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.
I continued the research for my next collection at The Goldsmith’s Company library. What a fabulous collection and what helpful people. I love the pinned pearls in medieval jewellery and may incorporate this.
This pewter badge would be sewn to clothing, having been mass produced as a casting.
I love the primitive art work….
I can’t believe that I’ve been back from running the casting workshop in Portugal for over a week. This was where we did our casting (except on the evening when we had pizza). The pizza wood ash came in handy as parting powder for our sand moulds; the location was splendid and we had a great time (though I say it myself)
A selection of tools on the table tennis table.
A wire bound mould ready to pour.
We used natural finds including these bits of pine cone, cast in both cuttlefish and oilsand.
and these lobster claws worked well in oilsand casting.
I hope to run this workshop again next year, so do let me know if you are interested.
I have wire wrapped the small dogs to make earrings and a necklace charm.
Some castings – like shells – will work better with small holes to attach them to wires/chains, so we will drill those.
I haven’t cleaned these castings as I want to be able to demonstrate the effect of different casting media.
I was checking through my casting techniques today, to make sure that I pack what I need for Portugal. This is the cuttlefish casting, which I poured outside as the burning fish bone smells.
This is the casting inside the cuttlefish. The cuttlefish texture can look really good (this is not a good example though)
This is the same dog cast in oil sand, still with sprues and funnel. The oil-sand holds the detail and doesn’t flash the way the cuttlefish tends to. On the right is the wee bone original.
And these are the three dogs – cuttlefish, oil-sand and beach-sand castings.
The beach-sand has a great texture which is why I use it for my work
My cast iron pieces have taken up a space at the lovely Fisher Galleries in Pittenweem. The Gallery is open every day (except Tuesday) and there is some lovely work here and at the other galleries in Pittenweem. A grand detour from the Fife coastal path, or a destination in its own right.
I had a fun morning showing Kat and Trisha how to sand-cast. I managed not to take pictures, but they both made bowls and shell pieces.
We worked outside as it was a stunning day (still is)
Just popped out for proof!
Anyway it reminded me that I have two further workshops scheduled for this year:
8th August Plantlore and Jewellery as part of Pittenweem Arts Festival
This is a brooch made at an earlier Plantlore workshop
and a week long sand casting workshop in The Algarve 13th to 20th November at Aqua Ventura.
I finished the wee pewter bowls this morning and one is off to Germany with its new owner.
The wee silver bird earrings are off to new homes too.
I shall make up some more of these earrings for tomorrow, which use my silver bird charm and so are only available from my Open Studios (until Pittenweem, White Fox and London!)
ENOS artists (East Neuk Open Studios) will have some work at Cambo House ENOS Hub this weekend – 21st/22nd May. I’ll have this charm bracelet and some pewter shells at Cambo. But do visit me at my studio in Cellardyke for a wider choice of jewellery and metalwork.
I’m open the first weekend only.
juliacowie 