Rustnstuff

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Foliage, flowers, fungi and fragments

I have just got my computer back from repairs; and therefore I'm a bit tentative about what works and what doesn't.

Anyway I got to go for a walk in the clear autumn air this morning. The day started with soft colours across the valley - one of the aspects of autumn-winter that I enjoy.

I was quite taken with the colours and patterns of foliage today.

But of course there are always a few flowers to create enjoyment.

This little forest of fungi welcomed me home.

The other aspect of autumn-winter I enjoy is how rainbows invade the house and colour the walls.

A joyful and hope filled start to the day.

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Metal on the workbench

As you might be aware I have had quite a stash of metal on my work bench. I have been concurrently progressing: ladles, tea-caddy spoons, leaf-spoons and leaf pate knives. I completed the ladles last week; so this weekend I have attempted to get some of the other three finished.

As you can see from the opening photo I did manage to get the Leaf Pate Knives finished; and the last photos shows the Leaf Tea-caddy Spoons were also finished.

Process photos follow.

Tea caddie spoons were also given a good grinding and polish.

These functional pieces of metal art shall make their way in to my website shop in the very near future.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Time in the letterpress studio

As part of getting a different routine in our life during this isolation etc time Fiona and I are trying to put in a few mornings each week in the new letterpress studio - our place of work.

My computer is in for repairs so I'm working on the laptop - which I'm not so familiar with so anything could happen with this post - old dog relearning new tricks and all that.

The subject of my printing times has been a couple of lines from John O'Donohue's blessing called Equilibrium (p.142 in his book Benedictus). You can see the lines in the opening photo. I thought they were quite apt for the current times; and love the nod to balance; but also ensure we are not locked into old names and can be open to what a new time might offer or even require.

What follows are some process photos for the printing of: the backs of a stash of postcard blanks; 20 printed postcard with the quote; and 36 bookmarks with the quote.

I am pleased with what was achieved. I'm finding that I'm getting quicker at the letterpress now that I'm doing it more regularly. And it is Friday so that means a glass or wine - bubbles tonight I think.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

A few bits of beauty on wet day

Today's post is brief - partly because we have not been able to get outside - hence no walking; and in part because my computer is in need of repair.

The morning started with a misty white out; and has stayed that way most of the day.

Still that means that when one can actually get out to take a photos there is the presence of crisp clean rainwater.

That is about all that is possible today; and if that is all that is wrong we have little to gripe about.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

We live in a different time

The news of the world seems to suggest that many folk will now work from home and/or stay home. Predictions are this way of living is likely to exist for over six months.

In February 2020 Fiona and I moved Deckled Edge Press into a bigger more accessible and commercial space in our town. Our intent was that in that space we would also set up a Deckled Edge Press gallery-shop that would not only sell our Deckled Edge Press wares; but also Fiona's and my individual art works. We that is not to be for quite sometime.

We have set up an online Deckled Edge Shop for our print and letterpress work; and I have reinvigorated my online shop to begin to sell some of my bits and pieces online again.

Over the weekend I have been working to get a few more pieces into my Barry Smith Art website shop mainly: jewellery; functional items (ladles); indoor sculpture; some vessels; and some inspirational leaves. Over the next month more bits will be uploaded.

I hope you visit the shop and check out some of the new pieces that have made their way into the shop.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Functional art

I have been working on replenishing my stock of metal works for sale - both in our gallery-shop and online at Barry Smith Art (BSA).

I committed myself to finishing ladles that I had on my workbench at the same time as I was working on leaves etc. As you can see from the photo above I ended up with eleven ladles. Ranging from tiny (3.5cm in diameter) to larger (9cm in diameter).

A few process photos follow.