3.27.2009

I keep on meaning to sit down and write a blog about recent stuff, but the recent stuff keeps on getting in the way :)
I've been trying more with the enameling, and even started to try to incorporate it into my "art", not just production work. I've started sketching and brainstorming for the series I am about to begin. I am going to do an illustrated brooch interpretation of Dante's Inferno. I've started with the image of souls entering the gates of hell. Vague blurs of people walking from the hills, and through an ornate gate with a sign at the top saying "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate", which is what in the 3rd cantos Dante wrote the gates said. It means "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here".
Here is my test piece for the background:



Again...just a test.

Yesterday morning I had my telephone interview with Elisabeth Agro: Associate Curator of American Modern and Contemporary Craft and Decorative Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art. She asked me questions about where I find my inspiration and what my work is about. She also pulled 4 images to use for her lecture. The lecture is called Incubation: Philadelphia’s Emergent Metalsmiths. It will be at the SOFA New York Conference on April 16th at the Park Avenue Armory. You can read more about the lecture and the conference here.

I've been doing more organizing the past two days. I can actually find things...it's amazing. Nothing in my entire apartment (sans the pots and pans), are stacked precariously anymore. With the help of my aunt Linda and my mom, I dropped off a ton of stuff at the AIDS Thrift. So hey...if you need a 100 set of prismacolor markers, a lightbox, awesome vintage aisic running shoes, blah blah blah...go check them out over there and support a good cause.

One of the great things about streamlining things is that it's giving me time to look at things that I have and come up with things I can make. I found some chunks of small ornate frame that I want to do something with....if I can find more. So the hunt ensues for cool frames and ornate woodwork. huzzah.

3.19.2009

I am thinking about applying to have a table at the Art Start Craft Bazaar this year.. I would love to do it with someone......for mutual support as well as splitting the cost of the table. Please let me know ASAP if you would want to do this. Application deadline is the 1st of April.


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Location: Philadelphia, PA - The Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, which is along Columbus Blvd, between Walnut & Chestnut Streets.


Dates: Saturday, May 30th 11- 6 PM & Sunday, May 31st, 11-6 PM Rain or Shine

Fee: $250

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Must be in our hands by end of business day on Wednesday, April 1st.


Orgainzied & Juried by Art Star Gallery & Boutique - www. artstarphilly. com

3.16.2009

did a little bit of experimenting with the enameling tonight. Didn't spend a lot of time on it...feeling a little burnt out. So I learned that I can indeed sweat solder silver on to the copper, then enamel it. That's definitely a cool thing to think about design wise. Let's see where it leads me.


I've been working my tush off as of late. I just finished this necklace tonight, i oxidized the candy mt. ring, I experimented with enameling with Gen, I've sketched, I even drew a few self portraits. I still need to tumble the necklace after I get my shot in the mail. So here are photo's o the necklace before shining it up, and the ring after dulling it down! Oh, and the necklace is called So It Goes. Dorkus McDorkerson approves. I unfortunately don't have photo's of the enameling I did. I gave what I made to a friend before I took the shot. Oh well :)

3.12.2009

Man! It's been a week since my last post. I've been so frazzled lately, and I'm just not getting my brain back aligned. So Here are photo's. Lot's of them! I finished the Candy Mountain ring, I finished Linda's Home Sweet Home necklace, I started on a simple fabricated necklace..blah blah blah. Here they are... And let me just state for the record... I HATE that I can't lay out photo's well on here. boo.



3.05.2009





Wow...taking photo's of silver is hard. arhg! I finally finished this piece. It's still not exactly what I had imagined it should be...but I like it! I'm not absolutly sure of the tittle yet, which is strange for me. I was thinking of calling it "Is there something in my teeth?"; but the emotion I was trying to evoke with this is not that at all. I'm so glad I'm done with it though. I'm going to go make my favorite vegan chilli recipe and some jalapeno-cheddar corn bread. Yum. A treat. Wish I had a movie to watch or season 3 of lost (I finished watching season 2 this morning).
Oh, and I dropped off that ring this afternoon. Dude suggested that I gypsy set the diamond after casting rather than casting with the stone in. So hopefully I will finish that up tomorrow and list it on etsy, then start on Linda's necklace. *Phew*

3.01.2009


Sometimes procrastination isn't THAT big a beast. The brooch I'm working on is still stressing me out, so I took an unexpected break and carved up a new ring. It's kind of a reincarnation of a past ring..with a little twist. I might do a few different variations on is. This one is the same general shape as the old one...except that I crafted it with MUCH more care. The last time I made this ring was when I was in school during casting class. I carved it about 3 times before I got it to cast right..and by that time I was just so pissed that I didn't even care to take my time...I just wanted to get something made. I give my casting guy a lot of credit for always turning out good work. I guess you can though when you have years and years of experience as well as high tech machinery :)
So yes..now I pay someone to cast for me. I don't have the means to do so myself at this point.
So there..look..I got sidetracked talking about getting sidetracked! This ring (which I've already titled "Candy Mountain"), is faceted on the top, a diamond is set into the point, and it's smooth around the band. Once It's been cast, I will solder in my signature and quality stamp. This is the first time that I am trying to cast with the stone already in. I figured since I have real diamonds, I might as well..seeing as you can only cast with the stone in with diamonds or synthetic's. So there you go. Time to get back to work though... the brooch needs to be done by wednesday night/thursday morning.
I'll drop the ring off at Casting HQ tomorrow on my lunch break.