Back in the Saddle (Its about time...)

So...I'm ashamed to say that it has been more than 6 months since my thesis show and I am just now finally finishing some new pieces (I haven't made a single thing since my show besides teaching samples!!!). It really seems like my show was just yesterday, but when I count back the months its embarrassing! After my show it seemed all I could do to just make it to graduation...summer followed and I started teaching, and then I took my trip...and now its 6 months later! Eek. Well anyway, here are some new pieces I just finished up this week. It feels good to be back in the saddle!
You may or may not remember, but a few months back I scored this awesome lot of antique hardware on ebay. Well, these five necklaces I just finished are all made with these old antique wood drawer pulls. I sand off the old paint, inlay them with silver wire, make some pretty chains to hang them on and many many hours of labor later, here they are!"Worn" Series

sterling silver, found antique drawer pulls, fine silver inlay, pearls

Report: Hand Fabricated Chains Class

Just finished up 4 weeks of one of the most fun classes I have ever taught, Hand Fabricated Chains at Phoenix Art Center! I had a great group and they worked hard in what little time they had and finished with some great stuff. The first few images are chains I made as samples for the class, and the rest are a few images of some of the student work (I didn't get pics of everything unfortunately) . Ill be teaching this class again in the fall, but in an 8 week format as opposed to 4 weeks, and it will be at Mesa Art Center...stay tuned for details!samples

More samples. I made a bunch of copper samples too but forgot to take pics of them so I guess I'll post them later.

samples
Sandy Halka

Paula Ellis

Paula Ellis
Kay Cummins

Cole Allen
Nina Jeffre
Nina Jeffre


Nina JeffreNina JeffreNina JeffreNina Jeffre

Hardware Experiment #1

sterling silver, fine silver, found antique hardware

pique on found object and hand fabricated sterling silver chainsee hardware in its original state below

Something Really New

And scary and big and dirty and smelly! Right now I am working on the biggest unknown still left in my show. That sentence doesn't really make sense does it? Well, I am working on something big for my thesis exhibition, that is really new to me, so I have NO IDEA how it is going to turn out. But for the first time in weeks (okay, maybe months) I got really excited about my show. Its about time! Anyway, I am blacksmithing some chains. Not telling you all what they are for yet, that will be the one surprise I leave. They are going to be big. Or at least big for me. I attempted a few links tonight. I got filthy and smelly and my hands are killing me after only 4 links, but I think I am really going to like these! They are made from 3/8"x1/8" steel strap and each link is just under 2" long.
With only 36 days left to go, I can't wait to be DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lace Necklace

A new necklace, meant to look kind of like lace. Can you guys tell I love to make chain? I do. Its probably one of my favorite things to do...you just come up with a design and then repeat...don't have to think about it, just do it over and over until you have a chain! I like it alot...except for sanding. Finishing chain is not fun. Anyway the necklace is reversible but this is the front:And the back:

You can click on the images to enlarge.

A new piece!

I can see this becoming a new series. I think. Maybe.

I tried a new clasp. It was fun...I like it a lot...it works really well:) I love how it totally disappears into the chain when its closed.

sterling silver, copper, silk, embroidery thread, pearls

Reaching

I finished a "new" piece today. I actually started this quite a while ago but never got it resolved. It always feels good to find resolution after a long time:) Its called, "Reaching" and is made of found silver platters, copper, pearls, and embroidery.