Golden Fine Arts Festival, August 18 & 19

CopprClay batch, drill press & engraver[/caption] The festival is in full swing and the weather couldn't be more perfect.  There were great crowds today, lots of friends stopped in to see my new work & say hello.  I finished quite a few new pearl vessels, large and small.  I set a handful of "petal" pearls and they turned out fabulous!  They are petite and perfect to wear casually or not.  I also had a new batch of Copprclay come out of the kiln to make more earrings.  In the photo you can see my drill press to make consistent holes in the dried clay and an engraver to sign my pieces in the leather hard state.

I will be gearing up for another one day festival next Sunday, in Littleton on the campus of the Arapahoe Community College campus.  There is an admission charge,  you can print out a coupon for $1.00 off the admission of $5.00.  Or stop by my booth, I have a few flyers with a coupon attached.  The proceeds benefit the scholarship fund.  And at this show, all merchandise will be priced under $100.00.

Lastly, my week was full of emotions, as we took our youngest son to college.  It was a happy sad moment and we look forward to many new adventures ahead.

Golden Fine Arts Festival is coming up soon!

Copper necklace with hand applied patina[/caption] August 18 & 19th is the weekend of the Golden Fine Arts Festival in historic downtown Golden.  The festival runs from 10am until 5pm both days.  I'm in booth number 19.  There is no admission fee, there will be music to entertain, and a Kids Art Zone.  It's a great festival--worth the trip to Golden.  And if you want to shop for clothing & jewelry, stop in to Baby Doe's Clothing, Artisan Jewelry & Fine Craft at 1116 Washington Ave.  From 12pm - 3pm there will be a painting demonstration and Creative Cooking for Kids demo.

I'm also gearing up for the Affordable Arts Festival, its first year taking place on the Arapahoe Community College campus on South Santa Fe Drive.  There's lots of parking on the grounds, and the festival runs from 10am - 5pm.  There is a $5.00 admission fee, which supports the ACC Foundation Scholarship Program.

And while down there--please check out Willow, an artisan's market in downtown Littleton, 2400 West Main Street.  I have a collection of jewelry there now.  They were recently picked in the 5280 magazine, Top of the Town.

Copper Clay

[caption id="attachment_683" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="front side, copper clay pendant"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_684" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="back side, copper clay pendant"][/caption]

It's two, two pendants in one!  This doubled sided pendant was worn today.  The swirl side has tie dye colors, and other side came out more muted.  Okay, I guess this material is dirty, as some folks say, but I find it fun to work with and I love the rosy color that the copper imparts.  I do wish I had installed a solar panel to fire these though.  After the front was dry, I hand carved the back swirl, after it was fired, I then burnished it with a dremel tool, to highlight the top area.  And these photos are quick & dirty, dirty as in my glass wasn't spotlessly clean.  My next endeavor will be to try the copper clay that Metal Mania has developed, that comes in powder form, is then mixed with water.  You must use all the contents of the 50 gram or 100 gram jar otherwise it will oxidize.  The jar clearly states:  "Do not open until ready to use."  So don't get an ADD attack and run to the new Nordstrom Rack that recently opened or make dinner.  Make your copper clay, or bronze clay pieces, dry them, use it all at once!

That COPPRclay thrown bowl

[caption id="attachment_531" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="thrown COPPRclay bowl"][/caption] I thought I'd post this picture, because back in October of 2009, I posted this bowl before I fired it.

http://ccdesignsartjewelry.wordpress.com/2009/10/

Needless to say, it cracked and the spoon cracked, and I probably would not use the open firing schedule again for COPPRclay.  Many items in that first firing cracked.  The next batch I did, I used the schedule suggested for COPPRclay, in the carbon, in the stainless steel pan.  Nothing cracked in the subsequent firing.