REFLECTIONS, In-Progress - Part Two.

Welcome back. On to part two of our journey.

Now that I've finished the lens assembly that would occupy one side of the piece, attention turns now to creating points of connection for a cord or chain. I bypass my first thought (the easy solution!) of wrapping wire around the 'handle' part of the compact and decide instead to drill and tube-rivet anchor points in the hollow body of the compact itself.

 The tubes inserted, yet to be flared out.

The tube-rivets finished. I like the placement.

 The piece is patinated at this point to bring it all together thus far.

 A fast hunch leads to this rather drastic move. I do like the lipstick mechanism, no doubt, but it nags me and I can see far more lyrical things up there, so off it's cut.

Several hours of fossicking through Studio Stuffsmith yields this gem: a 19th-century clay pipe bowl fragment from the Thames. It's a perfect crown.

The tall side, opposite the opening, is hollowed for an image.

As the clay is porous and fragile, its soaked in acrylic media to seal and strengthen it.

Yep. This step has kicked the piece to life for me. Wired solidly in place.

Now my focus turns to the covered chamber that will be the beating heart of the piece. I can now take stock of the elements I've readied for this side of the neckpiece. On the left, the opaque glass portrait of Maureen Kistle and on the right, the same portrait fused onto clear antique glass.

 This clear image reads as a negative...

...until it is backed in black, when it becomes readable.

The pattern on the hinged lid is lovely and I want it to remain - however I want to have the empty circle in the center have some focal weight, so the radial pattern pulls the eye inward. I choose to create a bezel in which to mount a ruby. First a hole is drilled.

 Now the surface is protected...

...and raised in a dapping block.

A washer of thin brass seals in the back of the stone. The opaque glass portrait can be seen faintly through the bottom panel. That is the area where the resin lens assembly will go (chronicled in last posting).

 Now precious cargo comes aboard - a lock of Maureen's baby hair.

 Laid in over black velvet, it will then be pinioned in place by the clear glass portrait. Note the small hole in the center of the velvet to allow light through the ruby.

The portraits now affixed in place and a chain of steel and brass attached.

At this stage I tiptoe through the titles and settle on the name of the piece. Obvious reference to both noun and verb, literal and ruminative. REFLECTIONS it is.


Next week, the final installment as the finished work (and a sister piece!) coalesces. I hope you'll join me!

Keith

 

Endings, beginnings

My visit to the US is nearing completion; I head back to Sydney and family on Tuesday for a long-overdue reunion. It has been a phenomenal experience this time 'round; extended visits with my parents and siblings made it soul-satisfying - not to mention highly unusual - as normally my teaching schedule is pretty unrelenting during my time in the US.

But it was professionally eventful as well. Teaching at the lovely 'Art Is You' event in Connecticut, lecturing to the excellent graduate metals students at East Carolina State University, under the virtuosic hands of Bob Ebendorf; lots of inspiration flying around for those days.

This past week has seen two exciting developments for me. First was the new acquisition by the MAD Museum (Museum of Arts & Design) in New York of my 2004 neckpiece 'RETROSPECTION'. Following on the heels of being published in Ursula Ilse-Neuman's beautiful book 'Inspired Jewelry from the Museum of Arts & Design', it's a wonderful opportunity for my more recent work to be viewed by a larger audience. The neckpiece will make its public debut at the museum in November of this year. The second remarkable event has been the purchase of my newest piece 'THE DIARY OF AN ANTIQUARY', also seen in progress in the previous 4 postings below. It couldn't have gone to better owners.

I'm looking forward to getting back into my studio in November and continuing to explore all these new avenues that my recent work has laid the groundwork for. So stay tuned.

Cheers,

Keith