Thursday, August 7, 2008

Bamboo with Gold, and 18 kt Gold

Bamboo with Gold -
Ok, then... above is a first try of a new form. I'm calling this biobangle "Bamboo 1". I have to say, as much as I like the shape... it was a nightmare to make. Will I try again? Yeah... probably. I've always been fond of banging my head against the wall.

18 kt Gold -
Cynthia Tinapple's post today on Polymer Clay Daily, featured the work of a couple of amazing women artists - Kathleen Dustin and Laura Balombini. Both are Golden Girls for me... the best of the best of women artists. Well worth a look see.

Cynthia also included a list (by way of Elise Winters) of what it takes to make an 18 kt ring. I had no idea how toxic precious metal could be. It totally makes me feel better about messing around with polymer clay. (I'm always looking for ways to feel better about working with plastic... call it Protestant guilt.)

And finally...
...as a little treat for you folks who have a sardonic sense of humor... check out this interview with Randy Newman, singer/songwriter and all around heroic mocker of all things wrong and... well... mockable. And no, this has nothing to do with gold... unless, of course, this latest Newman album sells enough that it turns gold. (For those from away, that means... er... well... I'm not sure what it means... just that you have to sell a whole bunch of albums... um, excuse me, CD's... and then you get a plaque to put on your wall, with a gold colored album - CD - on it, and the plaque says how you've sold the... um, well, the number of CD's you need to... aw, heck. You get the idea.)

Tomorrow(ish)? Thoughts on the Golden Ratio.

7 comments:

Kim Cavender said...

Do you realize that I can't see a bangle of any kind without thinking of you (a good thing, btw!)? I've been so fascinated to see the evolution of these. I can't even say that one is better than the other. They're all wonderful in their own way. I can tell by looking at your work that you enjoy every second you put into these pieces. You know I have no real authority (other than the teeny bit my kids still acknowledge) but, if I did, I would award you the title of Queen of the Bangles, bio and otherwise!

Raven's Clay said...

Zounds, woman! You're making me blush. Stop that! But hey, I know you're lying, 'cause everybody knows teenage boys never give their moms an ounce of authority - so you must be lying about the whole thing. ;P

Seriously, Kim... you are waaaay too kind, my friend. But yeah, I am really enjoying myself. So much so that I have about a million bangles waiting for a good hard sanding. Pft. Gawd, I do love to sand! ;)

Bettina Welker said...

holy cow! I'm really speechless....your muse is really hard working these days (as I bet you are as well finishing the outcome of that collaboration...*lol*)
I second Kim's post , you're definitely the bangle queen, my dear

besos
Bettina

Anonymous said...

Hey Melanie,
Kim nudged me and WOW! I love the new bangle - didn't think I could love something more than the bangle before it - but I have felt that way with each successive one. You ARE the queen of bangles. I'm thinking next time we are racing down the hill, chair by chair, I'll put on my brakes (newly fitted for just the occasion) and run back up and swipe them all! - One word...NICHE!

Anonymous said...

Melanie- it's beautiful. I have a feeling you'll sail up the learning curve and before it gets too easy you'll be on to something else. Keep on going, Girl! I love what you're doing!

Loretta Lam said...

wow again Melanie.
and I'm with Judy B. Have you filled out your NICHE app. for this year. It's due Aug. 31st so to it girl.
You're on a roll!!!

Raven's Clay said...

Bettina, Judy, Martha and Loretta! How wonder that you gals came to visit! Thank you so much for your encouraging words... The feedback I've been getting on my recent work has been so positive that I'm inspired to keep going.

So far as NICHE (at first I thought Judy was talking about the German philosopher)... I've already submitted this piece to the NPCG Progress and Possibilities, which requires that you don't submit it to any other competition. Ah well. Perhaps I'll come up with something else before the 30th. ;)

Thanks again, ladies! All you folks are awesome!