Daily Art Muse » Metal

timothy horn plays with scale and end of summer message

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:32:37 +0000

Inspired by an 18th century earring pattern, Santa Fe artist Timothy Horn plays with scale and materials in Pearl Works, a series of sculptures he started in 2007 – scroll to the last image to see the true size of these lovely, graceful, detailed blown glass and nickel plated bronze sculptures. His portfolio shows the full range of this artist’s work – be sure to take a look at the crystallized rock sugar sculptures. Sweet!

Titania, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze, cast lead crystal
50 x 28 x 9 ”

Titania, detail

Miranda, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
49 x 26 x 9 ”

Cordelia, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
28 x 11 x 5 1/2 ”

Grand Noeud, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
36 x 22 x 9 ”

Sweet Thing, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
50 x 36 x 9 ”

Galatea, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
54 x 36 x 9 ”

Odette, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
56 x 36 x 9 inches

Sweet Thing, installation view

Endings and Beginnings

I am taking some time off to soak up the end of summer and ready myself for the beginning of the fall season. I’ll meet you back here with new offerings after the Labor Day holiday (though I might pop on to DAM’s Facebook page to post links before then – would love to see you there). And please enjoy the archives – oh, so much to see – 2,750 posts to keep you busy!

josé chardiet

Susan Lomuto — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:09:41 +0000

Considered one of the leaders in the second generation of the Studio Glass movement, Cuban born José Chardiet has been a successful glass artist and teacher for more than two decades. His expertly crafted work includes vases embedded with copper wire designs and the complex combination of glass and metal sculptures seen here. Each body of work distinctly different and yet all Chardiet. His interpretation of the family unit, as seen in the Still Life series is refreshing.

Blue Purple Dome Teapot, front and back

Earth, copper wire, glass

Red Labyrinth, front and back

Silver Teapot

Orange Gold Labyrinth

jeff de boer: of cats, mice and the buddha in you

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:09:41 +0000

Canadian artist Jeff de Boer may be best known for making beautifully crafted cat and mouse metal armour sculptures, but The Buddha in You, and de Boer’s thoughtful description of the sculpture (see below) are what really captured my attention and sent me searching for more from this artist.

The Buddha in You, bronze

Watch the video here then click on the image of the buddha above – you will find yourself on the Artevo website, where you can zoom in very close and move the image around to see all of the detail that de Boer describes in the video. Truly wonderful.

Elven Princess 2010

Elven Princess, detail

Samurai Cat 2007

Samurai Cat, detail

Work in progress

Read more about the artist on his website, where you will find a full portfolio, great FAQ section and wonderful photo essays of work-in-progress, including a how-to for making his Samurai Cat Armour.

Thanks to Lorrene Davis for passing along the link.

yoshi aoki’s mixed media sculpture and a giveaway winner

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:46:17 +0000

Most artists create a design based on the material they work with – glass, ceramic, metal, paper. Yoshi Aoki turns that idea upside down by coming up with a design first and then choosing the materials to create it. Working out of a studio in his Oregon garage, Aoki strives to “capture the essence of nature in abstract ways.” I think Aoki’s sculptures would translate well into jewelry, don’t you?

Gravity, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Raku Scape, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Vine, steel, dyed maple

Where It Grows, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Willcox Update and a Giveaway Winner

Many, many thanks to all who made a donation to help Kimberly Willcox rebuild her studio – although my giveaway has ended, donations are still being accepted and I encourage you to continue to spread the word through your blogs, Facebook and Twitter activity – maybe even think about hosting your own giveaway to help Kimberly.

DAM has more than 4,000 daily readers – imagine if everyone gave just one dollar…or two. It would add up quickly to a significant amount of help. If 50 of you set up your own giveaway…if 100 of you spread the word to your own circle of readers and friends. Just something to think about.

I spoke to Kimberly yesterday – she was busy sculpting face molds in polymer clay as all of her molds were lost in the fire (the faces are then cast in bronze). She is literally starting from the beginning again and is overwhelmed (in a good way) by the support DAM readers have shown her over the last few days. Kimberly left this comment on the post about her studio fire:

“Dear fellow artists, friends and Susan…I am so touched by the support and kindness you are showering me with during this difficult time. In the wildest dreams of my creative soul I never visualized myself in this predicament. The vast hole of black charred emptiness will find light…in time…I will rise like a phoenix from the ashes! Thank you…from the bottom of my heart and soul” Kimberly Willcox

For those who have asked if her sculptures are available for sale, the answer is YES! To inquire about prices and to purchase, you can contact Kimberly directly at kimberlywillcoxart@gmail.com

Here’s the link to my original post and you can make a donation here.

And now…on to the winner!

Congratulations to Annie Hooten!

Annie please send me an email with your address and I will ship your prize package.

Happy Monday!

erica stankwytch bailey: the enormous depends on the small

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:06:44 +0000

Listen to this podcast (complete with slideshow) as Erica Stankwytch Bailey describes her recent artist in residence experience at the Grand Canyon. The experience was profound for Stankwytch Bailey, a contemporary metalsmith who is inspired by the way the larger aspects of this life are dependent and influenced by the smaller elements.

“I inspect the world in great detail and have always collected shells, seed pods, stones and interesting organic elements. My studio often resembles a laboratory with trays of collected specimens lined in rows. Whether by fear and fascination, disgust or admiration I am constantly moved by life. From the minuscule piece of reef collected on the shore to the enormous sadness evoked by the many inequalities that exist I am constantly inspired.”

In the video below, the artist talks briefly about what it takes to make a living as an artist. While her portfolio is more diverse than the pieces I’ve chosen to feature, I find the oval and circular shapes, texture marks and subtle oxidation of the metal on these pieces quieting and soothing.

ACC Atlanta Artist Erica Stankwytch Bailey from KPKinteractive on Vimeo.

nikolay sardamov: jewelry & social commentary

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Don’t be fooled by the industrial look of Nikolay Sardamov’s jewelry. Sardamov’s concern for society, the driving force behind this collection, is anything but steely cold and hard. In Bi-Re-Cycle, the Bulgarian artist pairs bicycle inner tubes and precious metals to draw our attention to the environment, sustainability and mobility.

jasmine matus experiments with a variety of materials

Susan Lomuto — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:39:25 +0000

Australian artist Jasmine Matus has transformed empty whipped cream bulb canisters, vintage fondue stick tips, silver, felt, perspex and book pages into a collection of conversation-starting jewelry. The whipped cream bulb canister and fondue stick tip brooches seem to be looking out at us, questioning and curious – nicely done.

Moon Flowers, 925 silver, vintage fondue stick tips

“I appreciate the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi and Sabi that is centered on the acceptance of transience. It implies that beauty is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. This tenant is never far from mind when making and viewing art.”

Moon Flowers, 925 silver, empty whipped cream bulb canisters

Turkana Reappraisal, neck book 999 & 925 silver, photo book of Africa,
powder-coated brass, magnet

Matus created Turkana Reappraisal by layering pages from a book of photographs of Africa. The neck book references an African style neckpiece historically made with layers of leather and strands of beads. The images used in Matus’ neck book “directly reference the people, the land and the colour that the traditional piece is from.”

She hand cuts each layer slightly smaller than the preceding layer, holding them together with a fine silver clasp at the back which she has soldered and capped onto the pages of the book. This holds them in place, not only to secure the jewelry, but to allow for the ‘pages’ to be opened to view the images of Africa. More images and information about this neck book here.

Work in progress pictures – circles of different sizes cut from maps and then strung together will create an undulating, wavelike necklace

“Much of my work is experimental in terms of materials and techniques used, scale and concepts applied. It is this constant experimentation that opens up doors for new possibilities of making. I admire jewellery that causes a reaction. Not only with the work that I create but also with the jewellery that I wear, view and collect.”

Matus has a new Etsy shop – a version of the Moon Flower brooch is available there.

Perspex and silver bracelets here – I like her layered interpretation of the bracelet form.

michaela binder: precious metal and felt

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:25:47 +0000

Michaela Binder, Germany. Precious metals and wool felt.
See her portfolio here.

shauna mayben: spaces to hide

Susan Lomuto — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:29:27 +0000

Shauna Mayben combines her love of small boxes, photographs and pre-loved objects to create lockets, rings, brooches and pendants that have a nostalgic, romantic feel, many providing spaces to hide a lock of hair, a snippet of poetry, a favorite quote, a long held secret. Spaces to hide. Spaces to hide. Sometimes we just need spaces to hide. There is something very soothing in the Australian artist’s work and the message the work conveys – I’m particularly drawn to the lockets made from tiny vintage tins. Lovely.

Wild At Heart, sterling silver, limited print from Leonie Oaks 2010

Lockets, vintage tin, sterling, pearls

Bright Eyes, black oxidized sterling silver, limited print from Leonie Oaks 2010

Lockets, vintage tin, sterling, pearls

Crimson Blush, sterling silver, limited print from Leonie Oaks 2010

Turn the sound up on your computer to hear Mayben speak about our fascination with small boxes.

“I have a love and a fascination with the pre loved. Objects tell a story. They capture a sliver of the past; they transport a moment in time. These objects have all been pre loved, and lost along the way. I make room for them to sit inside my jewellery, waiting to be found again. I am fascinated with making containers to house these objects in the form of lockets, book lockets and frames.”

robert farrell’s toys

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:39:18 +0000

My laptop died while I was out of town last week which is why there have been no new posts from daMuse. The repairs should be complete later today and then I will pick up the computer, head home and get back to work.

This morning I was able to borrow a computer to write a quick post – after the stories I’ve heard this weekend and my own challenges, I’m ready for lighthearted play. You too? Take a look at Robert Farrell’s elegant silver toys and let your cares fall away for a moment.

Green Zebra House
Sterling, copper, brass, enamel, 23k gold leaf. 11″ long.
Enamel on copper, articulated.

Seussmobile
Sterling, copper, brass, enamel. 11″ long.
Fabricated, enamel on copper, articulated.

Green Wagon
Sterling, copper, brass, enamel. 11″ long.
Fabricated, enamel on copper, articulated.

Love his wall pieces too.

“All of the pieces that I produce begin as sheet metal and wire. The patterns that you see are inlays rather than surface applications. All objects are hollow constructions, fabricated with the use of simple hand tools and an acetylene torch. There is no lathe-work, no casting, no mass-production techniques of any kind.”