hi ho silver: 2010

11 May 2010

29 April 2010

Update/Peer Crit

I made a hollow form ring! maybe another today. I originally intended it to be in silver, but my sheet was going to cost $80...brass/copper it is. Also, I'm stone setting-nuts now.

ProjectTWO Crit:

Narrative Pendant Peer Review

Kelsey Hampton

Recover

materials: copper, brass, silver 20 g wire, rubber

techniques: liver of sulfur patina, hammer texture, rivets, flanges, chasing & repousse, balled wire

Barnacles thrive on motionless objects. I chose this imagery to address complacency in my life in terms of recovering from an eating disorder. Both the barnacles and the squid are images that resonate with me personally.

I am fairly pleased with the pendant, but feel I could do much better with a second attempt. Also, I'm still not sold on the chain.

I feel the flanges work well in terms of the overall organic nature of the piece.

Chain could be improved, squid-etch could be deeper. The patina did not bring it out as well as I had hoped.

Its sturdy, wearable, and smooth-edged, so yes, I'll wear this piece.

Megan's Crit:

Megan pretty much feels the same way I do - she liked the patinas/textures/metal interplay, but felt the squid could be improved. The fact that the concept is not made explicit did not bother her, and she noted that both that and the hidden locket mechanism create an overall secretive feel.

19 April 2010

ProjectTHREE

So, i haven't really shown any progress on the pendant, but i promise its almost done (due wed).It wasnt what i expected, but all in all, i think im going to be happy with it (if i can stop sawing my fingers off).

So project three is all about hollow forming! Ive chosen the modernist period, because, like anna, its the only stuff i really want to wear. Im pretty set on creating a pill-holder ring, and have looked and looked and not been able to find anything other than these things:

gross.

im considering a hinged top, organic tapered formed and want to include some sort of setting on the hinge lid. ideally, sterling silver, but i hope it doesnt cost a fortune.

26 March 2010

UNProjects (Or Who Spends Their Free Time In the Studio?)

A: Me, Anna, and Megan

Maybe this is why I'm always in there:

this is for Cindy Soon-to-be-Atwell

this is now green/blue ammonia patina

I had extra jump rings

rivet practice on some scrap metal earrings

this is going to be a riveted barnacle locket, I think. Anna, Megan, and I decided it would be fun to repousse stuff unrelated to class till one in the morning.

23 March 2010

ProjectTWO Update

So, three layers so far. The bottom piece is nasty because i was trying to solder little silver stems to poke through the barnacles. Wire solder was a bad idea in this case.

10 March 2010

ProjectTWO: Inspiration

Barnacles!

Barnacles grow on ships due to inactivity. I am considering using them for my pendant as a way of visually representing the progress I have made/the person I no longer am.

ProjectONE and Done!

Anna, Megan, Ashley, and Tai made the never-ending hours much more enjoyable. I am eating my leftover brownies for breakfast. Gross. Pictures - real ones - soon!

06 March 2010

ProjectTWO - Language of Metal

Design and create a two sided pendant that:

utilizes flanges as a central design element
has narrative about personal experience/person/place

Possible Themes:

vulnerability

introversion

aggression

materialism

addiction

protection

More Productivity?? (Or How I Forgot It Was The Weekend)

Bars of Towson,

I'm sorry - its not you, its me. I've changed. I've got work ethic now and all that dreadful stuff.

You're better off without me, anyway. Please don't cry.

Love,

Kelsey

Beginning of Pores.

heat patina, hammer, pierced, chased

Beginning of Neuron

etched with liver of sulphur

Cop-out Stomach

cardboard roll print, heat patina, hammer

Yay! Taste Buds now etched

brass w copper laminate, patina, etched

I also started teeth and cardiac mussle, but those are both covered in asphaltum - just like my fingers.

05 March 2010

Momma Bowl/Baby Bowl

its without a chain - brass with small copper bowl secured with silver wire, patina, hammered and stamped

04 March 2010

Productivity? (Or How Was Last Semester So Much Easier?)

thumbprints! there are also two other corners with a lighter etching of the same pattern, with patina and hammer texture

red-headed stepchild/silver inlay cell thing: with painted on liver of sulfur, texture, blah blah

really dirty failed sweat solder/tastebud slide: copper on brass with etching throughout

blood cells! with etching, patina, and 320 grit sand paper

it looks kinda funny on here, but its an etched torso with partial patina (not done)

BUT, the reason I even made this post is to show off something completely unrelated:

First hardcover book! I feel like a parent.

Its hand sewn with found sheet music and paper bags

This was a long day.

03 March 2010

ProjectONE Update (Or How to Destroy Your Baby-Soft Hands)

So, March 10th is hurling itself towards me with terrifying speed. Maybe I'm being a little dramatic here, but with this being the first project for Janet and all, I don't really know what to expect. These next seven days will be spent camped out with a venti dirt-tasting coffee in one hand and a file in the other (with junior boys, animal collective, daft punk on loop - my usual folk doesn't really work here). I'm already lamenting choosing such a ridiculously large silver inlay. Plus side: I'll have one really ripped arm from all the filing. Today I'm working on an etched thumbprint patterned slide as well as that damned silver inlay cell diagram (both brass..I need more copper). As soon as i make some noticeable progress, I'll post more update shots. Also, I got the names of the other artists, so I've added them to my previous post.

im excited about this one: taste buds!

please excuse my troll fingers.

02 March 2010

American Craft Council (Or How to Get Depressed About Your Future 101)

Where to start? I couldn't make it to the wholesale show on wednesday, but that turned out for the best, as I wound up spending an exhausting 5 hours at retail this past friday. First of all: EMPTY. I felt bad for the artists, especially the first timers, because this was seriously un-busy. In years past, I've had to shove my way past crazy cat ladies and bougie skinny jeaned elitists. This year: elbow room. Plus side to the no doubt recession-induced emptiness: most everyone was more than willing to humor the overeager art major from a state school. jackpot. This show is so much more interesting when you have a semblance of an idea as to how things are made. patinas! soldering! casting! I could make that! well, sorta. So, despite Janet warning us of card-thievery, I couldn't help myself at points. Here's a list of the people that both inspired and crushed my will to go on:

Pause. All my stolen cards are at my parent's house. So until I can get those, I'm going to try and wing it.

Alt Craft -

Giant Dwarf

Sustainable little head accessories.

I wanted to go home and make my own.

Elisa Shere

Sweet and simple (mostly) silver jewelry.

Also, I think Suzi worked with her?

I bought this quirky (cough hipster) little men's shirt-turned-skirt and suspenders combo from a sweet girl (can't remember her booths name!) who received her AA in professional craft down in NC. Ah, to live in that crafty-ass state. Also, this provided mayjah hope for the individual who may be a little concerned about her degree

getting her anywhere (me). Only talent and motivation required, kids. I'll post her site as soon as I can.

UPDATE: River Basin Outfitters

OK enough of the alt craft. The following people made me want to cry.

Emily Johnson

Gorgeous stuff. Lots of oxidized silver with copper accents. And wicked sweet, what with the humoring me and all. I really enjoyed the simplicity of her work. Her friend also had some stuff in the booth; her cast wishbones were cute, if not a little trendtastic.

gahhhk

Rebecca Zem ans

Twenty minutes spent talking with her? I'm in love. Also, her mother works for her - adorable, excitable, hilarious woman - which my own mom decided was her life's calling as well. Girlfriend's stuff was kick ass. Everything was hand fabricated, plus some crazy cast-wax neckpieces. She lamented over having to compete with the high end mass-cast stuff (this was her first year at ACC) and went in to total detail about her techniques and materials. Basically, her stuff was like wearable sculptures. Very interesting ideas for pseudo-chains as well.

drool

Elaine Ware was hilarious, told me a TON, and bitched with me about the aforementioned bougie/skinny jeaned/snobby types that give you the side-eye when you try to ask them a question.

Wooden Specs

So yea, I spent all day at the convention center, just like every other year. My notebook is full of scratches and I'm not sure if my feet have totally recovered yet.

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PS: I womanned up and committed to a slide! here it is so far: