Who is left to connect me… Patina

I decided to assemble Who Is Left… and then patina the bronze safety pins and welding rod. I am hoping for the addition of a weeping green, but the wool limits what I can use.

The patina is a solution of dissolved kosher salt in white vinegar.

I folded and rolled the piece in the solution. Then hung it to drip dry.

Who Is Left Vinegar and Salt Patina

Who Is Left Vinegar and Salt Patina

Who Is Left Vinegar and Salt Patina

Who Is Left Vinegar and Salt Patina

Bronze Dagger, Vinegar and Salt Patina Used on Upper Portion


This is a fun little piece that has been on the wall of my studio for several years. It is part of my Cleanse Your Palate series.

Soap Cup

The series is based on negative words and the punishment of washing out your mouth with soap.

I made cups of dried plant materials and fiber. Made silicone molds of the cups.

A clove glycerin soap cup was pulled from each mold.

The wood used for the shelf is from an old garden swing. I carried the wood around for a decade before it found a home in the cup series. The oxidized wire was found in my dad’s shop. Perhaps I learned to save everything, just in case, for some day, from my dad.

A few pieces from the series can be seen on my website, Girl Artist.


Work in Progress–Mom Penny Memorial

The memorial piece will have a penny dated for each year of my mother’s life.

I have a stash of pennies, but did not have one for each year from 1930 to 2018. Found a coin shop in town that had reasonably priced pennies to complete the piece.

Stacks of pennies

Interesting that 1943 is a steel penny.

1943 Steel Penny

Memorial

Loom Knitting Pleated Pattern with Undyed Wool

Memorial

Today will have completed 35 rows of 89 rows for the pennies. Will need to knit a bit more for overlap.

When the loom knitting is done, the pennies attached, and important years indicated, a box will be made of cedar as a home for the memorial piece.

Previous Penny Project Post

Tim 50th Birthday

Normally I would work all day to complete a project. But I have to limit my (repetitive) working time to five rows per day. I had surgery on my hand in June, with some working too much too soon complications. Developed scar tissue with extreme sensitivity. Still working to gain back finger strength and manual dexterity.

Dash enjoyed helping with my favorite desensitizing therapy.

Desensitizing Therapy


Amazingly Beautiful Naturally Occurring Bronze Patina

Now I know how to achieve gorgeous textural surfaces on bronze. You must submerge the piece in the ocean for centuries!

Bronze Antikythera Shipwreck Arm

When I saw the images of the bronze arm found during the archaeological expedition of the Antikythera Shipwreck, it reminded me of my research to create thick textural surfaces on bronze.

Detail

Antikythera Shipwreck Expedition, Detail of the Hand

I buried my bronze pieces with sodium mixtures and chemicals. I applied chemicals to my pieces and then set them on fire. I saturated burlap with chemicals, wrapped it around my pieces, then enclosed work in a plastic container. I applied low-fire ceramic glazes to bronze pieces and then fired them. And I did a combination.

Bronze Bowl Detail

This is a detail of a little bronze bowl that was bound with wire.
I applied Egyptian paste, low-fire glazes, and the lot was fired hot enough for
paste and glaze to mature, but not hot enough for the bronze and steel wire to become molten.

Egyptian paste is a self-glazing clay body. I have used it in a variety of ways, even as a self-glazing spackle when something needs to be filled.

Egyptian Past Vessel

Hardware cloth formed into a vessel and held in place with nails. Egyptian paste was applied and the lot was fired. The pink color is the result of the addition of red iron oxide added to the paste dry batch.


Post of Eroded Contours
My series that combined ceramic and bronze processes.



Antikythera Shipwreck Excavation

It appears that the Antikythera Shipwreck excavation photos I used in my post were taken by Brett Seymour/EUA/ARGO.

Found: A Giant Bronze Arm From the Antikythera Shipwreck

Antikythera shipwreck yields statue pieces and mystery bronze disc

Greece Ministry of Culture and Sports