Pictured above is a variety of hammered sheet vessels, all made in preparation for my gallery debut at Third Coast Gallery in Galveston, TX. Gallery co-owners Jack Morris and his son, Charlie, liked a piece I made as a birthday gift for my mother. They asked if I could make a few more for their gallery.
For these shallow vessels, I hand-hammered 16-gauge sheet metal into the desired shape. I then affixed the legs that look best for that shape. For some reason, my vessels tend to have three legs. I guess I like the way three legs look. Regardless, the vessels are well-balanced and suitable as a curio by the door for keys, wallets, or candies. They also are pieces of artwork in their own right... I’m pleased to announce that each of these vessels includes my touchmark. I had to constantly remind myself to stamp the metal BEFORE hammering the vessel into shape! These hammered sheet vessels pictured above are about 4” tall. They range from 7-16” long, and from 4-6” wide. My mother turned 80-something on this day. In celebration of her birthday, she received 80-something roses (one rose representing each year!). They made quite a bouquet, just as all her years have added up to a rich, full life.
She also received 'Scrap Vessel I', a piece of art I made especially for her. (I had to practically pry it from a Galveston gallery owner's hands the day before, but that's another story for another day...and a good one at that!) To begin, I pulled a hammered sheet discard from my scrap pile. I edged the piece with 1/4" round rod to give it depth. The legs were inspired by bent 1/4" round rod scraps cluttering my welding table. I LOVE the unique legs on this piece! Mother's gift came with the 'touchmark chit' in the middle photo above. I tried marking the vessel itself, but my touchmark jumped around, so it wasn't very legible. It's not as easy for me to mark my work as I thought... Overall, this piece is about 16" long, 4" deep, and about 2.5" tall. I sealed it with with clear lacquer to preserve the raw steel color. This fun project came my way from the Northwest. It is perhaps my most long-distance commission to date.
A corporate wordsmith in Portland, Oregon, wanted complimentary "his" and "hers" western-style buckles for himself and his fiance. For her, a running horse. For him, an elk. Several buckle shapes were considered. An oval shape was ultimately chosen, given its western connotation. After cutting each buckle blank from 16-gauge sheet steel with my Beverly shear, I 'dished' each blank with a slight curve for depth and interest (his, concave; hers,convex). The "her" buckle is more diminutive in size than "his". 'Running Horse' buckle: A running horse was the original concept for this belt buckle. Depicting an entire horse on the buckle might have been too much for such a small 'canvas'. I suggested the head of a horse running with its mane blowing in the wind. I sent a sketch to the client, he approved, and I was off to the races... Hammered sheet was used for the horse's body. I used welding rods to create the blowing mane. I like how the horse's nose and mane extend slightly beyond the blank's confines (see pics, above). I e-mailed pictures to the client of his fiance's completed 'Running Horse' buckle. I asked if he wanted to see a sketch for his buckle, or did he want to be surprised? He opted for a surprise. I don't take such trust lightly, and I'm honored when a client allows me artistic design freedom and places such confidence in me. 'Defiant, Melancholy Elk' buckle: The elk is this client's totemic animal, citing a 'defiant, melancholy elk' as the spirit to capture. Again, I opted to show just the head of the animal with the elk's majestic antlers being the focal point. I'm pleased with how the elk's upturned head and mouth carry the desired emotion for this piece. The antler points were each forged separately, then oxy-fueled together. The antlers attach at various points and overlap, providing visual interest. Welding rods were used for the elk's head and eye. I don't know if my client's fiance knew about this project. Perhaps this gift was a complete surprise. I do know, however, that the client was pleased with both buckles. He recently wore his elk buckle one evening to a live music show, reporting "It suited my mojo spirit." Rock on! These ‘Riveted Stars’ were commissioned by a client who wanted parting gifts for the outgoing officers of a non-profit organization. A budget was agreed upon and, design-wise, I was asked to incorporate a star (one of the organization’s symbols).
After several reiterations, I struck upon the design pictured here: an open-ended, freeform star, riveted in several points for structural form as well as visual interest. ‘Riveted Stars’ are art in their own right, if not perfect eye-catching paperweights. Half-inch square rod was the stock material from which I forged these stars. Each star is approximately 5.5” in diameter. This ‘Heart Vessel’ was a Valentine’s gift for a beloved this year. (Poor guy! All the gifts he ever gets from me are metal. Thankfully, he hasn’t complained yet.)
So it was with Valentine’s this year. This heart-shaped vessel started off life as 16-gauge steel sheet. It was beat into submission over the swage block and anvil, then lightly tinted with gilder’s paste. I used my oxy-fuel torch to affix some legs and edging around the heart. Overall, dimensions are 1.5” x 5” x 5”. Call me when you’re in a bind and need a giftie for your beloved. I’ll whip something up! I know a guy named Buddy, and he’s the world’s most awesome postman. He’s also a very thoughtful husband who wanted to surprise his wife with a unique gift. I think we managed to keep the project secret, so she truly will be surprised!
Buddy asked me to make a hummingbird. This bird would reside inside, as homage to the hummingbirds that frequent Buddy’s backyard. Over consultations at the mailbox, we honed in on details, such as having the hummingbird hang over a window in the living room. I felt the hummingbird would ‘disappear’ all alone and need a reason to be there. I struck upon the idea of a vine with flowers to accompany the bird. The vine is constructed partially of bailing wire. (And any chance I get to incorporate bailing wire into a project, I’m pretty much sold on the idea. I assure you, however, no duct tape was used in this project!) I now had two elements -- the bird and the vine -- that needed to ‘hang together’, both figuratively and literally. So I forged a third element -- a custom bracket -- with two prongs as the hangers. The bracket has an organic look and is a wispy continuation of the vine which the hummingbird is exploring. I imagine the vine on the left and the hummingbird on the right, but someone else might choose to orient them differently. That’s the beauty of this piece: it’s interactive and dynamic. There are also two little flowers on the vine which are removable and may be oriented as desired. Or perhaps it’s winter and you choose to remove the flowers for the season... This project utilized three primary techniques in my metalworking tool kit: Tack-and-bend, hammered sheet, and blacksmithing. The hummingbird was formed from 1/8” welding rods using the tack-and-bend approach with the oxy-fuel torch. The vine is made from bailing wire and welding rods using the oxy-fuel torch as well. The two removable flowers are made from hammered sheet. The bracket was blacksmithed from 1/4” round rod using my reliable old hammer and anvil. The hummingbird is a petite 4” tall with a 3” wingspan. The vine is about 8” tall. Here are a couple of belt buckles, each custom designed for the clients.
The heavy metal-lover opted for a lightning bolt. I had a happy accident with the lightning bolt. The rockin’ texture on the ‘back side’ of the bolt couldn’t be denied -- as opposed to the smooth texture on the front side -- so I affixed the bolt ‘backwards’. The final buckle is what you see pictured here. The lawyerly-type client opted for a belt buckle with his initials. I neglected to get a final pic of the ‘WSC’ buckle, but here is a picture of the buckle in process... This three-legged shallow vessel arose from the dross of a previous project. The hammered sheet form was originally a left ear 'discard' from an elephant lamp I made a couple of years ago. The ear was such a lovely shape that I held on to the remnant, and now the discard has a new life.
My hoarding paid off for a social charity requesting an item for its silent auction. Suitable for holding jewelry, wrapped candies, or keys, the proceeds from this piece will help fund educational scholarships for deserving women. I don’t know much. But I do know one thing: I’m going to be at 1407 Travis Heights Blvd. this weekend -- December 4 and 5 -- for the Travis Heights Art Trail. Join me and Wendy Ogle for some bubbly, and have a look-see at the goodies we’ve spent so much time putting our hearts into.
The Art Trail is a group of artists who open their homes on the first weekend of December to showcase their art. Wendy’s living room will be lined with her fabulous photography -- photo flirtations of life, love, and travel. I’ll have my metal work sprinkled about her living room as well and will be showing a range of items, from belt buckles (pictured above) to large sculptures. We’d love to see you, so please stop by for a visit if your schedule allows! These belt buckles will debut at the Travis Heights Art Trail on the first weekend in December, so come to 1407 Travis Heights Blvd. this Saturday or Sunday (Dec. 4 -5) if you want to check them out.
The belt buckles are approximately 2” x 3”, and I designed them to fit belts 3/4” - 1 1/2” wide. You’ll need the type of belt where the buckle is removable. Of course, I can custom-make a buckle for you, perhaps with your initials or in a different shape. I think these buckles would also make a cool Christmas or birthday gift. Allow me to pontificate a moment. A collection of similar items can be more interesting than a single item simply due to the repetition aspect. So why not take the belt buckle designs and make them into larger panels to be hung as a collection on a wall? And if you happen to WANT a dinner plate-sized belt buckle, we’ll take a panel off the wall and strap it around your waist. I just want you to be happy. |
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