Fun at Art Unraveled 2014

My Rendition of Starry Night!
 silver spiral, silver star that moves and star beside a moonstone.
 Wire weaving on the edges.  

I've been going to Art Unraveled (http://www.artunraveled.com/ARTU14/AUindex.htm) for many years and always learn something new.  This year my good friend Judi and I roomed together and attended the same classes.

‘Fun, Affordable and Classy: Composite Laminate Earrings’ taught by April Bower (http://www.downthestreetartgallery.com/april.htm) was the first class we took.  In the 3 hour evening class we learned to saw laminate resin – most of us call it Formica!  We were to design earrings using laminate and accenting with wire or beads or metal.  The trick was to cut 2 of each shape the same!  Not such an easy task.  So here are some of the examples and products from the class.

My Formica (oops  Laminate Resin) Earrings

The next morning after exercising and breakfast we went to ‘Silver Stitched Jewelry’ taught by Mary Hettmansperger (http://www.maryhetts.com/) What a great class!  We used copper for the first piece instead of silver and several kinds of wire.  Each piece has a front and a back that are woven together with wire.  Yes that was time consuming and got to be a bit tedious.  I’m looking forward to making another piece when I have the luxury of picking it up, working a bit, and putting it down instead of meeting the class deadline.  The weaving is really a nice accent.  By the end of the day I almost had my piece finished and all the moveable parts were working! (see first picture)

The second full day of class was also taught by Mary Hettmansperger ‘Torch Fired: Enameled Surfaces and Tab Bezels’.   I have not done much torch fire enamel and was looking forward to learning a different technique.  We played with copper foil sheeting, wire, cold connections and enamels.  I used the square punch and made domes and circles.  The variety of possibilities seems endless.  The point of the class was to play with as many ideas and enamels as possible.  And I came home with 2 pieces ready to put together and a thirst to start torch fire enamels! 

Woven metal strips and wire that is domed and enameled 

Ready to be riveted together!

Copper Foil Scrunched, Domed and Enameled 

Ready to be riveted together.

Art Unraveled went on for a week but we were there only 3 days.  Had to stay for the Saturday Sale and see all the new products and yes, we bought a little.  This is such a good event, lots of artists sharing, and lots of focus on creating.  You should think about going next year!  It’s always in August in Phoenix.