The blog came to life at 6:38 Monday afternoon. I took it “live” without the benefit of a profile, links, or even much of a statement of purpose. I suppose all blogs come to life in a similar way.
I chose the bronze necklace, a piece I named “Nestling”, to lead into the blog because it seems to sum up where I am with my bronze clay work now. So I am going to allow myself a few words of explanation about working in bronze.
I love working with bronze because it has been the quintessential material for sculpture, jewelry and artworks for over 55 centuries. Bronze is stronger than iron. It resists corrosion, remains ductile, and jingles with a nice resonant ‘ping’. All of which makes bronze ideal for artwear that is stylish, but unassuming. Did you just read, “…and it’s a lot less expensive to work with than silver?” Glad I didn’t have to spell that out.
The process I use begins with Bronzclay. The “Nestling” was formed from three separate moldings of Elm tree bark that attach behind a hand-rolled bezel, nestling a large aqua stone. Bronze develops its patina during the firing process, and over time each piece acquires its own unique ‘living patina’, often exhibiting warm hues and azure highlights where it is most often touched.
Since each piece that I design is one-of-a-kind, the intention is for it to become an heirloom possession. I’d love to hear from other bronze enthusiasts.
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