Showing posts with label Healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Healing. Show all posts

Friday, November 25, 2016

Pendants of love and healing

©2016 Barry Smith - Bound book - metal pages bound for filing
I was asked to make a book-pendant (a pendant with 4 metal pages) with some words of healing and love in it. The person wanted to give it to a friend who is seriously ill. Her mother had told her how I had made one for a friend of her; and how her friend treasured it and wore it all the time so she could feel calm and loved.

The words to be stamped in the book-pendant were up to me so I chose: calm, hope, healing, love and peace.

When making these book pendants I give the selection of metal special attention as I some way I want to add a touch of energy to the pendant.  As you can see from the photo below even special recycled metal can look a bit dodgy before grinding and polishing.

©2016 Barry Smith - Pages cut and page 3 ready for stamping
Fortunately I usually know that quality silver-plated metal is going to come up well as you can see from the photo below.

©2016 Barry Smith - Before the final polish - page three stamped with healing words
When I was cutting up metal for the page to be stamped I came across some heart decorations - I thought these were a bit of a metaphor of the friend in the middle surrounded by love.

©2016 Barry Smith - Found hearts
The bits were polished ready for assembly.

©2016 Barry Smith - Books and earrings ready for assembly
They look good with their chains and ear-wires etc.

©2016 Barry Smith - Pendants of healing and love
And of course I tend to make more than one to give a choice.

©2016 Barry Smith - Pendant of healing and love (5.5cm long and 2.5cm wide)

©2016 Barry Smith - Pendant of healing and love (5.5cm long and 2cm wide)
It was a calming thing for me to do these today after quite a busy week.

Friday, December 7, 2012

A tree of peace and healing

We are back home on the mountain and it is Friday. It was a great relaxing trip; but I am also happy to be back on the mountain. Whilst the morning has been filled with community meetings and catch ups; Fiona and I have managed to spend the afternoon in the 'studio'.

I was motivated to have a go at making a wire tree. Quite some time ago SZQ and I had discussed creating a collaborative peace tree using hand made metal leaves for September 2013. In a couple of recent blog posts SZQ indicated that her husband is in the middle of a serious health crisis.  I thought making a my tree of Peace and Healing could not only give me the opportunity to make a small trial version of a peace tree; but could act as a way of sending healing energy to SZQ and her husband.

In addition to that I was talking to Fiona's dad about community and Christmas and he indicated that his church was doing a series of community fundraising Christmas trees as part of their commitment to the community. I thought if I made the Tree of Peace and Healing maybe it could also be added to the series.

Any way as you can see from the photos below I have made quite a good start on the tree.

©2012 Barry Smith - Wire tree of Peace and Healing (2m hight)
©2012 Barry Smith - Wire tree of Peace and Healing - 7 'leaves' in place
©2012 Barry Smith - Wire tree of Peace and Healing - 'leaf form' detail
There are 25 lengths of  4mm thick steel wire in the bundle. Lengths vary from 1.2-2m. As you can see I made a broom of wire first; and then began the plaiting process to create 'branches' and 'twigs'. The 'trunk' of the tree is about 30mm in diameter - reasonably substantial. The plaiting has created a very strong structure. The tree has 5 'branches'. On the central wire I secured a hollow metal thread from an old brass lamp. The tree is bolted into the base. The base is a heavy weight base recycled from a broken floor lamp. The plaiting process was done cold - required quite a bit of hand strength - good to have the vice to keep it all stable.

©2012 Barry Smith - Lengths of wire read for plaiting
©2012 Barry Smith - Plaiting has begun
I will continue to add foldformed anodised aluminium leaves. Initially I will add 25 leaves - one for each length of wire. I will see how that looks - I want it to have a spare autumn look about it.