{Curiosity}

Curiosity in Robin’s Egg Blue

Curiosity in Green

Curiosity in Green

 

 

{How to Make a Accordion Folding Hexayurt}

Start with getting the schematics from camp danger
http://www.appropedia.org/Camp_Danger_Hexayurt_Hinge_Technique

Next acquire material. Our Yurt started with 1.5″ rigid insulation board.

Mark six of your twelve panels with cut lines on the diagonal. Three one way then three the other so that you keep all logos on the inside of your yurt.

Begin cutting.

Keep it clean! Vacuum all particles as you create them.

Tape your edges nicely.

Cut your door, Tape your hinges, assemble and viola the hexayurt is complete.
Loads of schematics and information is available online, research and build your own 🙂

{The Matador in Nîmes}

During my 2010 Windgate Fellowship I was stranded  on my way to Stage de Forge because of the French grève (strike) and  to my delight I found this lovely brass statue of a matador.

{New & Newish Jewelry}

“Beetle Wing Specimen” July 2012

The back of “Beetle Wing Specimen”

I’m very excited about this new clasp design I’m calling it the “Keyhole & Clip Clasp”

These aragonite earrings are part of a series called “Rough Around the Edges” in which I set raw mineral specimens into sterling silver. December 2011

I’m working on perfecting my technique for taking photos of my jewelry on myself by myself. Any constructive criticism out there for me?

“Brutishly Broken Before Becoming a Bauble” June 2011

{Creating Alès}

This image was taken in Alès, France at a scrap yard. It is the inspiration for the necklace entitled “Ales”.

This is the steel stovepipe, first used as a flame resistant surface now used as a surface to enamel upon.

Cutting the stovepipe.

Fold formed and almost ready to enamel.

Flame red counter enamel prior to firing.

A layer of white has been applied, partially scraped away & fired. Now a second layer of blue is ready to be fired.

The blue layer after firing.

The third and final layer has been applied and awaits firing.

Just after firing the final layer.

The sterling silver setting prior to soldering.

The finished piece, enameled steel set in silver on a graduated sterling silver hand fabricated chain. After firing the enamel I ground some of it off to expose the steel to rust and mimic the depth of the inspiration image. July 2012

My new favorite clasp. I’m calling it the “keyhole & clip, clasp”

The back of Alès. From Marilyn DaSilva I was taught that the back of a piece is just as important as the front, it is an intimate secret for the wearer.

{Upgrading the Soldering Station}

A snapshot of my soldering station before upgrading. Here I had used the steel from an old stovepipe to create a flame resistant surface on which I placed a solderite board base, firebrick columns & a solderite board top to create a raised soldering station.

In my new set up, I replaced the stovepipe with 24 gauge aluminum that covers the entire 2′ x 4′ plywood surface and a piece of 1/2″ aluminum to create a heat sink directly under the kiln. I sourced these materials locally from Bataeff Salvage.

Hooray, the kiln is ready to fire up. Thank you Tom Pankey for hooking me up with this lovely used kiln.

I pieced together an enameling fork using carbon steel and a dowel. 

I made some firing racks with this scrap steel mesh.

I cut the mesh into a rectangle with snips, then began folding the edges over with pliers and hammered them down to make clean edges. Next, I bent legs into the rack about a 1/2″ from each finished edge.

 

Viola! One mesh firing rack made to fit perfectly inside my kiln and one wee rack for torch firing.

{Craft Forms 2011}

Announcing my acceptance into the 2011 Craft Forms Show at Wayne Art Center with the piece “Brutishly Broken Before Becoming a Bauble.” The opening will be December 2nd 2011 at 6:00 pm 

{Arrowmont Experience}

Joanna Gollberg applies flux prior to demonstrating soldering

Joanna Gollberg Demonstrating soldering

Warren Carpenter modeling my fuzzy wuzzy ring

The whole fabulous class 🙂

Dustin Farnsworth, another 2010 Windgate Fellow, that I had the pleasure of meeting during my time at Arrowmont

{JR, Wheat Paste & Favelas}

JR’s work is poignant using images to help people see each other and to address social concerns. The piece of his that I am most impressed with involves people in Israel and Palestine. He took pictures of Israelis and Palestinians doing the same jobs then pasted gigantic portraits of them side by side on both sides of the wall. Can you tell who the Palestinian is and who the Israeli is? That is the point, you cannot.

 

To read more about JR go to ted.com

{Judith G. Klausner}

Oreo art, amazing! I love to see a common material utilized in a way I’ve never seen or even thought about. I found Judith G. Klausner’s art at juxtapose.com

Judith G. Klausner

Judith G. Klausner