I’m Back!!

I don’t know how it happened but it’s already June and I haven’t posted in such a long time. I’ve been super busy and got lost in the world of graduate school. I’m happy to say that I passed my 45 hour review and finished all my classes!! (which is kind of a big deal!!) Now I have to work on my thesis research/paper/show and then I will be finished!! I still have a lot of work ahead but it feels good to say that I’ve finished all my classes.

I’m going to post a gallery of my latest work. I’m also in the process of finishing up my website and I’ll post the link when it is ready.

I need lots of feedback!!!

I would like feedback on the following images. What do these motifs/forms/objects/materials make you think of? Do they evoke any sort of thought, feeling, emotion? Do you want to touch them so you can understand more or is the visual enough information? I numbered each image so if there is a particular images that is your favorite please let me know what number and why. Just list the first things that come to your mind. You don’t have to know anything about my work at all, I just want to know what these things make you think of. If you can spare five minutes please give me your opinion. Also I know the pictures don’t portray scale so keep in mind that these objects are small (most of them are 2-4 inches). Feel free to pass this on to all your friends because I need as much feedback as possible, thanks!!!

Combining materials

These are some of my first samples combining the technical processes that I’m learning in my metals & jewelry class with the processes that I’m using in the fibers department. Some of the samples are still in progress.

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Hat Netting, Linen, and Distorted Silk Dupioni

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Hat Netting, and Linen

Materials used: Copper, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Distorted Silk Dupioni, Linen

Materials used: Copper, Silver, Enamel, Embroidery Floss, Linen

Winter Quarter…

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. I’ve been focused so much on my graduate work and before I knew it four weeks went by. This quarter I’m taking a metals and jewelry class in the hope of integrating new technical processes into my work. I chose to research casting, piercing, roller printing, precious metal clay, and color techniques on metal (enameling, resin, patinas, etc). You may be thinking, “WOW! Thats a lot of different processes to learn in ten weeks!” Yes it is a lot of processes and that’s why you haven’t heard from me is so long. So the past four weeks I’ve been exploring a bit of each process that I chose to research and decided which ones will be the best with my fibers work.

This is my casting sample. First I made a wax model and then during class I was shown how to cast my sample into bronze. I decided that this process doesn’t really fit in with my fibers work because the cast is to rigid and heavy. I want to still keep a sense of preciousness and delicacy while incorporating metal into my work.

These are a few of my piercing samples. I used a jewelers saw to cut out some of the silhouettes that I drew last quarter. This technique is very successful in fitting in with my work. I will use it to create pattern and motifs with metal and still be able to incorporate it with embroidery. Some of the next samples with show you what else I can do with the piercing.

This is one of my samples from roller printing. I put hat netting in between two pieces of annealed copper and put it through a rolling mill. It imprinted the texture of the netting onto the metal. I think this is my most successful roller printing sample. I really like the netting texture, but am not sure if I’ll continue using this technique. I can create texture in other ways that are more conducive to my work.

These are my precious metal clay samples. The top picture is before they were fired in a kiln and the bottom picture is after. Once the clay is fired it becomes 100% fine silver. This technique was really fun to experiment with because there are so many different things you can do with it. Most of the textures here are from some of my embroidery samples. PMC (precious metal clay) has definite potential as far as fitting in with my work because of the beautiful textures that I can create with it.

These are my enameling samples. This process is awesome and I will definitely keep using it! I can create textures with color and layering different enamels. I have so much more to explore because I’ve only started basic techniques, so stay tuned for more!

Past Present Future

This is my final project for my Artist as Designer/Designer as Artist class. We had all of our critiques and the last day of class was today. Thanks Cat Chow for traveling to Savannah for the past seven weeks to teach our class. It was such a great experience!

The title is Past Present Future. It’s about past, present, and future memories. I used each compartment in the doll trunk that I bought to represent these three eras of time.

The left side of the trunk represents the past. I created a frame like structure that I hung in the back part of the trunk. I thought about past memories and how they are suspended in time so I made a cameo form that represents my memories suspended in time. I started twisting this wire around and flattening part of it out so that it was this quirky “memory”. It is made up of precious crystals, beads, and pearls wrapped in copper tubing.

The right side of the trunk represents the present. I made forms out of copper wire that have the characteristics of the iron work in Savannah. I’ve been thinking a lot about iron work because it is a memory of a cast. This works well with the concepts of memory that I’ve been working with. Then, I made dream catcher forms out of different colored wire and place beads wrapped in copper tubing in each “memory catcher”.

The small compartment in the trunk represents the future. I made a mock drawer out of copper mesh. Then I placed the “memory catcher” forms in the drawer along with one beaded cameo. This represents what is waiting for me in the future. Some things are planned and some and unknown. They are not fully developed and are not ready to come out of this drawer. Some day they will join the rest of the memories, but right now they safe and waiting in this drawer. The presence of the future is always leering in the background, but will not be completely understood until the time is right.

Here are some pictures from the rest of my day! Just a little inspiration from Savannah.

In Progress

I’ve been working on my final project for my Artist as Designer/Designer as Artist class this week. I’ve also been thinking a lot about a few questions that I have: What do memories actually mean to people?, Why are people drawn to them?, What is the best way of interacting with my memory objects?, and How should I present my ideas. So far, I’ve come up with memories remind people of happy moments or experiences that they may or may not experience again. These are different to everyone based on their own personal life experiences. Some people think memory is really important and some don’t. I’m one of those people who thinks memory is extremely important and very interesting (Obviously!! haha).

A few ways that I’ve been thinking about presenting my ideas are: using suitcases, trunks, cosmetic cases, jars, and special boxes. Basically I’m trying to create an environment that my audience can relate to. I’ve also found out through my survey that sight, smell, and sound are the three most important senses when it comes to remembering a specific memory. So ideally I would combine these three senses and present my objects in one of the possible ways that I just listed to create the best environment. I’m still thinking and working a lot of things out, but for this final I’ve come to a conclusion. I bought a vintage doll trunk to use as my space for my project. Then once I sat down with all my materials and my trunk, ideas started to flow. I’m also working with the dichotomy of a memory in terms of past, present, and future. So here are some of my in progress pictures.

It’s coming together really well! Feel free to comment, leave feedback, or answer the above questions.

More Material Explorations

Here are some more material explorations that I’ve been working on today.

These studies are helping me figure out what I want to do for my final project in my Artist as Designer/Designer as Artist class. It’s due on Halloween along with two other deadlines so you probably won’t see me very often for the next week. I’m still in the exploring stage and hopefully by Friday I figure out exactly what I’m doing.

Material Explorations

I’ve been exploring with my new materials every day this week.

I still have lots of possibilities to explore and am going to start using tin foil as a quick “metal mesh” so I don’t use up my copper mesh with experimenting. It’s a challenge to sew with most of the metal threads so I’m going to start couching them down with other types of embroidery floss. I really like the rich coloring of the copper mesh. I’m also going to start playing around with patinas so see if I like an antiqued look better. I’ve been thinking about and looking at iron work in Savannah while I’ve been making these samples as well as vintage frames, cameos, embroidery techniques, and the Victorian era. It’s been fun and here are some of the samples that I have so far.