Torches and Gilded Coffee Beads

gilded coffee beads

I am working on a new neckpiece. I have conceptualized the design and sketched it. I have made a cost estimate of the materials and equipment needed to produce the neckpiece. One of the pieces of equipment I will need is a torch, which will be new equipment for me because I do not normally work in metals. But my art practice is evolving, and I’ve decided that I will use recycled metal, found metal, precious metal clay (PMC), and responsibly sourced metal. This new ethic gives me more options in jewelry making.

But I’ve learned that deciding on a torch is no simple task. Apparently different metals have different soldering and annealing temperatures and so while a propane/oxygen torch might be right for working in silver and gold, an acetylene torch might be better for working in platinum. Then there are the safety considerations, I mean you’re working with fire and gases. I woke up at 3 AM this morning sweating over safety issues. Luckily, there are studio spaces where I can safely use my torch (once I make a decision on one).

Since I was up early I decided to make a pot of coffee and get to work. I took a second look at the beads I’d made from recycled coffee grounds. I decided to gild one. I liked the gilded/rough texture, so I decided to gild two more.  I washed my hands and sat down to drink a cup of coffee. Afterwards, I picked up the three gilded beads and placed them on my wrist like they were part of a bracelet. One thing came to mind: ironic. These beads look ironic. Like their trying to be fancy, but they know they’re not, and so they have a little attitude. Ironic beads. What do you know?

I’ll give it a few days and decided if I actually want to make a bracelet or if this was just a stress-relieving exercise.

Bead making and the jewelry design process

Raku & Twig beads

I’ve had several days of quiet time to conceptualize new work. During this time I have done a lot of problem solving around how to produce neckpieces from existing beads. I have three sets of beads that I am working with, so my production efforts are centered around how to create neckpieces from these beads. I feel very fortunate that I am able to visualize the design in my head where I can arrange, and re-arrange the jewelry components at will. I know that it is a gift to be able to rotate objects in my mind so that I can work out the design in my head rather than wasting a lot of paper sketching, and re-sketching.

These first set of beads were constructed from a rather labor intensive process involving organic and man-made materials plus fire to produced the scorched appearance. I produced the beads last year then struggled with how to include them in a neckpiece for a year. Then a few days ago I took a walk in Denny Park and saw some interesting twigs on the ground, which I brought home and accidentally laid them next to the beads. All of the sudden I was inspired with an idea, which I worked out in my head then sketched once I had figured the design out in my head.

Mossy Galliano beads

Once I understood that my design inspiration was fired by laying out the beads in a necklace pattern, I laid out these green “Mossy Galliano” beads, and sure enough I figured out the design for the neckpiece, which I promptly sketched. Moving forward from that success I worked on my “Amber Nut” beads, which were also made last year after a labor intensive process. I love making jewelry beads. The process of making jewelry beads is very meditative. I sit in my studio for hours making beads, and it amazes me how my hands are able to scoop up the right amount of material to make similarly sized beads. After a while, my mind begins to go into a meditative state; making beads is a very satisfying and centering ritual.

Amber Nut beads

The process of making these “Amber Nut” beads was greatly experimental. They are constructed of paper and polymer clay. They are finished with hand-rubbed oil paint, which I let thicken in the sun. The beads are still drying in the sun, and I am still working out the design for the neckpiece in my head. But for now, the creative process will have to wait because it’s a beautiful, sunny day with a perfect, gentle, cool breeze. I am to get outside and have some fun. Who knows, I may be inspired by nature or by something I see, and that may be the inspiration I need to work out this final design.

Elizabeth Olver art jewelry book

I am re-reading Elizabeth Olver’s The Art of Jewelry Design from Idea to Reality for the hundredth time. It’s a great book in terms of the number of color pages and practical advice from how to set up your studio, to how to generate ideas, to how to execute those ideas. It’s one of my favorite jewelry books, and I think if I ever teach a class it will be required reading. I guess because I’m feeling a little stuck right now, I’m devouring all of my Metalsmith, Ornament, and Art Jewelry magazines. I’m constantly looking at jewelry and sketching.

Last night as I passed C Art Gallery, I thought about approaching the gallery director with a proposal to curate a show on art jewelry and perhaps small sculpture. I’m still fleshing out my ideas and thinking about whether to invite particular artists or have an open juried show. I’m confident that as I mull the thought over, the challenges will resolve themselves.

In the meantime, I am checking out the art jewelry over at Klimt02 and Charon Kransen.

Felted Paper Beads & Twigs that shout

Felted paper beads, copyright © 2008 Alexis Pierre-Louis, all rights reserved

Lately I’ve been finding cool twigs in the park. I plan to use them in jewelry. It’s funny the way I find the twigs. I’m just walking along, minding my own business, and I notice them because they almost seem to shout, “notice me, I’m special”. The second time that happened to me I started paying attention to all the twigs in the park, and sure enough only the special ones seemed to shout. The other, regular twigs just laid on the ground like, well, twigs.

I’m starting the process of moving to a new artists community, and I’m excited about that, but not thrilled about having to actually pack my things into boxes and schlep them across town. But there are worse things, like not living around other artists.

Since I may be moving soon, I feel that it’s not time to start any new jewelry projects, which makes me a little sad because I finally figured out the secret to my felted paper beads: it’s the yellow pages paper. I’ve tried making paper beads from different types of paper and only the yellow pages paper resultes in a felty finish. So as soon as I move into my new digs (assuming they accept me), I’m going to go around to all my new neighbors and ask them for their unwanted Yellow Pages directories. Ah, the beauty of recycling.