Creating Beauty

Here's a photo that I've manipulated in PhotoShop in preparation for printmaking class tomorrow. I tried this photo already but it didn't work out. There were too many dark areas and the process created great big open bites that hold ink and make it very difficult to print. So I've worked on it some more and printed it again. I think it will be better. I hope so. I have others as well if this one doesn't work. I'd like to have a series of four photo etchings of Spanish Village. I have three already, so I'm close. That will give me one series of pieces. I have another started, but the third isn't progressing very well. I just have to keep working at it. And I'll try to have more plates ready by the time the class begins again in late January. In the meantime, we have several more weeks to go before the break.

I spent the day working for about four hours at the computer. I like being able to work with my photos and change them into something usable, but it's so time consuming to take that route. But I guess if I consider how long it takes me to create an etching plate by drawing the whole things, I guess it's not so much time. The problem with the computer is that it's tempting to keep trying different variations on a single photo. But with the ones for class, I'm more or less sticking to the same set of changes and filters. I did discover the poster edge filter which I like a lot. It's particularly conducive to etchings because it creates black lines. I like that look.

The rest of the time today was spent working on a necklace made from hardware parts, some kind of nuts. I have no idea what they're used for. They have little protrusions on each side. Anyway, the ones I have are made of stainless steel and are very attractive. I'm combining them with garnets, hemitite, and pearls. And I'm using gold-filled wire. Some of the pieces I make out of hardware are joined with brass wire. But I think these stainless steel pieces are worth using gold-filled wire with. They will last, not turn color as they would if they were base metal.

Also, my mother has commissioned me to make a necklace for her. She found a photo in the newspaper and she wants one like it. It's a strung bead necklace, not the style that I usually make. I always use wire bending or knotting to join beads together. But this necklace will be strung beads. It will be a good change for me, to try something new. However, like everything new, it will take some time to get going with it. I spent several hours at the bead supplier today assembling the items I will need. That didn't even include the beads which I have here in the studio. I wanted to start it today because I'm going to see her on Thursday, but I'm afraid I'm not going to make it. Maybe I can work on it in the morning before I go to printmaking.

When my mind begins to work in a different direction, I always have so many ideas for projects, and I can't work fast enough to make them all. I find it very frustrating. I suppose I could give up printmaking or jewelry and just concentrate on one medium. However, I've already more or less given up painting for now and enameling as well. But the other idea I have is to make a small assemblage for the Small Image Show that we have here at Spanish Village in February. An assemblage is a piece of sculpture made of a group of assembled objects attached together to create a whole. Picasso create a bull's head from a bicycle seat and handlebars. That's probably the perfect example of an assemblage. I admit I fell in love with the concept after seeing his piece. It's the definition of art as well: taking ordinary objects and making them look beautiful. That's what I try to do with my jewelry made of hardware.