Metal

In addition to the computer graphics and ceramics classes that I enjoy taking at FRCC, I’m also taking jewelry and metal working classes.I’ve wanted to work with silver, bronze, brass and copper since I was very young, and now I’m doing it! It is a much more durable and demanding medium than those I’ve worked with previously, and has some rather frightening aspects to the learning curve. As a nervous tool user, it takes a little getting used to the sounds the torches make and noise of the grinders–but pretty soon all of us were banging away on the anvils and having at the mill roller. It is most assuredly the heaviest homework I’ve ever had!

Last semester we covered some of the basics, like learning to cut and file and solder. This semester we went further. I particularly enjoyed the electro-etching project, using salt water and a D-volt battery to etch bronze, brass, copper, or nickle silver.  I just did the first three–but I did LOTS of them! I have plans to marry the metal bits to ceramic and polymer clay in upcoming jewelry.

The earrings seen at right show some of the etched bronze and copper, with sterling silver ear wires. I used used bronze metal clay to make the faces and soldered them onto the oval pieces.

We also got the chance to visit a foundry and see how statues and medals are cast. We each designed our own, using modeling clay or carving wax, and then made silicon molds, poured wax into them, and sent those off to be cast. After they came back, there was lots to do with cleaning, polishing, and patinas. I used liver of sulfur to darken some areas, and polished others to a shine.

I like to use the precious metal clay silver and the bronze clay to create a slip, and then use that to “glaze” my ceramic pieces with 5 or 6 layers of metal. Now it is possible for me to start putting all sorts of things together!