Family Matters - Opening Tonight!

 I know I already told you guys about this show, but I wanted to remind you of the opening reception tonight, and I was excited that my work got featured on the postcard.

Family Matters
June 23- August 25, 2012
Tempe Center for the Arts
Opening Reception Saturday, June 23rd, 6-9pm
Free and open to the public

Hope to see you there.

Recent Press

Just wanted to share a recent article/interview about my work in the East Valley Tribune.  The article can be read here.  Its so great to have some publicity for the eleMEnTAL show.  I promise I will be posting installation pics soon!

Nunome Zogan: Damascene

A couple of weeks ago I took a Damascene, or Nunome Zogan, workshop down in Tucson with Fred Zweig.  Damascene is a technique of inlaying fine silver and gold into a steel background.  I had seen the technique demonstrated by Bruce Clark while I was in college, but never actually tried it out.  The workshop was a nice opportunity to see the technique again and actually try it out myself this time.  I had a great time and can't wait to use this technique in a new piece!

You can see a short youtube video from the class here.

The first thing we did was finish off some chisels that Fred made for us.  They were made from a relatively small sized tool steel.  See Fred below showing us the proper angle for the shape of the chisel.

Then we began chiseling the texture into our steel plates.  Above you can see I am just getting started, and below I am about halfway through my third round of chisel marks. 

This is the start of my sample, just inlaying some fine silver scrolls.

Fred has an amazing (and HUGE!!) collection of damascene pieces from both Japan and Spain.  He was nice enough to let us all touch and photograph his collection!

This piece (above and below) was pretty cool because it was actually marriage of metals rather than damascene, so the design could be seen from both the inside and the outside.

This was a copper box with silver and shibuichi inlaid.

This case was also marriage of metals, rather than damascene.

Coolest matchbox I have ever seen (above)

We used small paper punches to cut out our foil designs for inlaying. 

Here are my samples in progress.

 

And this piece below was something I actually picked up while I was in Japan a couple of years ago.  I love it, and now its even more special to me because I understand the time and practice that goes into creating these beautiful damascene pieces!

Like I said, the workshop was great and I can't wait to work the technique into a new piece!

SNAG Happened

As many of you know, I was a co-chair (along with Tedd and Becky McDonah) for this years Society of North American Goldsmiths conference in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona.  Our theme for the conference was "The Heat Is On", and in my opinion, the conference was definitely HOT!!!  In every good sense of the word!  Our presenter lineup was amazing, and they all did a fantastic job!  Thanks so much to each of them for their sizzling talks!  For more info click here.

Garth Clark
Megan Auman

Kim Cridler

Steve Midgett

Kevin O'Dwyer

Bettina Speckner

Spotlight On Artists:

Allyson Bone

Caitie Sellers

Andrew Hayes

Loring Taoka

Amy Tavern

Panelists: 

Michael Sturtz, The Crucible, Oakland, CA
Jay Whaley, Whaley Studios, San Diego, CA
Johanna Ingram, Harold Studio, Phoenix, AZ

Also, we had a great exhibition lineup that I think really blew people away.  There was some great metalwork to be seen in Phoenix this year (and many of the shows are still up so be sure to check them out!!!)  More info here. 

“Hot Under the Collar:  A Survey of Contemporary Necklaces”
May 25-May 27, 2012
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts,* SCPA Atrium
7380 E 2nd St, Scottsdale, AZ

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“Humor in Metal”
May 25-May 27, 2012
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts,* SCPA Atrium
7380 E 2nd St, Scottsdale, AZ

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“Heat Exchange: A Cross-Continental Survey of Enamel”
Shemer Art Center & Museum
5005 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ
Heat Exchange Blog

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“Cu / 29: Contemporary Work in Copper”
April 6-August 12, 2012
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Main Gallery

 Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“Crucible: 10 Years of Metals at Mesa Arts Center” – Exhibition of Work by Mesa Arts Center Metals and Jewelry Instructors, Artist-In-Residence, Past and Present Workshop Artists and Visiting Artists
April 20-August 12, 2012
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, South Gallery
Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“Offerings–Gifts for the Muse: Work by Jan Arthur Harrell”
April 6-August 12, 2012
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Project Room
Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“eleMEnTAL: Becky Chader McDonah – Tedd R McDonah – Lynette Andreasen”
May 25-August 12, 2012
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, North Gallery
Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“Presidential: The Art of Leadership”
May 18-August 12, 2012
Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“SNAG Showcase: 2012 Conference Presenters”
May 25-August 12, 2012
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Main Gallery
Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ

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“All That Glitters: American Indian Gold Jewelry”
December 10, 2011-August 5, 2012
Heard Museum North
32633 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ  85262

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“Exhibition in Motion”
May 24, 2012, 7-9pm
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa 

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SNAG’s Annual Juried Student Exhibition: “Fusion”
May 23-May 26, 2012
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (Trailblazer’s Ballroom)

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“Metals & More:  A Juried Exhibition of ADC and Arizona SNAG Metalsmiths”
February 24-September 30, 2012
Phoenix Airport Museum, Phoenix Sky Harbor (Terminal 3, level 2, in three built-in display cases)

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“ASUMetals Alumni Exhibition” and ”Current Metals Graduate Students Exhibition”
May 4 (opening reception)–May 27, 2012
Night Gallery, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe Marketplace, Tempe, AZ

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Beverly Penn/Kim Cridler
May 3-June 30, 2012
Special SNAG opening: Friday, May 25, 7-9pm
Lisa Sette Gallery, 4142 North Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ

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There is so much more I should say about the conference this year, but I don't know where to start so I will just say this:  It was wonderful, I am thankful for the opportunity I had to help plan it, I'm thankful to all who helped make it successful, and I will see you all in Toronto next year!

 

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.

Phoenix Magazine

I'm excited to share with you that I've been featured in the May issue of Phoenix Magazine. Check it out on newsstands now...I'm on page 38!

The feature includes a plug for my upcoming 3 person show at Mesa Art Center. The exhibition is called "eleMEnTAL" and includes the work of Becky McDonah, Tedd McDonah, and myself. See details below.

When: Friday, May 25 - Sunday, August 12, 2012

Where: North Gallery, Mesa Art Center, Mesa, AZ

"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