For the last several weeks I have been teaching a class at Phoenix Art Center on Texturing Metal. It has been lots of fun and I've made tons of samples. Techniques I've covered in class include, roller printing, hammer textures, etching, reticulation, fusing, and solder inlay. Head on over to my flickr page to see what each one is... (or click on the photo for a larger version).
I finished one more piece for the show at Mobilia Gallery (read more here). They asked for 2-5 pieces and 2 is all I was able to get done. I am a little sad about that, but sometimes you just can't do everything. Here are some shots of the piece and the pair. I have to send them off tomorrow (the opening is on Saturday)! It's always hard to part with things...especially when they were so much work and are so new! I like to give myself time to warm up to the idea of my work leaving me...its just so much a part of myself. You invest so much time, work, and emotion into something, you can't help but get attached. Anyway, I hope they find good homes:)
My friend Jason Woolery just started an Etsy shop for his pottery. I met Jason at Arrowmont this summer. One of my favorite parts about going to Arrowmont was the friends I made. I feel like in one week I made friends that I will have for many years to come. Jason is a very talented ceramicist who will be applying to graduate schools this year to start next fall. I've been trying to talk him into applying at ASU but I am not sure if he is buying my sales pitch. As much as I love ASU, I'm not sure I would want to live in Phoenix after living in beautiful Tennessee! Anyway, his work is great and I am sure he will do well wherever he decides to go.
Floralure Orange and White 
Twitch and Pause IV 
Recyclure E Cheesy 
Recyclure Good as Au
Yesterday I alloyed and milled out my own metal for the first time. One of the luxuries of living in Phoenix is having a handful of local jewelry suppliers. If I ever need a shape or gauge of wire or sheet I don't have, all I have to do is go to my local supplier, Lonnies Inc. So, I had never before tried to make my own. Well, I have always wanted to make the Japanese alloy shibuichi, so I decided to finally do it yesterday! Shibuichi is a copper/sterling alloy.
Carbon coating the ingot mold, so the metal comes out more easily.
Melting the metal!!
Pouring.
Ouch, that is hot!
I made two small ingots for wire and a larger one for sheet.
Now that I have it made, I need to decide what to do with it. When I make something with it, I'll be sure to let you know.
I finished this piece today. Its a two part wall piece made of altered silver platters and embroidery. I really need to learn how to take photos of wall pieces. My pictures are terrible but I don't know how to do it! Help anyone? Its really annoying because the platters have a mirror like polish, and everything reflects in them!
