Sometimes, often in October, more on weekends than weekdays, i feel like a gerbil trapped in a man's body.

pearl pod ring

Over a year past due, and millions of dollars over-budget, the pearl pod ring is now a reality. I wanted this to match the pod pendant and earrings as close as possible. It took coming up with several new techniques, and a few molds to get to where I wanted to be. The overall look is about what I imagined.

onyx pod earrings

Onyx pod earrings are done now. The naked stones had been sitting at my computer desk, staring at me for some time. It is nice to have an actual socket to poke them into. The earrings turned out very close to what I had initially imagined. I had originally intended for the upper part to have a larger loop, but became concerned about structural problems and the ever-present weight issue with earrings. I estimated they would be just over 3 grams when finished, they came in under that at 2.6 grams, which is better than expected.

I was also concerned about being able to clean up the sprue connection. (That is the stick of metal attached to the earring once it has been cast.) The sprue was connected on the left side where the earring begins to loop. Using a couple of specialized hammer setting attachments, I was able to duplicate the texture of the metal enough so it does not look like a patch job.

The onyx bullets taper from the very top, so the silver setting has a grip on the stone. This satisfied my 'never rely on glue to hold a stone in place' policy.

whisper of the heart

Watched Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo sumaseba) this evening. I have watched more than my share of movies targeting a young audience, but this movie was the first I can recall that dealt seriously and accurately with the creative process. It is a gentle, moderately paced story about first love, and first honest looks at oneself.

a woolf's thoughts on dostoevsky

"The novels of Dostoevsky are seething whirlpools, gyrating sandstorms, waterspouts which hiss and boil and suck us in. They are composed purely and wholly of the stuff of the soul. Against our wills we are drawn in, whirled round, blinded, suffocated, and at the same time filled with a giddy rapture. Out of Shakespeare there is no more exciting reading."

From the essay 'The Russian Point of View' by Virginia Woolf (The Common Reader)

framing a better tomorrow through social change

I convinced the Eugene Public Library to acknowledge the existence in Robert Walser's book, Jakob Von Gunten. They have not yet purchased the book, nor have they promised to, nor are they likely to do so, but they have acknowledged in their database that the book exists. This is my greatest, most profound effect on society to date. I feel more powerful than I have ever felt before.

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"One learns very little here, there is a shortage of teachers, and none of us boys of the Institute Benjamenta will come to anything, that is to say, we shall all be something very small and subordinate later in life. The instruction we enjoy consists mainly in impressing patience and obedience upon ourselves, two qualities that promise little success, or none at all."

from 'Jakob Von Gunten' by Robert Walser

embracing chaos

I spent the better part of a pointless Friday lamenting flaws in a sterling silver jewelry pour.
(Several days are spent producing the wax models, then the wax is replaced with molten silver, thus the term 'lost wax' casting.)

This reluctance to 'accept' - the inability to follow the logical path from where I am, to where I want to be - is possibly my most obvious character flaw. With this work it is difficult at times to discern between success and failure. Relinquishing control and letting the work 'happen' is the most difficult thing I have ever attempted. Each time I over-estimate my control over the metal, it makes a complete fool of me.

sheets of empty canvas
untouched sheets of clay
were laid spread out before me

i found something

A rhythm. That is what is lost so easily in the shop. Too many directions and papers, and need five of this and five of that - leering and pulling the strength from my limbs. So I toss stems and pieces, collect at least three types of wax that attract and repulse each other, draw a hot blade over the surface - the wax pours warm - time disappears, all is OK.