bring it on, mother nature

I went out today and borrowed a bunch of bark from a few trees. I spent a lot of time today sanding down flat edges so that I can make them into wearable jewelry once they are dry.

Ps, there are a ton of little white flat bugs on tree bark. I don't like them.

glorified woodchips

I started today with hopes of finding a method to make uncontrolled designs and patterns in wood. Last year, I needed to cut down this piece of beeswing narra and ended up with this gorgeous sliver of wood.

So, I grabbed some different types of wood and headed to the wood shop to see what I could make. I fought a lot with the bandsaw- no injuries or anything, it just wouldn't create what I wanted it to. I tried cutting the woods against the grain, with the grain, faster, slower, thinner, thicker... whatever I could do to try and get the blade to eat away or rip up some of the wood. I had *one* piece with any holes. It is paper thin and the holes suck.

I ended up with this outcome:

Some close ups:

^ Bloodwood ^

^ Macassar Ebony ^

^ Lignum Vitae ^

^ Beeswing Narra ^

I want to see what I can do to these pieces of nearly paper-thin wood. I've been trying to break them with my fingers to go along with the grain to create a natural shaped form, but that hasn't been successful yet. Any suggestions of processes to try on the wood to get my desired result?

Boring stuff

Well, I started working on a few sample pieces mixing wood and silver. They are really boring. I don't like them.... but I made them, and I'm showing them because I don't want to get yelled at for not posting on here. What I don't like is:

• The material contrast is boring. The olive wood's grain, even though it's gorgeous, isn't interesting enough to make me feel like this is at all successful. 
• I am having a hard time bezel setting material that is below the bezel - as in, not a cabochon or stone that rises above the piece and the bezel hugs, this is a situation where a giant, grizzly bear hug is needed. Because of that, it's extremely difficult to get a smooth edge on it. Maybe a rounded glass front would help? That could also bring out more of the grain and create a unique visual interest if the wood was magnified through the glass. I will have to look into glass cutting, grinding, and polishing for future use.

^some pieces and a burnisher^

^slightly closer, you can see the bezel's bear hug^

^backs^

Quick Update

I'm really bad at remembering to update this.

I'm thinking about changing my project. Well, maybe not changing, just readjusting. I think I want to focus on material usage and to use silver (as a precious metal) to display natural, common supplies like wood, natural raw stones, geodes, etc. I am starting with wood and spent 5 hours sanding yesterday to make the pieces smooth and even. I plan on cutting some forms out to lay in silver and see how they work as samples. I also ordered and drove out to GS Metals to purchase some a ton of sheet silver to use for these. Here is where I am so far -

^ picture of my set up ^

^ close up of some olive wood ^

^ my poor keyboard ^

^ the end pile of saw dust before it was thrown out ^

I also researched last night to find necklace chains, break your own geodes, and different/new styles of bails that might work for me.

Some pictures

I played with polymer clay last Wednesday. My goal was to explore textures that couldn't be done, or at least couldn't be done easily with metal. Here are some photos. I really like how the first texture came out. I want to explore it some more in clay before thinking about it in metal.

Clay!

I have spent today working with clay.  A good chunk of today has been spent figuring out how to rehydrate PMC3 silver clay. My mom gave me her collection of dried out silver clay and I want to salvage it to try using it for at least part of my IP. I have it soaking with water in the packages trying to see what happens, I am just leaving them for now. I also brought a large collection of polymer clay back with me from my mom's house. I don't know if I really want to use it in the long run, but I tried a few things with it. I didn't like anything. I'll see if I have better luck on Monday.

Also, I am toying with making prong settings out of tube. Here are two pictures of one I attempted today.

What did I do today?

Today, after finishing up my proposal, I researched materials. I have been looking at different types of polymers that I might want to explore playing with and also different types of pourable silicones and resins. I think this weekend I am going to start playing with some common polymers - mainly fimo clay just to get a feel for the materials. I'll see how I feel about it after a few experiments. I also want to test out next week with making some containers in metal (probably copper) then making the interior a different material or at least texture than the exterior. I think I will try to accomplish this with flocking or possibly some sort of patina which I will do more research on soon.

So, today was spent doing materials research, but I really just need to get working on stuff. I think my personal goal is to make 5 experiment/samples by the end of the month - a simple container in metal, some form experiments in polymers, some doming experiments (hopefully) in metal, and maybe something else?

Obstruction

For my obstruction assignment, I decided to take on two different challenges. The two were a) an organic shape that didn't have straight lines and b) a textured finish that was not completely smooth. I have a tendency to stick to very geometric forms with either straight lines or perfect curves, and I'm okay with that. I like my aesthetic and the fact that if someone sees a piece I made, they generally know I made it. I want to explore organic shapes more, and I think I will do a few more studies in the next few weeks. As far as texture goes, I have mixed feelings. I really enjoyed utilizing the hammer texture with this piece, but I don't think it gave the same effect that I was thinking of. I believe I have more to explore with texture. I want to try some rolled samples also and see how that works out. Anyway, here's a picture -

some photos

Here are some photos of a few pieces I've made.

This is a pair of earrings I made. They are entirely made of sterling silver.

This is a dome made out of copper that I made as a small sample of something that plays with space and has no real function.

This is a bracelet that I made to play with color, weight, and size. It's made of sterling silver and blue goldstone cabochons.

This was my first successful casting project. I made a solid silver ring with a gypsy set faceted stone.

Draft of Proposal

Here is a draft of my proposal. I will be doing yet another round of editing tomorrow before turning it in on Wednesday.

________________________________________

I’m Nae Morris, a senior in the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design in the beginning stages of my Integrative Project. Throughout university I have spent a large amount of time working and developing skills in various mediums. I have focused mainly in graphic and web design, photography, and jewelry design. I have developed skills in construction of many different 3-dimensional materials such as wood, acrylic, and non-ferrous and ferrous metals, 2-dimensional graphic based work in a variety of computer programs, and found a knack for perfection and patience in finishing pieces within myself. This integrative project prepares me for creative practice after I leave the university by allowing me to develop my own style utilizing concepts of space and voids which I can use to find my own sense of self as an artist.

For this project, I would like to explore shapes, forms, and space. I want to play with the idea of what is perceived and what is real. I will be making small forms out of a variety of materials, what ever is right for the part, that toy with and utilize spatial relations and functions. Space is a big part of any 3-dimensional project, and I would like to explore and examine what happens when space is interrupted with a void or an unexpected object inside it. I plan to create a series of forms with a void, hole, or other area that will work to alter the viewer’s perspective on the object’s spatial use. Creating an empty space through the piece or making it solid when it appears empty are two methods I plan to utilize to meet these goals.

I find that when dealing with 3-dimensional pieces, the amount of space utilized often translates to the body and self, and what we personally contain. It’s only natural for a person viewing an art piece, or anything for that matter, to try to relate to it. For example, when I walk into a room full of people that I have never met, I expect them to see more than just the space I take up. Of course I at least partially expect the new people to assess my external appearance, but also my interior. I will translate this to my pieces in the sense that they will have more than just what is seen on first glance with either something being inside of it, it having a reflective surface to display its surroundings, or something else entirely.

I am planning to realize this idea through several different forms. I will make small sculptural pieces, containers, and wearable art that all follow the idea of playing with and manipulating space. I am going to work in metals but occasionally use other materials when appropriate. I will utilize space in my pieces by disrupting it and experimenting with voids and filled areas.

I believe this series will be most effective if viewed in a gallery-type setting due to its small nature and delicate appearance. I would prefer for it to be local in Ann Arbor, because not only do I feel more of a personal connection here than in another city, like Detroit but I believe that Ann Arbor would be the best fit because of the fine art and jewelry design communities that live and thrive here.

I believe that I will significantly grow from this project and it will help me develop my own unique style as an artist. I look forward to exploring my use of space and voids to further my own skills and abilities.

Today in studio

Today I was supposed to work on rewriting my project proposal. I tried, I really did. However, I'm not going to lie; I had nothing to write. I've been frustrated with my ideas but more with my interpretation of IP in general. I keep having this idea that everything I make in the art school must be highly conceptual - and I think I don't have a good grasp on what conceptual is.

I keep assuming that 'conceptual' must mean that I have to take something in my life, whether it's a tree or an old pair of tennis shoes or the world economic crisis and derange it to the point where you can't quite tell what it once was because I've now covered it in papier-mâché and paint and explained how it's relative because it shows the inner delicate nature of the big oak tree outside... I don't know, I just assume that I can't simply appreciate form and aesthetics in this school. Personally, I'd much rather focus on making a really beautiful piece of jewelry that is clean and pleasing to the eye. I like smooth metal and textures that repeat. I like the feeling of a smooth interesting form between my thumb and forefingers. I like playing with materials, but I'm always so concerned with allergies because of my own that I only like using silver or better if it's going to be in touch with skin.

Today, I was lucky and get to talk with Tirtza about my project, or so far lack thereof. She and I discussed things that I'm interested in and what kinds of aesthetics I really like. I mentioned my interest in shapes and textures and she noted two main artists for me to research - Anish Kapoor and James Turrell. I spent a lot of the class session just looking at Kapoor's work and it is amazing. I love the look of just clean, mirror-finish, polished steel. I also enjoyed his large tunnel/hole/vortex kinds of designs- their use of space intrigues me and I'd like to explore that some more.

I need to train myself to not be afraid of larger and more 'function-free' work. I think that's one of my goals this year.

Inspiration Post #1

This is a collection of 'stuff' I found. I'm going to call it inspiration. Most of this is mokume gane, which I find amazingly interesting and unique. It's the practice of mixing, for lack of a better word, multiple types of metal together to create a woodgrain-esque appearance. I really enjoy it. I think it's amazing to make our own material because so often we just use something prefabricated or natural and never really work the material to be our own. I enjoy the organic aspects of the patterns and flow and juxtaposition with the inorganic metal.

Here are some photos and links.










artmetalsjewelry.com

mokume.com

First post

This is my test post. I like this blog, I just wish it had the ability to do extended posts... or maybe I'm just missing something?