It was time. After seventeen years, I finally got back to Europe, this time, to Italy. My old college chum (nicknamed Fuzz) and I took a week long jaunt in Tuscany and the Venice. My interest in architectural detail resulted in the taking of 960 photographs, which I have whittled all the way down to 954. Will these details resurface in my metal work? Stay tuned...
I really enjoy making heraldic jewelry. I've just completed this piece for a nice woman to give to her husband. They have a tightly knit family and I'm sure that he will wear it with pride.
After a bit more smoothing with the chasing tools, this will be ready for coloring in a bath of salts. The background will be a deep olive, The squids will be bright white and subdued brown. Their eyes will be bright. Now to make the rest of the pendant!
Here you can see the rough carving of the silver and copper squid. They are applied to the shibuichi background.
Several hours shows some nice progress.
a few thousand taps with a specially made set of tools will bring the surfaces up nicely. A little engraving adds depth to the watery background.
Difficult to see are the inlayed gold and silver eyes in the swimmers.
I can't get over how beautifully made these knives are. They are truly bling for men. The first one in our collection just left for it's new home in the pocket of a Gentleman.
The Cape Cod Wahines... a women's watersport club on the Cape, has been asking me for years to make a kite boarding charm, because none seem to exist. Well I have been thinking about it for years, but I haven't come up with a kite and board combination that I like. I began thinking about the nature of the Wahines and their great spirit of togetherness. I suddenly saw the solution in showing the kites alone, cruising along together, just a couple of friends on a windy afternoon. Hence, the Kiting Friends charm.
We have been selected to show the artistic knives made in the William Henry Studio in Oregon. I have about twelve superb pocket knives and a couple of pens made by this award winning studio. These are truly adornment for men. I've always thought that a fellow isn't dressed unless he has his pocket knife with him. William Henry knives range from fairly conservative to rich with ornamental metalwork. They are priced from around $400 to $1500 and are always made in small editions to keep collectors on their toes. I highly reccomend stopping in for a look at these top of the line gifts for men!
The latest dog portrait is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I think the dachshund will be next.
My wife, Barb, creates some very interesting pieces. This octopus has a pearl for a head. She made one covered in diamonds once. I wish i had a picture of it.
