Friday, July 8, 2011

Simply silver on Friday

Today has been very full. We have about 20 people descending on our place tomorrow afternoon for a meeting of families afternoon tea. Fiona's brother (Al)  and partner (Loraine) recently became engaged; and this has requires Loraine's folk meeting Al's folk and the epicentre is our place. So today a lot of effort went into getting stuff cooked and ready (and tidying and cleaning ) - so not a lot of time for art.

Barry Smith © Words of reflection
Still I managed to polish a couple of simple silver-plate bowls I have cold formed (beaten); and stamped the 7  inspirational words above.  The bowls are made from old silver-plated drink coasters that an artist friend Edith-Ann gave me.

Barry Smith © Mediation bowl in the maker's dirty hand
In the past I have made refection-meditation bowls (usually simple punched bowls); and inspirational words (usually as part of pieces I call in the balance or finding the balance in our daily lives). In these simple silver bowls I wanted to bring together the palm meditation bowl with inspirational words. The owner of such a combo could choose a word at random each day and make that the focus of reflection-meditation.

Barry Smith © Simple silver meditation bowl and words
Barry Smith © Simple silver meditation bowls and words
I think the combination works - they look simple and classic. One of the bowls above is first punched into a form and then beaten (the lower bowl that has the fold in it); whereas the other is simply beaten. I think I will make a series of these simple silver  bowls and words for our Open Studio in August.

8 comments:

  1. Good to see you haven't been slacking today xoxoxoxo

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  2. These are so lovely! Do you have to heat this metal to pound it into a bowl and letter stamp it or can you do it cold??

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  3. They DO look simple and classic Barry. I love the whole concept of meditation bowls.

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  4. Looking at these bowls puts me in the right frame of mind for meditation Barry. Such a lovely idea, beautifully crafted.

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  5. i just dusted my tiny beautiful bowl...it holds a pebble that, like it, has a line through it. that line could go anywhere, you know.

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  6. I love the idea and look of the printed words in the bowl- such lovely beaten bowls to set off the beautiful words-- words to live by for sure.

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  7. mmm... like this idea... & the simplicity

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  8. N, SZQ, JM, R, V, D &S - glad the simplicity of the bowls and words resonates.
    SZQ - these bowls are cold beaten as I did not want to burn the thin coating of silver off the based plate.
    V- makes me happy to know a bowl resides with you and you claim it as yours through a special stone.
    D - spot on - the 7 words are in fact words to live by - in making bowls and words for individuals I would ask what words they want to live by.
    S - thought reflection and reflective words might appeal to you.
    Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.