between the fingers

In all my belly-aching and griping about the serpent ring, I failed to comment on it's most notable quality. Back when I used to do shows, one of the my fondest memories was that of selling a few of my pieces to those who happened to be blind. I consider this a real complement - if a piece does not feel right 'between the fingers', the piece is a failure. When judged within this criteria, the serpent ring is, in my opinion, a success. Looking at the ring, there may be some ambiguity as to it's meaning', it's function. When slid between the fingers, it is no longer a representation, the ancient serpent slides though your grasp.

I am closer to making some final products.

dissolve

This was intended to be a test study based on a favorite piece of music, however it became a victim or being born in the wrong place at the right time. This one came from a dark place - an unsustainable, frightening place.

Still hard to work with this one, but if it sells, it will gradually become a part of the enhanced white noise of the shop.

what to do

So it is time to look at the next silver pour and figure out what will be in there. The next casting pour will probably be a bit boring. There are a couple of new rings and one or two creepy pendants in design phase. (Most new items start as wax models.) The metal models will be cast in the next pour from the wax originals. The actual rings and pendants will be made from these metal models, so they will not be ready until the second metal casting session. A not very reliable guess is that brand new designs will be ready somewhere in February. Ugh, that seems forever, maybe I can find a project that can skip phase one, and be ready on the next pour. It always takes a bit to get your designing inertia back after Nov-Dec sales.

dissolve update

OK, so I have worked a couple of afternoons on the ring design. It is not going even close to what I expected. (Oddly enough, I have not listened to the cd while working on the ring - not sure why.) There is a strong discordant effect so far, it does not seem to belong to itself. The project was developed in a hypnagogic (un)reality - it is the coalesced substance of dreams. I am trying to avoid the impulse to 'wake it up', shifting it into an aesthetic conscientiousness.

I might be getting this one right.

dissolve

In 1998 Robert Rich released a collection of tracks entitled 'Seven Veils'. Here is a sample of the cd - the entire cd is this good - if you like it, do yourself a favor and purchase it. It ages very well. This cd is, in my opinion, one of the most profound and innovative collections in popular 'ethereal' music. I have to admit to not having heard all of R. Rich's music and collaborations, but compared to the other work I have heard, this cd has a different energy and sound - unique from anything I have ever heard. This cd is on a shortlist of medicines that can pull me in a creating space when all else fails. I have always wanted to do a work specifically themed to this soundtrack. As with all my favorite influences, I have yet to feel up to the project. I now think that I am ready to do a 'project-sketch' of the music. The attempt will be a ring entitled dissolve. Hopefully, a test for a more ambitious project in the future. Either that, or another lesson in the dangers of poking inspiration with a stick. We will see...

dr who

There are events in life that define our humanity - singular pivot points from which spring the threads of our future: the birth of a child, the death of a parent or spouse. For a nerd, there is no other singular, life-changing and magnificent event to compare with the release of the new 'Dr Who' episodes - from here we begin to understand our hero, we begin to shape our reality.

sandra arteaga

yes I know, her dolls are beyond wonderful. A link to her blog should get you started enjoying her work.