I learned about sand blasting and powder-coating today! It was the second session of my Color on Metal class at Lillstreet Art Center. Powder-coating looks like paint; you might recognize it from cars, home appliances, etc.. Apparently, it’s actually a type of resin, or plastic. You conduct a little electricity through the piece, spray it,… Continue reading Color on Metal #2

At the beginning of our second class we had a look at people’s work from last week. Some left theirs at the studio, and I brought in experiments from home. Here are the instructor’s rings - cool variety of colors! These are from another student. The dark blue is really amazing! And the chunky salt… Continue reading Color on Metal #1 – Part 2

I am smitten! Both with the outcomes and with this technique. I had a crazy moment a few weeks ago when I was feeling great health-wise, and in that moment, I signed up for two classes at Lillstreet this session. Not my smartest move (it’s only been one week and I’m already tired). BUT, I… Continue reading Metal Forming #1, Part 2

In my metal forming class on Tuesday night this week, Darlys shows us the basics of forming and planishing. These first four pictures show her shaping a 3 inch copper disc into a bowl shape. She used dapping sets and a mushroom stake to create the bowl-shaped curve. The metal is worked, and then annealed… Continue reading Metal Forming #1, Part 1

Here are some of the samples from my Color on Metal class last Saturday. The first photo (featured image) is copper with a stamp on it; a slow, gentle heating turns the metal purple. You can also achieve wonderful yellows and oranges, like the instructor samples below: But Saturday we mostly focused on blues and… Continue reading Color on Metal #1 – Part 1

For the first time since before the pandemic, this weekend I traveled into Chicago to take a class at Lillstreet Art Center. It was great to be back in this creative, welcoming community art center! 💕 I am taking two classes, but the one on Saturdays is a quick four-week class called Color on Metal.… Continue reading Return to Lillstreet

I’ve been enjoying the slow unfolding of this project - I hope you have too. ❤️ The settings and hollow forms are now complete. The next step will be to connect them together!

Last weekend I puttered around my shop, and I enjoyed the change of pace - the slow unfolding of this project was a pleasure. In this series of pics, you’ll see that I prepared the settings for the Labradorites, and then I shaped the hollow form frames to match the stone shape. I settled on… Continue reading Labradorite bracelet – work in progress

I have not been super motivated to metalsmith in the past week or so. Some of it is because I have been trialing new drugs to manage my health conditions, and that has been a bit of a roller coaster. But the cold has also been a factor - I have to get myself mentally… Continue reading Working in batches

In the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling a little restless about the projects currently on my bench. Maybe it’s post-partum after the launch of Tiny Treasures? I was experimenting with producing work in batches, but I found that focusing too much on streamlining my work has taken some of the joy out of what… Continue reading Bracelet planning

By the end of a weekend in the shop, it usually looks like something exploded at my bench! 🧨 I enjoy wallowing in the mess when I’m working, but when I need some time to plan and prepare, the chaos can be super distracting. I think this crowded feeling is because of the bonzai. I… Continue reading Clean bench!