The start of the fall class session

I'm really looking forward to the start of classes this fall. I teach three metal clay classes every week (ongoing, fall through spring). This summer, I took time off to recharge my creative batteries (and begged forgiveness from the students who objected)... even skipped the show circuit and just did gallery work. Summer's been great for creative time. The school year is very hectic, so it was nice to slow down and have more family time too.

I played with COPPR and BRONZ clays, did a lot of enamel testing on the COPPRclay, wrote an article, and created some new pieces. The best part is that I have some new tricks to share with my students...

It will be great to see returning students and meet eager new ones. I love to watch the progression of skill (and level of work) as people grow more competent and confident. And there's nothing like the enthusiasm of a new student just starting out in metal clay-it's such amazing material. I particularly enjoy addressing the challenges that the advanced students encounter. Problem-solving is great fun. Part of what attracted me to jewelry and metals more than 30 years ago, is that intersection of design and engineering.

Teaching metal clay came to me almost by chance. Many years ago, a friend who manages programs for an organization was looking for more art offerings. I'd been telling her about metal clay and she asked if I'd be willing to teach a class. I agreed, and I was hooked. It wasn't that I hadn't taught art before-in volunteer ways-with Girl Scouting and through the schools. But this time, it was teaching my medium in such a focused way-to eager adult learners, that opened a new door. It's funny, because art education was suggested to me when I was in college, but a bad experience with an opinionated (and probably burned out) high school art teacher scared me away from that.

So why do we teach? I'll make a guess that it's not for the money... in any area of teaching. For me it's the whole lighting a spark thing. I think learning is contagious... and when people get excited about what they're doing and learning, it's just awesome. There's great satisfaction in helping someone find a way to express themselves creatively. Someone did that for me once upon a time :) -which I appreciate. There's also tremendous satisfaction in seeing people succeed and be happy about what they're doing. And teachers like to share-we can't help it. Some days it seems like all I really want to do is tell you about making jewelry with metal clay and truly hope you'll to like it as much as I do. I had lunch today with a couple of metalsmith friends and caught myself enthusiastically touting the merits of metal clay (they've heard this before...).

People sometimes wonder if working artists who teach feel threatened by their students' success. I can't imagine if we were, that we'd be very effective teachers. The whole reason we share our knowledge and help people express themselves, is so they WILL be successful. If a student finds his or her voice and excels, then I've done my job. I wish them well.

I'll post some more enamel results soon, but I had take a break to get organized for classes. And in doing so, I realized how much I was looking forward to the start of the fall session. If you have a minute, it would be fun to hear what motivates other teachers and what students like about taking classes.

Enamel Tests on COPPRclay

It's been a very busy week. You know the sort, where yesterday was Monday and today is Monday again.... and the rest is a blur. I met many deadlines... stayed up way too late, and didn't get to a few things I'd hoped to do.

On the agenda was more enamel testing on COPPRclay, as was putting together a PDF with some info on the results thus far. The PDF will still happen... but for now, here's an update with a few pictures for those of you patiently waiting...

In the early days of testing the Metal Adventures COPPRclay, a few of us tried using enamel on the fired copper. We encountered problems with pits and bubbles in the enamel. At that time, because we were trying a number of firing schedules and had inconsistent results with the enamel, the consensus was that incomplete sintering was definitely an issue. On pieces that appeared to be fully sintered (but apparently weren't) we might get two or three successful firings before the pitting and bubbles started to occur.

On some thicker pieces, the incomplete sintering allowed copper particles (like that powdery center you see when the copper isn't fully sintered), to migrate into the enamel-enough to make the enamel cloudy and transparent colors look almost opaque. In traditional copper enameling, some of the copper does go into solution which can affect the transparent colors, but higher firing will usually clear that. Not the case with an incompletely sintered COPPRclay piece. The piece above was water etched... fairly thick and not completely sintered. Note how the cloudiness/copper make the green transparent color appear almost black.

At one point, some of us started doing a shelf firing (a suggestion by Darnall Burks), where the COPPRclay is fired on an open shelf before being fired in the (coconut shell) activated carbon filled container. There's been a lot of talk about this more recently and a number of people are trying this now. Shelf firing was a step forward for enameling. At first, I was still having some (but fewer) bubbling issues, though I could get more layers of enamel fired before the bubbles appeared. When I was careful to place the pieces in the hottest part of the kiln, this seemed to help. Pam East, who was also testing COPPRclay with enamel, agrees that shelf firing yields much better results. She too, has been able to consistently achieve numerous enamel firings without bubbles.

All the pieces above were fired in carbon (full ramp to 1700F). The pieces on the left were only fired in the carbon, while the pieces on the right were shelf fired before carbon firing. You can see the difference in the color and shrinkage of the pieces. The discs were all cut using the same two sizes of cutters. This really illustrates the impact of shelf firing. I actually re-fired the ones that had been fired only in carbon to be certain they were fully sintered.

When I visited Thompson Enamel recently, Woodrow Carpenter suggested that the bubbles may be caused by carbon dioxide which is created and trapped in the carbon environment. He suggested trying to fire the piece with a layer of enamel from a cold kiln like glass, allowing the CO2 plenty of time to escape before the enamel fused. He created a sample that was fired that way and followed that with 4 more traditional hot firings-with no bubbles. From a cold kiln, he heated the first flux layer to 1450F in about 1.5 hours (which I later calculated to be a 1000F ramp for my SC2).

Using Mr. Carpenter's theory of the initial cold kiln firing, I was able to fire pieces that were NOT shelf fired with success. Both of the discs above were fired only in carbon. The one on the left was then fired with the flux layer from a cold kiln, followed by 7 more traditional firings. I'm sure I could have fired it more times, but stopped at 8. On the right side of the image, the piece was fired with the first layer traditionally in a hot kiln (1450F), then 7 more firings. Note the difference in clarity of the first layer. There were problems with several of the subsequent firings with the right one - chipped edges and pits in the back, but still it survived the 8 firings pretty well by using the hard flux layer beneath. I want to try this again and fire the first hot firing to a higher temperature to see if it makes a difference.

One thing was clear - both the shelf fired and carbon fired pieces worked out well with a base layer of hard fusing flux (Thompson 2040) fired from a cold kiln - especially with opaques and transparents layered on top. And shelf fired pieces were fine with traditional firing. Mr. Carpenter also suggested leaving the back open as long as possible, so there was no counter enamel applied until firing #5. I tried some other fluxes as base coats, and some worked better than others. I'll cover this more in the PDF document.

These are tear-away textures which were shelf fired, then carbon fired. They have two layers of transparent enamel fired directly onto the copper (no flux layer). They were NOT fired from a cold kiln... that creates too much fire scale for this technique. But this illustrates that the flux is not necessary for a good transparent look. They were fired at 1550F and the copper cleared nicely giving good crisp colors (a common practice with copper enameling). The tear-away texture creates a beautiful basse taille effect. I'll post some more pictures of this technique soon.

What does all this tell us? Well, more than I want to go into here... but basically, we have the advantage of knowing that the slow firing from a cold kiln will allow us to fire enamel on carbon only fired pieces. This is important, as we may not always be able/want to shelf fire. And we like knowing that the shelf fired pieces can take the transparent colors in a traditional hot firing with such clarity.

We know that COPPRclay firing results can vary from kiln to kiln, as can enamel timing. Using my Paragon SC2 kiln, the shelf firing was a 560F ramp to 560F, hold for 15 minutes. The carbon firing that followed was a full ramp to 1700F, hold for 3.5 hours. Shaped/formed pieces need to be supported during the shelf firing with a fiber blanket to avoid cracking. Shelf firing has its advantages, but not all pieces seem to tolerate the shelf firing equally well. Sometimes you risk more cracking in complicated pieces. Keeping them well supported is critical. The shelf firing appears to improve the sintering process by creating a copper oxide (pieces will be dark or black after shelf firing) which completely reverses in the carbon (pieces are shiny copper).

This is still new territory and as we learn more, opinions may change. Please feel free to ask questions (in the comments section) and I'll do my best to answer them... we all have a lot more testing to do - none of us have all the answers... as you probably know the whole COPPRclay experience is still a learning process.

A sequence of events

I'm one of those "everything happens for a reason" types. Not that I believe that life is predetermined... more that new directions can be discovered by events that unfold. Maybe it's part of the positive mindset - that I can see where something came from and where it will lead and I'm always putting a positive spin on things (I acknowledge that some people find these traits to be annoying, but–it is what it is...). I'm happy to say that recently, events have unfolded which have taken me in some very productive directions.

This week I've been busy testing enamels on COPPRclay again. The results have been very good. I've tested the clay in various ways (including enamel) since the end of December. At first it was frustrating because the enamel wasn't behaving as it expected. A few of us have been trying to get consistent results and the more we test, the more we're figuring out. Pam East and I talked today - she's been having lots of success lately too. It's interesting because we're doing some things differently. This is good. We like options. We had lots to share and compare. It's exciting stuff. For those of you who may try enamel on COPPRclay at some point, we hope that our discoveries will save you time and materials–get you right to the fun part.

I might not have gotten so completely caught up in the enamel testing this week if I hadn't visited Thompson Enamel last weekend. And I wouldn't have visited Thompson, where I worked with copper/fired copper clay, and with Woodrow Carpenter, who shared his experienced point of view and the suggestion that became a starting point for my tests, if I hadn't had to drive teens to volunteer at a camp in southern Kentucky. That adventure came about due to a (somewhat last minute) change in transportation plans. I'll admit that initially I saw the 18 hour round trip as a drag, but I wanted to help the cause.

I decided that since I was driving (practically) right past Thompson, I should see if I could stop and play on my way back. It's the old lemonade out of lemons thing. Now, I look back after my testing and see the reason... having to drive those kids was the catalyst for the testing this week that yielded these positive results. If the driving plans hadn't changed, I doubt I would have spent the last 4 days intensively testing enamels and getting these results (they're just tests - not works of art:).

Sometimes it's interesting to think back about twists and turns that have lead us to new places or new discoveries. And when a situation presents as less than positive, try to look for the silver lining. It's usually there... not to minimize the few truly bad situations we may encounter... but remember that sometimes, even in those, we can experience growth.

I'm in the process of organizing and documenting my test results so I can share them. Stay tuned!

Showing up and playing...

The other day I was at Trader Joe's, with my bags in hand as I was checking out. The cashier asked if I wanted to enter the drawing to win a gift card - a "reward" for bringing my own bags (as if saving our planet isn't reward enough, but that's another post). I almost said no, because I fill out a ticket every time–and haven't won yet. But then I thought about the saying "you can't win if you don't play," which I often use to encourage people who ask about entering a show or submitting work to a book or event. So I filled out the ticket–again.

This lead me to thinking about entering, submitting, and the whole jury process for artists. It seemed like a natural topic to follow validation. Woody Allen is quoted as saying "80% of success is showing up." I think that goes hand in hand with "you can't win if you don't play." Many people don't even try to submit work because they don't think their work will be accepted , or they fear rejection.But in order to have any chance of being accepted, you have to show up and play.

I've been on both sides of the jury process over the years and know that there are always going to be people whose work is accepted and rejected. Recently I acted as a juror again, and as expected, had to "reject" some of what was entered. There are always more entries that spaces. As a part of a team, I knew there was also a subjective factor. It's human nature to rank things a bit differently, despite certain criteria. With space constraints, the pieces that received the highest overall rankings were ultimately accepted. The others faced rejection.

I always think about those whose works are rejected-especially when they are new to the experience. It's tough to face it the first time. But never let that rejection shut you down. We know that there are many reasons for rejection and it doesn't necessarily mean that the work doesn't have merit. Depending on the show, event, or book there could be any number of reasons for the outcome. For a show, it may have to do with what the jurors envision. Or it may be that you "just missed" the cut, space-wise (too many jewelers applied, for example). Maybe it was the quality of the image submitted. Look at what was accepted and see how your entry might differ.

Once I had the same pieces rejected from a show that had been previously chosen to appear in a book. When I later viewed the show, I understood that what I submitted didn't fit with the jurors vision of the show–which probably became clear as they viewed the entries and how they might relate to one another to create a cohesive show.

If you face rejection, ask some questions. Was this my best work? Was it truly unique? Did I pay attention to detail, craftsmanship, design? Did I photograph the best possible view? Should I have opted for a professional photograph? And for more input, or if you experience repeated rejection, try to get some suggestions from a teacher or professional artist. Know that the more you enter, the easier it gets to separate yourself from that risk of rejection. Of course, acceptance gives us a great sense of validation, but we can learn from rejection. It's part of the balance. And when you're accepted, be thankful, and remember that someone else probably wasn't–it really keeps things in perspective.

Validation

Wow. This blog thing has really taken off. I had no inkling of the response it would generate. Thank you! So many wonderful people have commented, emailed or contacted me in some way. It's real validation. Catherine Witherell (whose HappyDayArt! blog is a great read), was so kind... she asked her readers to welcome me and put a great review of my book on her blog... and several of her readers contacted me–all truly appreciated!

"You are awesome!"

We can all use a little validation. There's a wonderful short film on YouTube called "Validation" that really makes me smile (granted, those of you who know me realize it doesn't take much). But this film makes most everyone smile. In case you are not one of the more than two million people who have already seen it, click the link (film title) and watch. Know that you need to relax and enjoy. It's well worth the 16 minutes of your time to watch this entire short... after all, there isn't one person on Earth who couldn't use a smile, and this will make you smile.

Recently, I had an experience that reminded me of this film... We have a UPS store in our neighborhood where I had to drop some packages for pick-up. I hadn't been to this store in a while, but the man who took my packages was just brimming with happiness. He said kind things about me for no reason and with no prompting. It wasn't odd or uncomfortable–just nice... very genuine. He talked about his wife and daughter and was really proud of them. And I didn't mind listening either... I didn't feel like rushing out of there. I got the feeling he must do this all day long. I left with a smile on my face. Maybe he saw this film, maybe not. Truthfully, I suspect he's just like that. But when I need to drop off another package, guess where I'm gonna go... ;-)

Enjoy the film, then go spread some smiles-say something encouraging... "validate" someone... and imagine a world where everyone does this... it's not world peace, but it's a start...

Mandalas and meditation

Have you ever been captivated by the symmetry of a flower? Appreciated a Celtic knot or cross design? Wowed by a kaleidoscope image? Looked at the spiral formed by a snail's shell? Seen or walked a labyrinth? If so, you have encountered a Mandala.

What is a Mandala?

Mandalas are many things. The loose translation from Sanskrit is "circle." They are as simple as a flower or as complex as the Milky Way Galaxy. They can be decorative, highly organized, symmetrical patterns formed within a circle and used for focus in meditation. The Mandala is found in both Eastern and Western religious traditions, Native American and secular cultures. The Labyrinth is a kind of Mandala which is used as a tool for prayer, meditation and centering. To find out more about Mandalas, visit the Mandala Project. There are many books about Mandalas available and images online for you to color. Just the process of coloring a Mandala can be mind clearing and meditative, not to mention fun =)

I love to walk the Labyrinth and do it whenever I can. I don't pretend to meditate regularly, but I do it with some frequency. It works for me like an adjustment, a centering. It brings new thoughts and new perspectives. Meditation is good for creative renewal. It relaxes you and allows the creative process to flow. It can have healing effects on the mind and body. Many forms of meditation work, from a silent walk in the woods, to listening to the ocean, to some quiet time focused on a Mandala.

My work has been filled with spirals for as long as I can remember because I am totally captivated by the design. Doodles in my high school notebooks had spiral and labyrinth-like qualities. I find it a strong, positive, life-affirming symbol that appears across many cultures since the dawn of time. Even when I consciously try not to include a spiral, they still seem to appear. And I really like to work inside circles. Do you find symbols or patterns or shapes repeating in your work?

Here we go...

OK. I’m convinced. I set this up 6 months ago and I’m finally putting words on the page. I’m not sure where this will lead, but more and more I am discovering things I’d like to share. Read it often if you like, ignore what you want, comment if you feel inspired… I love to write, but have never thought of myself as a writer. After many years, I am able to call myself an artist, but truthfully, that’s not the whole picture. I think of myself more as a creative-problem-solver sort of person. I believe art-making is not just about the finished product; it's about the journey and the whole creative process. As a part of that, I'm into teaching and learning, the power of positive thinking, and LOTS of other stuff…

What to expect:

“About art” seems pretty straightforward. I hope to share some thoughts, techniques and inspirations about how I make my jewelry and introduce you to the work of others (known and unknown). I hope this can be a resource for students and anyone else who might be interested. The plan is to offer all sorts of interesting tidbits to get our collective creative juices flowing. Over time, we'll explore inspiration, design, resources, ideas, and much more.

As for the “other stuff…” I didn't want to have to stick with only talking about art (I don’t think I know enough to keep that going very long =). I want to have some fun, spread some joy, and go wherever the journey leads…. So I guess it could be anything– we’ll just have to see what materializes.