Alchimia Week 3

I spent week 3 taking a third off the closed form and closing it, taking a third off the remaining two thirds and closing that until I ran out of time.

The piece became several pieces each was great to hold and could be fitted back together as a 3d puzzle.

The surfaces took different colours, the solder flooded the joints and each piece had different small openings to look through. Like the streets there was an historic outside and a glimpse of the inside, a suggestion of many lives enclosed.

As I made new thirds I became short of material and had to patch the brass and piece in some copper.

Doris was not able to give a final crit, but I was pleased with how my aesthetic came through strongly, how each piece is so tactile and how the object was inspired by Florence.

I discussed with Elisa and Marcia how a series of brooches might be made from the piece and also maybe replicating an inside piece in silver.

I was pleased with what I achieved and can see the approach being hugely useful in my work.

Alchimia, Week 2 and into week 3

Doris Maninger reviewed my work on Day 7 and I moved into using metal, choosing a 3d shape and recreating it as a hollow brass form.

On the Friday (day 10) she suggested that I close the form and apply a ‘framing’ rule such as repeatedly halving the piece.

So on Day 11 (yes i was there for 3 weeks) I started this, but taking a third off each time.

These photos show the closed form. This gave me the feel of exclusion and being on the street outside, with something different inside. I also pieced the metal to give the idea of history – making do, patching up, using what’s to hand. I let the brass oxidise as I went also (which was a technical challenge, but left great colours)

Alchimia, into week 2

I continued with the resin and the foam. I had some disasters (too much hardener):-

and too little hardener (parts are sort of bendy):-

and some more door designs

The foam is melted away with acetone, leaving interesting ‘insides’ – the courtyards and corridors that are behind the street doors:-

Some texture work to capture the aged walls and surfaces:

and creating metal frames/courtyards, with resin hollow forms inside:-

This last is a resin ‘pool’ from foam, with a metal piece in it sanded back.

Alchimia Florence week 1 (continued)

The next day I worked on doors, starting quite representational,

then going bigger and 3D

and starting with foam dipped in resin.

The foam can be chemically removed with acetone, I show some of the results tomorrow

Alchimia, Contemporary Jewellery School, Florence

Two weeks in Florence just flew by. I’ve been on an intensive conceptual jewellery workshop paid for by my F and A Bradshaw travel bursary, taking design inspiration from Florence the city.

The morning of Day 1 was spent taking photos of things that drew my attention (about 70 in all). These I reduced down to seven images. All were connected with doors and keeping the outside on the street, but with hints of things behind the doors and walls.

This was the one selected as a key image- a renaissance arch doorway with a smaller door cut into it and some serious ironmongery.

I also like this one with the different architectural periods (arch and rectangular door) and the layers of posters.

The bells suggest lots of people (with door entry systems)

These others are more about surface textures and contrasts of materials.

Mixed metal casting

I’ve got myself an electric melting furnace.

Part of the set up to do mixed metal casting:-

It will keep my charcoal furnace company (made at SSW https://www.facebook.com/ScottishSculptureWorkshop)