Rustnstuff

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Mini peace bowl; or a pendant; or a keyring piece

I managed to form all the peace pieces into shallow bowls. Then it was over to the grinding-polishing bench to take the rough edges off; and bring out the beauty of the silver-plate by polishing with a fine steel wire wheel.

I just love the afternoon sun and the play of light and shadows on the pieces on the rust table.

The pieces are now ready for International Peace Day.

Friday, July 12, 2019

Pieces for peace - but first....

I have made a start on the pieces I'm making for giving away to promote International Peace Day on 21 September 2019.

But the process was interrupted by a call for small book earring that contain the words peace and love. So these were made and delivered to Compassion Artists' Book Exhibition.

So the process of making my pieces could continue after completing the earrings - process photos follow.

©2019 Barry Smith - Stamping the peace and flower symbols (bit of my inner hippy appearing?) on the square blanks of silver-plated brass - cut from an old large round serving tray. Very large copper hammer is good for stamping peace symbols

Hopefully over the weekend I will form the stamped pieces into the square bowl shapes and give them a grind and polish. This all takes time when one is making 63 pieces.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Blossoms on the block

Though we are in the middle of winter there are still some brave plants and bushes that are producing the odd blossom. It makes me smile to discover blossoms that forgot that it is winter and time to hibernate.

And because we are back into a dry patch the cloudless morning sky produces that horizon of peach and blue.

We need the fragments of colour to nurture us on the short days of winter.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Of rust and product

We have purchased some strips of Corten steel to create a border around part of the gravel on the new sculpture terraces. This type of steel is meant to rust but not rust away. When it was picked up it was a blue metal colour but after only 24 hours in the rain it has already started to rust and form some gorgeous patterns as you can see from the photo above and below.

I will install the strips as soon as we get fine weather.

I managed to make time this morning to finish polishing and tagging the Leafspoons and Leaf Pate Knives to take in to Maleny additions.

This afternoon I got out the metal I cut to make my International Peace Day pieces. I have started the stamping process - but that will be the subject of another post.

Friday, July 5, 2019

Book earrings and peace book pendants

2019 Barry Smith - Small (about 1.8cm X 1.2cm) silver-plated book earrings - solid silver hooks

During the week and today I have grabbed time to make more book earrings for the shop at Compassion Artists' Book Exhibition. A few photos of the work in progress follow.

2019 Barry Smith - A vintage bookmaker vice assists in the riveting process

2019 Barry Smith - Each pair of earrings has a compassion related word stamped on a page of both earrings

2019 Barry Smith - Nine pairs of earrings - riveted and ready for grinding and polishing - each pair is kept separated as are the left and right earring

I managed to complete 9 pairs of the earrings that are now boxed and tagged ready for delivery to the Nambour Old Ambo Gallery tomorrow afternoon.

2019 Barry Smith - The v in love almost looks like a micro heart

2019 Barry Smith - Nine pairs of earrings - boxed

I will also deliver 5 Peace Book Pendants given peace is an integral part of compassion.

2019 Barry Smith - Slender Peace Book Pendant - each pendant has 4 leaves-8 pages

2019 Barry Smith - Peace statement is stamped on the 3 page

Weather permitting I will get to finish polishing the Leaf Spoons and Leaf Pate Knives for Maleny Additions over the weekend.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Moody morning and other fragments

I was almost going to title this post "Is it ever going to be light again in the morning?" - the early mornings seem so dark at the moment. Whilst we had a blazing sunset yesterday this morning was all about sultry greys, blues and purples.

My morning walk was, in the main, done in grey light. Beautiful and quiet; but there was no blossom or bird colour to catch the eye.

The light had pushed the dark back by the time I got home but it was still pale.

Because it is the middle of winter we have been seeing a lot more cloud lingering in the valley - sometimes in banks, layers and rolls.

The recent rain has offered s little bit of winter fungi.

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Books, compassion exhibition and bones

Fiona and I went to the official opening of the Compassion Artists' Book Exhibition yesterday afternoon - there was a good crowd to honour the work of the 26 artists. Ken and Ardleigh, in the photo below, had done a massive job to bring it all together. Big thank you to Ken and Ardleigh. The exhibition is open for a few weeks so a good opportunity to get along.

I had 6 pairs small book earrings; and 12 small metal books in the exhibition 'shop'. The earrings all sold out in a couple of hours as did a few small metal books. I was asked by Ardleigh and a number of attendees whether I would be willing to make more earrings.

I started the process of making up to ten pair today as you can see from the opening photo and the process photos below.

Still a lot of work to do on the earrings; but hopefully I will finish them by or on the next weekend.

Since I was in preparation mode I decided to clean and cut more bone: some for carving and some for pendants and earrings. As you can see I managed a reasonable assortment. Bit of a warning about sawing and sanding bone - always best to be done in the open and with a good quality mask on. Bone dust is not so good for the lungs.