Richard Salley course, ctd!

Let's start with this funny, yet oh so serious, picture of me working my little fingers to the bone.

This was one of those courses where I really could have missed lunch, not gone home, stayed up all night.... just NOT stop! I was in the ZONE!

ANd probably a lot of it had to do with my significant attachment to this little piece of earth!

This was a most wonderful place for art retreats. Makes my BAH seen very sub par! They had that great studio, a farmhouse to stay in, and this cool barn to have lunch and evening cheese and wine in. So quaint!

However, I can say, I do NOT remember the last time a handful of fruit and a slice of quiche was lunch. I am a bit of a heartier eater myself! Hey, Terri.... you gettin' that? I want my guests to EAT... southern style!!

This is a Richard Salley piece that I bought for myself. I thought it was so cool.

This was also a Richard Salley piece. LOVE this one cause it kinda looks like a nest.

This one has some horse hair in it too. Like the one I bought. It is made of faux bone, and would you believe... I think I could actually make this too! If you have some funky shaped, rusty, weird pieces of metal that you think could make a cool pieces of art/ jewelry, just send it my way! I am a hoarder. and the first step is admission!

I am a fan of turquoise, so I also LOVE anything Richard made with a stone like this.

More Richard Art.

Oh, I bought this one too. Couldn't help it. HAD to have it. WHO wears sticks and feathers? MO do! Mo do!

More faux bone, a real antler, and some way cool metal pieces to cap the bone. I think my most favorite thing to have learned is how to rivet one piece of metal to another.

Richard uses some wild things in his pieces.

I am really not sure it is my style, but I do think it is cool. I go for more personal jewelry... names, kids' names, pieces worked into the piece that actually MEAN something to the wearer.

I made these. I actually drew the polka dots on the metal, then etched it in, then cut them out, then filed them, then did the same with the copper sheeting, then .....

DANG. I need something for age spots!

And this is the matching pendant/ necklace I made. And oh, yes I did make that clasp!

Ever since I brought it home, Miss Bev, at my office has worn this set just about daily!

I really, really LOVE mixed metals, so learning how to patina and cahnge the colors, then to rivet these metals together just got my engine running!

Learned about drills and safety goggles, and other tools that made me feel quite authentic!

THIS is what I made!! The class basically was challenged to make two main designs... the locket and the faux bone piece. I think I made somewhere around 20 pieces! See? THE ZONE!

Wanna see a few pieces? This is being saved to put on a leather cuff for a bracelet. I patina'd the silver piece, that I brought with me, etched the brass piece behind it, then riveted them all together with copper tacks. DUDE.

The one in the background is my own handwriting and is riveted to brass, then faux bone. I learned how to use a torch to distress the bone.

I am really looking forward to my kids writing, because I can think of some WAY cool jewelry pieces with their handwriting!! (By the way, Ellie told me this week, "MOM. Your fingernails look TERRIBLE!".... she is so right!)

I recently bought some earrings like those copper ones, sans the hearts that I drew, then etched into the metal, and thought "I want to make those". Guess what... I DID!

The other faux bone piece was what I wore myself for the Shake 4 Jake event. It was sweet and just perfect.

I used a rubber stamp of a bird to etch these little copper beauties. Then, I added them to silver nickel. SO much to tell. so much to share! So much to design an art class around! woo hooo.

Then, I made another pendant with my handwriting. I dangled a few things from a rebar (steel wire) coil, including a jack, in extreme foreground.

Many of the peeps in the class threw away their scraps. Me, being the bottom feeder that I am, scavenged all their little pieces and made these!

Oh, hey, here it is... I made chain like Richard's and made a coil with the Gizmo, and then etched my copper with a nest stamp. Ta daaaaa!

I wanted to ge tall artsy fartsy with this piece. I think a really long chain will make this one really neat to wear over a linen tunic. Just sayin'!

Then I went around and checked out my classmate's work...

This one was Arlene's. I LOVED it! It had a coin in it. I loved it!

Mary, my friend, made this faux bone piece worked entirely around this keyhole she picked up at a French flea market. Isn't that a neat memory for her?

We learned how to make our own jumprings using a dowel, saw, and a vise. I am so dang resourceful now!

ANd this is Mary's necklace. She is so meticulous. Her coils were perfect, and the whole thing was perfeclty symmetrical. UNLIKE mine! But, hey, I also made about 20 pieces, so different strokes for different folks!

A shield by another chick in my class.

ANd this is by the only guy taking the class. He took on the big challenge of a really involved chain.

Well, as sad as it may be.... I am finished with my post on this art retreat. I have to figure out how to convince my husband to let me do this more often! I came home so inspired! And I CANNOT wait to get in the BAH and get my things all sprawled out in my new workshop and art room. Thanks for indulging me.

and Kathy, and Richard... HOW COOL that you would be reading my blog. I am sure Melinda Marie had something to do with that! Anywho.... good to hear from you. I had an absolute BLAST and WILL be back at Valley Ridge!!

MO