Off to South Wales to the beautiful National Trust Tredegar House for Made by Hand Wales. 30th November – 2 December.
Then the following Saturday, 8th December will be at St Barnabus Church Hall in Dulwich London for the December Dulwich Craft Fair.
On 15 December back to the studio for one day opening. High Copse Farm, Hyde End Road, Shinfield RG2 9ES. 11am – 4pm. Sue Mundy Ceramics and Tom Cartmill paintings will also be open that day.
I spent the last couple of days sawing out tiny flowers in silver
Hand sawn tiny silver flowers
Silver flowers
I then cut out more shapes, hearts, squares and made little bobbles, added textured details with stamping tools and soldered posts and wires onto the back
flowers on charcoal block after soldering
These were then cleaned up, filed, sanded and polished and by the end of today I had a good collection ready to send out to Galleries for Christmas shows.
tiny silver studs and hook earrings
I was invited to take part on a research project into the making process. The idea was to change one’s habitual making process to encourage new outcomes. On the morning that I had decided to carry out the project I cycled to the studio and on the way took this photo – I knew that this was going to be the source of my design for the project.
Once at the studio I did a quick sketch of a brooch that was going to be my intended outcome for the project:
The project involved using one of two dice – one was tools and the other processes, they came as laser cut wood sheets with the dice faces having words on them that would instruct either a tool to be used or a process, not wanting to have to file or drill for half an hour I chose the process die.
I started off with a piece of britannia silver, assembled the dice and got ready to do as I was told! The instructions said that I had to carry out the process that the dice instructed for 15-30 minutes.
The assembled dice
The first instruction was divide – I didn’t want to cut it up my lovely piece of silver, so set about dividing it up into sections roughly along the lines of my drawing. I spent ten minutes indenting the silver by hammering steel wire into the surface and then used a saw to make further divisions.
I rolled again and was happy to see “texture”, which I did by hammering, roll printing and using stamps, referring to my original drawing. I use these techniques in my work, but not usually to this extent. It felt strange to have to carry on texturing once I would naturally have finished.
The next time I rolled the dice said “embellish”, now I was really happy, I pieced out the flowers, soldered them on, bobbled the ends of some fine silver wire, shaped them and fused them to make the umbel flower, added gold by the keum boo technique and drilled a hole to add the pearl, I was totally absorbed in this and knew I would have to work quickly – all this and embellishment took 29 minutes.
The picture here is with the embellishments added before cleaning with pickle. One of the corners where I had pierced a line had come apart at this stage.
Luckily my next instruction was “Add” – so the corner went back on and I soldered a little plate onto the back to reinforce another pierced line.
This was the end of the process die telling me what to do. I was allowed a further 30 minutes to finish off the piece. I shaped the brooch by hammering it with a mallet on an anvil, made a fitting for the back, oxidised it, polished it and added the pearl.
Brooch – Britannia silver, gold and fine silver embellishments
This project is part of a research degree being undertaken by Rebecca Steiner, if you would like to find out more about her projects visit www.workshopbee.blogspot.com
Its May already and a quick update since my last post. In April I attend one of my favourite shows, The British Craft Trade Fair. It was at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and it is where the galleries and independent shops come and do their shopping. The show was busy and as a result new work has just been sent off to The Lion Gallery Leominster, The Beehive Gallery Glamorgan, Wilkinsons Jewellers Sleaford, Cordelia James Rye, Bumblebee Glasgow and I have more orders to finish.
These earrings along with other new pieces have been sent to The Lion gallery in Leominster.
Now We’re busy getting reading for the may Open Studio event. My studio will be open Fridays 11, 18, 25 and Saturdays 12, 19 and 26, 11am – 5pm.
I am getting ready to exhibit at The Country Living show 21-25 March 2012. It’s at the Business Design Centre in Islington London. My stand is G19, this is upstairs in a room off the gallery area.
I have some free tickets for the show, some for the gala evening on Wednesday 21 March and some others that are valid for the whole show. If you would like the chance to have one on please email me at enquiries@cathynewellprice.co.uk saying which ticket you would like.
Website for Cathy Newell Price Jewellery
Busy getting ready finishing off pieces for the show and tidying up the displays. Only two days to go before the opening.
Website for Cathy Newell Price Jewellery
Two down and four to go! Last weekend I exhibited at the Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair at the Courtyard Arts Centre. Its was a fantastic show, well organised and very well attended. I showed new work and a lovely person bought one of my favourite pieces, the Flower Bomb Necklace pictured.
This weekend coming up ( 26 and 27 November) I am exhibiting at the South Hill Park Craft and Design Fair in Bracknell. You will find me at stand 63 in the Bracknell Gallery.
Website for Cathy Newell Price Jewellery.
Been really busy getting ready for the christmas rush, but also have had some special commissions. Just finishes this necklace in 18ct white and yellow gold, with a special dark pearl. beautifully photographed by Keith Leighton.
Yesterday I went up to the V&A to the “Inspired By” competition awards. This annual competition is run for adults in part time courses to create a piece of artwork based on an object in the V&A. Sharon Betts, a student at Maiden Erlegh Community Arts Jewellery Class had one of her pieces of jewellery selected for show in the exhibition.
Sharon Betts with her certificate at the V&A
Sharon's piece on display at the V&A
Cathy Newell Price Jewellery 