Weekly challenge - weeks 44 and 45

I have been doing a fair bit of traveling for work these past two weeks- i was in the Carolinas the last week of October, back for halloween (taught a class that day). Then it was off to Houston/Galveston the first part of this week, and i wrapped the week up with Lebanon, TN this past Friday. As such, i have gotten SO LITTLE DONE in the studio.. :(

I have a show this Saturday at Crosstown arts- Crafts and Drafts from 10am-4pm. It's the first year for this show but i'm pretty sure it's going to be great. There will be lots of great local art and fabulous food trucks.

I did get a few things done this week - here's one of the new steampunk love necklaces.

This is what i made tonight!

 This is what i bought at an awesome Bead shop in Charlotte i found while killing time for my flight.

And here are the pieces made in the Air chasing class on Halloween at BMB designs. the big piece at the top was my demo and the small pieces below are all the student work. they did a pretty awesome job!

Weekly challenge - weeks 42 and 43

I can't believe I missed posting for week 42! It is, after all, the answer. Last week was a little busy with the River Arts Fear downtown (had a blast) and this week has started off busy with me being in South Carolina for work. I'll be working on Halloween costumes, getting stock made for my next show (Crafts & Drafts at Crosstown on November 14th), prepping for the Gift Workshop class (Nov 20th) and finalizing my spring schedule of classes at the Metal Museum. Busy times!

Here's some stuff I've made recently.

Weekly Challenge- Week 41

Pink Palace Craft fair was AMAZING!!!! it was so much fun to get to demonstrate, hang with my metalsmith BFF Virginia and interact with people that *loved* our work! I was in the studio each night after the show making new stock to fill in all the stuff we sold. It was a wonderful validation of what i've been doing and i am beyond thrilled.

Here's some of the stuff i made this weekend that went into the booth. My next show is going to be River Arts and i'll be demonstrating in the Artists @ Work tent and my work will be for sale in the Artist Marketplace there where the demonstrations are. I'll be doing some air chasing demos for sure, most likely cuffs and 6x6 wall pieces.

Weekly Challenge- Week 39 continued

 New earrings... the silver ones are an example of what we'll make in the Gift Workshop class at the Botanic Gardens on the 20th of November. 

 Air chased sterling silver with Boro glass cab pendant. I'm trying to decide if i'm going to make a chain for it or just slap a fancy bail on and go. :)

Overview of the stuff i've been working on.. that large ginkgo leaf is *heavy* - lots of fine silver there. i'm debating on adding some patina to the leaves.. they look a little flat all shiny, if that makes any sense. I'm trying to build up stock of some new awesome stuff for Pink Palace- which is only a week away!!!!

And because kitties make everything better- here's Willow snuggling. :)

Weekly Challenge - Week 37

Here's a photo of my gorgeous Willow cat. she loves to snuggle the blanket. I've been sick this week, so there's been lots of kitty snuggle time. While the cuddle time and down time is needed, Cooper Young is tomorrow, so i've needed studio time this week, that i sadly have not gotten. I will not stress about it though- i'll have what i have for sale at the show and anything that's not ready or labeled or whatever will be available at Pink Palace next month and it will be fine. :) 

Here's an in-process photo of the air chased sterling silver and boro glass pendant i've been working on. it's almost finished now, but i haven't taken another photo yet. i love air chasing! It's so organic and interesting and i love learning how to make the metal do what i picture in my head.

Weekly challenge - week 35 part 2

Here's what i finished up Wednesday at Open Studio. i think the smaller air chased pieces will be pendants, the two fold formed pieces are sealed with jewelers lacquer to protect their lovely patinas and the cuff at the bottom has been formed into shape and will have a blue patina added to the recesses and a dark brown patina on the rest (fingers crossed it look like it does in my head)

I've got to buckle down and get making! Cooper young is in 2 weeks, then i have Pink Palace 3 weeks after that, and my inventory is low. I need to get all these UFOs off my bench!

I'm going to do a UFO lock-in at the Studio once the weather gets less than desirable (no point in being inside for 24 hours during the lovely fall weather that is soon coming) where you'll pay a fee to reserve your spot at the table for 12 or 24 hours, meals will be provided (you bring your own wine or beer) and we'll have contests for who completes the most UFOs, most unusual way to complete a UFO, etc (UFO for those that don't know are UnFinished Objects-- pieces of whatever medium that have not made it to the completed state for whatever reason) I think it will be a lot of fun, a great way for people to learn some new techniques, get some input from others and get some work completed!

weekly challenge - week 33

This week I've been getting ready for my Air Chasing class at the Gardens this weekend and coating some fabulous ginkgo leaves (including one that looks like a butterfly) i got from Bhan Thai last Saturday.

The Air Chasing class at BMB designs last saturday was great fun and a wonderful workout :) the students made some lovely pendants and cuffs (and i was thrilled with my 6x6 V fold sample. 

Weekly Challenge - week 31

Somehow i lost or failed to take a photo of the work i completed last week, so look at this adorable kitten in the mean time. :) It fits in the palm of my hand and loves to snuggle (and will be needing a home soon!!! If you're looking for an adorable new addition to your family, please let me know.)

Here's one of my wall pieces on display next to the amazing calming clay and wood work of Jonathan Griffith and the technically impressive pulp paintings of Chery Cratty. 

CAC Art show in Nashville Update

Everything was loaded up Saturday morning and dropped off for its trip to Nashville today. I know that i'll see it all on display this Friday when i go to the opening, and i'm excited about that. I think i created a nice cohesive collection for presentation. Here's some photos of the work. 

Weekly challenge - week 30 part 2

I've gotten all the pieces finished for the show save for a little final finishing and I'm pretty stoked about it. All the pieces are fold formed or air chased so they are a nice cohesive collection. I found an excellent display case for the jewelry and I prepared the wall pieces for gallery hanging. This is my first gallery show so I'm nervous about how the work will present and flow with the other artists' pieces.

a few of the pieces

The opening is August 7th from 5 to 7 at the Centennial Art Center in Nashville and the show runs until September 25th. Unfortunately I won't be at the closing reception because that is Repair Days at the metal museum. It's also the TN craft fall show in Centennial park (Nashville) so if you're going to be in the area, you should go to both. They're free and there will be plenty of awesome art and lots of cool people.

 

Weekly Challenge - Week 29

Finally happy with the reapplication of the heat patina on this piece and got the cab set and it's ready to go! i had an amazing patina on the bronze that matched the colors and shapes in the cab to perfection. then i applied a sealant to protect it and it all disappeared! much cleaning was required to get the metal ready to accept a patina again, and it took about 6 tries to get this one- the magentas and the bright blues are hard to keep for me for some reason- i think i push it a touch too far sometimes.

This is one of the pieces that will be on display at the Centennial Art Center in Nashville for the annual TN Craft Show that i am in. It is made of sterling and fine silver, air chased bronze and borosilicate glass. the front of the bronze is left unsealed- the back, where the silver is not, has a lacquer on it to keep it from reacting with skin.

Weekly Challenge- Weeks 27 and 28

Week 27 was crazy- I went of out town for work on about 2 hours notice and spent about 22 hours 'in transit' due to various reasons and didn't get back until Thursday. I got to go to Minneapolis for more than a layover though, and i have to say Minnesota is gorgeous! (last time i was passing through it was December and everything was covered in white- hard to really tell what a place looks like when it's 10 feet deep in snow)

But i got caught up and have some great work to show off- i'm really digging the sculpture stuff i've been doing lately, and it's fun to work a design out in the 'wall scale' and then see how to miniaturize it for jewelry. I've got all my pieces pretty much ready for the show in Nashville next month and i have to say, i'm SUPER stoked about it. (and a little nervous-- pricing is so hard... )

part of one of my wall pieces

And i've decided that i'm going to do a small travel trailer instead of a VW bus for my mobile studio... it was hard-- OMG so HARD to let go of that dream of a completely mobile and self contained studio. Especially after i completely fell in love with that 1st high top bus i found in Cali. BUT... after looking at the Acorns and seeing how much more room i would have for equipment and me, and looking at the reliability issues that VW buses have (even well restored ones) both andy and i would feel more comfortable about me gallivanting across the country in a reliable car (hopefully a new car with warranty) with a small trailer behind. I'll be updating my gofundme with the new information as soon as i have something more solid.

Weekly challenge - week 22

Hello June. This is for week 22 (may 31- June 6)

I found a bus in Hollywood Florida that i think would be perfect for my Mobile Metal Studio. It's a clean slate ready to be customized. And it is teal.

I've been doing some skill swaps with some friends of mine- metal for leather. I learned some basic tooling techniques last time the were over and this time I learned how to round and burnish edges. It was very zen. :) I like how this piece is coming together. Airchased  bronze with Latigo leather cuff.