ATTENTION ALL METAL-HEADS!

I have been fumbling my way through teaching myself basic metal work. Many of my designs feature copper tube bezels I cut myself and lots of hammered and textured brass. I love textured metals. I've recently discovered shibuichi, or cast sterling silver. The patterns and textures you can achieve are just amazing. Same with reticulation--heating metal to the point the surface actually flows and changes, leaving behind amazing textures. I am NOWHERE near skilled enough to actually attempt these techniques myself and have simply been admiring from afar. Mokume gane--the blending of copper and sterling (or gold and sterling) into gorgeous patterns....sigh. Delicious. All these techniques are ancient in origin, many originated in Japan. Someday....

So, imagine my DELIGHT and SURPRISE to discover Reactive Metals online!!! My dreams are here! Now I can purchase shibuichi, mokume gane, and shakudo SHEETS!!! Are they expensive? YES! Are they worth it? YES! This site also carries all the tools and supplies needed for metal work as well as books, CDs and tutorials. They offer great information on patina techniques using these sheets (can you imagine?!?!?) as well as some traditional Japanese patinas I've not seen anywhere else. What a great site.

As soon as the piggy-bank is a bit fatter, I will be investing in some fantastic metals here. Take a look...and prepare to lighten your wallet. So hard to resist!!! I've included an image here of just a sample of the sterling sheet you can buy...love the sea urchin textured one. If you do invest in these sheets, let me know. I'd love to see what you create...

Sister Art

It's been a while since I have posted...busy, busy, busy...Okay, so I was actually completely out of delightful commentary and thoughtful insights. Until today--I found an amazing website called "The Sister Project", or TSP for the hip who join this group. The site is actually a blog, or a bunch of blogs, all celebrating sisters, art, and expression. Take a few moments to visit here...you'll be inspired, enlightened, and have access to fantastic artists of all media.

As one of five sisters, I really found myself lost in this site. Trust me, it's worth your time. Sloan Tanen's "Sister Chicks" will simply leave you weak from laughing. I've included one of her series here...

This is for my older sisters who went to Catholic school. I don't know what I love more, the chick tied to the bed or the teeny, tiny saddle Oxford shoes...Plus, they remind me of marshmallow peeps. Our family has a strange obsession with peeps. Another story for another day...

One of my most favorite artists is also featured on this site, Lindsay Carr of Little Robot. Her illustrations are breathtaking and her paper theaters fantastic works of art. I'm trying to entice Lindsay to illustrate one of my poems for a children's book...wish me luck!! Below is a classic example of her work...

Isn't she grand? Anyway, please visit these sites and ENJOY!