Back to metal - some shiny - some not

 

I have sold a few bits and pieces of my hammered metal lately so it is time for a restock. Today I managed to get a few more Starburst Vessels (above and below) into the shop at Deckled Edge Press studio-gallery. The vessels in the opening photo are made from good silver over copper; whereas the two sets below are made from more worn metal.

I also got a bit of time to cut copper plate - some shiny and some not so shiny. These pieces of copper will become larger patinated copper leaves. The shiny ones will become indoor pieces. The grungy piece with a bit of patina will become outdoor pieces - most likely as part of my Bending Series. The shiny copper blanks are 180mm long; and the others are about 210mm long.

It was good to be back to cutting and hammering metal; but also using up more of the resources in the workshop.

Starbursts

 

I have been making the above forms-vessels for quite a few years now - it is a shape I worked out for myself. I call them starbursts because when I look down into the centre-base of the form and then out to the edges it reminds me of an exploding star. As you can see from the photo above the finished polished form-vessel is very reflective and shimmery.

I have sold a couple of sets recently so I was looking to restock. I cut enough metal for 9 starbursts from a couple of small silver-plated copper trays; but today I only got the time to finish 6 - or two trio sets. I prefer them in sets of three as it tends to result in a bit more of a dynamic mini installation. A few process photos follow.

The second finished and polished trio on the workbench.

My afternoon was given over to a couple of landscaping tasks around our new home.  

A hoard of silver?

©2015 Barry Smith - Hammered silver and rust

Over the years Fiona and I have seen exhibitions of hoards of gold objects and jewellery that have been found in fields etc from ancient times. Every now and then we joke about finding a hoard if we were walking in the Scottish highlands or islands - would be fun.

Anyway I digress - I did finish Meg's commission over the weekend - all the recycled metal trays and objects have been used; and the hoard below has resulted from the effort.

©2015 Barry Smith - A hoard of silver?

The conical bowls show beautiful hammer marks both before and after grinding-polishing.

Before…

©2015 Barry Smith - Starburst and conical bowls in the rough

After ….

©2015 Barry Smith - Starburst and conical bowls - ground and polished - on the rust table

The larger (17cm and 19-20cm) simple sunk bowls are shining functional classic pieces.

©2015 Barry Smith - Larger patterned silver-plate over copper bowl

©2015 Barry Smith - Larger simple silver-plate over copper bowl

And the leaf-form pate knives were also completed. These were hard to make - the metal was about the hardest I have worked with - lots of nickel in the metal I think.

©2015 Barry Smith - Leaf form pate knives - silver-plate over nickel-silver

A good way to finish the weekend. I can now let Meg know and arrange for her to collect the hoard.

And one can't not share another photo of silver and rust.

©2015 Barry Smith - Reflections of late afternoon light on silver and rust

Starburst bowls and funnel forms on Friday

Now that we are home from work-work in the south and birthday celebrations in the centre of Australia  we have reviewed our art plan sand set a few priorities for the next moth. I need to get work completed for the Goondiwindi art exhibition; the COMA exhibition; and the Botanic Bazaar at Mt Cootha.

©2015 Barry Smith - A stash of Starburst bowls.

Today was given over to completing one of my proposed works for Goondiwindi - an installation of Starburst bowls (21 in all) making us something like a metal shower of stars. Of course the process of annealing and hammering the metal leaves it looking a bit worn. Most of the Starburst bowls are being made from the bases off silver-plated EPNS and copper goblets (big and small).

©2015 Barry Smith - A batch of Starburst bowls on the anneal in pit

I have had a bit of a stash of bases off other objects; but these tend to be cone shaped with no closed top. I thought I would see how these worked out if I hammered them in the same fashion I do the Starburst bowls - two directions of hammering. The funnel pieces in the rough before polishing.

©2015 Barry Smith  - Funnel forms on the annealing pit

And of course the bits and pieces tend to come good with grinding and polishing.

©2015 Barry Smith - Funnel forms with rust

©2015 Barry Smith - A selection of Starburst bowls and rust

I'm pleased with the shower of star installation - love a good collection of multiples. The three big Starburst bowls are about b12cm in diameter; and the smallest is about 1.5cm in diameter.

©2015 Barry Smith - A shower or stars - 21 Starburst bowls

©2015 Barry Smith - Tail end of shower of stars

©2015 Barry Smith - A shower or stars - 21 Starburst bowls

So one of my Goondiwindi pieces is complete - apart from a final clean and polish. Now it is time for a Friday wine.

Beauty of repairs

In my previous post I showed how some of the bowls I was making were splitting - the metal just seemed to be too brittle - one of the unanticipated aspects of using recycled metal.

©2015 Barry Smith - Delicate repairs to split metal bowls.

As you can see from the photo above I have turned the splits into design features by riveting small fragments of solid sterling silver across the gaps using copper rivets for contrast; but at the same time leaving the splits on show. Robyn of Artpropelled fame suggested that I might use the Japanese approach called Kintsugi and sew the gaps with wire. I have done that in the past; but felt that in this instance the plate and rivets would deal with the tension in the metal created by forming the Starburst pattern. I continued to finish hammering the bowls even after they split - bit of a delicate procedure.

A couple of before and after photos follow.

©2015 Barry Smith - Split Starburst Bowls

©2015 Barry Smith - Repaired Starburst Bowls

The metal I used for a few Daily Word bowls was fine and resulted in a nice trio of bowls.

©2015 Barry Smith - Daily Word Bowls

And a couple of Starburst Bowls were also successfully produced using different metal.

©2015 Barry Smith - Starburst Bowls

There is coffee to be husked and roasted and weeds to be whipper-snipped so I best leave it there or I won't be back in to enjoy a cool glass of wine.

A little reflected beauty at the end of the day

©2014 Barry Smith  - Shiny and reflective micro Starburst Bowl (25mm in diameter)

This Friday has been an art and people kind of day. It has included visiting a couple of open studios of artist friends; meeting about and reworking technical drawings for one of the large a art-feature panels for our local store; recycling a bit of metal for another friend; and doing a wee bit of hammering.

Given the short amount of time I decided to work on more of my small Starburst Bowls for my planned 'installation' of many such bowls.

As usual the work starts with scraps - in this instance the bases off metal wine and liquor 'glasses'.

©2014 Barry Smith - Bases on the annealing pit.

Goes through a few cycles of hammering.

©2014 Barry Smith - Two lots of hammering - more annealing and hammering to go.

And ends up with polishing.

©2014 Barry Smith - Micro Starburst Bowl in setting sun - lots of hammer texture 

©2014 Barry Smith - Shiny cluster of small Starburst Bowls reflecting the afternoon sun

©2014 Barry Smith - Shiny cluster of small Starburst Bowls reflecting the afternoon sun

I only managed to finish half of what I started; but my total completed stash has grown to just under 20 now. We have a visitor coming to share bubbles and pizza so I must away.

A flock of mini Starburst bowls

©2014 Barry Smith - Detail of fire colour and hammering on Starburst bowls

Today has been a full on art day. I cleaned my studio; started some ladles; and completed a flock of mini Starburst Bowls.

Given it is getting late and I need to make pizzas I thought I'd share some images of the 12 mini (range in size from 50mm-70mm in diameter) Starburst Bowls.

©2014 Barry Smith - All of the bowls started life as the recycled bases of wine goblets

©2014 Barry Smith - An annealing pit full of hammered Starburst Bowls

©2014 Barry Smith - The flock of mini Starburst Bowls after grinding and polishing

©2014 Barry Smith - Detail of mini Starburst Bowls - shiny

Over the weekend I hope to complete the ladles and share a bit on that later. Now I'm off to make pizza and drink red wine.

Box and bowls

I managed to finish the metal treasure box for Helen over the weekend; continued work on the shallow hammered bowls for the Daily Words commission; and just did a little work on a few Starburst Bowls in the making.

The metal treasure box is made from two recycled rectangular silver-plated EPNS trays with intricate designs on them - quiet a bit of metal - the lid measures 18x11.5x3.2cm. Both the lid and bottom are riveted with copper rivets. The bottom fits very snugly into the lid; and both are bound with a 25mm wide strip of soft grey leather.

©2014 Barry Smith - Larger metal treasure box - side

©2014 Barry Smith - Larger metal treasure box - top

©2014 Barry Smith - Larger metal treasure box - view of lid and bottom

The photos below show the next 10 bowls for the Daily Words commission - hammered with wooden mallet into the shallow bowl form; and then hammered on the anvil for texture and strength.

©2014 Barry Smith - Bowl on the anvil

©2014 Barry Smith - Bowls in front of the anvil

©2014 Barry Smith - Ready for another annealing and reshaping

And whilst working on the Daily Words bowls I continued the process of forming some small Starburst bowls.

©2014 Barry Smith - Starburst bowls under water in the rough in the quenching basin

The small Starburst bowls are being made from recycled bases off goblets, egg holders and vases.

All in all a good outcome for the weekend given we needed to fit in life, house and gardening. I think I'm tired now.