East Neuk Open Studios 2019

2019’s open studios has been and gone. The weather was lovely and lots of people visited; and several people bought pieces or commissioned new work.

Commissions included a charm bracelet as a gift for a niece in Canada, which included a dolphin from the Firth of Forth; and a neck piece using an piece of carved peat that was a brooch from my childhood. I’ll show progress on this piece in a later post.

A sea water patinated bowl went to a new home as did a sea drift necklace.

It’s always good to show people my work and studio and I particularly like new commissions.

Sea drift necklace II

The sea didn’t bring me the witch stone direct, it’s from a beach in New Zealand; the glass bead is from Czech Republic and the dolphin charm is obviously a Firth of Forth dolphin. Just putting together some individual pieces for ENOS 2019 which are sort-of sustainable as I’m not buying new stuff.

Sea-drift

I finished this piece on Sunday. It is part of a bone counter with a little tab from an old necklace and a hammered silver ring.

I also took a photo of the rising moon as I probably wouldn’t wake up for the eclipse.

Seaweed necklaces

This year I’m making jewellery for Open Studios and Pittenweem Arts Festival using what I think I’ll call ‘sea-drift’. The seaweed on which the design is based was storm-cast on the beach.  These ‘mermaid’ necklaces are saw pierced silver, hammered and formed. Two have moonstone drops and are oxidised, I have sent these to VAS ALIGHT 2019 in Edinburgh.

Packing list NEOS 2

I’m trying out this copper/silver alloy bowl on a patinated mokume gane disc. I’ve tried other stands, but the bowl ‘stands’ well on its own, so I’m going for something simple that highlights the blue patina.

There will be some of my charm jewellery going to Art in the Buchat, Glenbuchat as well. I gave it a little polish and its tucked up in its boxes now waiting to charm visitors from Friday, 7th September.

 

NEOS packing list 1

Just taking some quick pictures before packing my pieces for North East Open Studios (NEOS) which previews next Friday. The work will be displayed at Art in the Buchat. Glenbuchat. Do pop along if you are in the area.

This is a damascus steel bowl on a burr wood stand, it’s so tactile.

Pewter flow bowls

I’ve been making some small pewter flow bowls, again a request from an ENOS visitor and getting ready for Pittenweem Arts Festival (venue 53; 4th-13th August)

They are cast in sand moulds, include a piece of seaweed and are poured in stages  (I’m not sure how to describe that) so that you can see how the metal flows.

Earring commission

I’ve finished these two pairs of Silver Darlings earrings which were commissioned by a couple of visitors to ENOS, I hope they like them. I intend to make a few more for Pittenweem Arts Festival (Venue 53). They are mother of pearl, silver and moonstones; inspired by the herring lassies who followed the silver darlings (yes those are silver herrings)

Open Studios

A bit of tidying still to do for ENOS Open Studio tomorrow. I’ve opened up part of my sitting room as a gallery, with the technical stuff still in the workshop/studio. So there’s a bit more room to explore.

New bowl design

cast bowl with seawater patina

cast bronze with sea water patina

I’ve been trying out this bronze bowl around the house to see how it looks.

It’s a new design -slightly lighter and more open than the first bowl in this series.

It is made from recycled bronze with shell impressions, using a ceramic form that I created.