Happy

Valentine's Day

Lotus

Etched lotus flower [brass]

Hello New York!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Wax

This month, I'll spend every Monday in the studio learning to carve wax. The first class was this week and it was a blast! I'd forgotten how fun it is to take a block of material and create something (hopefully) amazing, using a few tools and my hands. You don't need to have any prior experience with metal work to take a wax carving class, so I highly recommend it to anyone who has interest.

My goal is to make one or two pieces worthy of a silicon mold so I can replicate the pieces.

A few tools used in wax carving

  

    Front View

Side view

This is the ring I am currently working on. It has been carved out of a slice of the circular ring wax and sanded down to what you see here. I have carved out a 'canal' which will be filled with circular spheres of wax. I will attempt to create a step down on either side of the canal to create pronounced edges. 

Design Challenge

I recently asked for suggestions of jewelry pieces that people would like to see created...I did this because it not only helps me polish my skills and come up with some creative techniques, but it also engages you and allows you to have a part in the creative process.

I received some challenging suggestions and I decided that I would pick one idea and take it to the bench this week. My goal was to create one and show it here, but I think I will have to try a few more...

Keep the challenges coming!!!

Pomegranate
The first challenge piece complete!
 [brass, scratched surface, light patina]

What in the world...

is THAT?!  It's a head block, for my hat blocking class...! I spent the better part of the morning and afternoon running around Manhattan trying to find suitable supplies and I am completely exhausted. Below are snapshots of some of the things I found. Now it's just a matter of being creative enough to come up with some unique designs...

Lovely lace...

the supplies...

...felt hoods

...and some pretty ribbon

Our first assignment is a cocktail hat. Hrrrm...after all that scurrying around, I'm not sure I have procured what I needed for that!