I'm feeling slightly better about the new pillow pattern (though I've resigned myself to the fact that it's not as strong as the last pillow.) But I do think that some of the parts will make nice brooches (if I scale them down a bit.) Unfortunately, the new semester starts tomorrow, so that's the end of my daily studio time. With some major entry deadlines fast approaching, I hope I don't lose momentum...

another day...

...another wait list. Plus, I'm fighting a cold, the temperature in my studio has reached an all time low, and I'm not loving the new pillow pattern.

no rest for the weary

These are the designs for the next pillow. I had planned to start something bigger after finishing the last pillow, but I've decided to apply to some of the bigger craft shows (ACE, Philly, etc.) with my pillows, and I want one more for the application.
Looking at the designs, I think it's strange that I usually like my pencil drawings of the pattern, then hate the pen designs that I manipulate in Photoshop (I blame my poor tracing skills), but ultimately like the pattern again once I make it in wire.
This pillow will be approximately 16", with a band separating the two panels (more like a cushion).

flickr

I've finally set up my flickr site. Go here to see it.
The most exciting part might be that you can now see all my steel jewelry in one place.

finished

The new pillow is finished (except for the surface treatment). I apologize for the bad picture - its not worth shooting right until the surface is finished.
I'm feeling a bit conflicted because I think I've exhausted this series conceptually, but not visually. I still have so many more ideas for pillows, chairs, etc. I'm hoping this is a normal, post grad-school dilemma - and, hey, at least I'm making work.

waiting

I just got a response from my first craft show of 2007 - wait listed. For an uber-planner such as myself, this might be worse than a rejection.

the backstory: from vision to reality

Be sure to stop by the Towson Commons Gallery tomorrow from 6-9 for The Backstory: From Vision to Reality - an exhibition featuring jewelry, hollowware, and sculpture by Towson University undergraduate and graduate jewelry and metalsmithing students and alumni. Sponsored by the Towson University Metals & Jewelry Club.

a little short

I didn't quite make my goal of finishing the pillow today, but I'm only slightly bummed, because I'm happy with the way its turning out. Plus, I couldn't be more excited about my new studio music... The Complete Million Dollar Quartet. Elvis featured prominently in my undergrad metals studio (nothing fixes a bad day like Heartbreak Hotel), so I was thrilled to get this album of a 1956 jam session with Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. I highly recommend it for your studio enjoyment.

art by committee

As I near completion on the latest pillow (I'm hoping tomorrow at the latest), I can't help but think... I miss grad school. In grad school, we practiced art by committee - meaning if you had a problem or needed to make a critical decision, you asked for feedback from the other people in the room.

I'm trying to determine the surface treatment for this latest pillow, and I'm totally stuck. The first pillows - made from copper - had an oil painted surface. I liked this at the time, but I'm not sure it matches the more modern quality of the new patterns, plus, it doesn't protect the steel from rust.



My thesis pieces were powder coated - which protects them from rust - but then I'm forced to make some color decisions. (I have 100 lbs of hot pink powder sitting around, but I'm not sure how I feel about that. I've also got some brick red, and this nice matte brown - but I'm not sure how I feel about those in my current b&w phase.)



And of course all my current jewelry is bare steel that's been sealed with Johnson's paste wax. But with a larger area such as the pillow, its hard to get a consistent surface finish.



Plus, then there are other choices... powder-coating matte black to look like bare steel, powder-coating then oil painting, etc... I really miss grad school.

toothbrushes

Despite the cold, the second pillow panel is almost finished. Since that process looks almost exactly like the first pillow panel, I'll treat you instead to an image of these great toothbrush sculptures - part of Corey Ackelmire's graduate thesis. (Corey and I went to grad school together.) If you're in Kent, OH in April, you should stop and see the show at the Downtown Gallery.

one down

I've completed the first panel for the pillow. After a little break from the cold, its back into the studio to start the second.

craft shows

An endless stream of paperwork. Three applications submitted last week. Three more in the mail today. Let's just hope I actually get in to a few...

progress...

...though not quite as far as I would have liked. So it's back into the (cold) studio after dinner.

pattern pillow - in progress

Today was, unfortunately, a short studio day. Here's what I got done on the pattern pillow today. Tomorrow I'm hoping to complete the other three sections of this panel.

a fresh start...

A clean workspace so I can begin a new piece - in this case a new pattern pillow. I start with a line drawing of the pattern - I'll make each side flat before forming and putting the piece together.

new work

as promised, here are a few images of what I've been working on in my studio the last few days.



layered steel hoop earrings - 2" in diameter

earrings

earrings with steel links and sterling ear wires - 3" to 4" long

necklace

5" long pendant on 16" cable

studio marathon

Because I'm incapable of relaxing, I spent the better part of the last 4 days in my studio. (I can't think of a better way to end the year or kick off a new one.) The result: several new pairs of earrings and a few pendants. Pictures forthcoming.