Good news, Great news, Wonderful News!

One of the main reasons I came to the Bay Area on Sunday was to have a few days visiting with my sweet sister. I hadn't come down her way for two years... She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and while I was helping her with her new blog yesterday, her surgeon called with the news that they had got it all.

GOT IT ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, didn't know I was holding my breath this long. By the way, she really likes the 'Sisters' pendant I gave her. See images below.

Okay, this is my third trip to visit her. Don't 'cha think she needs to come up my way for a few days?

Grin.

SISTERS

I am so lucky to have an incredible, loving and 'Wind Beneath My Wings' Sister. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area for a several day visit. She is the best ever. We get together for a few days every couple of years ~ so this time I wanted to make "Two-of-a-kind" pendants. The thing I learned from this project was that, even though I made them at the same time, using the same glass, the work turned out slightly different.... just like us. The fused glass is a wonderful medium with which to work. I turned two pieces of Dichroic glass differently on the work and got a surprise.... Same but different. I ground the pieces a bit uniquely too. Not too far off... but the same. The pure silver metal clay was a great exercise.

I use Art Clay Silver, I am a Master Instructor, and learned that if you photocopy your 'stones' by increasing the size by 115%, take the images and make the metal clay 'settings' the photocopy size, you will have a perfect setting after firing. I fired these pieces up to my kiln's fire polishing temperature. This way the metal would not shrink further and damage the fused glass.

Then I tossed them into the vibrating tumbler and gave them a bit of a burnishing with the stainless steel shot.

Then I set the stones into the MC... actually they 'snapped' into place. The math worked!!! The fused glass was a perfect fit. Next I fire polished.
This process got the glass 'warm' enough to marry into the metal clay. Therefore there was no 'chemical bonding' or the use of a 'jewelers setting agent' to hold the glass into place.

Another plus was that I had extruded several bails for future use and they were at the ready when I needed them for this project. I used the Makin's Clay extruder with their hollow core adaptors. I use this a lot for my bails and the sterling snake chains just glide through.... I am liking to leave the backs open on my glass work - just because I like to sign the glass in addition to the silver.
Click on images to enlarge.
Before I left the foothills of the Sierras to come and visit, I made an experiment with different sizes of a Red Opal frit. I liked how the glass turned out and then tried another way of setting the metal clay on it. It has been fired and I will burnish it when I get home an do another blog post at that time.

I love teaching too. Had a certification workshop last weekend and have two more classes this coming weekend.

Art IS bliss....

State Fair Entries

Whew! Finally have a moment to post. Been a teacher and a maker this month. What fun is that? Major good times.

Last year I entered the California State Fair with my metal clay and gemstones (won an award) and this year I thought I'd enter with some fused glass on one and 24k on the other. My polymer entry of 2007 wasn't accepted. Drat. So, I am sticking with the precious metal this year.

This first piece was inspired by the peridot trillion stone. Wanted to stay with the triangular shape and build upon that theme with the metal clay. The pendant needed some emphasis on negative space... so I carved it out and it worked! Then the 24k gold was added to create contrasting color. The bail was set upside down... for spite. Just to be different. But, that's just the way I am.... so there! It hangs pretty cool ... surprise ~ surprise.


The next image is of my glass fusing work. I sketched an image of what I wanted to do with the glass before I took the class in March. This pendant is of my first 'controlled ' work. The glass was built upon the drawing as well as the pure silver metal clay and the Tahitian pearl is just there for glamor. We'll see if they get accepted... or not.


It is such a joy to be able to work in the bliss. To be able to create without any time constraints. When I had the day job, everything had to be done in a hurry... so the enjoyment of the process wasn't fully there. Now it is. I am torn by my three masters: metal clay, polymer clay and fused glass.


Oh, oh... I hear my house calling too, "Clean me, clean me".

Hmmm?

Class Section in Studio is DONE!

After much hair-pulling the class portion of my studio is done. The general organization is almost done.

Whew!

Click on picture for a larger image.

The coolest thing is ... I now know where just about everything is. Amazing!!!!?!!!.

On top of the steel shelving is my supply area for paper towels, class supplies, extra materials and my photo studio in the Cloud Dome box.

The left area is where I have metal clay and polymer clay stuff for sale. I only sell during classes. Do not want to become a retail outlet... Been there - done that. The draped area is where I store all my polymer, metal clay and glass fusing things. This is for classes and my personal work. Having it covered during workshops is good for students: less clutter to mess up their concentration. I went to K-Mart(tm) and in their curtain area they had Magnetic curtain rods. Oh, this was sent from the Studio Gods. I threw the rods away, bought some doweling from Home Depot, painted them black and now have custom curtains for under $30.00. The have a tendency to move a bit. So, when I find the permanent place for them, I will put some 2-part epoxy on one base of each set and be done. Hey! If I were a student there and there were no curtains, I would be looking and saying to myself, " Oooh, whats that for? Hey, I want one of those too!.... ". The area to the right is for my hubby's storage, but I used the doors for my white board, awards, posters and certificates.

But, my most favorite area is the center. I put both 6 foot tables together and ran a power strip down the middle. Now I have somewhat permanent lighting and power for heat guns and hot plates. Or pasta machines with motors... When I do not have classes I use this ,very spacey and well lit, area for my glass cutting and fuseing designing.

You are reading a blog from one waaaaaay happy camper.

Not finished with my personal studio space and goldsmithing area. But... will post when I get a chance. This is my teaching month and my time is quite limited.

Now, on to finish the taxes for Mr. Sam. He is not my uncle... my uncles would not have wanted any of my money... they had enough of their own.

Sigh.

Glass, Glorious Glass

Now that the ugly chest cold is gone, I got to run some tests on fusing glass. I noticed from the workshop I attended at Arrow Springs Glass, the material, dichro and regular, can and WILL change colors after the fusing is complete. So, Monday I made test pieces. I took small squares of black and clear and put small pieces of dichro on the top. One set per dichro color and on each set I put the dichro side up and the dichro side down. Fused them and am now going to keep the sample with the actual glass. This way I can design with color as well as shape and materials.

• The first image is the glass ready to fuse on the pink kiln-wash board.

• The second is the above fired and

• The third is the fused test pieces near the dicro glass.
  Click on images to enlarge.

The studio is almost done. I will post an image as soon as I can...... so, I guess I should go back and finish it.

Got a great class coming up this weekend in Sacramento at U Bead It in Sacramento. Love teaching metal clay. Love it.

Challenging the right brain to organize

Ahhhhh, it is Tuesday the 25th and I can actually see the table top. It has been a challenge to organize and sort and find a place for every little thing I have accumulated for xxxx years.

But it is getting there. The chest/head cold is finally on it's way to someone else and my energy level has gone up. Thank goodness.

I am actually having a good time doing this. Now when I pick up something from the pile on the tables, there is actually a REAL place for it. Imagine that!!! I have been spending money on shelving, an 8' table, plastic containers and labels and more. But, it is looking good.

Saturday I had a chance to take a glass fusing workshop from Donna Milliron. She is an exceptional national instructor. Hasn't been teaching a lot lately and I lucked out. Got to meet Bill Thomas of Bead Babe.com. Donna's husband, Craig, gave us a lamp working demo and my husband, Phil, tried his hand at it. Wowza! He can really do it! I shouldn't be surprised... he is, after all , a sculptor. So, now I have another addiction.

Heh, heh... this is going to be fun.

The thing I have always loved about polymer clay is color.... color, color and color. What I love about the metal clay is the ease of manipulating the material and the resulting pure silver and gold work. But, now, with my enameling and fusing classes behind me, color with the precious metal will be a total reality. I plan on using the fused glass with my polymer too.

Workshops:
Yours truly is getting ready to teach a brooch workshop. One in Sacramento, at U Bead It, and one in Placerville the weekend of April 5th and 6th. Click here for locations, times and costs. This one is my favorite. Check the photos on my March 9th blog. On April 12th and 13th I will be teaching Intermediate Metal clay, again at U Bead It in Sacramento and in Placerville. Coming up April 19th, there is a polymer clay deco box (See March 9th blog again) in Placerville and on the 20th I will be instructing intermediate polymer clay. Then at the end of the month, 25, 26 & 27 I will be teaching a Level I Certification workshop in Metal Clay through Art Clay Silver.

Charms for Charity

Click on the image for an incredible view!

Good morning!!! The chest/head cold got me up at O-dark:30 this am.... I really need to post this to you all as our metal clay people want to help. Please read the following press release from my friend and very talented artist Holly Gage.



Last summer, the Metal Clay community lost one of its own when Robin Whittemore, a talented jewelry artist and active member in the Metal Clay community, lost her courageous battle with cancer. Robin struggled with breast cancer and after six years of chemotherapy, radiation and medication, she was then told she’d required a bone marrow transplant.
Robin inspired the group with her uplifting spirit and love of life. Sadly, she died during the summer of 2007, leaving a legacy of courage and charity among her friends and colleagues.
Now Metal Clay artists from around the country have decided to honor Robin and their own loved ones who have succumbed to this disease by raising funds to benefit the American Cancer Society and The Marrow Foundation.
Metal Clay is a new way of working with silver, gold and platinum. It is a moldable metal that transforms from a clay-like state into pure sculpted precious metal jewelry with the heat of a torch or kiln.
Dozens of Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and Art Clay artists have created handcrafted charms for bracelets and necklaces, which will be raffled to raise money for cancer treatment and prevention. Members of the Metal Clay community have donated every aspect of this project, from making charms and bracelets to designing and selling raffle tickets and donating Web site space and credit card fees.
This is your chance to own a unique work of art created by the nation's premier Metal Clay artists. Raffle tickets are only $5 each or five for $20 and all proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society and The Marrow Foundation.
These pieces of fine jewelry will be raffled on July 20 during the PMC Conference 2008 at Purdue University, but you do not have to be present to win. Tickets can be purchased at the conference or in advance at www.wholelottawhimsy.com or at www.medacreations.com. Tickets and directions for payment submissions can also be printed out from www.pmcguild.com or www.artclayworld.com.
Each ticket purchased brings with it the chance for a special piece of fine jewelry but it also brings us one step closer to a cure. Visit http://www.pmcguild.com/, http://www.artclayworld.com/, http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com/ or http://www.medacreations.com/ to do your part.

Tickets and info are downloadable at my website too if you want to print and send by snail mail: http://www.lorrenedavisdesigns.com/tickets_&_info.htm

For more information, contact Holly Gage of Gage Designs, metal clay member and project coordinator, at hgage1@ptd.net .

The creative process

Okay, I am feeling a bit better. Yesterday we worked a few hours on the studio and it pooped me out... it is soooo exciting. With a little labor and a few dollars the studio will be much more roomy for my students and I will have a larger work area. It is totally different. Yippy skippy!

When I set up my classes this year, I decided to have them every other month. So, thankfully, with this cold, I am not pushed to teach this month. In April I will be teaching the below polymer clay DecoBox workshop and the metal clay amphora to the right will be in my intermediate metal clay workshops. The classes dates can be found here.

Lately I have been thinking of the creative process and how to get new ideas. In my classes I stress the option of wandering around different businesses: Craft stores, hardware stores, gourmet cooking outlets and such. Just wander around and say to yourself, "Now, what can I do with this? With that?". This opens up the intuitive part of your brain and gets you into the 'zone'. That is the bliss of creativity. That is why we are artists.

Get inspiration from other artists, take workshops and then find out what you can do with the above 'zone' ideas and new techniques. You WILL surprise yourself.

Off to get stuff for the studio.

Here are a few pieces of my work

The left is one of my DecoBoxes. It made of Polymer Clay, stone and a sterling chain.

The right is a brooch of fine silver, 24 karat gold and garnet.

Chest cold and ramblings.....

So, okay...yours truly has broken down and created a blog. I was giving a polymer clay demo at our local co-op gallery, Gold Country Artist's Gallery, and some friends from one of my previous employers told me I had to do this.

So, here it is Sunday March 9th and I am alternately blowing my nose and typing. What a bummer. My sweet husband, Phil, has been helping me re-organize my studio and now I cannot do anything but ramble. The cold is a major problem with my hectic schedule.

A super lady, Mary, from Kalmbach books called and inquired about
re-publishing my book. I told her I had another in process. The working title is Metal Clay - Polymer Clay. She said that combination of materials is very hot right now and proceeded to send me the proposal guidelines. So, keep your fingers crossed that my proposal gets accepted. This self-publishing process was fun, creative, self-empowering.... but a lot of very hard work.

Zounds! If I want to have the book ready for the MCWC (Metal Clay World Conference) in July of '09 I have to get my sample step by steps out to her this week!!!

Uh... chest cold, up-ended studio..... let me see.... YIKES!!!

Think I'll go back to bed.

The above polymer and metal clay purse was made after a Kathleen Dustin workshop.