I have a big show opening next week!  The show is titled eleMEnTAL and features the work of Tedd McDonah, Becky McDonah, and myself.
I hope to see you all at the reception next Friday, but if you can't make it, the show will be up through August 12th!  Details below!

eleMEnTAL

Featuring Arizona Artists Becky Chader McDonah, Tedd R. McDonah, & Lynette Andreasen

When:

Friday, May 25 - Sunday, August 12, 2012

Where: 

North Gallery: Mesa Art Center, (480) 644.6500

One East Main Street

Mesa, Arizona 85201

This exhibition brings together three Arizona metalsmiths, whose aesthetics complement each other but retain their individual forms of expression. With precious and semiprecious metals and stones, these artists create reliquaries and containers, fishing lures, jewelry and other intimate art objects that beacon closer examination. Beyond the elegant surfaces, the work provides a deeper conversation on relationships, attraction, heritage, status and other implications of society.

Opening Reception: Friday, May 25, 2012 (7-10pm)

FREE and Open to the Public
• Musical Entertainment by JT’s Island Steel
• Artists in Attendance
• Benefit Raffle Drawing (Raffle items on display and tickets available for purchase starting Friday, May 18. Contact Betty at 480-644-6567 for more information or visit Mesa Contemporary Arts’ front desk.)
• Light Refreshments and Cash Bar

Rosette Collar

This is one of the new pieces I just finished for my upcoming show at mesa art center.  

Rosette Collar

silver plated copper, sterling silver, fine silver, freshwater pearls, antique chandelier crystals

I outlined most of the process of making this piece below-with pictures!

 I had the parts waterjet cut from copper sheet metal.  To give you a sense of scale, the copper piece below is 36"x36".  The parts for this necklace are towards the bottom-they look like flowers but have little tabs sticking out all around the petals.  I had several other pieces cut for other projects as well.  Normally I do all my piercing by hand, but I ran out of time and had things I wanted to get done for the show and this saved a TON of time. 

 These are the parts once cut.  The waterjet cutting also makes finishing super easy because they are cut perfect-no need for filing, just a little bit of sanding!

As you can see, the longer tabs on these are bent around the back and soldered, to form links for the jumprings to join each piece. 

 

 Here they are all set up for soldering.

This is after they have been soldered, connected with jumprings, and the jumprings soldered closed.

After that I took it to a silverplating company and had a really thick plating put on the whole chain.

This is after the patina was put on, and the crystals were set.  I just used a wood dowel and a bezel pusher to push the prongs over the edge of the crystal and into place.

 

And this is the finished piece.  I forgot to take pictures while I was adding the pearls.  They are just attached with a fine silver pin, balled on both sides of the crystal.

I really want to keep this one!

ASU Metals Alumni Exhibition

Tonight is the opening reception for the ASU Metals Alumni Exhibition.  I have a piece in the show as do many of my friends.  Please make sure to attend the show to see some great metalwork out of the program at ASU!  Also, this show is part of a number of metals exhibitions being held in conjunction with the SNAG conference later this month (you know, that one I've been helping plan for over 2 years now:)  Lets just say I'm excited about everything happening in May but I can't wait for June!!!  See details about the show below!

ASU Metals Alumni Exhibition

NIGHT GALLERY

May 4 - 27, 2012, Tues.-Sun. 6- 9 p.m.

School of Art
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Campus: Off-campus           
Opening reception: Friday, May 4, 2012, 6-9p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public, donations welcome

ASU Alumni artists include recent and not-so recent graduate students and undergraduates in a program that has produced talented, award winning metalsmiths and jewelers.  From one of the best Metals programs in the country, this exhibit showcases the many talents and detailed workmanship of a variety of artists with diverse approaches to working with metal.

Along with the traditional materials and techniques such as blacksmithing, forging and forming, these artists include contemporary practices in enamel, found objects and mixed media.

Some of the artists included in this exhibit are Becky & Tedd McDonah, Deb Lozier, Jessica Calderwood, Lauren McAdams Selden, Eric Burris, Nissa Kubly, Lynette Andreasen, Jill Baker-Gower, Victoria Altepeter, Polly Smith and Dale Wedig.

The Night Gallery at the Tempe Marketplace is an exhibition space for ASU School of Art faculty, graduate students and alumni in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The gallery is a result of a partnership between the Herberger Institute and Vestar Development Company.

The Night Gallery is located at Tempe Marketplace (intersection of McClintock Rd. and the 202 at 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway) in the District (west end, south side) between Barnes & Noble bookstore and Aeropostale.

The gallery is closed on Monday.