Soaking in the creativity of other artists at st+baker+studio and gallery

On Saturday Fiona and I did a quick trip down to Redcliffe to check out Jo St Baker's studio and gallery of contemporary art. It is so refreshing to see that someone has taken the risk to run a private contemporary gallery - no mean feat in these challenging economic times. A great space with a eclectic range of contemporary works.

We used it as an opportunity to check out the the kindred spirits steampunk and assemblage exhibition by Bec Pearl and Martin Pedder.

 I loved the creativity of Bec and Martin; and of course their use of recycled materials and objects. A few images from the exhibition.

We were so inspired we bought a small piece of sculpture. It will find a home on the block.

Benefits of working outdoors….

©2015 Barry Smith -  A painted sky

This morning was given over to community art - negotiating to make signs for the 13 sculptures that make up the Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk. This afternoon I was working under the cover of the carport at the shed - cutting 10 1.2mX.1m strips from a sheet of 2.5mm thick aluminium. It started to rain as I had thought a possibility - when I looked up I was greeted by a magnificent clear strong rainbow; and then a pale second rainbow. I love how at times you get the contrast between the grey storm sky above the rainbow and the clear sky below - separated by colour.

©2015 Barry Smith - A coloured dome over the house

©2015 Barry Smith -  Double colour in the valley

©2015 Barry Smith -  Colour and cloud

©2015 Barry Smith - ©2015 Barry Smith -  Colour and cloud

I went around to the back of the shed and noticed how the gentle rain hard created a jewel of water in the centre of a nasturtium leaf.

©2015 Barry Smith - A leaf holding water - inspiration for resin jewellery?

The cutting took time; but  I now have the 10 strips of metal that will be cut down to fit the routed sections in my posts; and I will then prepare them for etching - hopefully this coming week.

I love the residue of metal left by the cutting process - like powder and strips of silver.

©2015 Barry Smith - Marks

Did I hear someone say it is Friday. Now I'm off to make risotto; and of course drink a little wine.

Learning lessons and light

©2015 Barry Smith - A cog within

I have found the advice given by our blog community regarding resin very helpful. Yesterday I had a spare hour so I decided to put into practice some of the hints given by folk on my earlier resin post. I stirred the resin more gently and warmed the resin. I did the resin pour over some watch parts and into some small odds and ends I had lying around.

The clarity of the resin was a lot better - I could have removed the few bigger bubbles by waving heat over the resin and/or popping the bubbles - but this time I didn't not have time; and I was working with not so clean odds and ends.

©2015 Barry Smith - Punched silver plated and copper fragments and tiny gear in a tiny Starburst Bowl

©2015 Barry Smith - Suspended gears

©2015 Barry Smith - Layers of gears

Including pouring left over resin into a couple of handles off a tray placed on a small flat plastic lid and dropping a watch part into the resin. I love the window like look of these pieces.

©2015 Barry Smith - Windows of water

A couple of curved earring blanks turned out well - through the dirt on the tiny watch parts shows up.

©2015 Barry Smith - As if holding water and time

I will get better third time around.

A couple of photos of the light from this morning's walk.

And I was able to pack and post most of the giveaways.

Light

©2015 Barry Smith - Camelia on water with afternoon sunlight

The weekend has been taken up with: Fiona's mum and dad's move; visiting friends; the Celebration of Book in Maleny; and chasing the Brush Turkey who is attempting to build a huge mound out of out garden mulch.

©2015 Barry Smith - Helping Fiona and Judy set up the book swap tree

There was no time in the studio; but Brush Turkey surveillance was rewarded with beautiful sunlight on camellias on the terraces.

©2015 Barry Smith - Off-white camellia with afternoon sun 

©2015 Barry Smith - Camellia, water and rust

And during the week another beautiful soft moonset.

©2015 Barry Smith - The light of moonset 

©2015 Barry Smith - Another sunrise and moonset in the valley

There is always art to behold.

Recipients of giveaway and more lessons needed

©2015 Barry Smith - Off-cut from a tray for a future brooch

Thanks to all the folk who checked out the giveaway post. The people who got their comments in the first eight were:

• Irene Mac W
• Jac
• Penny
• Irene P
• Anvil Artifacts
• Jo M
• Judi 
• Annie B

If those folk can send their current mailing address to wbarry.smith@bigpond.com - the bits will be packed and mailed over the next week or so.

Fiona has managed to share her lurgy with me, it was quite cold outside and my word for today was gentleness - so today I decided just to do a small bit of art indoors - making a few rings from handles I had rescued from bowls.

©2015 Barry Smith - Patterned and planin handles for rings

The cutting and forming of the rings went well enough.

©2015 Barry Smith - Handles cut and worked into the round

But as you can see from the photo below - the soldering of the rings did not go well. The seam split on each when I gave them a bit of a hammer with a tiny nylon hammer to improve the roundness - so not strong enough!!!

©2015 Barry Smith - Ring forms looking the worse for wear after pickling and soldering effort

So there are more lessons required for me on the soldering front. Most likely I was just too impatient and had not cleaned the rings well enough - though I did pickle them and was them. I think I will get someone to come to our place and teach me with my gear in my setting.

Give away - as if holding bubbles and words

It is a long time since I have had a give-away - the blog milestones just seem to go by before I'm aware of them - I'm past 900 now.

When I posted on my efforts to use resin on Friday I asked for advice from others who use this medium. Our blog community responded in a gentle positive helpful way; and some folk said bubbles in resin is good. So I decided to give away some of the pendants with bubbles - maybe a reminder of the bubbles in champagne.

So the five pendants below with some champagne crystals are on offer - all made from offcuts of silver-plated EPNS and copper.

©2015 Barry Smith - As if holding water (and bubbles) pendant forms

The three circular ones, made from silver-plated copper 'feet' from a vintage bowl, with red beads are also to be given away.

©2015 Barry Smith - Beads and bubbles

Each pendant form will be accompanied by an inspirational couple of words - see below.

©2015 Barry Smith - Simple inspirations on metal

So what do you need to do to be in the running for a pendant form? Simply visit this blog post and leave a comment letting me know: if you would like a pendant; and whether you prefer the more triangular-rectangular or round form. The first 8 people to leave a comment will receive a pendant and words.

I learnt from the Friday exercise that I prefer the square and triangular forms. I have cut some more offcuts. I will give the resin another go keeping in mind the hints and advice offered.

©2015 Barry Smith - As if holding water - second trial

I thought I might finish the blog post with a photo of a leaf on wood - I was fiddling with a long thin pliable leaf whilst having a coffee on Friday.

©2015 Barry Smith - Knotted leaf on wood