Sometimes I’m a little slow to catch on.  I’ve learned from a bunch of talented teachers.  I’ve read dozens of books and hundreds of blog posts about metal clay techniques.  I’ve watched demos and online videos.  I know I’ve heard this before.  So, how did it take over a year for me to really “get” the power of an almost dry brush?  I was so obsessed with the power of a wet brush, that I guess I overlooked its less moist cousin.  But this week, in a fit of production, I discovered a dozen ways to use a nearly dry brush to smooth out the rough spots without causing a wash out.  I often joke that my pieces suffer from “too much love”.  I fuss with them too much, getting pieces too thin, and washing out lovely textures that would have been better off left alone.  So, if you haven’t gotten friendly with that almost dry brush, I strongly encourage you to give it a try.

Some of my online friends commented on the neatness of my worktable in my studio tour photos. Well, here’s what it really looks like when I’m on a roll.  Notice the stack that starts with a pencil box, includes two trays and a sketchbook with a few fresh-from-the-kiln pieces scattered on top.  This technique is essential for working in a small space.

I’m going to order one of those crisp little maker’s mark stamps from Babette Cox, but I wanted to do a bit of testing first to be sure I do it right.  For example, do I want my mark to be embossed or debossed, or in simpler terms, will the letters be “inny” or “outty”?  How large do I want the mark to be?  Do I want to replicate my handwritten “WMc” I’ve been using for years, or use my logo font to make it look more finished?  My solution to having so many unanswered questions was to create a few small photopolymer plates to test out my ideas.  Here’s where I landed.  I used the font and I dropped the little “c”, but might just add it back.  I prefer to have the letters raised in the impression.  And, I need the whole thing to be really teeny, like 1/4″ across.  I can cut out the piece with a tiny circle cutter, which aligns it with my brand.  I’m not sure anyone else will notice this, but it makes a big difference to me.  I’m going to work with this plate for a while until I’m sure I like the results in all applications before I order the stamp.

I’ve been working on a pair of dragons.  I’m taking a more planned approach to the carving and I really like the results.  Here are the dragons in the greenware state before going into the kiln.  I also took a quick shot of the larger dragon with the luscious patina.  I get really pretty colors by adding salt and ammonia to the liver of sulfur solution.  I’m also learning the art of when to stop.  Even after you dunk the piece in cold water and transfer to a cup of water loaded with baking soda, the color continues to develop.  It really is part science and part art.  This piece polished up beautifully and those gorgeous purple hues stayed in the carved areas.  I’ll show the finished piece soon.

I recently attended the PMC Conference at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.  This was my first conference as I started working with the material just over a year ago.  I’ve attended classes and workshops, but the conference experience was quite different. For example, the conference features presentations and demonstrations, unlike a hands-on workshop.  The schedule offers lots of great opportunities for networking and making friends.  I picked up some good tips and a few techniques, and I purchased some interesting tools that I might not have sought out online.

There is a vendor hall that’s like nirvana for a metal clay artist with money in their pocket!  My favorite find was at the Naturescapes Studio booth with these awesome sets of graduated brass cutters.  I got every available set, so I have six sizes of circles, six squares, three rectangles and three hexagons.  Each set stacks onto a brass wire and a simple piece of cork holds the set together.  I’ve already started using these tiny cutters.  Pictured here is a greenware (not yet fired) set of earrings and pendant with tiny rectangles cut out.  I LOVE these cutters!  From the same vendor, I also picked up a cool elevated turntable, which should help my posture and make it easier to rotate a piece without having to pick it up.

The absolute highlight of the conference for me was meeting so many amazing metal clay artists.  Nearly everyday, I explain metal clay to someone, and am usually met with a puzzled look that says, “I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about”.  In the special bubble of the conference, absolutely everyone with a yellow badge shares the same passion.  Making friends is as easy as introducing yourself.  Every conversation is easy, with a shared lingo and a creative spirit that binds us together.  It really is a unique environment.

Many of us participated in the Charms for Charity raffle.  The community of metal clay artists donated enough charms to create nearly 40 finished bracelets.  And, we banded together to sell raffle tickets.  I was thrilled when one of the tickets I sold was pulled as a winner.  My friend, Sonja Marshall-Bone will soon claim this beautiful charm bracelet.  I want to thank all my friends and family members who generously bought raffle tickets from me.  I wish you ALL could have won!  In the final tally, the community raised over $6100 for the American Cancer Society and over $3600 for the Bone Marrow Foundation.

I went into the experience with limited expectations.  Not to say that I didn’t expect to have a fabulous time, just that I didn’t expect any particular variety of fabulousness.  I came away feeling very much enriched and far more connected to this amazing community of artists.  What more could a girl ask for?

I flew to Indianapolis this morning to attend the PMC Conference at Purdue University in Lafayette, IN.  For my non-metal clay friends, PMC is a brand name for precious metal clay.  Every other year hundreds of metal clay artists come together to get inspired, learn new skills and connect with friends.  This is my first conference, and to say I’m pretty jazzed up about it is an understatement!

The past 13 months since I first got my hands on silver clay have been a time of intense study, practice and progress.  It has been truly exhilarating to discover just how this material makes my creative spirit sing.  An unexpected bonus of working in metal clay is the vibrant community of artists who support each other on line, in print and out in the real world.  Through forums, blogs and Facebook, I’ve gotten to know many metal clay friends.  Today, I get to meet lots of them in person for the first time.  So excited!

This evening I’ll attend a  social event where many artists will swap charms.  The idea is that you make as many charms as you’d like to swap.  I made 10 charms, so by the end of the evening, I will have a treasure trove of 10 charms from different artists, while my charms will be in the collections of those 10 artists.  It’s a pretty cool way to get to know people and share a small piece of yourself with them.  My charms are in my fins and spheres style that’s based on the original Blue Fin piece.  You can read more about the inspiration for Blue Fin here.