Metal Clay Artist v5 I3 (Fall 2014) sampler by metalclayartist

JEWELRY MAKING AND MORE

Add More Color to Your Jewelry Easy Enameled Earrings p. 44 Ring Making with a Touch of Gold p.57 Add Color with Decals p.64 Too much choice in metal clay? p. 28

Find Your Inspiration!

COVER ARTISTS

Donna Greenberg and Kathleen Nowak Tucci collaborate to make metal and polymer vessels

Display Jul/Aug/Sep

2014

$8.99 US / CDN

www.metalclayartistmag.com

VOL. 5 ISSUE 3

Design by Yvonne M. Padilla

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contents

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GALLERY

36 FEATURES Behind The Scenes: A “short notice” Cover Story – Jeannette Froese LeBlanc . . . 12 CJS Sales in New York City: A Designers Quarry –Jeannette Froese LeBlanc . . . 14 Fashionably Late – Donna Greenberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 New Beginnings – Joy Funnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Brave New World of Metal Clay – Jennifer Roberts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

METAL CLAY PROJECTS

18 14

Easy Enamel Earrings – Pam East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Vine Keepsake Pendant – Janet Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Shimmering Sunshine Ring – Joy Funnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Peek-a-Boo Pendant – Paula Beckett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

IN EVERY ISSUE Editor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 COMPETITION NEWS: And the Winner Is… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ASK THE EXPERT – with Bill Stuve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 BOOK REVIEWS – Pat Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 PRODUCT SHOWCASE – Pat Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ARTIST PROFILE Lorena Angulo – Julia Rai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 GALLERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

64 COVER ARTISTS: Donna Greenberg and Kathleen Nowak Tucci.

STUDIO SHOWCASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 MOTIVATING MOMENT — Inspired to Make Hollow Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

PHOTO BY: Maya Chandally

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ECO CHIC Volu me 5 , I ss ue #3 Editor-in-Chief Jeannette Froese LeBlanc, B.A., B.F.A., M. Ed. Managing Editor Joy Funnell Senior Editor/Technical Editor Margaret Schindel Art Editor Evelyn Pelati Dombkowski Feature Writers Pat Evans, Julia Rai, Michael David Sturlin Senior Graphic Designer Ofelia Infante Graphic Design Artifactworks Advertising and Promotion Ad Sales Manager Joy Funnell (joy@metalclayartistmag.com) Ad Sales UK Julia Rai (julia@metalclayartistmag.com) Customer Service Carl LeBlanc (info@metalclayartistmag.com) Publisher Brysella Publishing SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1 or 2 year print subscription: $27.50/$47.50 USD to USA and Canada. 1 or 2 year print subscription: $35.50/$65.50 USD for all other locations. 1 or 2 year digital subscription: $19.99/$35.99 USD http://www.metalclayartistmag.com/subscribe.html We are not responsible for mail that is not forwarded or for changes of address not received before an issue’s mail out date. Metal Clay Artist Magazine® P.O. Box 16, Merrickville, Ontario Canada K0G 1N0 E-mail: info@metalclayartistmag.com Metal Clay Artist Magazine® ISSN 1920-5562 (print) – ISSN 1920-5570 (online) All rights reserved. Metal Clay Artist Magazine® is registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without the written permission of the publisher. We welcome editorial material. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, grammar, length and technical issues. While we will try our best to test and question new techniques, we are not responsible for errors or omissions. Send your manuscript with step-by-step photos to the editor at editor@metalclayartistmag.com. The jewellery and designs presented in Metal Clay Artist Magazine® may not be made for sale, presented as an original design or taught without permission of both the author and the publisher. Metal Clay Artist Magazine® (2154127 Ontario Inc.) is not responsible for any liability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes contained in the magazine. Readers should proceed with caution and observe proper safety requirements and instructions from each product’s manufacturer.

www.K athleenNowakTucci.com 8

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www.centurypublishing.com 800-824-1806

EDITOR’S LETTER

“Be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn, in that case, you should always be a unicorn.” —Elle Lothlorien

CREATIVITY IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED IN JEWELLERY MAKING CLASSES. Taking a class pushes us to try a new technique, material or design aspect. Teachers might say something like “think outside the box” or “colour outside the lines” as a way to coax their students into working differently. It is with this same “teachable motivation” in mind that the team at MCAM plan out each issue. In this issue we are encouraging you to add more colour to your work, to challenge yourself with our design competition, and to seek out inspiration in places that might not stand out as an option for metal clay. Our cover story is bursting with colour. The vessels were made by two artists—who worked at a distance, and who have not met each other. Talk about pushing one’s creativity! American artists, Donna Greenberg from New Jersey and Kathleen Nowak Tucci from Alabama, each made parts of the vessels. Read about that story on page 12. Donna also tells us about breaking into the world of fashion with her jewellery in the article “Fashionably Late” on page 18. While her work is predominantly made with polymer clay, her experience and advice are invaluable for all jewellery makers. Another article that I hope inspires you is my interview with Carl and Elyse Schimel about their vintage jewellery findings warehouse in New York City. Carl has been involved with making fashion jewellery for over 60 years! Having a chance to talk to him about his work was a delight for me, and I was fortunate to spend several hours with him. While metal clay is very new in the centuries old field of jewellery making, knowing what others have done and are doing is vital for metal clay artists. Jewellery making history can be a source of inspiration and education. I hope that you find the projects and articles in this issue to be informative and inspirational. We found some really unique how-to projects that will appeal to both beginner and experienced metal clay artists. Look for easy enameled earrings, hollow forms, hand-made chain, ring designs, colourful decals and more in this issue's projects. So many new ideas and techniques to try and bring into your own work.

Jeannette Froese LeBlanc Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Editor@metalclayartistmag.com

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BACK

Pam East's Enameling on Metal Clay DVD Sets! Over 4 Hours of Quality Instruction!

FREE SHIPPING* available every day at MetalClaySupply.com *See website

GoldieSculptor’s Bronze Art by Lorena Angulo

Work Bigger with Goldie Sculptor’s Bronze, Available Exclusively at MCS!

©Lorena Angulo

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INSPIRATION

CJS Sales in New York City

A Designers Quarry BY JEANNETTE FROESE LEBLANC

Imagine chatting about the history and the future of jewelry design while sitting in a warehouse stacked floor to ceiling with boxes and boxes of mostly vintage beads and jewelry making components. What an astounding wonderland of inspiration! I met with Carl and Elyse Schimel, co-owners of CJS Sales in New York City, one of my favorite places to head for a creative boost.

The CJS Sales warehouse is located on 36th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in New York City. Savvy jewelry designers can spend hours poring through this extraordinary treasure trove that holds literally millions of vintage beads and jewelry making supplies with limitless design potential. The Schimels are constantly seeking out great buys on anything that might be used for making jewelry and accessories. “We bought a chandelier store that went out of business…[and] a rhinestone factory. We try to keep things that will be inspiration for people and [are] also unusual and different. We price at what we bought it at, so you can get quality vintage parts that are not found on today’s market at great prices,” said Elyse. To help designers compete and allow their work to stand out, Elyse and Carl sell only to wholesale customers

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The Milwaukee Sentinel - July 31, 1969

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BOOK REVIEWS

BY PAT EVANS

BEHIND THE BROOCH

PATINA: 300+ COLORATION EFFECTS FOR JEWELERS & METALSMITHS

By Lorena Angulo, Schiffer Publishing, 2013.

By Matthew Runfola, Interweave, 2014.

I defy you to read Behind the Brooch and not feel an immediate urge to go to your bench and make some pins. Lorena Angulo has curated a collection of some of the best modern brooches created by 128 artists from all over the world. Such a collection would provide plenty of inspiration under any circumstances. The twist that makes this book irresistible is that it focuses on the rarely investigated back side of the jewelry. When I first heard about this book I was excited by the prospect of learning about a variety of ways to create brooch clasps. Although I did get some great ideas from the examples in the book, what I mainly learned was that most of the clasps are variations on just a few basic concepts. I learned that it is the hundreds of little variations that make each clasp uniquely suited to a particular piece. I also was utterly fascinated by the variety of ways artists add layers of meaning to their art through hidden patterns, objects, words, layers and other touches on the reverse side of their art. These secrets usually are seen only by the maker and the wearer, making a delicate connection between artist and the individual. The detail and thought that the artists have put into the “unimportant” side of their work is what elevates these pieces above the ordinary. An unexpected bonus for creatives is the brief artists’ statements that accompany the artists’ pieces. Anyone who has ever struggled with writing this type of statement could benefit from studying these artists’ succinct explanations of their processes and intent. This is a book to look through fast for the wow factor first and then go back to savor the depth of artistry over and over again.

Patina is a comprehensive compendium of patina effects for steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze, silver and aluminum. Jewelers looking to try a variety of patina effects on their work will find themselves referring to this book over and over. The meat of the book lies in the more than 300 metal patination recipes with application instructions and full-sized sample photographs arranged by metal and color. It also gives a short course in the variables affecting patination—surface preparation, application techniques, variations on formulas and more. In the first section of the book, step-by-step illustrated instructions show the different methods of preparing metal and applying patinas. This section also discusses safety issues, handling and disposal of hazardous materials, and ideas for setting up a metal coloration/ finishing workspace. I found the section on surface protection very helpful. Runfola’s photographs demonstrate the different looks that various protective finishes give to the final product and he discusses the pros and cons of different finishing products. Next come photos of all the patinas with clear and concise instructions on how to achieve them, cross-referenced with a chart of patina recipes in the back of the book. It’s a complex subject and Runfola organizes it in a very understandable way. The book is destined to become a classic reference for metal workers at all skill levels. Beginners should note that the range of patinas for silver is limited by the nature of the metal. The book does have some recipes that make use of dyes in combination with liver of sulfur, but there is a larger range of patina effects for with copper, bronze and brass. If you are working with these metals you’ll find lots of inspiration for patina effects and you’ll find yourself thanking Runfola for his thorough research.

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ARTIST PROFILE

Corazón Renacer – back view

Corazón Renacer

Lorena Angulo BY JULIA RAI

Lorena Angulo’s work is instantly recognisable, even from across a room! I remember the stunning display of her distinctive work on her stand at one of the PMC Conferences and being so impressed with the detail in her jewellery. Her pieces are often big and bold and always full of her heritage and culture. She is also one of the most prolific artists I know and constantly wows us with her art. She also has a new book just published—more on that later—and I was really interested to find out more about her.

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KATRINA LUM New Mexico, USA Fallen Leaves Bronze metal clay.

TRACEY SPURGIN East Yorkshire, UK Filigree Orb 01

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METAL CLAY PROJECT

Easy Enamel Earrings

PAM EAST

These two pairs of earrings are quick, easy and fun and are fired with nothing more than a gas stovetop! You will learn two styles of enameling and two different application methods. Enameling is the art of applying glass to metal. Enamel is ground glass that has been formulated to create a permanent bond with copper, silver or gold. Fine silver metal clay is highly suited to enameling because it does not develop fire scale during the firing process. Basse-taille enameling is the process of completely covering textured metal with transparent enamel. The texture is still visible through the enamel. In the first project we will be using a dry sifting technique with transparent enamels. ChamplevĂŠ enameling is the process of filling an impression in the silver with enamel, highlighting the impressed design with color. In the second project we will be using a wetpacking technique with opaque enamels. Experience Level: BEGINNER

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METAL CLAY PROJECT

Vine Keepsake Pendant JANET ALEXANDER

Vines appear in artwork and as symbols for many cultures. From the Christian Bible to Druid lore and Greek artwork, vines can represent regeneration, opportunity, connection, fertility and bounty. This hollow pendant with vine decorations hanging from a beautiful sterling wire chain is sure to be a treasured keepsake.

Experience Level: ADVANCED

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METAL CLAY PROJECT

Shimmering Sunshine Ring JOY FUNNELL

Learn to make a bright, sparkling ring shimmering with touches of gold keum-boo. Set a large fired-in-place stone flanked with a couple of smaller stones and add some decoration to the ring band. Change the stone colours for different dramatic effects. Have fun!

Experience Level: INTERMEDIATE

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METAL CLAY PROJECT

Peek-a-Boo Pendant PAULA BECKETT

Adding color to jewelry brings an element of beauty. I’ll share how I do this with ceramic water slide decals. I’ll also share an easy way to construct metal clay jewelry using Sculpey® SuperFlex Bake & Bend®. When deciding on the texture stamp to use for this technique, think about where you want to cut out the negative spaces. Do the spaces make sense? Are the negative spaces in harmony with the positive spaces? Will the overall piece look balanced? Then decide if the negative spaces lend themselves to a piece with an organic edge or a more finished edge, such as a frame. Experience Level: INTERMEDIATE

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MOTIVATING MOMENT

Inspired to Make Hollow Forms