Well, the work all seems to be done with a crazy flurry of activity right up until the very end. I have included images of the last two works — am still mentally processing its meaning.
This body of work, titled Limena (including works-Limen, Unknowable, Niche, Repair, Spectacle), uses commercially made ceramic decals made from photographs I shot that describes limenal spaces or the spaces that exist in between. These thresholds serves as a metaphor for transformation-a crossing over from one state to the next.
I am finally starting to finish this work! I apologize for the poor quality photos. There is no time to stop and fuss. In the next entry, I will post the last pieces and sort out some of my thinking about this new work.
In response to Melissa’s comment about embedding the finding for an enameled piece, I thought I would add a few images as to how I do this for welding, then enameling. I am trying something new and this is how I do it.
First, of course, I fabricate the pin back finding. For a vertical piece I use a “barrette” style pin back. After I make the findings, I hard or IT solder wires into tiny holes that I have drilled into the back of the findings. In some cases, I use pins that go through form front to back to avoid soldering that could melt during enameling process. I then feed the wires through matching holes that I have drilled into the back of the brooch before welding. Before I do that, I chase a seat for the finding so that there is a place for it to rest and a place for the enamel to pool around the finding.
I then turn over the piece so that the wires are exposed and with a mini torch, I ball up the wires until they lay flush with the interior surface. I then weld the two halves together and enamel. The most difficult part of this is to weld the copper without melting the silver findings as the melt temperatures between silver and copper are so different.
placing findings before attaching
balled up wires on the interior before welding
exterior with findings before welding
front of brooch after welding
front of brooch after enameling and before etching
brooch, before welding-how to protect findings
findings after welding
front of brooch after welding
front of brooch after enaneling and before etchingback of brooch with findings-before clean-up and etching
I am Kathleen Browne, head of Jewelry/Metals/Enameling at Kent State University in Kent, OH and am excited about participating in Heat Exchange and am ready to jump into this with some images of my progress.
I have been working with hand-screened enamel decals for about 12 years (a process I learned at the Centre for Fine Print Research at UWE in Bristol-Thanks, Elizabeth!). Photography has been at the center of my practice for many years and decals made from my own photographs or from appropriated photos seemed to just make sense.
Below are a couple of images form the “Daily Confidential” series.
Court Date Corsage 2006
Lucky 2005
After completing the “Rhinestone” series ( 2 images below) in 2010, I decided to take a break and work on some new ideas-break away from the jewelry conventions I always used in my work.
Multi-Drop Necklace 2010
Green Wreath 2008
I had been teaching students how to weld copper for years –every since we had Deb Lozier in for a workshop- but I had never really done anything with the process for my own work.
I took the opportunity while participating in last fall’s exhibition, “Surface and Substance” (curated by Jessica Turrell) to produce some work that marked a turn in my practice.
Links 2011
This small body of work titled, Treasure, was a response to a beautiful collection of 19th and early 20th century jewelry that was discovered after the passing of one of the members of my family. As I researched the jewelry and its history, I uncover filial relationships and family milestones that were marked by the giving of jewelry. I photographed a number of these jewels and converted them to enamel decals. These “jewel” images sit of the surfaces of organic “fleshy” forms, I have created, like a mark or tattoo on the body in the same way that family history marks and shapes who we are.
Links (detail)Rondelles 2011
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Spiral Chain 2011
Hooks 2011
Hooks (detail)
I see this work as transitional and the work that I am making for Heat Exchange marks a new approach to the photo for me.
For “Heat Exchange” I have had commercial decals made from some of my photographs. This provides a very detailed and colorful image. I am struggling a bit with their “exactness” and detail but the challenge is very invigorating.
Here are some preliminary images of the works in progress. I will start welding this week. One of the hardest bits of problem solving has been how to build the pin finding structures into the pieces before I weld them!
