Sunday, November 29, 2015

Something old, something new and a giveaway

I have been working flat out over the weekend making stock for Maleny Additions after I was informed they were running out of ladles; and would also like something new in the leaf line to add to stock for December.

And I'm having a small giveaway to celebrate the fact that I have passed 1000 posts - see the bottom of this post.

But first the ladles. Beautiful handles and bowl forms - a new shape for ladles - quite a conical bowl for some.

©2015 Barry Smith - Ladle handles - formed, drilled and polished
©2015 Barry Smith - Ladle bowls hammered and polished
In the end I had 14 ladles - a couple with a small flaw.

©2015 Barry Smith - Handles attached with copper and brass rivets
I got Fiona to help with the selection of seven to go to Maleny Additions - tagged with Fiona's calligraphic tags - lucky me.

©2015 Barry Smith - The chosen ones - tagged and ready to go to Maleny Additions tomorrow
Six of the remaining seven will go into the studio-gallery for the open studio event on Friday and Saturday (4&5 Dec). And one will go into our cutlery draw - the one at the extreme right-top.

©2015 Barry Smith - Destined for our studio-gallery shop
I also made 9 Leaf Pate Knives - Fiona selected 7 - and they were tagged.

©2015 Barry Smith - Leaf form Pate knives - variation of the Leafspoon design
©2015 Barry Smith - Seven Pate knives tagged and one lonely Leaf Letteropener
I made a start on some Leafspoons but did not finish them - something for later this week.

©2015 Barry Smith
And about the giveaway - I will post one of the small peace doves that have hung on our 'peace' at the front of the block but have fluttered to earth to three folk who leave a comment on this blog.

I will draw the name of the 'winner' out of the Tibetan singing bowl next Sunday; and post the names on the post next Sunday.

©2015 Barry Smith - A trio of peace messengers - naturally patinated copper
Well that wraps up a busy weekend.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Ceremonial Knives with a Steampunk influence

©2015 Barry Smith - Ceremonial Steampunk influenced dagger
I was asked to make some ceremonial knives for the Steampunk Christmas exhibition-sale in Redcliffe. With a bit of a rush I managed to do a new design and create 3 Ceremonial Knives - ceremony in terms of cutting wedding or birthday cakes etc.

The basic knife forms were made using new copper and brass sheet, recycled wood and silver-plated offcuts from trays - all cut, glued and riveted together. The knives are about 25cm long, 2.5cm wide and 1.5cm thick.

©2015 Barry Smith - Unadorned and unground knife forms
Watch parts were selected and cut and polished to fit the basic knife forms.

©2015 Barry Smith - Brass bits for adornment of handles
The knives were then ground using a belt sander and belt finger sander. They were then polished on the jewellery grinding-polishing wheel. After a coat of oil on the timber they were ready to go.

©2015 Barry Smith - A trio of Ceremonial Knives
©2015 Barry Smith - A trio of Ceremonial Knives
©2015 Barry Smith - More traditional cake cutting Ceremonial Knife
The knives were delivered yesterday.

Today (Friday) was about: attending Kim S's book launch; starting some small pieces for Maleny Additions; and getting ready for a Christmas celebration with art friends - which means making an art present!!!!

This is my 1001 post - so on Sunday's post there will a giveaway connected to my Sunday post.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Mornings masses of colour

©2015 Barry Smith - Catching the early morning sun
The walks on Monday and today have exposed me to such riots of colour - in some instances whole lawns and driveways cloaked in colour. A few photos will be shared.

But first a photo of one of the small peace doves now nestling amidst the new green foliage - hard to see now but still offering its message to our wounded world.

©2015 Barry Smith - A little bit of peace
As promised some of the other colour.

©2015 Barry Smith - Delicate detail of the Jacaranda
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith
©2015 Barry Smith - Lines and layers
And a few spider images - they are very busy at the moment.




So refreshing that nature can offer such beauty amidst the sadness and dark days we read and hear about so much of these days.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Bowls with a difference

My collection of bits for the Steampunk Christmas at Jo St Baker's studio+gallery will include some of my bowls. I have been reworking some earlier fold formed bowls and creating some new Steampunk influenced bowls.

©2015 Barry Smith - Cupped and polished clock cogs ready for riveting into the bowls
The common design element is the recycled brass and copper metal; and where relevant adding clock parts. As you can see the  three bowls share similar design features but include unique bits and embellishments.

©2015 Barry Smith - Three Steampunk influenced bowls - the single hand of time is on 5 minutes to midnight 
©2015 Barry Smith - Back of the three Steampunk influenced bowls
©2015 Barry Smith - SP Bowl 1
©2015 Barry Smith - SP bowl 2
©2015 Barry Smith - SP bowl 3
©2015 Barry Smith - Detail of SP bowl 3
The Leaf incense bowls have polished up well.

©2015 Barry Smith - Leaf form incense bowls
And the other three foldformed Giving bowls also make there own statements.

©2015 Barry Smith - Brass foldformed Giving bowls 
I will add a few more bowls out of my gallery shop to these bowls making the total 12. Fiona and I did make the decisions on the pendants and earrings as indicated in Friday's post. The final result could be shared another day.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Decisions decisions ….

Over the last few weeks I have been making Steampunk influenced pendants and earrings ready for A Steampunk Christmas at st+baker+studio and gallery in Redcliffe opening 30 November.

I also want to have some pieces available for Fiona's and my open studio on Friday 4 Dec 5-7pm (drinks on Friday) and 10am-4pm on Saturday 5 Dec.

So over the weekend I will ask Fiona to help me make a few decisions about what will go to Redcliffe and what will be in 601mvr our studio-gallery at 601 Mountain View Road.

Photos following show the stash of pendants

©2015 Barry Smith  - Like stained glass windows - only different (biggest gear is about 45mm in diameter)
©2015 Barry Smith - Tray handle resin and gear pendants - some with black backing
©2015 Barry Smith - Rectangular watch case resin and gear pendants - with black backing
©2015 Barry Smith - Clear resin larger watch pendants
©2015 Barry Smith - Small watch body pendants
©2015 Barry Smith - Larger watch body and face pendants
©2015 Barry Smith - Larger mixed part pendants - all about 50mm in diameter or square
©2015 Barry Smith - More watch body pendants some with resin cover
And stash of earrings

©2015 Barry Smith - Watch body and parts earrings
©2015 Barry Smith - Earrings of the more dangly variety

 It was good to get these completed today. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Bits on the beach

Fiona and I went to the beach for a few days of rest - lots of walking, sleeping etc.

The walks on the beach always offered small fragments of nature and humans. Of course we could not resist stopping and capturing a few of the fragments - sometimes because of the shapes, sometimes the shadows, sometimes the layers and sometimes the way nature has carved the sand abound bits.

First a few photos of nature's contribution ….

©2015 Barry Smith - Heart in the sand
©2015 Barry Smith - Shadows of tiny crab sand spheres
©2015 Barry Smith - Wind blown but still getting down into the detail
©2015 Barry Smith - A single seed on the sand
©2015 Barry Smith - Seed cluster
©2015 Barry Smith - Coral and pumice layers
©2015 Barry Smith - Layer upon layer
©2015 Barry Smith - Mystery object!!!!
©2015 Barry Smith - Twas a coconut with hitchhikers
©2015 Barry Smith - See-through jellyfish
©2015 Barry Smith - Detail of sand through jellyfish
©2015 Barry Smith - Leaf installation
And human lost objects and detritus ...








The time away was refreshing - sometimes it is just good to be away from home where there is always something to do even if it is enjoyable.