Studio Updates

It keeps raining here, multiple inches each time.

I promised photos of what I worked on at Touchstone , 3 relief pieces. These are all completely formed, but not what I would call finished.

Greenman needs hanging hardware on the back and a final burnishing.
See all those bits around him? I pondered making him part of a larger collage, but decided against it.

Little ivy leaf piece will be a part of a larger collage. I'm going to make more of these small ones, oh about 3 inches max dimension, and use them to create 2 or 3 larger, but not really big, wallpieces.

Bear will also be a part of a larger steel collage, again not a huge one, just collaged enough to frame it out. He's based on the same design I recently used for some drawer pulls and fairly low detail.

I'm completely focused on wallpieces from now until November. I'm planning on lots of small pieces rather than trying to make big pieces. I'm inspired by many artists, but these days, I really like seeing Miss Laurence's stitched pieces, allisonstrine's art show with lots of small works, ruthrae's intuitive mixed media collages, and more collages by Xanthe. They work in very different styles, yet they all share a kind of raw intuitive approach full with joyful life energy.

and when I'm in the house, which seems so often, I've been working on these little acorns in wax. Eventually I'll cast them all in silver or bronze.

Then I'll hammer them into life.

Here's a pile of hammered and cut thin copper scraps, waiting to be beat up some more.

After I get some kid to punch more holes in them, I'll tumble them and use them for earrings or some kind of promo magnets.

Chasing Tools

My Chasing and Repousse Tools are now in the Handforged Tools section of my Etsy Shop. Be sure to check the Sold section. If the tool or set you like is sold, I may have more available.

www.flickr.com More of knitsteel's photos tagged with tool

Workshop at Touchstone Center for Crafts

I'm back! I had a wonderful relaxing and inspiring week at Touchstone Center for Crafts in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, USA.
Take a look at their fantastic blacksmith shop, with twelve coal forges and plenty of space to work.


That's me, demonstrating one of my forged leaves


There's Bill below

Now Skeeter and Henry

I only had 4 students. One left midweek for mysterious reasons. Another, the jewelry shop Resident Assistant, focused on toolmaking. I didn't get any pictures of him. Bill, Henry, and Skeeter, shown above, were devoted and cheerful, ready to learn about chasing and repousse.

This is Skeeter's copper cross in progress. He also worked on a few other designs that I didn't photograph.

Bill and Randy, the resident studio assistant are discussing something. We all did a lot of chatting. That didn't interfere with our productivity.

Bill started off doing the same design in 2 different metals- a great exercise. Bill took this workshop last year, so he was able to skip most of the toolmaking part and get right into the chasing work.
You can see how the horse head shape improved in the steel on the left. He alternated working on them, but finished the bronze one first. Steel takes longer because you have to wait for it to cool slowly after annealing.
Then he started working on a bronze Greenman.




Henry worked on a leaf in steel

and an Angel in bronze

Henry had seen me demo over 8 years ago in Ohio, but had never actually tried the technique. He caught onto the concepts right away and did an amazing job.





With such a self-motivated and talented crew, I was able to get a lot of work done myself. I'll post those pictures in my next blog.
For now, I need to get caught up with chasing tool orders. I'll be unpacking, grouping and photographing tools today and tomorrow, so I can get them up in my Etsy shop. A few peoploe have already contacted me about the tools they want. Feel free to contact me through my blog or Etsy shop if you are looking for specific tools or a set.

Keep checking back for more....

By the way, we are just a few miles south of the torrential rain that fell in parts of SW Wisconsin and SE MN. We did not get the flash floods at our location, but many of our driving routes are washed out or shut down. We can get where we need to go, in about twice the time it usually takes. Pray for our neighbors in Vernon, Richland, and La Crosse counties in Wisconsin, and the six Counties in MN that lost houses and had their property re-scaped by raging flash floods. SE Minnesota got it even worse than Wisconsin.

Teaching at Touchstone

I'm off to Touchstone for a week of teaching, making art, and relaxing in that busy manic arty way.  I may not have any internet access.  I have inactivated some items in my shop.  All other purchases will be shipped starting August 20th. 

I'll miss you all!

New Work in my Etsy Shop

I'm not keeping up with my blog schedule this week, but I have listed new pieces in the pendant and earring sections of my Etsy shop.

Wrought Iron Cross ...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Aqua Blue Glass Bea...

Knitsteel
$10.00

Aqua Blue Glass Bea...

Knitsteel
$10.00

Handforged Steel Ru...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Handforged Steel Ru...

Knitsteel
$14.00

Parties, Mosaic Yard Art, and Studio Update

 I had so much fun going to the Arts Potluck at the Grandview Folk Arts Center in Hollandale, Wisconsin on Tuesday night.  ZenithJade and I stayed at Canyon Creek, with 2 other fabulous creative women.  Lynn owns and manages Canyon Park Cabin.  Linda is a fantastic artist that I met through our mutual interest in bas-relief techniques. 
  You can't beat accordion music at breakfast.  That place is for rent and is within driving distance of Madison, Chicago, Dubuque or the Twin Cities.  Accordion music and pleasant company not included with rental.   
 

Now, back to the Folk Arts Center.  So, Nick Engelbert (1881-1962) was an ordinary hardworking Wisconsin farmer.  After working hard all day on the farm, he spent his spare time creating mosaics from concrete and glass and ceramic shards.  In fact, he covered his entire house, an ordinary wooden farmhouse, with the mosaic.

He also created a lot of sculptures through his yard.  Here's one of a brown haired woman wearing a seashell bustier surrounded by dancing gnomes.  ( I took these pictures for you Formerprincess, and just for you. )

Here's the organ grinder and monkey.

There's more, but I had to go to the party.  Can you imagine that?  Nick Engelbert once said "If a man can't be happy on a little farm in Wisconsin, he hasn't the makings of happiness in his soul."  I believe him.  I also believe it's time to start making more yard art.

fyi- A group of concerned citizens has turned the Center into a foundation for rural arts education.  It's their mission that every child in that school district receive a full arts education.   I don't know the full story, but I do know they offer classes for kids in the area, accessible to all. 

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Now for my own studio updates.
Remember the felted soap entry? (on Xanga or on blogspot)
Here's what's left when all the soap is gone.  I cut mine open. 

Interpret it as you will

Here's a special order that I just completed and am getting ready to ship out.   
 
It is cast and then hammered to a rugged burnished finish.

Here's what's in progress, in the studio.

just waiting on the welding table....

I almost forgot - Greenman in progress