If you have been following my work on instagram, flickr, twitter, or facebook, you have probably noticed that I've been working on a certain project for the past few months.

I often refer to this project as "The Commission."

Every year, the Oregon College of Art and Craft hosts a benefit auction, Art on the Vine, featuring art and wine. All of the proceeds go towards scholarships at the college, and every year, the college commissions students from various students to create artwork that will be auctioned off. Students must submit a proposal to the committee, which then whittles down the artists who will be chosen. We are given a materials budget, payment, and are guests at multiple events featuring the work, including the auction.

I was awarded the "Student Commission Award" for the metals department, and at once, set forth re-designing my proposal (as was requested). I designed a suite of five objects (seen above), from which the necklace and earring designs were chosen by the committee. They represent key elements of the Oregon landscape--trees, mountains, and water--and are highly abstracted, as is part of my style, but also an inspiration from Pendleton Woolen Mills, which has been a part of my life and family since I was young (my father was a cowboy-turned-lawyer, and my stepdad was a hunter). 

I have been working steadily on this project, and am nearing completion. It's due next week! Part of me is excited to see it done, and another part is sad to let it go. I'll be glad to see the set go to a good home, though.

Keep tuned for more pictures of the final pieces!

 Constructing the walls of the box

Last week, as some of you may have seen, I created a handmade box for my Book and Box Structures class at OCAC.  This week we will be moving on to book binding practices, but I have to say, I absolutely LOVE making boxes.  The techniques tie in beautifully with my love of fabrication, and I find the process very rewarding.  It is much quicker than creating boxes out of metal, and I get to use beautiful book cloth and papers of various textures and colors.  I have always been fascinated by beautiful fabric and papers...the colors, textures, and patterns make my heart flutter, so getting to use them is very exciting!  

This last week, we learned how to make paste papers for covering books, which was really fun.  There were some really interesting Indian fabric stamps made from wood that were great for creating patterns on the paper.  I hope they turn out nicely!

In other adventures, the kitties have been struggling with all the changes going on around here, what with the wedding (and all the supplies for it being around), people coming and going, multiple house guests, and then both Dave and my schedules changing so drastically that neither of us are home during the day.  Sammy and Amber have been showing their dislike the only way they know how...by peeing on things they're not supposed to.  So, after a nice visit to the vet to make sure there was nothing medically wrong, we learn it is all behavioral and are now making changes to try and appease the babies and reduce the bad behavior.  Wish us luck!

 Sammy playing with his new toy, attached to our front door

I am consistently telling parents about their kids, "This is a phase," which most behaviors in children are.  So now, I hope that with our cats, this is a phase.

Drawings for the drilling on the backs of the Thorn Brooches

Always test your ideas in Copper before moving on to Sterling!  Especially with Silver being so expensive.

 

Amber acted as Studio Helper today, keeping an eye out for visitors and being cute and chatty.

The drawing for the smallest brooch has been glued onto Sterling Silver, which has then been taped onto plywood for drilling. 

I have to say, things are coming along nicely for the brooches, which is very exciting.  Hopefully there will be another video soon!

Sweet dreams!  xoxo