My Little PMC Bird House

There are a couple of Welcome Sparrows that live in my shed.  They come back every year.  It worries me that they keep building their mud nest in there 'cause when we go away... we have no choice but to lock it up.  But they come back again and again.  It doesn't seem to worry them.

Sometimes they even speak to us in their birdie way, whilst we're having breakfast on the back veranda... they come and swoop in to get our attention.

I know what they want and immediately go over and open the shed door for them and they shoot straight through.

Today, as I prepared to leave the farm for a luncheon-date with friends in town another friend came for a visit.

This time is was a two-metre long python snake that used to live in the old chook house that I demolished long ago.  I didn't like to demolish it but it had to go because it was falling down.

The carpet snake (python) used to live in that old chook house.  It was easy picking for it... when there were chooks and eggs.   I never did get to raise my chickens.  It turned out to be something on my wish list after moving out here.

However, I did get my rose garden.  That was short lived because the wallabies (mini kangaroos) loved them more than me.  It was impossible to keep the beautiful flowers on them because as soon as they came out... they were gone.  Who knew that wallabies loved roses so much.

So anyway, back to the python.  It crawled up under the pickup truck.  So driving that ute to town was not to be today.  I was more worried about it getting chopped up by the fan motor, than getting strangled, so I left it.

I hope that it's made it's way out.  And what about the welcome sparrow's nest?  I wonder if the babies will be safe from that snake.  Somehow,  I think they will be fine because it's a long way up there and I haven't seen a snake up on the rafters before; not in my shed anyway.

So what does this story have to do with these images?

Only that I was in the mood to build a bird house with PMC today.  Just got a little side tracked with the snake.

Anyhow, I think that I prefer the patina with the golds, blues, greens and purples that came out  in this piece.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONTEMPORARY CLAYS CLASS

I am now accepting expressions of interest for this class that will be offered towards the end of the year.

This one day class is designed to showcase the versatility of the three Contemporary Clays used in the CCIP Certification.

• Air Dry Clay (Makin's Clay ®)

• Polymer Clay (Sculpey – Premo!)

• Metal Clay (PMC – Precious Metal Clay)

The class focuses heavily on techniques: you will learn about the use of moulds, finishing your piece professionally, application of embellishments such as Pearlex Powders, construction and adhering your clay to other objects.

Three innovative projects will be covered allowing you to create components to assemble:

• Air Dry Clay – Raku Vase

• Polymer Clay – Journal or sketch book cover.

• Precious Metal Clay – PMC & Polymer Clay Earrings

This class also allows people who wish to enrol in the Contemporary Clay Instructors Program to have the work created in the Introduction Class credited towards the completion of the CCIP Certificate One.

Participants will receive a $100 credit off the price of Certificate One.

Materials student should bring: Pen/Pencil & Notebook (if you would like to take notes) and an Apron.

Includes most materials - you will need to supply a small A6 spiral notebook (approx 105 x 148mm). Plus a small bud vase - glass or porcelain 15cm high x 7cm base x 3cm mouth). This class includes instruction and written notes.

"Nirvana" the Second in a Series of Six

Here She Is

 Yep, she's a big one alright!  Definately a showpiece.  This is an Advanced Level Technique in PMC that I will be teaching in my Sydney Studio Apartment further down the track.



Sacred Heart "Nirvana"
Fine Silver with 4mm Cubic Zirconia
Measures: 2.3cmW x 1.8cmD x 4.2cmH
Weight: 19gms

 The second heart in the Series of Six.

 This one contains a crown of thorns over the body symbolising bondage and suffering which is evident on the surface of its breast; in the vein of a parched and encrusted wilderness.

This heart does not contain a flame, meaning that the suffering has terminated. She holds a three petal flower head on the crest signifying healing and within it is a jewel representing the presence of a precious existence.

To Wing it or Not to Wing it

Well here is the Spider Heart with a red flame that I riveted to it with copper wire.

I'm not so sure if I like the Faux Bone wings that it's sitting on. I had planned to attach the wings with rivets but now I don't know.

One thing that is putting me off is that the wings look a bit like antlers to me. That's not so sexy.

Another option is to use two-part epoxy but that would be a permanent bond. So if I were to use screws to attach the faux bone to the heart... it's easy to remove and then I have to work out a way to hang it.

So many decisions and so little time.

"Nirvana"

Nirvana - that is the name of my second heart in the Series of Six.

On my worktable is a heart that I have been working on today.  It's nearly complete.  This one contains a crown of thorns over the body symbolising bondage and suffering which is evident on the surface of its breast; in the vein of a parched and encrusted wilderness.

This heart does not contain a flame, meaning that the suffering has terminated.  When it’s complete it will hold a three petal flower head on the crest signifying healing and within it is a jewel representing the presence of a precious existence.



Nirvana

The reveal won't be long.  I'm just waiting to receive a delivery of metal clay safe cz's that I ordered from Jennifer Tattam at Metal Clay Australia yesterday.

Behold the Spider Heart

As you can see I've maintained the general shape of the heart... however, it decided that it wasn't to look like the sketch.

I'm okay with that; except that I'm not so sure about the patina.  I think I might clear it off and bring it back to shiny silver.

I'll still add the wings and flames though, 'cause I really like that idea.

Might sleep on it tonight. Who knows, I may feel differently about it in the morning.

Queen of Hearts

This is a pmc pendant that I made from some of my reconstituted slip pot.  Coated a layer of it onto the background. I will say that I really do like that moon dust affect.

This one weighs 13 grams. I wouldn't make a solid one this size again due to the costing. Next time I will do it as a hollow form. Sure weighs a lot. Definately not good for an earring.

Another thing that I would have done differently... is to have added a cz on the crown rather than the silver rosette, for a bit of flash.

I'm gonna enjoy wearing it though!

Ancient Tribal Bone

This bead is made with polymer clay and made to resemble carved bone. Ultra-fine layers of differently coloured clay make this pendant resemble the fine graining of real bone. A variety of tools is used to give an aged tribal look.

The fine silver band is handcrafted using a texturing tool and buffed with a steel brush to give it more of an aged feel.

This contains fine layers of a polymer clay cane that I made with a Fish Bone design that I created.

Length 6.8cm x Width 1.2cm (at it's widest).  Leather cord (4mm thick) with sterling silver findings.  Measures 53cm (21 inches). 

"Shattered"

This is a hollow form winged-heart bead with spikes and armour that I created a while ago.  I exhibited this bead with a pewter chain at the Bellingen Nexus Gallery and received fantastic praises.  I must say that it wasn't there for very long - in fact sold at the opening in only about 20 miuntes to a lovely couple that enjoy sharing their jewellery.

Lara Le Reveur, a fabulous artist and instructor said this about it- "I like the spikes and armour, and the wings create a positive aspect and I would like to think that the gap is so we can all see there is a way in past the defences!"

I acually wrote a poem in describing the meaning behind this art bead and it goes like this.

The wings of change now carry me through the tender chambers of my heart,

and they're telling me the time has come to finally leave the past behind.

Thank you thorns and thank you shield for your shelter, for now the healing has begun.

Primitive Sacred Heart

This piece is an influence from my Latin American culture.  I can recall images of the sacred heart during my childhood and while attending church services with my grandmother.   The Sacred Heart (also known as the Sacred Heart of Jesus) is one of the most famous religous devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love of Humanity.

I built this with PMC and Faux Bone.  The two pieces are fastened with copper tube rivets; so essentially the heart is floating on top of the Faux Bone which I painted with acrylic paints to give it the look of time worn timber. I roughed up the faux bone with a checkering file prior to applying the acrylic paints.

A fabulous invention by Robert Dancik:  "Faux Bone" is a new, user friendly, inexpensive and extremely versatile material. Faux Bone™ can be cut, and carved, sawn and sanded. It can be filed, hammered, polished, drilled, stamped, riveted, inlayed, dyed, and painted. It can look like ivory, have the patina of aged ceramic, be polished to a pure white, or, of course, look like bone".