A piece called Catamaran from a song Bryan wrote years and years ago. The music make me see squares. The title makes me think of the ocean.
Not in the studio today but left this on the block to bring me back on wednesday. Unlike some of the other music pieces that prompts an image at a particular chord progression the Holst piece is multiple images that evolve into a concept piece.
And I can’t escape the title.
So this one goes a little toward the representational that doesn’t honor the experiment of synethesia as much.
But it is still fun.
Multiple piece in play at the moment. I have to make a decision about the snarky puppy piece. To oxidize or not to oxidize it. Today will be finishing the chain for it.
Ah yes, chain.
I don’t know why I do this to myself. These larger multi component pieces take so much more time than a single pendant thanks to the making of chain that suits the design. Also the inclusion of a multifacet cognac citrine complicated things. I chose to create a frame for it instead of a boring prong or bezel. Then I am going to encase it in resin.
I initially came into the studio in the morning in an inspired mood and ready to get to work. Studio 2 is closed on mondays so I am taking advantage of that quieter time. But my mood shifted when I went to my cart (i use this cart for class demonstrations) and discovered the surface had these deep gouges like someone was bracing a mandrel to it while hammering. What was a beautiful butcher block was now trashed.
I love the fact that the studio is a playground for so many people. I love the fact that people are inspired by the space. I love the fact that so many creative things come out of that space. But it bothers me when things are not taken care of.
In fact it just hurts my feelings.
I don’t know how else to put it. Discovering this kind of carelessness made my heart sink, washed away my inspiration and frankly, I have hard time not taking personally. My husband had lovingly replaced the humble top to this cart with a nice heavy butcher block surface for me to do my demonstrations on.
Now it looks like this.
And the gouges are too deep to sand out.
It is like someone came into my kitchen and used a meat cleaver on my kitchen counter.
So even though we ask people to attend the Studio 2 “Love the Tools Party”, I get that sometimes people don’t think about these things so I am putting up a page here to illustrate some of the things you shouldn’t do.
I am introducing our two friends the “tool lover” and the “tool trasher” to be icons to assist in the communication of what’s good and what’s not.
This is not meant to make people afraid to use the studio, but to be a gentle reminder of what keeps the studio an inspiring place for everyone (including me!).
SilverWorks Open Studio (both studio 1 and 2) is a unique concept and a great way for people to practice their skills. I want to keep it that way for everyone. Please help me afford to do so.
and more...
“Here Comes The Sun”, revealed this design at :52 seconds into the song. The oval “stone” was evolved from the original sketch thanks to a pyrite drusy that just seemed to fit the “sunnyness” of the piece.
piece #3 in process, “Here Comes The Sun”, music by The Beatles. Pyrite Drusy, Citrine, Moonstone.
Another interruption for show work was less of an interruption and more of an honor. Creating the award for GEPPAC’s annual gala that is being presented to Carol Trawick. The theme this year was Carousel Memories so of course it had to be a horse.
A little research on the Dentzel Carousel revealed to me that there is actually a “lead horse”. So that is the one that I had chosen to replicate.
Lots of cutwork!
A happy interruption was creating more of these for the National Arboretum.
A batch of 30 out the door.
Snarky Puppy. If you are a jazz lover and haven’t discovered this amazing “group” you must check them out. Michael League is a genius and will probably be looked back on in history as someone who... well, changed jazz.
piece #2 , “You Don’t Know”, music by Snarky Puppy. Initial sketch was a “direct trigger at 4min 49 seconds. It is a wild jazz piece that could spawn a hundred works, but this moment was a break with a piano solo.
I got carried away and forgot to show some of the progress, but here it is in the final stages. The beautiful black opal is the focus of this piece.
Solving the problem of the bail below.
piece #1, “Inama Nushif”, music by Brian Tyler from the movie Children of Dune. Finished.
I got carried away and forgot to show some of the progress, but here it is in the final stages. The beautiful black opal is the focus of this piece.
Solving the problem of the bail below.
piece #1, “Inama Nushif”, music by Brian Tyler from the movie Children of Dune. This design was “directly triggered” at 1:53 seconds into the music track.
Solo show time again and I thought I would do something different on these pages.
A countdown.
Juggling a studio (now studios) like mine present fun and often interesting challenges. I am often asked, “When do you find time to do your art?”
Good question. Between classes and preparing new techniques, open studio, showing others’ work in the SilverWorks gallery, not to mention the businessy side of running anything, it is hard to find that quiet space needed to produce good show pieces. But deadlines are a good way to stretch and so I thought I might document my progress on this particular show.
I am challenging myself with the theme of synethesia. I am not a true by the book synesthete but like a lot of artists my work can be radically and directly influenced by the senses.
One of these is sound.
So I am exploring the connection I have to music in my work. (listening to it I mean)
I am effected in three ways.
So I have collected a number of pieces of music from different genres and am giving them a listen, recording my experience and the designs that result. The goal is to have 10 larger works (take more time more focus and the challenge of the theme) and 25 smaller works. A total of 35 pieces in 40 days.
Yea, I know.
So wish me luck, and take a ride with me via these pages if you choose. Some of the ride is going to get bumpy no doubt, but it is often fun to see what the muse brings forth.
Beading basics was the theme of the All Day Beading Workshop. I was lucky enough to sit in on Ruth’s new class that was held in SW Studio 2. I have managed to be a silversmith for thirty years without ever picking up the skill of beading. To be honest I was a bit of a snob about it. But today I thought “what the heck”.
It was so much fun.
And Ruth was a fantastic teacher. Clear and direct she showed us three different techniques, stringing on a wire, making beaded chain, and knotting.
Yea that mysterious thing you do to string pearls. She totally demystified it and had us all knotting away in no time. Then she cleverly had us make the three sampler strands into a bracelet.
You may just find some beaded elements creeping into my smithing work in the future;-)
We had a fantastic day here in Nassau giving our first international workshop for Exnihilo. The class filled up and many wonderful things were created by the workshoppers. Students were donning their first pair of earrings after the first hour and proudly wearing multiple projects when the day concluded.
The workshop was held at the former home of E. Clement and Keva Bethel, pace setters in the nation’s arts community. The historical significance of this venue could only enrich the experience for everyone with one student commenting, “There are good spirits in this house”. I was both humbled and honored to teach this class in such a historic venue.
The workshop was a modified version of the beginner’s Silver Saturday that I teach in the studio in Maryland. One modification was using pre pressed texture panels instead of rolling mill textures (difficult to ship such a large and permanently installed tool). We also tumbled the work instead of using a polishing machine.
Another difference was the bonus of having lunch provided by Erin and Tina of Seasonal Sunshine. The lion fish tacos with cilantro and mango sauce were to die for! And they also brought along their signature rum infusions for all to try.
Hey its not the Bahamas without rum!
But what is truly significant is that this little workshop is the first of many we plan to offer here under our “Exnihilo Art Center” umbrella. Although the larger vision of the art center is the building of a residency center on Long Island Bahamas, the foundation is being laid with programs here in Nassau first. Among these programs is a scholarship fund for college bound art students from the smaller islands, as well as residency programs in satellite locations like the College of The Bahamas.
Big things come from small beginnings.
Students:
Subrenna Higgs
Moriah Lightbourn
Caliope Sandiford
Phelice Jones
Luciana Hall
Sharon Cleare
Susan Farrington
Tyrone Ferguson
Katrina Cartwright
Thanks to everyone for allowing us to take your pictures and interview you!
Imagine packing up a silversmithing studio and hauling it to another country. That is one of the things that occupied my time this week. SilverWorks, under our Exnihilo Art Center flag, is going to be hosting a workshop in The Bahamas next month.
Want to come?
Bryan and I are heading to Nassau for a few weeks during the busy time of Transforming Spaces, an annual art show that features all the best artists in the Bahamian art scene. March 12 & 13 are the dates.
On the heels of that I will be giving a workshop on March 19 & 20 to continue to introduce the community to the arts initiative we call Exnihilo.
People often wander into Glen Echo Park for the first time and exclaim, “Wow, all this time and I didn’t know this was here”. Or sometimes I hear, “I used to come to the amusement park as a kid”. My husband Bryan even had the good fortune of hearing a story, first hand of a woman who was a part of the sit-in protests that moved the park toward desegregation during that sketchy part of its history. Imagine a sit-in on a carousel horse.
There is lots of history to cover in this magical place.
As an artist-in-residence here I am thankful for all the folks before me that fought for the preservation of this place on countless occasions not only keeping it alive but paving the way for artists like myself to grow programs that the community can enjoy.
A very fun evening getting to know our new instructors while pairing all of our instructors with a wine (or beer) that matched their personality. Potential students got a chance to chat with the SilverWorks faculty and get a peek at some of the samples from upcoming classes. Not to mention have some wine.
New students got to see Vincent’s treatment of Blacksmithing techniques for the Silversmith, Nichelle’s fantastic Chainmaille, Ruth’s beaded creations, and Robert’s Sand Casting. And us instructors that have been around for awhile showed off some of our workshop samples too. What fun!
As to the wine pairings...
Nichelle: Risata Moscato D’Asti
Bright and delightful, brings joy to any occasion.
Ruth: Sparkling Cider
Bubbly and fun, light hearted with a hint of sweet.
Vincent: Boston Lager
Complex but approachable, smooth with a great head.
Mawadda: Sparkling Cranberry
An effervescent personality that is sure to lift your spirits. Sweet with a hint of spice and an intelligent finish.
Blair: Purple Cowboy, Tenacious Red
A weird blend with peppery notes and a burst of fruit and earth. A spirited finish.
Robert: Old Vine Zin (Boggle)
Big and bold with tons of experience. Pairs well with anything. Finishes smooth.
Helena: Chardonnay
Starts crisp and clean, evolves into complex tones with an intelligent finish.
Lost Wax Casting 2: Making Molds is one of those classes that is different everytime depending on the dynamic of the students and what they want to get from it.
I always start with a nature hike to hunt for castable organic items but from there it is a lot of experimentation and therefore a lot of fun for me. Doing a direct burnout of organics, and other non-wax but potential burnables can yield some interesting results and sometime failure. This group had a bit of both, but mostly success!
Some of the SilverWorks workshops focus on a very specific technique, tool, or project without completing a piece of jewelry. The hinge workshop was one of these. With its focus being nothing other than mastering a perfect knuckle hinge, Led by Helena,
the students set to work through a detailed step by step.
Tedious but very satisfying once completed we are sure to see hinges cropping up in student projects in the future!
Tackling some traditional loop-n-loop chains as well as some fun creative chain, this workshop was all about the link.
And how to connect those links.
Chain Theory gets some attention here as chain is not as easy as it looks. Balance and rotation can make a chain work or not.
Get more info with the chain handout:
Chain.pdf
I am so fortunate to have a kind gentlemen/roofer who occasionally brings me chunks of copper that has been removed from our local rooftops.
These pieces of copper are like rare gems to me. Their rich patinas were created by the passage of time and mother nature representing decades of history in the DC area.
The amount of time and environmental conditions of a given location determines the colors. They range from deep greens to powder blues.
This workshop introduces Robert Shaw to our team. Exploring The Leaf is just that... taking the leaf form and making it using as many different techniques as you can imagine.
Previously Alaska’s state archeologist, Bob comes to us bring a wealth of skill and knowledge in smithing. Not easy to rest on a single technique for long, he dives deep into the techniques that interest him at the time. These lucky students were able to glean all sorts of smithy wisdom while pondering and pounding out the leaf form.
You can learn more about Robert here.
Another one of the schedule friendly workshops held recently was the Patinas workshop.
Messy and smelly but a whole lot of fun this workshop focused on the use of household product to embellish the color of metal.
Each student completed a series of recipe cards that revealed a different color finish based on the chemicals used.
Another fun technique that takes your designs to another level is Married Metals.
Simply put and just like it sounds you are combining multiple colored metals together to create a design.
Once a panel is completed and seams are sanded flush (that is the hard part) it can be crafted into jewelry using cold connection.
This workshop was really about learning how to use a new tool. Less about skill and more about application, the pen plater is one of those nifty tools that opens up a whole new world to your existing designs by adding a touch of gold.
Taking this workshop makes students eligible to come back in the studio to use the tool again and again.
