When I decided to try making jewelry again I took a short 4-week class at Lillstreet Art Center here in Chicago. Lillstreet is a great place! I really enjoy the creative environment and they have a wonderful cafe on the main floor with yummy molasses cookies. In fact, I took a picture of one of their cookies for the communal art project entitled "The Meal," organized by Art House/The Sketchbook Project in Brooklyn (2012 edition).
Previously, I took a 10-week print on glass class in the spring of 2012 and then an afternoon glass-blowing workshop to make Christmas ornaments. I didn't really care for the print part of the print on glass, but I really loved the fusing part of making glass cabochons. Someday I will take a full glass fusing class and make a lot more cabochons and some fire-work beads.
Though I had tried sawing metal years ago, I discovered the zen of it during this short class. Sawing and texturing metal by hammering it are truly meditative and joyful experiences. I remember leaving the first class feeling total bliss at being in the space and working on the metal. Before the session was over, I signed up for a full 10-week intro class to really cover the foundations. In this short overview class we tried a variety of techniques. Needless to say, I was hooked!
The main piece I completed was a copper free-form pendant that I hammered, darkened with liver of sulfur, and then riveted a small oval to. This pendant is about 2.5 inches long.
Here's the original free-form design glued to the copper before I started sawing out the shape:
I also made several copper and one brass ring.
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