I just finished my commissioned piece, the money clip and its funny even though I would never have any use for it - I am having trouble letting go. When I started making jewelry 5 years ago, I remember going through this same process...the investment of myself that goes into each piece is hard to let go of. My creations feel like part of me so letting go of them is a bit painful. I feel emotionally connected to them, which made me think of the Buddhist tenet - to be free of attachment means true freedom. Once you stop clinging and let things be, you'll be free, even of birth and death.
In the past, I got to a point where I was okay letting go and I am trying to find that place again. And there is a happiness in sharing my creations with friends and family (especially the nice ones that pay me - ha ha) so I guess in the end I will be okay in letting the spider go.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
multi-tasking or A.D.D. ..and a spider comes to life
Coming up on my last class for the season and made the realization that I have a lot going on. I currently have about 5 ongoing pieces to finish still.
Here's a short list:
-Cuff bracelet inspired by Andy Goldworthy - still need to add a few more pieces and file the ends so they are not to spikey, its pretty cool
-A ring with dicroic glass made from a stamp I got from my mom's scrapbooking collection of supplies
-Same design, but most likely will make a pendant
-Still have hoop copper earrings that I enameled and am not quite happy with...might have to file off the color and see where that leaves me
-Some funky circular textured earrings I made from my copper / silver gate inspired disaster...not quite happy with the way they are laying
-Also did a mold of my cuff bracelet in order to make a couple of copies..since my mom keeps asking for one...and I may be able to sell another.
-And lastly a piece commissioned by my friend Chris, my very first since I've been making jewelry again :) Its a money clip.
I'm psyched because it is actually turning out to be very cool. It is inspired by the Nasca lines in Peru, which I am totally fascinated by although I've never been there. They are amazing drawings made in the the Peruvian desert that hold much mystery and intrigue. No one quite knows their meaning or how they got there - they can only be seen from the sky, each design is quite large and they range from images of birds to monkeys to a figure that looks like an astronaut. The design I picked is this spider. I took a copy of the design and copied onto acetate paper. Using an iron, I then placed my clean metal piece with the toner side down onto it on a hot iron and proceeded to push down on the design with a piece of leather.
This basically transfers the ink onto the metal. This picture is not of my piece but shows how its done
Here's what my spider looked like right before it was to go into the acid bath, with the design transferred onto the metal and the back covered with a special tape so to protect it from the acid.
The next step is to put the piece into an acid bath which will eat away at any metal that does not have any ink on it. And here it is in the acid bath. Everything in Adam's studio is a bit jimmy-rigged and this is no different, we used fishing wire to hang the piece design down in the acid and then set it on a machine that vibrates it to activate the acid (i think)
After etching it, I sawed its shape out and even cut out the lines around its body and legs. I am kind of rethinking the original concept because it is looking so cool, I think I like it standing on its own and having the clip attached to the spider's body but am not sure this is the right way to implement...need to discuss with Adam.
Here's the latest:
Maybe its the connection with Nasca or the fact that it is so bad-ass - either way, I'm really happy with the way it is turning out. Even though in Peru, these are quite the touristy symbols (like cable cars are to SF) ..I think they are so cool and think I see another monkey, bird or spider in my future.
Here's a short list:
-Cuff bracelet inspired by Andy Goldworthy - still need to add a few more pieces and file the ends so they are not to spikey, its pretty cool
-A ring with dicroic glass made from a stamp I got from my mom's scrapbooking collection of supplies
-Same design, but most likely will make a pendant
-Still have hoop copper earrings that I enameled and am not quite happy with...might have to file off the color and see where that leaves me
-Some funky circular textured earrings I made from my copper / silver gate inspired disaster...not quite happy with the way they are laying
-Also did a mold of my cuff bracelet in order to make a couple of copies..since my mom keeps asking for one...and I may be able to sell another.
-And lastly a piece commissioned by my friend Chris, my very first since I've been making jewelry again :) Its a money clip.
I'm psyched because it is actually turning out to be very cool. It is inspired by the Nasca lines in Peru, which I am totally fascinated by although I've never been there. They are amazing drawings made in the the Peruvian desert that hold much mystery and intrigue. No one quite knows their meaning or how they got there - they can only be seen from the sky, each design is quite large and they range from images of birds to monkeys to a figure that looks like an astronaut. The design I picked is this spider. I took a copy of the design and copied onto acetate paper. Using an iron, I then placed my clean metal piece with the toner side down onto it on a hot iron and proceeded to push down on the design with a piece of leather.
This basically transfers the ink onto the metal. This picture is not of my piece but shows how its done
Here's what my spider looked like right before it was to go into the acid bath, with the design transferred onto the metal and the back covered with a special tape so to protect it from the acid.
The next step is to put the piece into an acid bath which will eat away at any metal that does not have any ink on it. And here it is in the acid bath. Everything in Adam's studio is a bit jimmy-rigged and this is no different, we used fishing wire to hang the piece design down in the acid and then set it on a machine that vibrates it to activate the acid (i think)
After etching it, I sawed its shape out and even cut out the lines around its body and legs. I am kind of rethinking the original concept because it is looking so cool, I think I like it standing on its own and having the clip attached to the spider's body but am not sure this is the right way to implement...need to discuss with Adam.
Here's the latest:
Maybe its the connection with Nasca or the fact that it is so bad-ass - either way, I'm really happy with the way it is turning out. Even though in Peru, these are quite the touristy symbols (like cable cars are to SF) ..I think they are so cool and think I see another monkey, bird or spider in my future.
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