Photography Workshop

I got to take part in a photography workshop last Saturday at Krasl Art Center with the fabulous Thomas Allen. The workshop was geared toward the artist wanting to get great representative shots of their work -- Just what I needed! I got to play assistant for a bit and boy oh boy were those lights hot! He had a wonderful set up and showed his process of capturing just the right image...He even helped me with natural lighting shots using my own camera. Shown are the lovely Michelle, me and the back of Tom's head-Ha! Photo by Lynne Tan.

Prototype Pendant

I needed a play day (a break from building stock) so I took one, pulled out an old sketchbook and made this up from an old design... I like it.

I'll play with this idea lots more.

I had to wrestle it off of my daughter to get pictures of it this evening.

Fabulous Fossils!

I had a wonderful opportunity to design some custom pieces for a friend to give to his wife (also a friend). These are fossilized crinoids they found together on the beaches of Lake Michigan. Bob brought me their entire collection just before Thanksgiving to choose and design around, what a treat for me! This is the bracelet I came up with.

I wanted to keep the shapes organic so I free-hand cut out around the stones.

I also wanted to do little windows on the back so you could peek at the backs of the stone, many have crystals and star shaped patterns that I couldn't stand to cover up, even with silver.



Many of the crinoids have holes that go all the way through, this one had not only the hole but a wonderful knobbly texture that had to be included. It's perfect for the transition from bracelet to toggle.

Happy Hour --George Dickel

This is whisky in the old time western-y sense.

*shudders*

About as simple as it gets here

Hammered, filed, drilled, soldered, polished. Simple. Check out the edge on those round ones, used my cross peen on them, it thickened the edges and made these little crinkles that catch the light. I like that.

Happy Hour Old Forester

Wow it makes my sterling sippin' cup look GOLD on the inside! And you know what? This is nice stuff, not harsh, smells wonderful, perfect for sipping on a cold eve.
Or for my sore throat, mmmmm smooth.

Prototype Ruby Ring

I pulled out an old sketch book (after I melted a piece, grrrrr) to dig up an old idea I sketched dated February 19, 2008! I only had an hour of studio time left so I scrambled and got it roughed out. I'm actually very pleased with this, rough and unfinished and raw as it is, I see what it will be. Hammered, textured, filed, sanded and polished....maybe put it on a tiny sinusoidal stake....such potential. I see an entire series....

I can't wait until tomorrow.

Beach Pebble Necklace

Trying a different photo set up.
Planning to peek at this on a few different computers.

Eucalyptus Necklace

Oh boy what fun this one was to make....

And it looks so lovely on Carl's wife Christine....

Happy Hour (Back by Popular Demand)-Sauvignon Blanc

Starborough Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, nice, not too rich tasting nor complex, but Hey, it's a screw-top! It was good with the roasted chicken. Besides I bought it for the nicely textured label, I'm gonna texture some metal with it!

Please note the lovely glass made by Jerry Catania of Water Street Glassworks
I bought it several years ago up at the barn studio in Saugatuck. Still love it!

Play Day

I needed an afternoon to play around with a new tool, this was my first experiment with it. The technique is called anticlastic raising, which means to form a sheet into an object that has two curves at right angles to each other as well as going in opposite directions. In visual terms, saddle-like.

Hmmmmm, I think I will need more than just one afternoon to play with this... I'm thinking bracelets but not with straight edges... OH MAN! It just hit me! How about more ruffles? I wonder what would happen if I did some of that ruffley action on an edge that flairs out then do a bit of anticlastisism (ha! I just made that word up!) on the entire thing.... Arg Trapped at home without my new tool! Help me.

Oh Boy, Mama's Got a New Toy!

I mean tool....I can't wait to play...I mean use it!

Sterling and Copper Ruffles

Look out, I'm on a hammering roll.

Oh how I love these in copper and sterling and gods help me....gold?!

Maybe just a touch... maybe.