Stuffsmith: The Found-Object Artwork of Keith Lo Bue.

ANDANTE, In-progress, Part 2.

2011-12-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

ANDANTE is nearing completion. When I posted last, I was preparing for the front lashing to enclose the doll's head. Now to it:

I choose an antique cotton cord and design the pattern of twelve strands outside the head, and another twelve strands that go from the bottom of the cup, through it and through the hollow head, out a hole drilled in the top of the head.

All twenty-four threads in place, I can now see that these cords are too sharp for the softness I'm looking to achieve. So I switch to an antique rayon cord, slightly thicker in weight, but feathery with a high sheen. Much better. I now begin the process of creating a kumihimo braid where the cords meet at the top of the head, which will double as an attachment to lock the porcelain head tightly to the cup.

The cords arranged and ready.

The first few rounds of braiding cinch the object securely.

The spiral braid forming.

I stop every few centimetres to assess the length of the braid.

Now it has reached the point where I choose an object to 'cap' the braid. I find an exquisite star-shaped Medieval spur in my collection (not shown here), which finishes the piece.

To view ANDANTE in finished form:
http://www.lobue-art.com/andante.html

To view ANDANTE along with purchasing information:
http://www.lobue-art.com/andante-s.html

Thanks for looking, and I hope your holiday is a lovely one!

ANDANTE, In-progress, Part 1.

2011-12-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hello all and welcome to my first blog post in - well - seems forever. I'd like to show an incomplete but interesting set of images showing my new ring, entitled ANDANTE, coming together.

I had started the ring while on the road teaching - in Connecticut, to be precise. So there are no images of me beginning the alteration to the handle. I drill holes around the perimeter with the plan to lash down a porcelain doll head I bought on the trip.

I am really enjoying extending the cup ring series, as it pushes me to treat each similar cup fragment in a totally unique way. Previous rings using this base element are Dissection of a Coquette's Heart (2004) and The Odalisque (2011).

After drilling holes around the base of the doll's neck, I set about creating a webbing of waxed-linen thread around her head.

Now, back in the studio in Sydney, I can resume work. The title is chosen for the piece and inscribed along the broken edge of the cup, to be engraved.

After engraving, it is painted with dark umber paint and then sanded back.

This brings the contrast and texture up.

I go through several iterations of lashing patterns to discover the best one. Here, working out the order of passes.

Now a series of white antique cotton threads are passed up through the cup (anchored by this freshwater pearl)...

...and then through the hollow of the doll head and out through a hole drilled in the top of the head, to be utilized later.

Heavy waxed-linen thread is chosen for the rear anchoring and the attachment begins.

Slow going, but coming together.

Three more freshwater pearls are caged inside the hollow form, able to roll around but contained.

As it works its way around, tweezers are the only way to keep going.

She reclines, ready for the front lashing and my inspired method to finish it off.

Next week!

Cheers,

Keith

Lo Bue's First Complete Workshop on DVD!

2011-09-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR ARTISTS - Available for the first time on DVD!

Click HERE for more information, including a video preview...

New Lo Bue Workshop #7: A FLARE FOR TUBING

2011-08-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

Finally, in my list of new workshops to debut this month:

A FLARE FOR TUBING

A custom-made tube-rivet is a rare combination of aesthetic beauty and functional utility. Spend an evening with jeweler Keith Lo Bue and learn to make this simple and elegant connector that will take your work to another level!

Where and when:

September 23rd, 2011:
Art Is...Petaluma - Petaluma, California Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #6: SETTING A RECORD - Or, A Lesson In Entrapment.

2011-08-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

My sixth brand-new workshop, to premiere in Danbury, CT this October:

SETTING A RECORD. Or, A Lesson In Entrapment.

Discover a myriad of ways to cage, cradle, encase, snare and otherwise set the most unlikely of gemstones: the found object. This exciting 2-day workshop takes participants on a spontaneous and thrilling journey of connecting materials of their own choosing to create utterly one-of-a-kind settings. Join artist Keith Lo Bue and learn to elevate the humblest cast-off to the status of a jewel.

Where and when:

October 7th-8th, 2011: Art Is...Who - Danbury, Connecticut Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #5: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2011-08-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Fifth in the list of new classes starting next month:

Unfinished Business

Anyone who's made assemblage artwork has got at least a few pieces that just seemed to peter out, and remain in an artistic limbo of incompleteness.

In this brand-new workshop led by found-object artist Keith Lo Bue, students will bring those troubled artworks in with the goal of unblocking the flow and seeing them through under Keith's guidance. A group process will be established, with plenty of individual focus from Lo Bue.

Where and when:

October 9th, 2011: Art Is...Who - Danbury, Connecticut Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #4: LIFE IN THE MIX

2011-08-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

Another new workshop premiering next month:

LIFE IN THE MIX

Let found-object jeweler Keith Lo Bue take you into the world of submerging organic materials into pools of epoxy and polyester resins, learning the tips and tricks to get fascinating and beautiful one-of-a-kind imagery.

Where and when:

September 22th, 2011:
Art Is...Petaluma - Petaluma, California Info Here

October 10th, 2011:Art Is...Who - Danbury, Connecticut Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #3: ALL IN A CORD

2011-08-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Introducing a rather surprising departure from my other workshops:

ALL IN A CORD

The fascinating art of kumihimo, or Japanese braiding, has centuries of colourful history. Used long ago to connect the armour of the Samurai warriors as well as to fasten silk kimonos, this easy to learn technique has so many creative possibilities it's mindboggling.

Join found-object artist (and budding kumi-he-man) Keith Lo Bue as he introduces you to his newest passion in a whirlwind workshop that will have you in knots.

With only a few inexpensive and simple tools, you will learn a creative activity that you can do simply anywhere, at any time. On a airplane or train ride, waiting in a car, even in bed - it's an eminently portable, meditative process that yields exquisite braids for jewelry, journal closures, assemblage and a million other uses.

Note - the Seattle class below is a 2-day intensive, and the Petaluma and Danbury classes are 1-day...

Where and when:

September 26th, 2011:
Art Is...Petaluma - Petaluma, California Info Here

October 1 - 2, 2011:
Artfest Annex - Seattle, Washington Info Here

October 10th, 2011:Art Is...Who - Danbury, Connecticut Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #2: THE WAXED-LINEN SAILOR

2011-08-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Second in my listing of brand-new workshops premiering next month:

THE WAXED-LINEN SAILOR

Many artists use waxed-linen thread to bind and attach - but after joining Keith Lo Bue for this day of sailor's rope-rigging techniques scaled down small, you'll want to feature this strong and versatile medium front and center!

Students will encase, weave and otherwise embellish a host of found materials with these fascinating and beautiful designs. No previous experience needed - just simple tools and enthusiasm.

Where and when:

September 24th, 2011:
Art Is...Petaluma - Petaluma, California Info Here

New Lo Bue Workshop #1: FORGING: A Smashing Introduction

2011-08-18T03:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the first of a series of posts I'll be running in the next week to let you know about SEVEN new workshops I'll be premiering in the US starting next month!

FORGING: A Smashing Introduction

In one action-packed day, artist Keith Lo Bue will give you a good working knowledge of forging (flattening and shaping) wire. You'll learn proper technique, safety and invaluable tricks that will become a vital part of your creative expression... Come find out why so many people are falling in love with their hammers!

The supply list can be found here.

Where and when:

September 25th, 2011:
Art Is...Petaluma - Petaluma, California Info Here

October 11th, 2011: Art Is...Who - Danbury, Connecticut Info Here

March 16th, 2012:
Art Is...You Sydney - Sydney, Australia Info Here

To the Invisible Girl, In-Progress, Part Four - Conclusion.

2011-07-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

This fourth part will see To the Invisible Girl through to completion....

After spending so much time on the 'front' of the piece, which is the bottom of the shoe, I flip it over to look into the boot. I find a choko nut case that nestles perfectly into the oval presented by the heel. Note the black velvet in place below it for the glass image on the opposite side.

16th-century paper to line the nutshell.

My girl is found, in the form of this lovely little 'gem' tintype.

Shaped and tension-fit - I'm about to do a resin-pour to trap her in the shell with a few other things. I'll also sign and date the piece now by scratching the emulsion above her head.

A fountain-pen nib in the bottom, resin is poured over it all and the bubbles encouraged to remain.

Now the split in the leather toe is to be sewn up. Holes are punched...

...and sewing commences.

Tacked into place with glue. When the glue is dry, I will connect it mechanically.

Antique copper tacks are pushed into creases and crevices.

The choko is riddled with tacks for a final securing.

Now a shoelace is about to be woven to anchor the brass name plate, and, at the other end, the hanging element.

Gauging the length as I go.

This is the same old rayon thread used for the neck strap. I love the bright ivory color in contrast to the rich blacks and browns of the boot.

The hanging elements - old spiral-shank nails.

Bent, polished and ready to go.

Finaly, they are sewn into place at the top of the boot.

Resting for a minute on the second side...

My beloved waxed linen tying it all off.

As a link to ascend from the spiral nail, I fabricate spiral links out of 8 gauge square brass stock.

Jump-ring-zilla.

Patinated and ready for use.

The brass ring makes a good visual lead from nail to Celtic money-ring.

Now to the last step: the clasp.

Removing the outer tines.

And cutting it down.

Annealing this heavy nickel silver fork is necessary to get it to bend the way I'll need it to.

The initial form.

Creating a waxed-linen ball to adorn the hook's end.

The attaching end is twisted to the side to allow the hook to lay flat against the body. A final polish and the piece is there...

To see finished images of To the Invisible Girl:
Click here

Or, for those with more possessive tendencies:
Click here.

It's been a real journey - hope you've had some fun.
Keith

To the Invisible Girl, in-progress - Part Three.

2011-07-07T23:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Early on in the making of the shoe piece, I created a braided cord to use as the necklace. Let's see that now, as it will come back into play as the visual of the whole thing falls into place...

I start with a Celtic money ring from around the 3rd to 1st century BC. The off-white thread I'm using here is some spectacular antique rayon, yellowed with age.

I've made this kumihimo plate designed after Makiko Tada's original plate design.

The flat braid appears. It's a zig-zag anda-gumi pattern.

And finished with another money ring. The discoloration of this old cord makes this my favorite braid I've made yet. If anyone out there has decrepit old discolored thread or cord that they want to donate to my obsessive new practice, please get in touch and I'll cover the shipping!

Now back to the pendant. Now that the sole work is in place, I can focus on what will nestle behind the glass, both the upper lens and the lower fused glass. Starting with the fused glass at the toe end, I take a eucalyptus seed cap and search out an engraving to occupy it.

A fantastic Australian scrapbook from the 1870's. Lucky this was unbound and decaying...

When she's mounted behind the glass, it should read as a sort of thought-bubble over the woman's portrait...

...like so.

Now for the top lens. Taking note of all the fabrics and textiles working their way into the piece, it occurs to me to include some antique lace or doily work into the background of the lens chamber. But as soon as my eyes fall on this small bit of tatting, I know this is to be used as a grille through which I will view another face. The center circle is even the same diameter as my lens!

I couldn't have fabricated a better fit...

A portrait of Gabriel Dumont will peer from the stitching.

I now set about searching for a title, through my collection of about 5000 accumulated titles from antique books, newspapers, etc. I've learned to be patient through this process, and not to force any associations in advance, but to go with my gut when it appears.

After exhausting my title file, I begin thumbing through complete books in my collection, hoping to find a connection there.

And there she is. No wonder she was so hard to see! The piece jumps vividly to life in my mind now - amazing how the trail of clues leads me to this life I've assembled.

Now to design a plate with the title to integrate into the form.

Space allowed to pass under the green kumihimo braid.

Cutting the plate.

Type written on and ready to etch.

Just out of the etchant.

Forming the plate on the work.

Sitting aside waiting its turn to climb aboard.

Now I treat the little boot with a high-end saddle dressing - this thirsty leather hasn't seen nourishment for over a century. New, rich color is brought up out of the leather.

I sit the plate in position and start mulling how to lash it down.

Thanks for staying with me. In the final installment: the boot gets laced, the back gets some serious attention, an unusual clasp is devised and it's a wrap.

Hoped you enjoyed yourself.

Keith

To the Invisible Girl, in-progress - Part Two.

2011-06-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving in a few hours to teach in Brisbane, but I have just enough time to get Part Two in gear...

When last we met, I ran into a problem with the arrangement of the drawer-pull (see last post). As soon as I rotated the pull so the connection was UNDER the lens, the entire piece came to life. Now I would be able to come up with an interesting bit of visual action in the center of the sole.

Laid in place to get the design right. Now the curve of the handle echoes the rounded heel - why didn't I think of that first time around? Guess that's why I made the 'mistake.'

The pinion point poking through the bottom.

The original hole will receive another element later on - no worries there.

With all the work being done on the shoe, I've got to turn my attention now to securing the fused-glass portrait down at the toe. First holes are carefully drilled around the perimeter...

...and holes are drilled in the shoe leather.

Sewing begins.

I love how the face isn't visible, and won't be, until I back it with black velvet later on.

With that finished, it's back to the heel. Seizing on the opportunity to use my new interest in kumihimo, I decide to try it out in situ...

1920's linen thread - beautiful stuff.

Ready to braid.

I'm not sure this will work like this, but it's managing so far.

Wow - I'm going to employ this again for sure.

The ends get splayed out asymmetrically and run into the shoe.

The thread is anchored around the steel frame for strength and tension.

The drawer-pull is locked flat with labradorite beads and thread, and a stunning raw peridot occupies the original hole at the top.

Ready to attack the inside chambers... and perhaps a great time to find a title that fits the shoe, as it were.

Come back soon!
Keith

To the Invisible Girl, in-progress - Part One.

2011-06-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome back. I've been working on a neckpiece, still unfinished at this moment... But by the time we get to part two I should be done.

Let's take it from the top.

The launch-point:

A tiny Victorian leather boot.

I make the decision early on to view it from the sole (soul?). A lens is found that will be inserted into the heel.

Ripping the seams a bit gives me a set of wing-like leather flaps to vignette the sole.

Now the toe will house a fused-glass image I did previously in the kiln. This is a daguerreotype image of a girl from 1840.

Tacked into place. I will drill the glass out later and tie it in.

Now I'm adding eyelets to secure the leather sides in a splayed position.

So as not to put too much stress on the old and brittle leather, I create a frame out of 8-gauge steel to line inside the shoe.

With a curved upholstery needle, I sew it into place with heavy waxed linen thread.

On now to work on a way to protect the heel-mounted lens. This very old drawer-pull has the perfect circumference to frame the lens while offering protection.

But first I'll need to grind off the riveted base.

Freedom.

Since the swivel would place the handle too far out from the shoe, I decide to cut it down lower. But first, this rusty steel pin must get ground and punched out to release the handle.

Tapping the pin out...

Slow work, but it's coming out.

Ready to cut down to a thinner profile.

Holding it up to see the fit.

The hole is drilled out, the pivot-point pushed through - and a nasty surprise reveals itself - because the heel rounds off in back, it throws the drawer handle out at an angle - no way to sit it flat against the shoe.

Stay tuned next time for the workaround...

Keith

A New Ring, in-progress: THE ODALISQUE.

2011-05-17T03:25:00.000-07:00

Amidst all the new workshops being put together for later this year, I've managed to squeeze some very fruitful time into making some new work in Studio Stuffsmith.

Here's one of the new pieces. It begins as a companion piece to the 2004 ring entitled 'DISSECTION OF A COQUETTE'S HEART.'

The base of the ring is another broken porcelain teacup handle. After opening the finger hole up a bit, I find a lovely starfish specimen to perch atop the platform. It will be one of my early forays into electroforming. I'm doing this using Sherri Haab's elegant and compact electroforming system, which works like a charm.

The starfish is coated in conductive paint. Now into the drink.

Just after immersion.

A copper-coated crustacean.

Now to prepare the base. Holes are drilled to strap the starfish to the top. The blue glaze of the cup is spectacular - just perfect.

A 'pool' is drawn around the starfish, to be recessed into the surface...

Like so.

Another splash of conductive paint.

And the tiedown begins.

Tied and ready for another session of electroforming.

This second coating will strengthen the form as well. The creature is extremely fragile, and I'm delighted that this new technique in my palette lets me feature some of those delicate materials front and center.

Ready for patina.

I love how the copper on the bottom fleshes out the countersunk areas of the holes. It also locks the whole assembly absolutely securely.

Signed and nearly finished.

In searching for my title, I come across this text and catch my breath. The curled and assemetrical form of the animal is brought out and given an attitude that just didn't exist before being combined with this text. And how appropriate, as well, that the two teacup rings feature a coquette and an odalisque - a fact that I didn't even cotton onto until the ring was finished! I am fascinated by that intuitive aspect to my process - I'm often as surprised as a bystander by what occurs under my fingers.

To see the beauty shots of this piece:
Click here.

Or, to see it with purchasing info:
Click here.

I hope you enjoyed the journey.
Keith

I Think I'm Turning Japanese...

2011-04-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

When I get the rare chance to meet a person who is a master of their craft, it can propel my own creativity in unexpected directions.

Early this month, while teaching at a TAFTA (The Australian Forum for Textile Arts) event in Orange, NSW I met Makiko Tada, one of the world's leading practitioners of the ancient Japanese craft known as Kumihimo - literally, "gathering of threads", or braiding. Some of its many uses over the centuries have been for samurai armor and kimono accessories. But Tada has taken the traditiional techniques, passed down from her mother, and created wildly experimental kumihimo. Her engineering background enabled her to design a machine for making an incredibly strong braid. When covered in carbon fiber the braid won't fatigue like metal, so in some situations will outlast metal components! The video showing this machine in operation has got to be seen to be believed - it's completely mesmerising and I could watch it on a loop all day:

But I digress.

Back in Orange, Makiko tossed me one of the small round high-density foam disks she has developed as a modern portable 'marudai' for making kumihimo, and after some quick instruction, I was seriously - no, seriously - hooked.

Below are some images of my early experiments with this technique. It's a steep slope to become competent at it, but I have been logging many hours at the little disks and plates, braiding away, learning as I go. They'll surely work their way into my jewelry in the coming months.

Here is Makiko's disk design. I cut several of my own to have more pieces to practice with (she has deliberately not trademarked the design, preferring that it be freely used to spread the good word of kumihimo).

A tiny braid of perle cotton, attached to a 150 year old pocket watch key part.

Another tiny braid in progress.

The square plate is used primarily for making flat braids.

Slow, magic, satisfying work.

Trying a flat braid on the round disk - using waxed linen this time, as an experiment.

Now to see some REAL kumihimo, check out Makiko Tada's blog:
http://makikokumihimo.posterous.com/

Next week, I'll take you back, at long last, into the studio to see another new interest taking form.

Ciao!

Keith

Last 36 hours of Japan Fundraiser auction

2011-04-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Only 36 more hours to bid on my brooch (untitled - fork & tie) on the Lucky Charm site - all the money goes to Japan's Red Cross - bid it up and help out! An amazing array of contemporary jewellery there. Auction ends tomorrow (21 April) at 11PM EST, Sydney time...

http://luckycharmfundraiser.blogspot.com/2011/03/keith-lo-bue.html?utm_source=BP_recent

Jewelry? Nope. Wearable? Yup.

2011-03-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

This is exciting.

I've created no less than a baker's dozen of swanky new T-shirt designs available to purchase over at Skreened.com. The shirts are excellent quality (American Apparel and other sweatshop-free product).

Here's a sampling of what you'll find at KEITH LO BUE'S STUFF EMPORIUM:

For aspiring junkaholics...

...and graduates.

Dipping into my trove of ephemera: this image is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, and the inspiration to do this T-shirt thing. It's a classroom grammar chart from the '20's.

There are tons of styles and colors - here is just a quick example of the Grammar shirt in different styles.

You ca choose your own colors and styles for any of these designs - and there are more to see that aren't pictured here, so come on over and check it all out HERE. I'll be posting new designs in the coming months. I hope you enjoy - and please be sure to email images of you wearing your shirt!

Keith

New Work: A Quick Peek...

2011-02-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

I'm packing for my pilgrimage to the great frozen North (well, Texas is north to me!). I'll be teaching a whole series of workshops in Houston next week, followed by three days of classes in lovely Fort Collins, CO and finishing with a special 3-day masterclass (and more) in San Diego. I'll be sure to post up some workshop doings during my trip on my other blog, so keep checking in at The Stuffsmith Times for that.

Until then, here are some images of brand-new work that I'll have with me for viewing and purchasing at the workshop venues. Aside from my website, this has been the only opportunity for the public to buy my work and get it in their hands, where, as you can imagine, it is a different experience altogether from static photos.

So, hot off the bench:

Brooch: ODE TO MEMORY.
Tin can, waxed linen thread, fused glass, mica, 17th-century Korean kozo paper, steel wire, paper, text, soil.

EarThings.

'EarThings' are a new line of unaltered objects to wear, from my personal stash of found objects. Continuing on from my screw-head earrings, these are all one-off's, sold as single earrings. Bus, train & tram tokens, buttons, tacks, and whatever may float across my bench - all with their original patina of age intact. All these pictured and more will be with me on this trip. Any that return unsold will be available via my website, at $35 each (+ shipping).

Brooch: untitled (fork & tie)
Victorian fork, upholstery tack, waxed linen thread, fused glass, steel wire, dichroic glass, paper, paint.

Neckpiece (two-sided): THE SPREADING GLOW. / Histoire des Martyrs.
Bundt cake mold, steel wire, starfish, sterling silver, 16th-, 17th- and 19th-century papers and currency, resin, ivory game piece, markasite, peridot, 19th-century eyeglass lens, rope, brass filings, paper, leather, text, soil.

Brooch: No. 49 Antique spoon, Roman bronze artifact, copper, waxed-linen thread, fused glass, fresh-water pearls, paper, text.

Hope you enjoyed these. Come see them in the flesh!

I also want to thank those who've checked out the e-book I made from this blog - the response has been unreal.

Ciao!

Stuffsmith: Now Electrified!

2011-02-10T01:25:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to announce the digital publication of my new e-book: STUFFSMITH: The Found-Object Artwork of Keith Lo Bue, Volume One. This 350+ page tome compiles every post on this blog chronologically from its inception in 2008 to last week, then fleshes it all out with hi-res images of the finished pieces worked on here, plus several shots of my studio never before published.

Perhaps best of all, this huge chronicle only costs $7!

The e-book is in the PDF format, and can be viewed on any computer, plus iPads and such. In fact, if you order and have a different brand of e-book reader that won't read PDF's, I'll convert it to the proper format for you at no charge.

It might just be the coolest thing to bring on that next road-trip!

You can ORDER HERE and I'll email you your own link to download.

Thank you, from the heart, for supporting two years of one of the most rewarding long-term projects I've embarked on. Here's to many more years of smithing stuff here for you!

Keith

Two Kinds of Courage, In-Progress - Stage 3, completion.

2011-02-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome back - sorry for the big gap - I've been teaching, and making, and, well, living..

Now to conclude TWO KINDS OF COURAGE. The act of snipping the hanging crystal element from the bottom of the piece, as seen in last posting, immediately frees the piece and the first thing to happen is a decision to upend the trap jaw, so it will now hang over the elements rather than be suspended under.

With that in mind, I can prepare the assembly to join to the trap jaw.

A small hole where the brass frame will be pinned in place, using a cotter-pin type attachment.

Once that has happened, I can turn my focus to creating a plate with the title to hang below. A sketch of the form gets my head around what needs to happen.

The plate being prepared.

After changing the chain to work properly with the new plate, it is attached. I like this form, as the plate with chain visually completes the semicircle of the trap jaw, without being too obvious.

Now to the chain. As the pendant is quite massive and blocky, I begin on making a chain of equal proportions. I'm using some antique spiral shank nails.

Finished. (Nailed it?)

Now drilling the jaw to attach the chain.

The links that will act as bails between chain and pendant.

After choosing the heaviest leather cord I've ever used for a piece, I make industrially large brass bail ends to connect leather to chain. Here they're still wet with patina, and soon to be polished.

First thing I always do on completion is to try it on, to make sure the proportions work on the body. This is one of the 'densest', most medallion-like pieces I've made.

View the finished piece here.

Or, view the piece with price included here.

Thanks for taking the journey with me. I'll be taking some time away from the studio to continue work on my upcoming sculpture DVD. More on that soon!

Keith

PS: In the time since last posting, I've finished a piece using the snipped-off crystal element. You can see it here, or for sale here.

Two Kinds of Courage, In Progress - Stage 2.

2010-11-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

Hello! Let's pick up where we left off last post. This piece is going through many changes, and the biggest ones are yet to come. Flipping the piece over, it's time to address this vantage point.

I made a piece with this essential structure back in 2005 and am very fond of it still, so I'm going with this really singular specimen of seaweed root ball - the double inverted cones have an unavoidably facial effect - especially after I saw the root ball in half depth-wise so holes appear in back of this chambers.

So with this element chosen, I return to the etched face on the flip side. That side must be finished before I can work more on the root-ball side.

I made this glass 'lens' in my kiln a few months back.

Great fit.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking about an element to hang down from the trap jaw, weighting the piece so the spigot can revolve. I choose this exquisite chandelier crystal from the mid-1800's and prepare to modify it.

First it's cut down and shaped.

A concavity is ground behind the beautiful sunburst pattern.

Seen from the front. The hole will be set with a dichroic bead.

Now a design is drawn for a backing plate of brass that will tab-set the crystal and allow it to hang.

...and sawing begins anew.

Cut and etched.

A face to peer from the crystal.

And imagery to be seen from the back.

Readying to assemble this unit - Notice the bead has been inserted and ground to lay flat with the surface of the glass.

Imagery is collaged into place.

Now it's ready to set into the brass structure.

Time to prepare how it will hang from the trap.

Drilling the old steel.

Fitting a staple through with riveted ends.

The crystal hung. This arrangement didn't sit well with me, but I decided to move ahead with the spigot handle so I could get a better overall idea of what needed to be done with this lower part.

The seeweed roots being prepared with small eye pins so I could tie it in place with waxed linen thread.

Just about to get tied into the spigot.

Suspended in place.

Turning it over, an engraving of eyes are affixed to the back, and labradorite beads are arrayed around the trough of the handle, so when the brass plate is attached over the top, they will be trapped but will be able to rattle inside.

Now the brass side is readied - a lovely color lithograph of a hand from 1880 will be behind the lens. Covering the back of the plate will be this map, from mid 19th-century. Most of this will be covered up by the root ball, but bits will peek out here and there.

The brass leaches some beautiful verdigris into the paper.

A big moment for the piece as the very thin and fragile tabs are bent around the spigot to lock it all in place.

Little by little they embrace the edge.

Now I can see the mechanism rotate for the first time.

I love the rotation.
But I don't like the piece.
Part and parcel of working in an intuitive manner is the possibility of working things in the wrong direction. Luckily over the years I've come to see these setbacks not as a waste of time, but as a fork in the road for me to change direction.

The piece is too large and lifeless to me. In fact, the hanging crystal below is simply too strong and detailed an element on its own - looks like I've made two separate pieces of jewelry. So with a wince and a smile...

...I snip the bottom piece off. It doesn't need to be there - it leaves the nest for later use.

Now I'll have some real rethinking to do. The neckpiece is turning a corner, one I hope will bring the spark back into it.

See you next time!

Keith

Two Kinds of Courage, In Progress - Stage 1.

2010-11-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

I've been back in the studio working on another piece I'd like to share with you. At the time of this writing I'm not positive about the title being used (I'm still working on the piece), but I'll go with it assuming it's going to stay.

The first instigative element for this piece is a spigot handle - I've used many of these to pleasing effect, and I'm all for exploring the form further. Two of the neckpieces I've made with them are among my favorites, but I'll try not to let that weigh on my mind as I work, lest it influence the process.

This is the orientation I've been viewing as the front (though my plan is to make it rotate, leaving either side in front).

I love the receptacle around the perimeter, and plan to use that.

First job is to remove the middle structure, which makes the spigot very heavy.

Now it's about 1/3 the weight.

The spigot will rotate nestled in the jaw of an animal trap.

Free at last. No animals were harmed in the making of this artwork.

An earlier piece I made, The Pearl That Worldlings Covet, employs the trap jaw UNDER the spigot, making the attachment more of a challenge. I'm going with it.

Into the tumbler goes the trap jaw. It'll take at least 24 hours.

Meanwhile, using a copy of the spigot on paper, I begin to design a metal plate that will both embrace the spigot and create a rotational mechanism for the piece to move.

As the drawing comes together, I decide to have a bust etched onto the plate in the center. I need to pick this out now, as it will dictate how to pierce out the interior of the metal.

At a recent etching workshop I was giving (yo, Ginny!), I managed to create my best etched image yet - this prompts me to use another daguerreotype image to be etched onto the plate. I can already tell it'll be the most demanding etching job I'll try. The older man in the right window is my subject.

His silhouette now becomes the focal design in the center of the plate. I like the asymmetry of this.

Oh yeah - now the plate must be cut. This is a thinner gauge brass than I've been using in my previous pieces, so it moves pretty quickly.

Cutting finished.

Checking the fit...

Looks good so far. Now to finish the edges of the plate and polish it.

Ready now to get the face etched on.

Although this PnP Blue etching paper has its drawbacks, it is wonderful to use in this fashion.

Registering the image to the plate.

And transfer complete...now to etch.

I decide, after some hesitation, to use ferric chloride as my etchant, rather than the saltwater etch I've been using of late. This is because I will have more precise control over the depth of etch this way. I'm also etching imagery on the back of the plate as well, so it needs to be suspended in solution.

In the oven, so to speak.

The plate comes out and is blackened - and it looks like a good etch.

The plate finished and ready - cleaned, patinated and partially shaped - ready to lay aside for later.

In the next part, I'll flip this over and start to realize the other vantage point, as well as consider the trap jaw - and really, shouldn't we all, when it comes down to it?

Take care till next time.

Keith

Look Above - in progress, Part Two, completion

2010-11-02T05:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome back. OK, now we'll see this piece through.

As the wooden structure is glued with woodworker's glue to bond the layers, it gets put aside while I work on the back plate and get it ready.

The etched plate is attached to the brass armature.

Drawing and realized object.

Seen from the front...

..and from the back. Notice the cut-away in the center. This was done to lighten the structure up, as that area will be covered by the wooden assembly. The outer pierced areas will act as windows for engraved imagery.

I've made a decision that will greatly impact the overall look of the piece - all 19th-century color lithographs will be used. These have intense and saturated color.

Mica panels will be placed over the images to protect them.

Rinsed after patination.

The images in place and ready to rivet into position under the mica.

Now clamped to the wooden assembly to rivet all together.

Tube rivets being prepared.

The sandwich is together and awaiting clean-up/registration.

Another tube rivet readies a revolving element for the top of the neckpiece: a medieval bronze spur.

The spur in position. Now the back brass structure will be bent around to prong-set the elements.

The lower prongs being bent.

A good moment as the structure comes clear for the first time. Note the brace for the spur to spin on top.

Now as the top steel plate is about to be riveted down, the lower chamber (backed by a litho eye) is filled with raw sapphires (the intended owner's birthstone).

The steel tacks complete their oval around the porthole.

And another unusual tension-setting: the hole in the bottom of the steel plate locks a round labradorite bead between it and the floral work in back (see next image).

The cord being made next.

A tiny rivet about to be made.

Beautiful 1930's copper-plated steel chain riveted into the key.

And hung up to check balance.

The last two elements are attached - the title plate and piece of coral.

To view the finished piece, follow this link.

Thanks again for coming along for the journey. I'll be back in the studio in the coming weeks for more.

Cheers,

Keith

Look Above - in progress, Part One.

2010-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the month-long absence here... I'm only hours back from my US workshop tour. Let's jump back into it. Here's my latest commissioned neckpiece as it comes together.

Launching off with a small decorative plywood ornament from a visit to Home Depot, I saw it down and shape an animal trap part to lay over it.

Weathered and stained. A tube rivet has been finished on the left side and the hole drilled for the right.

The color is now more harmonious between the elements.

Panels of dyed paua shell are laid in and the middle cradle 'V' shape will house a beautiful little piece of brain-like coral found in Hervey Bay a few months back.

Like so.

Searching for a suitable backing, I cut and modify one of a set of four hand-carved folk-art coasters from the 1930's, seen here as a spike of red and wooden texture sprouting up in a triangle at the top.

The coaster being shaped...

...and anchored together.

Now time to design a brass scaffolding to prong-set the piece and give it its exterior structure. I'm working on a copy image of the assembly - this allows me to experiment with possible shapes. The next several images show the drawing developing around the object.

Tightening up the drawing onto some tracing paper.

A signature plate is etched and formed from copper and will rivet to the brass backing.

The drawing ready to be executed in heavy brass.

Piercing the forms.

It's starting to look like something. I love this part of the process.

The sawing finished, I can turn to shaping and finishing the brass.

A heavy texture is applied.

Ready to receive the signature plate.

The elements have a meeting.

Next week, the piece brought right to finish.

Ciao!

For Those Who Doubt, In Progress - Stage 2, completion.

2010-09-14T03:37:00.000-07:00

This is a long one, but I want to get all the way though this time. Grab a cuppa, and join me.

Picking up from my last post, I created a round glass panel with a curious and beautiful wet-plate collodion negative image - here is the original image:

I absolutely love the photographer's markings on it - having scratched out the inferior exposure, he or she inadvertently lent a power and mystery to an otherwise straight-forward image. After scanning, the image is stretched vertically to allow the composition to adapt to a round format, as well as to tweak it one more step out of a documentary image.

After firing the image to an old piece of window glass, I'm preparing here to drill holes around the perimeter - slightly queasy work, as one wrong move and I'll need two more days to re-make the piece.

Waxed linen thread is tied to the glass now, and will be the material that suspends the panel inside the hubcap.

Ready and waiting.

I'm laughing as I post this - those who know me know I'll go to ridiculous lengths NOT to glue anything. But the occasion does arise! The glue around the lens here will serve a dual-purpose. First, it will seal the front gap between lens and hubcap. Second, and more importantly, I am building a 'moat' so I can pour resin onto the back of the lens and create a tableau between the lens and the fused glass image. The heavy brass wire was carefully pressed into place around the lens, but great care was taken not to add pressure or the lens would chip or crack. The sealant here creates a soft back-up to the wire.

One of those unforgettable gifts comes into play here. I was given this litter of tiny mummified mice by a kind soul during my last tenure in January at the McGregor Summer School in Queensland. She found them in her attic and collected them, though she wasn't sure what for. When she saw me giving my slide lecture, she knew why. I decide to take three of these tiny creatures and encase them in the matrix of resin.

First I give them a new set of eyes: African blue sapphires.

Preparing them for a resin nesting.

Making sure everything's on the level.

Beginning the pour.

The first of four pourings finished. The glue moat around the perimeter is built up each time, to keep above the rising resin. It'll have to be deep enough to completely immerse the three figures.

Next, a line of tiny bones arcs up the center behind the V8 logo. Most of these will be invisible unless the viewer sees the piece from a very oblique angle.

Setting the resin. This image blows up quite large if you click on it.

Before the final pour.

Small cicada wings will be nestled onto the mice, giving their floating presence around the lens some context.

For a moment, I can view the mice backlit by the sun, before the layers are put in place. Note the face in negative on the right.

Preparing to attach the glass panel.

And attached. The thread, stretched taut, suspends away from the front assembly.

A cutaway on the back for hanging.

Cutting a back from plywood.

A host of tubes, soon to be riveted into place in each hole of the board.

Though the image is out of focus here, you get the message. Often, because I'm photographing as I go, if I miss the shot, there's no second chance.

Taking up the rear-most area of the hubcap will be this beautiful brass gate ornament that I've fused glass, brass swarf (look it up!) and a Frozen Charlotte figure into. She'll be facing away from the viewer.

Marking the board for attachment.

The attachment holes drilled and riveted. The tube rivets give great structural strength to the plywood panel.

Steel wire feeding through.

Tyin' one on.

In place and ready to attach to the assembly for its completion.

Fitting the wires to twist them together - quite an awkward procedure.

Do the twist.

At long last - my first glimpse of the assembly through the lens - a good moment. The thick convex lens really offers some surprising and wonderful distortions of the objects behind - if you hadn't seen the elements as you have here, you'd never know exactly what you were looking at. I love that stubbornness to give up secrets.

Signing the back.

Ready to take beauty shots.

Which are HERE.

Thanks for taking the journey with me!
Keith

For Those Who Doubt, In Progress - Stage 1.

2010-08-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm deep in the journey of making a sculptural object, and I'd like to get it up here for all of you.

About a year ago I was invited to donate a piece made from a very specific piece of trash: an old hubcap. My old friend Boris Bally had put them on to me. The organization, Landfillart.org, was sending artists re-chromed trashed hubcaps to turn into art and send back. The resulting exhibition and publication would raise awareness about recycling (not that recycling needs much more awareness nowadays, but a great cause nevertheless).

My stipulation was two-fold: that the hubcap be from as old a car as possible, and that it not be re-chromed. Ken Marquis, the orchestrator of this project (now grown to a whopping 1,041 artists worldwide!) personally sent me his oldest hubcap. What a beauty.

I'm off and running...

The old V8 hubcap - I'm guessing about 1939?

What a logo. The deepness of the bowl allows me to make an interior environment. I don't want to lose the logo, so that'll have to be part of the design.

Luckily my brother is a big-time master electrician on Broadway - I've been saving these follow-spot lenses he gave me for about 20 years, using them as the opportunity presents. Thanks, Mike!

Look at this fit. The dome is even the same curvature as the lens. Time to get cutting.

I've designed the shape to be cut away. This'll be tough work, as I'm dealing not only with two pieces (the silver decorative cap and the underlying heavy steel hubcap), but both these pieces are curved. I've also decided to flip the orientation of the piece, so the logo will essentially read as an "A".

Ready to cut.

The outer cap is fairly straight-forward.

The main cap - is not. No saws are up to it, so it has to be ground away.

Back indoors after the grinding.

After choosing a title, I set about etching it into heavy brass and designing it to arch over the opening I've cut in the cap.

Sawing it out.

The tabs that were cut on the bottom are bent around to create 'eyes' through which a heavy wire will run. Only the center tab remains straight, to go through the hubcap itself.

Ready to mount.

Wired into place. Notice the tabs I'd left on the silver cap are now curled back to hold more wire around the circumference of the lens.

Three of these wires will pierce the hubcap and lock the lens in place.

Next week: The interior assembly comes together, centerpieced with another of my new large fused-glass images.

Ciao!

Keith

Pictures At An Exhibition

2010-08-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

My exhibition in Hervey Bay remains open for one more week. Below are some images from the opening. Photographed beautifully by Phil Syme.

Untitled (raccoon), 2000

Describing the changes in my work as a result of moving to Australia in 1999.

BEFORE THE MIRROR, 1998

WHEN MEMORY FAILS, 1996

A VOYAGER'S DREAM OF LAND, 1999/2005

Peering into THE HIDDEN ROOM, 1995

Discussing the digital work.

One of several collaborative pieces in the show, here's a detail of a neckpiece made with found object pioneer Bob Ebendorf.

A wearable book collaboration with book artist Dan Essig.

Explaining how I began making found object work.

THE AERIAL OCEAN (MAY IT WATCH OVER YOU), 2009

A moment with my family - partner Irena and our three kids - Mira, Audrey and Miles.

Spoonfed, 2009

The Pearl that Worldlings Covet. 2006

Examining THE INNER SIGHT, 2009

An homage to Melville and Moby Dick, untitled (pipe), 2005

My dear friend, book artist extraordinaire Adele Outteridge.

THE PARADISE OF FOOLS, a 1997 collaboration with glass artist Sally Prasch.

untitled (nautical instrument), 1996

Two Sides of History, 2009

A collaborative brooch made with luminary basket artist Dorothy Gill Barnes from 1997, surrounded by a whimsical neckpiece I made that year using actual lobster antennae as chain links.

Demonstrating my new piece, POETICAL MODESTY, in action.

To hear the floor talks pictured above, and to see video of the exhibition itself, a new hour-long DVD of the event is available here. (and a preview of the DVD can be found on YouTube here)

I'll be back to posting some new in-progress work as I get myself back into the studio later this week.

Thanks for visiting!

Keith

Kids Attack Found Objects in Hervey Bay

2010-07-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

Before I jaunt off to the US to teach next week, I thought I'd post up the brilliant work done by an enthusiastic group of fifteen 8 to 14-year-old's up at the gallery where my exhibition is taking place. Called the 'Mudskipper's workshop', the kids were challenged, in the two-hour class, to use their own ingenuity to cobble the piles of junk in front of each of them into something interesting. Without glue.

Check out what went down. (Click on images to enlarge them)

A few mums stayed and got their hands dirty as well.

Serious concentration.

A spaceship, complete with control keyboard, takes shape. Check out the smart use of electrical tape.

My oldest daughter Mira, right, finds a new buddy.

No timid moves here - it's unchecked creativity at work.

Decisions, decisions.

An impromptu exhibition was set up on a table so we could all admire the handiwork.

Puppet, with stand and pet!

A house for secrets.

A portrait in sheep spine, of her dad, apparently - are my eyes really that screwy?

A beautiful assembly of fresh plants, which can be replaced at will.

A hanging garden of treasures.

The amazing flying lion!

A complex little contraption.

A gorgeous little viewing portal and treasure trove.

The spaceship - that's a steering wheel and hubcap put to really good use.

A beautiful and sensitive fish sculpture.

An intimate Pandora's box.

This catapult shoots something long and thin that I can't remember - was it pick-up sticks or knitting needles? Don't try this at home!

A lovely display of tiny sculptures - what a set.

The Hervey Bay Artists Gang, in da house. Congrats to them all!
I'd encourage any of the artists above to post down below and let us know which one you did.
See you soon,
Keith

Poetical Modesty, In Progress - Stage 5 - Completion.

2010-07-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome back. Sorry this took so long - I've just been up in Queensland opening my exhibition. More on that next week. Now to the matter at hand:

My attention now turns back to the turnbuckle that will suspend the glass plate. After hours of drilling and threading it and making two tiny set screws, they prove too weak for the task. I drill the holes out larger (a scary task as there isn't much room left in the width of the metal) and tap threads into them.

Brass wire becomes a more substantial set-screw.

The turnbuckle ready to go. One of the revelations, somewhere along the line, was that this machine can be fitted in the future with several glass plates, so it truly becomes a viewing machine, like the stereoscopes and zoetropes of the 19th century. When the piece comes back to me after its showing in Queensland, I'll set about doing just that. But before I get too ahead of myself, I'd better make sure the thing works!

An issue here - chain doesn't like being squeezed between other metal parts. Not a good solution. That night in a half-awake state in bed I realize that waxed linen thread would be strong, supple, squeezable - and replaceable.

Re-drilling the holes on four fresh-water pearls to allow for the heavy linen thread.

The assembly together.

At this point I need to address one of the things I've enjoyed about this machine, and this is the fact that there are no right angles in the entire structure... The glass plate itself and the brass frame that encloses the image are both way off square. The candelabra base, being most probably a souvenir made to be sold on the roadside means that the upright part of the base is tilted at an extreme angle.

I hit upon the idea of making threaded feet that lift the flat base off the table and allow for adjustments to make the whole piece 'feel' balanced visually.

Unfortunately, this means drilling major holes in the base. At this late stage of the piece, this is a palm-sweaty affair.

Tapping the holes.

Threading the brass rod to make the feet...

...and slotting them.

Now that it stands more or less upright, I can try the machine out. After ten weeks of problem-solving a structure that was only theoretically a working device, it's a real delight to see and hear the elements working with each other.

In trying to make this machine as independent from me as possible, I decide to make a small screwdriver that would be attached to the machine to allow anyone to make all these various adjustments. I realize now that this is the last step to completing the piece.

A bar of square nickel silver wire and an old clock key fit the bill.

Forging the blade.

It'll need to fit in the square hole of the key.

A few taps with a rawhide mallet gently seats the nickel into the key.

A quick decision places the screwdriver front and center on the base.

Adding a slot to the hole to accept the blade.

The screwdriver chained and in place.

The last several days are devoted to making the descent and ascent of the plate as smooth and reliable as possible. There is an unknown hang-up that causes me to disassemble and reassemble the structure at least half a dozen times until I find the culprit. How funny that the thing that stopped the works for these last few days was the thing I spend so much time and effort circumventing:

Glue.

Back when I tried to lock the chain into the turnbuckle, before I thought of linen thread, I was desperate to try the mechanism but the chain was slipping through the set-screws - so I added a drop of superglue to one side of the chain so I could try it. I promptly forgot about it when I changed it to waxed linen, but there was a tiny spot on the chain where there were four links glued stiff. This tiny rigid spot hung up in the little curved tubing channel in the top of the structure. If I'd only known earlier it would have saved me days of difficulty.

No wonder students have dubbed me Keith No-Glue.

Thanks for sticking with this long process. I hope you had a taste of the enjoyment I felt making it. You can view images of the finished piece on my website here:

Beauty Shots of POETICAL MODESTY

At the end of the pictures, you can watch a video (available in HD for those who'd like that) of it in motion. For those with less patience, you can go straight to the video here:

Video of POETICAL MODESTY

And lastly, for those interested the piece is indeed for sale and info can be found here.

Cheers!

Keith

Poetical Modesty, In Progress - Stage 4.

2010-07-02T21:01:00.001-07:00

In this post we'll see Poetical Modesty come together from its many component parts.

The last thing to do before attacking the wooden box (still a frightening prospect) is to remove the end nuts of the candelabra arms (each of these held a candlestick holder). I decide, since it's a lovely clover shape, that I can reuse at least one of them in the piece.

Sawing the end pieces off...

...and replacing them with more curved tubing.

The time is here at last. I trace the line of the frame to be cut away in the back of the box.

'Round these parts, we call this: Voiding The Warranty.

Only a very deep saw frame will cut a panel this large. This jeweler's saw has a 10" throat.

Pierced. Now to finish the edges and carve the inside away to allow for the glass to slide in.

An exciting moment comes when I can view the glass behind the shape of the frame. With a rush I realize the piece is really coming together.

An intimidating image - the box laid low.

Painted black with black silk velvet about to line the interior.

Now the bottom edge of the box is carved to inset the candelabra.

This brass plate has been etched and will drop into the inside bottom panel of the box for some extra stability.

After making a bolt out of one of the clover ends of the candelabra, I can thread it through to see if it will do the trick. All set here.

Another big moment - attaching the side pulley structures. As soon as these are on I have the bare bones of the machine assembled - it will stand on its own now.

I spend a good amount of time with it at this stage, trying to see what else should be addressed before going much further. The box interior now gets lined with beautiful velvet. I can't find proper silk velvet after looking at several shops (only synthetic), so I come home and cut the corner out of my dear and valuable 22-year-old old piece of backdrop velvet for my photographing. Painful but necessary.

Time to get the brass frame finished and mounted to the box.

Piercing square holes into the corners, to inlay four beautiful cut Czech crystal cubes.

These are joined by some very old brass floral elements that I just acquired on my last US trip.

The back, painted and polished to let the glass slide easily.

This is how it will read when it's finished. I love the ornate framing.

Fabricating a cross-brace so the uprights don't bend inwards with the strain of lifting the glass.

Turning to making an assembly from which to suspend the glass, I choose these great old steel nut picks, which I'll saw apart and join in the middle so the ball ends face outward.

Annealing them to allow for drilling.

Here's a delicate moment - tapping threads into the holes to put in some set-screws. So delicate, in fact, that about one minute after this photo is snapped, something else snaps. So with the tap broken off deep in the nut pick, I chalk up a full day to a blind alley and look for a different hanging element. It doesn't take too long to come up with a Plan B.

I've picked up this brass/steel turnbuckle over and over again through the years, but obviously it was waiting for it's time. I can see that this device will allow me the benefit of being able to adjust the arms in and out for the best width.

The loops are sawn open and drilling starts for making set-screw areas.

The brass piece in the center has been made more ornate. Note the tiny set-screws in place near the ends. These will be replaced later with bigger ones, as the screw heads prove too delicate.

I finally un-tape the chain and allow it to spool out. I can hardly believe I'll see it in one piece so soon.

Screwing the box back (now front, from here on!) into position.

The clover-bolt attaches box to base and the machine, minus a few more bits, is together. Only about a day or two away from actually, dare I say, testing it.

Tune in next week for the final posting.

Keith

Poetical Modesty, In Progress - Stage 3.

2010-06-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome back!

Now that I've squared away the pulley system, it's time to dive into really uncharted waters.

A generous student from a workshop I taught in Sydney a little while back gifted me this little hand-made brass winding mechanism, which I have to assume is a fishing spool. The textural clack/purr of the ratchet mechanism feels and sounds so good that it sprang to mind as a model for my turn crank. It only turns in one direction, and the arched piece of spring steel at the bottom must be gently depressed to disengage it from the ratchet teeth and allow it to wind back the other way. Perfect for my glass panel, so it couldn't drop accidentally like a guillotine and destroy the piece.

The only trouble will be, um, to fabricate it.

I study the object to really understand it, then do some internet research to find out more about these devices, learning along the way that this is called a 'ratchet and pawl' system. The pawl is, in this case, the little rocking steel piece with a screw in the middle, held in tension by the steel tongue - this stops the ratchet from unwinding.

First to make the toothed gear.

As it's not going to be resting against a flat surface like in my antique reel, it needs a shelf halfway down the teeth. A British coin from 1806 has the perfect circumference so it gets soldered into place.

With all this sawing of thick brass, I'm getting lots of brass dust. Like the miser I am, nothing goes to waste - I'm collecting it to use inside future pieces. It looks like gold dust.

I design the pawl (the release arm for the reel). Searching for a suitable thickness of steel, I spy the wrench that came with my Ikea kids' chest of drawers that we got today and anneal it so I can saw it.

Mid-cutting.

Ready.

Forgot to photograph this object before I started working on it, but this nut came off of a 1950's clock pendulum, which I grooved, stepped and embellished to make it more elaborate.

The axle with the gear consists of brass tubing. One of the things I'm being mindful of is that like any good machine, it needs to be able to be disassembled.

A second British coin, this one from 1740. Now I've got two divided reels for each chain to wrap onto.

The fancy nut with the brass rod screwed in. This is what will pass through the gear/tubing to attach it to the structure.

Decorating the other nut to go in back of the piece. I need to make it adjustable and stable, so I decide to drill and tap it so I can make a tiny set screw to hold it in place.

This is already more 'machining' than I've ever done. Little do I know what's left to do.

Now I can assemble these elements and see how they fit. Though I'm still a long way off from being able to test this thing out - I still have no idea whether it's going to work at all. It helps to be an optimist.

Looks good at this stage. Now to adapt the candelabra to hold this crank. I'll begin by running a tube through the base and riveting it front and back.

Done.

The chains get soldered onto the shaft, then wrapped and taped up to keep them out of the way for the time being.

As it was made up until now, there is nothing to make the tubing turn with the crank, so tiny tabs are soldered onto the back of the crank wheel where it meets the tubing. I will then slot the end of the tubing to catch the tabs, as shown.

On now to attaching the pawl to the base. Because I don't know how far out the toothed gear will sit from the candelabra (it has that deep decoration, plus it's not straight up and down), I need to make an adjustable post that will hold the spring in place that tugs on the pawl, keeping its tension. So on to that. Here the wire has been twisted to harden and is drilled in the end.

Using a threading die.

Adjusting the rod.

Etching a date/signature into the back of the base.

Now all of my quiet excuses have run out to dodge the thing that has been making me most nervous during the whole project: dismantling the beautiful box. I'm a bit petrified it will get decimated and then won't be right for whatever reason. Well, I'm in this deep, there ain't no going back. Call in the demolition squad.

Note - I'm leaving at week's end to teach up in Rockhampton, Queensland for a week. I think internet is a bit sketchy at the venue, so I can't promise the fourth and final stage next week - it might have to be the following week. Either way, we're almost there!

Cheers,

Keith