A Flurry of Metal Clay

Flexible Copper (Hadar's Quick Fire)

There's been a flurry of metal clay in my studio.   My late winter goal was to use the older Hadar  clay that I have so I can focus on her new One-fire clay.   Over the years (yes it keeps that long in powder form) I've collected many containers of Quick-fire bronze, copper, steel, etc.  They take longer to fire and have 3 stages of firing instead of 2. 

Hadar's Flexible Copper 
My mid-west background of using and saving kicked in and I would not allow myself to use the new One-fire clay until all the other was gone.  So I started creating.  First I was just going to make some simple earrings and then a pendant.  Pretty soon I wondered how I could make some pieces using tools not used before.  One thing led to another.

Crisco Ad Engraving
A metal engraved stamp for a Crisco ad that my mother saved became a necklace.  When this piece was fired, it separated in two parts.  I liked it so much I repaired it and fired again.  This time I fired it on edge and gravity pulled the end a little lower.  Always learning!  The fix?  A polymer back that is straight and make it visually interesting from the front.   Be creative!

Crisco Necklace with ruby CZ accent
Small engraved pictures that my mom also saved became bead squares with 2 channels on the back of each for chain or connectors.  This could become a bracelet but I chose to make a double strand of chain for a necklace.  The squares are pictures of Del Monte Peas, Del Monte Canned Fruit and Del Monte Canned Vegetables.  I kept the engraved pictures subtle without patina and I like the contemporary look.
Del Monte Necklace
Detail - Del Monte Canned Vegetables
I've always wanted to make a lariat necklace.  It's time had come!  Using some of the techniques I learned from Hadar, I made the bronze teardrop hollow focal.  I also used some flexible copper for accent.  The trick was to the make the accompanying piece the right size to go through the larger teardrop focal and to make it all interesting from both sides.  Here it is with the amber bead chain!

 


Now you know why I haven't posted for a few weeks!  If you are in the Prescott area be sure to stop in Tis Gallery and in Mountain Artist Gallery to see some of my work.
Have a great week!  I'll be enjoying all the birds on my deck.

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Location: Prescott, AZ, USA

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