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RECENT HAPPENINGS
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Niobium Workshop – An ADC Workshop taught by Bill Seeley
The first weekend of December featured a workshop at the Randolph
Center Jewelry Studio taught by Bill Seeley on anodizing reactive
metals. Bill is the founder and owner of Reactive Metals Studio,
Inc. ( reactivemetals.com ). located in Cottonwood, AZ. On Friday
evening preceding the workshop, he presented a slide show outlining
his professional background that began with a degree in theater
arts from Michigan State University. After working in theater for
several years he became interested in jewelry and went to the University
of Kansas where he wrote his thesis, “Studio Preparation and
Coloring of Titanium”, and received his Master of Arts in Fine
Arts. His slide show included many examples of various techniques
he employed in anodizing reactive metals. After the slide show he
whetted our appetites for the weekend class with a demonstration
using the SMT Micro Anodizer to color pieces of niobium.
On Saturday he introduced the class to the SMT Micro Anodizer and
explained that it is a direct current (DC) power supply with precision
voltage control and digital voltage and current meters. He discussed
the various members in the reactive metals list including titanium,
tantalum, niobium, zirconium and molybdenum. He explained that coloring
reactive metals does not involve any pigments or other coloring
of the surface. The anodizing process forms a layer 500 to 1000
angstroms thick (1 angstrom = 1/100,000,000 cm) of transparent oxide
on the surface of the metal. The color comes from interference patterns
caused when the light reflected from the surface of the metal combines
with the light reflected from the surface of the transparent oxide.
He showed how different colors can be achieved by using different
voltage levels to control the thickness of the layer of metal oxide.
He also showed that the current controls the speed of the anodizing
reaction. He discussed the various materials that can be used to
mask the surface of the work piece including a special transparent
electrically resistive tape, transparent fingernail polish and PNP
Blue image transfer and demonstrated how to use masks to create
a color chart. He noted that the oxide layer will wear off and should
not be buffed.
He discussed safety issues when working with the anodizer and cautioned
that rubber gloves should always be used and that the voltage should
be turned all the way down before turning the anodizer off. He discussed
two techniques for anodizing. With the first method, bath anodizing,
a titanium or stainless steel cathode is immersed in a bath that
contains the electrolyte and is then connected to the negative terminal
of the anodizer. He noted that almost any liquid that will conduct
electricity, such as soapy water, can be used as the electrolyte.
The work piece is attached to the positive terminal of the anodizer
and immersed in the electrolyte. The voltage is then raised to achieve
the desired color. This method is generally used to produce one-color
pieces. The other method is anode painting where a sponge, plant
fiber, paintbrush or almost any absorbent material is connected
to the negative terminal, dipped in the electrolyte and used to
paint the surface of the work piece that is connected to the positive
terminal. He cautioned that any other metals that may come in contact
with the anode should be covered with electric tape to prevent a
short circuit. We then had the opportunity for hands-on experience
working with the anodizer, using the techniques that Bill had demonstrated,
to create our own color chart.
On Sunday, Bill showed a titanium vase that had been spun on a
lathe and then anodized. He also showed samples of other reactive
metals and alloys that are sold by Reactive Metals Studio. We then
had more opportunity for hands-on experience using the material
in the class kit to create anodized pieces of our own to use for
earrings, pins or other jewelry components. During the rest of the
day Bill gave us an occasional break from our work by demonstrating
painting a landscape using a pad and clouds using a paintbrush.
He also demonstrated using the bath technique to create a rainbow
of colors on a piece of niobium.
By the end of the day a tired group of metal workers had learned
the basics of a new technique and created some jewelry and raw material
to wow our friends. Thank you Bill for a marvelous weekend.
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Enameling on PMC – An ADC Workshop taught by
CeCe Wire
On the weekend of November 10 – 11 CeCe Wire taught the introductory
workshop, Enameling on Precious Metal Clay (PMC) at the Randolph
Center Jewelry Studio. CeCe is a jewelry artist and metalsmith who
lives in Fort Collins Colorado. She earned a BFA from Kutztown University
in Kutztown, PA and a MFA from The University of Northern Colorado
where she is currently an instructor of metalsmithing, jewelry and
design classes. She was the Director of the PMC Guild for five years
and has been teaching PMC classes and workshops worldwide since
1997. She is the author of Creative Metal Clay Jewelry: Techniques,
Projects, Inspiration published in 2003 and the recently published
New Directions in Metal Clay: 25 Creative Jewelry Projects.
On Friday evening, November 9, CeCe prefaced her workshop with
a Visiting Artist Lecture Series photo slide show that featured
a series of pieces inspired by the moon and created using PMC and
traditional metals. There are twenty-nine pieces in the series,
one for each day of the lunar cycle. She also showed a number of
pieces depicting the barns and silos that provide her with landmarks
in the region near her home in Fort Collins, Colorado.
On Saturday, the first day of the workshop, CeCe showed the students
how to use PMC to create a pair of Kamikaze earrings. She calls
the earrings Kamikaze because the design is simple, easy and quick
to create. She also showed us how to carve a stamp from a polymer
eraser and to use the stamp to design and create a stamped pendant
in PMC. She showed the students how to prepare the bail for the
pendant and how to set a stone with PMC. Students also had the opportunity
to create small PMC pieces for use in preparing color samples of
enamel. All of the pieces were fired in preparation for enameling
on the second day of the workshop.
On Sunday, CeCe discussed the methods for preparing the fired PMC
pieces for enameling. She demonstrated two basic enameling types.
The Basse Taille technique uses transparent enamel colors to allow
the texture of the piece to show through the color. This was done
by sifting the enamel over the textured piece and then firing in
the kiln. Champlevé is an inlay of enamel color exercising
the use of negative and positive space. The stamped pendant from
Saturday was enameled using this method. The depression made by
the stamp was filled with a wet pack of enamel. The enamel was then
allowed to dry before firing. Since enameling results depend on
many variables, the small PMC pieces that were made the day before
were used to experiment with how the colors react with PMC.
At the end of the weekend each lucky student had a pair of textured
and enameled earrings and a small pendant with their choice of color
enamel inlay. This very informative workshop created a desire to
experiment and learn more about enameling, not only with PMC, but
also with other metals. Thank you CeCe for a very interesting and
enjoyable weekend.
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FALL 2008 SLIDE SLAM & POT LUCK HOSTED BY SALI & MURRAY KATZ
– October 18th, 2007
Regarding our hosts, Sali joined ADC in the 1980s after she graduated
from the UofA earning an M.S degree. Her BFA from University of
New Mexico was in Jewelry and Ceramics. She studied Interior Design
specializing in Historical Restoration leading her to author Hispanic
Furniture (Architectural Press, Stanford, Conn. 1986). Sali has
been a self-proclaimed “groupie” taking both ADC and City
workshops with Eleanor Moty, Charles Lewton-Brain, Philip Fike and
many others. In Fike’s Hair Ornament & Fastener Workshop
Sali make a whimsical mustache comb for her Husband, Murray, who
is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychology with the UofA
and also a Clinical Physician at the VA specializing in Nephrology.
Together the are consummate collectors of Folk Art, masks from
Mexico, New Guinea, Indonesia, Africa and China, miniatures, locks,
horse tack, movie posters, bottles, kitchen gadgets and cats, reflected
in every space in their home.
The Katz’s provided the perfect setting for ADC South’s
fall gathering and sharing of artworks in 3D and via slide representation.
The fare included clay work, glass, wood, metalwork, jewelry and
multi-media works. Founding member, Rose Cabat, brought several
of her “Feelies” and a book of her retrospective works.
You can see her work in the Leech Collection currently on exhibit
at Tucson Museum of Art. Marcy Wrenn, Jan Bell and other potters
also showed clay work: Marcy’s beautifully painted plates and
Jan’s textural vessels. Ed Hill brought his new soon to be
published booklet showing his unique huge wood vessels and the process
by which it is made. Pat Glover, Connie Harmon and Chris Eggers
talked about their passion for their “warm” glass works.
Chris also showed his turned wooden bowl. Wendy Holloway, a metal
smith and her Husband, a potter, announced their new gallery opening.
Ruth Bollerud showed her precious metal clay metalwork and Noelle
Newton showed her amazing fabricated sterling dragon with plique-a-jour
wings. Lastly, the Slide Slam began with Mark Ramsour’s metalwork
and ended with Barbara Brandel’s new work of fanciful collage
with postage stamps, clothing and other mixed media. Mark announced
that next year’s slide slam would go digital.
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"AUTOMATA" Power Point PRESENTATION by
MICHAEL CROFT
SACA/ADC MEETING "Under the Stars" Thursday, May 4, 2007
Hosted by Marcy & Bob Wrenn
Paul Spooner's automata: Manet's Olympia
The annual SACA/ADC meeting hosted by Marcy & Bob Wrenn was
well attended by an estimated 80 members of both sister organizations.
ADC South President Maureen Brusa Zappellini began the meeting with
updates about the Tohono Chul Show and a call for volunteers followed
by welcome and introductions by gracious hosts Marcy and Bob Wrenn.
Our esteemed speaker University of Arizona Art Professor Emeritus
Michael Croft is an aficionado of AUTOMATA.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, AUTOMATA is the plural of
Automaton, referring to a self-operating machine. It comes from
the Greek word "automatos", "acting of one's own
will, self-moving bowels" frequently resembling human or animal
actions such as the jacks on old striking clocks, or the cuckoo
and any other animated figures on a cuckoo clock.
Automata from Ancient Greece, especially from the island of Rhodes
were intended to demonstrate the scientific principles on mechanics,
hydraulics and pneumatics manifested by toy fire engines and steam-powered
and other complex mechanical devices. Other countries including
ancient China and medieval Persia have curious accounts of robotic
automata. Leonardo da Vinci 1495 sketches of complex robotic automaton
were uncovered in the 1950s. This robot would have been able to
sit up, swing its arms and rotate its head. During the Renaissance
there was a revival of interest in automata. European goldsmiths
influenced by translations of works on mechanical engineering from
the ancient Greece, created fanciful clockwork automata in the sixteenth
century purchased and commissioned for royal courts' "cabinets
of curiosities". By seventeenth-century France automata reached
a peak with Descartes' evolution into use of cogs, pistons and cams
producing sophisticatedly engineered toys. It is said that these
toys inspired the making of the prototypes for the engines for the
industrial revolution. The period 1860 to 1910 is known as "the
Golden Age of Automata". The main French family based companies
known for their fine automata were Vichy, Roullet & Decamps,
Lambert, Phalibois, Renou and Bontems. At the beginning of Michael's
presentation he showed a doll, a remarkable automaton created by
a Swiss mechanician, Henri Maillardet, which drew a portrait. Maillardet's
automaton belongs to the collection at the Franklin Institute Science
Museum in Philadelphia.
Michael covered the contemporary phenomena of automata governed
by the cam, the cog and the spring chiefly represented by the works
of Caberet Mechanical Theatre in the U.K. in Covent Garden founded
by Sue Jackson in 1979 originally in Falmouth, Cornwall featuring
Peter Markey's wave machine. With the arrival of Paul Spooner's
greatly desirable innovative works (known for his carved model of
Manet's reclining nude Olympia with a jackal-headed figure shakily
serving her Camp coffee) came the change of location and the moniker.
By May, 1983 the customers were happily charged to crank to life
these unique and humorous automata. Other artists joined in expanding
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre -Ron Fuller (best known for his sheep
shearing a shearer's head off) Richard Windley, Tim Hunkin (white
coated Chiropodist inspecting your inserted stockinged foot causing
you to scream) and Michael Howard, Keith Newstead (known for his
"Domestic Bliss" Sprogett's daily breakfast-time row in
a bathtub of spaghetti).Eventually, they outgrew their space and
evolved into selling through a web site, having exhibitions in Japan
and Europe and the U.S. involving larger scale work but still maintain
the preferences of Sue Jackson - "eccentricity, a wry sense
of humor and a slightly skewed way of looking at the world".
Automata are a hot commodity at Sotheby with American and Japanese
buyers in the lead of the pursuit. To learn more about automata
visit the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre at www.cabaret.co.uk
Michael Croft will be teaching a workshop for ADC in 2008. Visit
www.ADCSouth.org to find out when.
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