Friday, September 27, 2013

Return to Travellers' Shrines

A good Friday - couple of community meetings; planted some veggies; and got to do a solid afternoon of art.

Last time I blogged on the Travellers' Shrines I was doing for the Peace and Stillness exhibition I was asked if I had more available or was I going to make more. Well the answer is yes; and today was the day. I started 4 shrines today; and finished two to the pre-polishing stage. Why 4 shrines? They are a bit tricky to make as one is making metal boxes and fitting one metal box within another - I'm never convinced that they will always be of good enough quality to sell to folk - even though I personally like the simple handmade hammered nature of all of them.

Anyway, a few photos of the process are below. The photos are a bit blurred as I took them hurriedly with the iPhone.

Marking up the metal....

©2013 Barry Smith - Large silver plated EPNS placemat marked for cutting 
Shapes of the lids cut, drilled and ready for filing, bending and riveting..

©2013 Barry Smith - Lids - cut and drilled 
A couple of the shrines are completed to pre-polishing stage - and of course I need to make the bits and pieces that are carried in the shrines. This time I'm making a couple of small rectangular shrines - dictated by the available metal. These rectangular Travellers' Shrines are a little bigger than a match box (about 7cm long, 5cm wide and 1.5cm deep) - almost pocket size - certainly handbag size.

©2013 Barry Smith - Small rectangular Traveller's Shrine - silver plate lid and brass bottom
©2013 Barry Smith - Small rectangular shrine and larger square shrine
And of course they started life as trays etc.

©2013 Barry Smith - Metal for shrines
Fiona is cooking up a Friday dinner that will be accompanied by a red so I must away.

6 comments:


  1. Hello, Barry.

     If the decoration is very minute, and beautiful.
     The encounter with your work is my pleasure.
     Thank you for visit.

     The prayer for all peace.
     I wish You all the best.

    Have a good weekend. From Japan, ruma ❃

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  2. Wabi sabi aesthetic. Thank you for sharing with our fb group Melton Bowerbirds.

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  3. Some wonderful patterns on these.. have a great weekend.

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  4. B - nice to see your process in cutting down the trays, I can see how you would easily chew through them. Hope you enjoyed the cook up and your red! K

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  5. Hi Ruma, F, K, VA & K - thanks for checking out the Travellers' Shrines in progress. R - each piece carries a small bit of peace energy. F - I agree - and now as it gets closer to being finished I can just imagine it being carried as a talisman. K - just goes to show what one can do with recycling. VA - patterns are courtesy of the recycled plate - but I must say for the Travellers' Shrines I do look for quality patterned silver-plate EPNS. K - I agree more goes into some creations. All go well. B

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