You can't make me!

As I've said in earlier posts, my jewelry talks to me and tells me what it should look like.  Sometimes I just let it sit for days, months and even years until it finally "talks" and I am able to finish the piece.

The piece I have been working on lately has been as unruly as a belligerent teenager.  I've tried to make it be something it didn't want to be.  "I don't want to and you can't make me!"

As mentioned in my post, "Back to Backs" on Oct. 4th I designed a pendant to display a very nice  Mookite Jasper stone that I bought at the Rock Shop in Gatlinburg.  That post discusses the problems I've encountered so far with this piece.   The second piece was not working out well either (since it was basically the same size as the first one.)  I kept trying to make it work.  Then I decided to do what I knew I had to do....... start over.

Today was that day ..... and the third try had better work like a charm.  The piece is still not totally finished but it is getting close (although I do expect to do some repair work as I applied wet clay around a hard surface and it will probably crack.)  

Not only did I start over, but the design changed dramatically.  I had been designing it with the point up....... today I flipped it.  (Which means my seam, which I'm not good at yet is now at the top and more visible.)  Also, one of the three bails slipped out of place a little during the firing process.

I placed a design on the back of all three of the pendants.  The first two are similar and the third piece has the addition of three CZ's across the top.  I'm not sure they really relate to the design on the front but they look pretty.  

I am using a two step firing process for this piece.  The bezel is made and the seam is finished with metal clay oil paste (paste to which lavender oil has been added.)  The base piece is created and fired; then the bezel is attached to the base with oil paste and fired again.    Even though I've done it before, I've been having problems getting the bezel attached to the base piece.  Today I tried one of Jeanette Landenwitch's suggestions in her book Setting Stones in Metal Clay.  She suggested scratching a groove into the base that the bezel can sit in before using the oil paste.  I did that, but I'm not sure it's going to work.  (Oh thee of little faith!)  Anyway, the entire piece is sitting on my work bench air drying.  I added a line of syringe clay around the outside of the bezel (where I could) and this is what I suspect will give me problems.  If it does, it will require some repair and then back into the kiln.  

Here's a few pictures of the "new" piece, but remember it's not finished.  It's been fired once (that's why it looks white.)   If the second firing goes well, then all that is left (besides polishing it up) is to set the stone in the bezel. ( I pray I do that right...... I've been in one of those stretches where everything I touch falls apart!)  

Unfinished front of the piece.  Everything is just sitting there right now

The back of the piece, again unfinished.  Fresh out of the kiln

Romancing the Stone

As was mentioned a couple of posts ago, I have several very nice stones (actually I've had them for years.)  So when I saw all the beautiful choices at the vendors hall at the conference...... I steered clear.  (I really, really wanted to go take a look but I did resist.  I didn't resist the desserts though.)

Instead, on the second day of the conference I discovered Lisa Barth's beautiful stone pendants.  Each one different and each one equally well executed.  And the really nice thing is..... she's written a book about her design process and bezel setting techniques.  So..... of course I had to buy it.

I haven't had much time to get too deeply into it yet, but what I have seen I really like.  Some questions are popping up as I read it, (may have to email her a couple of times) but I do think it is exactly what I need.  The triangular burgundy stone in the lower right hand corner was the stone in the piece that didn't turn out.  I did use the stone to help design the setting but just screwed up on the bezel.  

Not only did I buy Lisa's book at the conference, but I also saw Jeanette Landenwitch's book at the Rio Grande display.  (So of course I bought it too..... when will I quit?)  It is a completely different approach from the other book and I already see some good tips in it too.

I will probably approach the first couple of tries just like I did when starting to work with metal clay.  I'll pretty much take the project approach and once I feel comfortable I'll be off and running.  Stay tuned for future posts on how it's going.

 It will be a several days before my next post as I'm camping with the grandchildren.  (I've got lots of ideas for posts.  The conference was inspiring that way too.)

PMC Conference - day 3

This isn't my last post inspired by the conference, but it is my last post about the sessions offered at the conference.  In my opinion, all the sessions were good but it was Saturday's sessions that I found most inspiring.

The morning started out with a virtual slide presentation created by Jeanette Landenwitch.  "Look at us now" was a virtual exhibition of work that's been created over the past seventeen years of metal clay.

The afternoon session that I attended was "Designing without a net" which was lead by Ellen Wieske and Tim McCreight.  The session was basically a very relaxed dialogue between the two about their working processes.  Ellen's process of creation is more scheduled and Tim's is more fluid.  This session got us to thinking about who we are as artists (which I am still trying to wrap my head around.  I had wanted to be an art teacher since third grade and was trained as an artist who would be teaching.  For me, I still identify myself more as a teacher.)  The dialogue between the two has me thinking about who I really am.  They both suggested that we choose some things that we really, really like and really, really hate, then try to identify why we have those particular feelings toward that object.   There are lots of risks involved in making art and we shouldn't be afraid to take those risks.  Ellen also suggested that we don't back away when we become obsessed with something...... that feeling might not come again.  (I'm quite sure she was talking about making art and not stalking someone.)

My favorite session of the entire conference was Helga van Leipsig's "Process as a Design Tool."  This session was in the same vein as "Designing without a net" but stated in a different way.

Helga has recently been inspired by an E-book called "Time Management" and has applied it to her life.  She feels that by following a schedule she has freed up time and has accomplished more in the time she is at her studio.  One of the quotes she shared was  to "Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work." - Gustave Flabert  (I think I copied that right!)

Anyway, she also (as did Tim and Ellen) suggest that we do some deep soul searching and learn who we are, what motivates us and makes us happy.  This hit home with me in both sessions as I sometimes feel like I'm still not sure who I am.  I have an inkling, but still feel like I'm searching to find out what I'm best at.  (Damn I'd better hurry.  I don't know how much time I have left..... I guess I should have gone to the Palm Reader at the Saturday night gala.)  

As a teacher I felt I knew who I was..... but as an artist, not so much!