Monday, March 30, 2009

New Kiln! New Bronze Clay!

Great excitement! My new kiln arrived from the US. Thanks Cindy for your advice and expertise!

Since I attended the PMC Conference in US last July and had workshops with Hadar Jacobson in the new Bronze Clay I've been keen to experiment with the Bronze clay myself. Bronze has to be fired emersed in charcoal so it sinters in an oxygen free enviroment. This is unlike Silver Clay which can be fired on a gas top stove or butane torch as well as in a kiln.

Bronze can obtain some amazing patina colours and I was well pleased with my first firing. Here are the results.






Thursday, March 12, 2009

Rings




I am working on making polymer rings these are my two prototypes. I am testing them out for strength and durability and will modify as necessary.




Visitor






My very good friend and fellow tutor, Melanie Dilday has been visiting Perth. I helped her out with equipment at her workshop and then she came to my studio for a couple of days.


We had a ball just 'playing with clay'. Mel showed me the 'Ruffle' bead and I showed her photo polymer plates. Photo polymer plates are designed so that you can make your own, totally original stamps, from your own artwork and use them with materials such as metal clay and polymer clay.