2) Enamel around the center.
3) Stringer wrapped ends + branches.
4) Leaves, trying to get a better handle on the color variations I see with the silver glass I use.
5) Bird, only one per bead to keep the time down.

Questions to address:
1) How fast can I make one?
2) What base colors do I like? Does the silver glass react differently on the different colors?
3) Opaque, opaque + transparent casing, or transparent base?

I didn't make many yesterday between the heat and other chores (some gardening, beginning to pack up the kitchen for the remodel starting next week, laundry), but these are the first three that I like. More detailed images available on Etsy.

Carving Bronze Clay

2011-06-04T08:55:00.001-05:00

Nothing like diving right in, right!? I pulled out a 30 gram package of FastFire Bronze Clay that I acquired last summer to give it a try. My previous carving experiences have been with the original Bronze clay, so I thought this would be an interesting comparison.

The clay was dry and had to be remoistened. I simply sprayed with water, wrapped in plastic for a few minutes, then rolled and folded a few times to recondition the clay to a nice consistency. The lump of clay was too small when rolled to six cards thickness, so I had to drop to five. This is really a bit thin for a piece where I'm going to carve away the center area, but it will do for an experiment.

I traced my tree brooch drawing onto an index card and cut out the opening to form a template, which I used to cut the shape.

Once dried, I roughly sketched in my tree motif with pencil.

Then I went to work carving. I find it easier to keep the work elevated on a rubber block, as it gives me a better angle with the carver. The clay was buttery and easy to carve. However, I found there to be isolated spots within the clay that seemed hard, more copper colored than the bronze clay, and rough. Perhaps these are pockets where the copper and tin powders are not well mixed? We'll see how that looks when it's fired.

Of course, I forgot to practice carving before starting in on the real piece. My favorite practice material is a baked sheet of polymer clay. It pays to get the feel of the tool again before expecting to be able to carve details. Consequently, this piece is pretty rough. Also, the thin layer of clay limited how much relief I could achieve. More would have been better. Now I must decide whether to modify the design by adding my more typical sculpted tree on top. That would add dimension, and be a good experiment in working with this new-to-me clay. I just happen to have another 30 gram package reconditioned and ready to go.

Understanding Metal Clay Sintering

2011-06-03T16:47:00.002-05:00

Many artists tend to view metal clay as a bit of a voodoo material. They have a recipe that works (usually the manufacturer's recipe), and superstitiously follow it exactly, right up until it doesn't work or they need to do something different, and then they're at a loss. Understanding the process of sintering can help demystify firing metal clay, and allow us to approach new situations with an educated guess as to what might really work.

Composition of Metal Clay

Metal powder

Metal clay is composed of super-fine particles of metal plus a binder. The metal particles may be all the same identity, such as in silver or copper clay, or they may be a mixture of different metal powders in the cases of bronze or other alloy clays. The binder is present for the express purpose of making the clay malleable, amenable to shaping in various ways. Once the binder burns off in the kiln or torch, what's left is essentially a shape composed of tiny pseudo-spherical particles of metal with lots of air space between them. As you well know, filling a vase full of river rocks leaves a lot more air space than filling that vase with sand. Smaller particles pack more closely, which explains the drive over the years to reduce the particle size of the metal clays. As we see, this has desirable results in terms of strength in the finished product.

Sintering
Between the point that the binder burns off and the finished product comes out of the kiln, a process called sintering takes place. This is very much like what happens when you dump your ice container into the sink. The individual ice cubes stick together, with holes remaining between the cubes. However, the ice in your sink is above its melting point, so it will eventually puddle in the sink. Ice does sticks together even below its melting point, as is obvious in ice makers left for some time. How does sintering actually happen?

Metal Atoms Moving
The key to understanding sintering is energy. Those particles of metal are actually composed of even smaller balls called atoms. The atoms in the center of the particle are happily surrounded by other metal atoms, but the atoms at the surface only have neighbors below and maybe some to the side. Each atom wants to be surrounded by other atoms, but the surface makes that impossible. Even so, the atoms will try to arrange themselves so as to maximize the connections to neighbors and minimize exposure to the outside world. Those little critters are very social and like to be in the midst of a group. Yes, the atoms can move, IF they have energy.

Consider an empty shoebox sitting on a table. Now pour a bowlful of marbles into the box. The marbles are just a mad jumble, probably mounded up in the center. If the box is jiggled slightly, the marbles will start to move, rearrange and pack tightly. The mound in the center will slowly disappear and the surface will flatten. Those marbles at the top of the pile, touching only a few neighbors (three probably), will eventually wind up in a flat layer surrounded by a hexagon of six neighbors. The atoms deeper down may have neighbors below, above, and in the same layer for a total of twelve. That jiggle applied to the box is heat -- energy that allows the marbles to move.

Now suppose one lonely marble is placed on top of a nice flat, but incomplete, layer. When the jiggling starts, that marble will run around on the surface, here and there, until it finds a hole, whereupon it will drop into the layer with all its friends. Happiness!

What if more heat is added, by jiggling the box more energetically? Then the packing down will happen faster. Unless too much heat is added, at which point the marbles will start to pop out of the lower layers onto the top surface rather than always wanting to drop into holes. That's the melting point -- when so much heat is added that the marbles don't care about staying together nicely. Even more energy might cause atoms to fly out of the box!

Neck Growth
When a metal clay project is formed, the metal grains of atoms are separated by binder, touching each other occasionally. The atoms that exist at those points where the grains of metal touch are happier than the atoms off on the surface by themselves. When heat is added, those surface atoms wander over to hold hands with the larger group, forming a neck between the particles. Eventually the particles become more and more connected, and the holes between them become smaller. Atoms migrate from the surface to fill the voids, which causes shrinkage.

As long as energy is available, the movement continues. First the particles stick together, and then it takes time and more energy to fill in the voids. This is why metal clay fired at low temperature or for short times isn't as strong -- the connections within the piece are smaller. For the strongest, densest material higher temperature and longer firing times are advisable.

Predicting Results
From this understanding of what really happens on a microscopic level during firing, we can make predictions about what might happen in new situations. Heat provides energy for the connecting process to happen and speeds up the work, so increasing the temperature is good, right up until the point that melting is a concern. Because of inaccuracies in thermocouples and variations in heating distributions within a kiln, it's not wise to try to get too close to the actual melting point. That's why the top firing temperature recommendations are typically at least 50 degrees below the material's melting point.

Even so, at lower temperatures, as with stones or glass, sintering will happen but more slowly. It's wise to fire longer if using a lower temperature. Just because the manufacturer's directions give a certain temperature and time doesn't mean that other choices won't work. Just follow the general guidelines -- the lower the temperature, the longer the time. Firing longer than the recommended time is not an issue, and is probably beneficial, although at some point the tradeoff becomes pretty marginal.

With this picture of the microscopic process, we can also start to understand why sintering on the outside can happen while leaving the core of a piece powdery. It takes both energy AND time to do the work of moving those atoms. If the piece is heated very quickly or the piece is thick, the outside layer may become hot enough to sinter, since the atoms don't have to move very far. But the interior may not get warm as quickly, and atom diffusion distances depends exponentially on temperature, so even a small difference in temperature can result in a huge difference in neck formation. For comparison, moving an atom from the surface of a project into the interior one millimeter away is like driving your car 50,000 miles. Just because the car is at highway speeds doesn't translate to quick arrival. Taking a plane would be better, or a spaceship, and even so it'll still take time.

Conclusions
The upshot is that both time and temperature are important to ensure a well-crafted product. To maximize productive sintering, fire at the highest safe temperature tolerated by the materials in use. To maximize connections between particles, and therefore strength, fire for as long as circumstances allow, factoring in impact on schedule, equipment and personal patience.

complete firing

incomplete firing

The desired result should be to produce a completely fired project, with a surface such as shown in the first image from the PMC website. Low temperature or short time firings may result in incomplete firing, as shown in the second image.

Drawing from My TravelsL Designs for Bronze Clay

2011-06-03T08:00:00.004-05:00

I've decided that I do some of my best design work while traveling, by plane or train. Why is that? Perhaps the brain has been freed up by the journey, and the hidden artist within can bubble up. These excerpts from my travel journal were made on the train from Prague to Vienna.

Working away got me to thinking about some of the sketches I made on the last Europe trip, but haven't yet translated to reality. In particular, I'm quite in love with the drawings that involve carving, which reminds me that I haven't pursued that like I thought I would. I seem to have been in a silver rut, avoiding bronze or copper clay, even though I have a large stash I should use. I think I'm adverse to what is currently popular, so if everyone is doing bronze, I tend to stay away. But this tree is really calling to me.

I think I'll just run off to condition a pack of clay and cut out a few pieces to try some carving.

New Book Upcoming: Free As a Bird

2011-06-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

One of the things waiting for me at home when I returned was the preview copy of my new book, Free As a Bird. Since so many of you seemed to enjoy the artwork from my small bird journal (check the sidebar for previous posts with all the images, or my Flickr account for the bird journal set), I decided to publish it. The size is slightly larger than real life, as the books are about 7" square and the real journal is about 6" square.

I tried to be as faithful as possible to the original and have the images all bleed over the edge of the paper, which unfortunately resulted in some cropping that I wasn't happy with. Today I've already gone back and added a slight border to each page and resubmitted the book for a new print. As soon as I see if my approach fixed the slight issues, I'll be putting the books up on my Etsy site. Stay tuned!

Completed Birdhouse Photos

2011-06-01T14:10:00.002-05:00

Perhaps you noticed that I bloopered my post for the Artist Village Project? I was scheduled to post on the day I departed for almost three weeks in Eastern Europe. I started the post two weeks prior to that, and having been so ahead-of-the-curve, I felt no angst at all and so forgot to add the finished pictures. I also thought I had the automatic scheduling turned on, but didn't (on that post and another), so when I finally checked up on things during my trip, I was a bit disappointed with my sloppy efforts. What can I say? The end of the homeschool year, a big trip, and lots of last minute kitchen remodel issues just sapped my brain. So, first day at home with my jet lag, photos of the finished birdhouse are in order.

Go here for detail photos and a description of the construction process.

Here is the description of the project.

And finally, the rest of the Artist Village connections again:

Susan Else (website) May 2

Frances Holiday Alford May 3

Pamela Allen (website) May 4

Frieda Anderson May 5

Lisa Call May 6

J ane Davila May 9

Naomi Adams May 10

Jamie Fingal May 11

Barb Forrister May 12

Vickie Hallmark May 13

Connie Hudson May 16

Leslie Jenison May 17

Sherri McCauley May 18

Judy Coates Perez May 19

Melanie Testa May 20

Laura Wasilowski May 23

Kathy York May 24

Bird a Week #20 -- Treetop Silver Cuff

2011-05-28T03:08:00.000-05:00

While I'm touring around Eastern Europe, I'm not at home working, but I left one new treasure behind that fit the theme.

This cuff was finished the week before I left, at least to the point that I could get it amidst all the packing and last minute minutiae. Early on I planned to add a second layer, either carved and colored faux bone or polymer clay, or maybe even enameled copper. I thought the pop of color would be exciting and the second material would add some much needed strength to an inherently weak silver clay bracelet. Alas, any such treatment will have to wait.

Now it's only a few more days untill I board the return flight. As much as I love traveling, I'm looking forward to being home with my own kitchen (not for long), my own bed and my own studio!

Hobblestones

2011-05-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

If you're interested in following along on my trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest, I've set up a dedicated blog called Hobblestones.

An Artistic Village

2011-05-15T12:33:00.001-05:00

Here's the process for my fabric birdhouse.

1) I started with plain white PFD fabric lawn, and painted in the general outline of the front with Golden Fluid Acrylics -- cream, bronze and black with metallic gold accents.

2) Instead of the paper collage I use for birds on my journal pages, which wouldn't be so durable, I actually painted in the chickadee.

3) Using a Rub-a-Dub laundry marker, I added the lettering and dark tree by hand. After sandwiching the front with a layer of batting, another layer of heavy Pellon interfacing for stiffness, and a black backing, I outlined the bird, cream tree branch and scrollwork in black thread, then switched to cream for the background quilting.

4) Finally, I cut a template out of paper until I had it the size and shape I wanted, then used that as a guideline for cutting the quilted panel. All edges were finished with black satin-stitching, over 16 gauge copper wire on the outside edges to maintain structure.

5) I used fusible webbing on strips of the black background fabric to attach the sides to the front and back, then stitched over the edging by machine to make it more secure (the final seam was done by hand).

6) The roof was made by stitching rows of real feathers like shingles over a black fabric form reinforced with heavy interfacing. It sits freely atop the house to allow for folding to transport.

7) Inside the doorway hangs a handmade lampworked glass feather.

Bird a Week #19

2011-05-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

Here it is -- the final installment of my Bird Journal. Tomorrow I leave for a trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest. I'll return on June 1, hopefully to find the first printed copy of Free as a Bird to proof. After any corrections, I'll be able to print off more to offer for sale. Feeling a need for a copy of your own?

Check out the other birds of the week at the blog hop:

Bird a Week #18

2011-05-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

The next to last page in the current bird journal:

Not to worry! I ordered more watercolor paper yesterday to make another journal. I'm considering a small travel journal for my upcoming trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest. I leave in one week. Yikes!

See the other Bird a Week challenge entries here:

It Takes a Village to Raise an Artist

2011-05-02T11:01:00.002-05:00

Remember last fall when I shared a sneak peak of my fiber birdhouse? The time for the final unveiling has come. I agreed to make a three dimensional quilted house to be part of the Artist Village Project organized by Kathy York. Kathy was inspired by the fabulous fiber houses painted and constructed by Judy Coates Perez. I'd also admired them and thought about making a house in my own style, so the challenge to do so as part of a group exhibition was too tempting to resist. I, of course, was deep into Bird Journal pages, so my house became a birdhouse version of a journal page.

The entire exhibit is shown here displayed around the village green, a large green quilt offered by Kathy York as the perfect backdrop to showcase the houses. Along with the revelation of the group display, today marks the beginning of a blog hop to see the details of construction for each of the projects (not all of the artists have blogs, however). Here is the list of participating artists with links and the day their own fiber house will be featured. Check back here for a step-by-step layout of the construction of my birdhouse on May 13.

Susan Else (website) May 2

Frances Holiday Alford May 3

Pamela Allen (website) May 4

Frieda Anderson May 5

Lisa Call May 6

J ane Davila May 9

Naomi Adams May 10

Jamie Fingal May 11

Barb Forrister May 12

Vickie Hallmark May 13

Connie Hudson May 16

Leslie Jenison May 17

Sherri McCauley May 18

Judy Coates Perez May 19

Melanie Testa May 20

Laura Wasilowski May 23

Kathy York May 24

Bird a Week #17

2011-04-28T13:06:00.000-05:00

Only two more pages left in my bird journal! What will I do? Really, I have to decide if the bird imagery has run its course. I was hooked long before the "slap a bird on it and call it art" phase started. Perhaps it's time to see what else speaks to me and find something new to explore. Perhaps I'll precede the trend again.

Check out the other Bird a Week challenge entries on the blog hop:

Meadowlark Earrings

2011-04-25T17:13:00.000-05:00

I just shipped out a special order pair of my Meadowlark earrings. Somebody very lucky has a spouse who pays attention.

Bird a Week #16

2011-04-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

I'm catching up on the Bird a Week entry that I'm behind, fitted in amongst furniture shopping with my father to replace items that didn't make the trip: an apartment friendly dining table and chairs, a new mattress, a smaller sofa, and replacement washer & dryer. Almost all the boxes are unpacked. The nonfunctional air conditioner (in new construction!) is fixed, at the expense of the nice stonework on the front facade. Lots of deliveries this week. It's almost livable.

Check out the other Bird a Week entries in the blog hop:

Bird a Week #15 - Soar

2011-04-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

It's interesting how the second journal that I began to have artistic busywork while visiting my parents is now coming to a close. I have just a few more pages, in various levels of completion. This seems to coincide with the removal of my need to travel repeatedly to visit them.

My father closed the sale of his house this week, 13 months after my mother's death, and moved to Texas. Over the weekend, Keenan and I flew up to Bartlesville, Oklahoma for one last round, to pack and supervise loading the moving van. After various bobbles and bloopers regarding paperwork for a new senior apartment, movers who didn't work out and had to be replaced at the last minute, and a scramble to get to Austin ahead of the belongings, it's all coming together. We are still dealing with issues, such as the AC in the brand new apartment that doesn't work on a hot day, but it feels like progress after many weeks of limbo while showing the house, getting estimates of various sorts and just general waiting.

Very fitting that the journal is coming to an end at just this time.

To see the other entries in the Bird a Week challenge, check out the blog hop:

New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World, Part 1

2011-04-15T09:54:00.001-05:00

I'm delighted to announce that one of my jewelry entries will be included in a fabulous online exhibition titled New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World. The exhibition, hosted by Crafthaus, will be presented in two parts, and Part 1 just opened yesterday. The exhibit is curated by Susan Breen Silvy and Christine Norton and was juried by Ann Davis and Jeannette Foese LeBlanc.

A print version of the exhibit will be displayed at the Metal Clay World Conference in Chicago in July, and there will be an expanded hard-copy catalog from the exhibit available for purchase at that time. The proceeds from sales of the catalog benefit CERF, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. My work will be presented in the second part of the exhibit, opening on July 17 on Crafthaus.

Included amongst the treasures in this first half of the exhibit are
jewelry,

Lorena Angulo
Bird Nest

vessels,

Catherine Witherell
In Florence They Dance on Mosaic Floors

and functional/decorative objects.

Cindy Miller
Tadpole Spoon

Surface Exhibit at the Bead & Button Show

2011-04-12T10:24:00.002-05:00

I am pleased to announce that one of my multilayered beads has been juried into the Surface exhibit, to be shown at the Bead & Button Show in June. When I read the call for entries, I thought it seemed written for these beads.

"ISGB invites its members to create a bead that answers one of two questions: What lies beneath? When is it actually what is on the outside that counts?"

Koi Pond is an electroformed enamel bead, with multiple layers of hand-painted enamel and a wrap of carved copper.

Here's the process for its construction:

I drew the black outlines for the fish onto a flat tile of clear glass with finely ground glass mixed with oil.
I did the same for a second, smaller tile of glass, drawing water grasses, sand, a snail, etc.
Both pieces were kiln-fired to make the enamel permanent.
I painted colored enamel onto the tiles in reverse (the enamel is buried under the clear glass in the finished bead) and then fired again.
To a base bead constructed on a mandrel with a lampworking torch, I added a wrap of dichroic (metal-covered) glass for a little sparkle in the depths.
Next I wrapped the grass tile around the bead.
Finally I wrapped the fish tile around the bead, then heated the bead to flatten and shape it.
The bead cooled slowly overnight in my kiln to remove stresses and enhance durability.
I added a coat of conductive paint to the bead.
Suspended in a vat of acid solution, copper was electrically moved from a sheet of metal to the surface of the bead.
After many hours of deposition, the bead was rinsed, polished and patinaed.
Voila!

Glass Bird Vessels Revisited

2011-04-11T09:40:00.001-05:00

In anticipation of attending the ISGB Gathering this summer in Louisville, I'm thinking about what I might offer for sale at my half-table during the Bead Bazaar to offset expenses. Last weekend when I was at the torch, I decided to see if I could construct a bird vessel, a task I haven't attempted in probably two years.

I admit to cracking the top once and healing it, which was always a problem with these large pieces that take a lot of time. The hollow blowpipe sucks heat away from the glass, meaning a constant bathing of that area to keep from over cooling. My wings aren't as well-defined as I would like, but I take the fact that I could get this close on the first try as a very good sign. I'm not clear about the reason for the devititrification on the body, but actually wondering if I added in some silver glass by mistake from the mess on my bench.

Now to try some electroforming again. It's embarrassing to admit that my equipment is still packed and unused for almost a year.

Getting the Lampwork Back in the Flow

2011-04-10T18:24:00.002-05:00

Well, this weekend has flown by with no artwork, due at least part to taxes (ugh!). At least last week I got two days of work on the torch. I'm posting a few more of the beads with backgrounds that I liked.

I guess I need to experiment with different leaf glass now, since it's not so exciting on this background. Totally different color than usual!

One step forward, one step back...

I placed an order last week for my favorite glass from the experimets, because of course it was something I only had two rods to try. It arrived on Friday and I'd hoped to indulge over the weekend. Maybe soon.

Bird a Week #14 -- Feathers, Flight & Song

2011-04-07T12:32:00.001-05:00

Latest addition to my bird journal below. I have only four more (semi)blank pages to fill, so I've started transferring images into a new Blurb book, available soon!

View the other entries in this week's Bird a Week challenge here:

Treetop Beads

2011-04-06T20:43:00.001-05:00

In my play time over the weekend I experimented with new backgrounds for treetop beads. Interesting how the reactive glass for the leaves changes color with different backgrounds. I like this amber color, with wispy metallics and hints of pink and green.

Ring a Week 14/52 -- Glass Bird Rings

2011-04-05T15:36:00.001-05:00

And now for a little diversion. My DH and DS went to an airshow over the weekend, leaving me home alone with my art supplies. I spent a lot of time on the torch, since I haven't been out there much over the last year. I got to try out a lot of experiments from my idea stash. The foremost was to make a glass ring to keep up with the Ring a Week challenge.

Several weeks ago, I bought a large round mandrel that I thought would be big enough for a ring. My idea was to sculpt a bird ring, similar to the bird rings I carve out of bronze. Glass, of course, is a different beast. But this was the first experiment. The hardest part was to get the glass (semi)evenly deposited onto the mandrel in a ring. I decided I needed to work right at the end of the mandrel, where I had the edge to guide me, rather than in the middle of mandrel, where my wrap didn't exactly meet up -- that was a seriously jogged first ring! This first effort is rather simplistic, but it shows that I can make it work.

I ground out the inside of the ring to remove any sharp edges. It fits quite well on my size 8 forefinger. How sturdy it is? That is the question. I guess I need to wear it around some to see how it takes knocks. I made the bird fairly stocky to avoid weak glass points on the beak, wings and tail.

Since I only have the one mandrel this size, it's a one ring at a time experiment. Next round, I'll get a bit more elaborate.

Bird a Week #13 -- Bird Watching

2011-03-31T10:44:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we went birding out to Pedernales State Park, where they have a nice blind. It's a great place to sit and watch all the wildlife coming in for the free seed, peanut butter and water. Now they've added a new blind as well, so there are two different spots (nice photos here). It's interesting to see that the established spot is much more active than the new, even almost a year after installation. This round we saw lots of goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, titmice, mourning doves, a red-wing blackbird, several types of hummers, various sparrows, chickadees, and my favorite -- a ladderback woodpecker with a red crown who would come and sit right on the window ledge to "people watch."

To see the other birds of the week, visit the blog hop:

Ring a Week 13/52 - Benefits of Working in a Series

2011-03-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

My desk is starting to be littered with rings...and we're only one quarter of the way through the challenge. Because I liked the ring from last week so much, I decided to riff on its design. That brought me to thinking about the benefits of working in a series.

I was quite taken with the simplicity of the design last week. The ring was, in many regards, the easiest and quickest to build of all the rings I've made so far in this challenge. On the other hand, it wasn't by any means the least of the collection. In fact, it seemed rather refined, with the reverse relating so beautifully to the front, the egg shape echoing the nestling, and the satin finish yielding an elegant, polished tone. Where do I go from there? Do I do the obvious and simply reproduce it with a different image in the center? Do I add enamel to bring in a pop of color? Do I set it aside to revel in my feeling that it's superior and I can't top it, so I should go back to another design for a reinvention?

Instead I decided to try a merging of two designs, which is quite typically where I'm always working. I like that "on the fence" place, I guess, where I try to combine two ideas that I've been working on separately to find something new and exciting. That's when I spotted the toggles lying on my work table, victims of a rejected class proposal, looking forlorn and forgotten. One of the toggle rings had a similar shape to my nestling ring, with an oval opening in the center. Ah...I could cut my top a tad differently and add an extra triangle for a roof to make a birdhouse ring!

Away I went to quickly cut out the pieces needed, deciding to place a perched bird inside the birdhouse. That's where I erred a tad. I placed the bird too high, forgetting that the roof would hide its face, leaving it a birdhouse for a headless bird. Not quite what I had in mind! So I omitted the roof and just embellished directly with rose and leaves. I guess I have another iteration to try for next week.

I'm missing my Master Muse tutorial sessions. I enjoyed designing the projects and photographing all the steps and writing out instructions. I wonder if there would be any market for small PDF tutorials to sell through my Etsy shop. Beadmakers do this all the time; perhaps it's time for metal clay to get in on the fun. This birdhouse toggle clasp is first in line for such an experiment.

Bird a Week #12

2011-03-22T19:43:00.001-05:00

Feeling like Spring has arrived, I finished this daffodil colored page in my Bird Journal. I'm nearing the end, with only a few more pages to go until the book is finished. I've been scanning and uploading pages into a new Blurb book, so stay tuned for your opportunity to peruse a Bird Journal of your very own.

Visit the other entries for the Bird a Week challenge here:

Bird a Week Flickr Group

Ring a Week 12/52

2011-03-19T13:04:00.005-05:00

I found a new simple ring design that I love. I think I might make a whole handful of these. Here's the first, Nestling.

It was rather serendipitous design. I cut an oval and then a frame for it that had a hole too small. As both were drying, I cut another image into the proper size oval. Eventually I stacked them all up with the ring embedded between. Easy as it possibly could be.

And I finished ahead of my deadline this week!!! See the rest of the challenge offerings at the Ring a Week Flickr site.