What I've been up to

I've been busy the past month working on my most ambitious casting project to date, a pair of Viking brooches for svava for her elevation to the Order of the Pelican. More photos than you probably care to see are here: http://lukesgallery.shutterfly.com/pictures/55

They are made in two parts, a filigree front part with the actual design and a plain inner part which hides the clasp pin. I first created a positive model in Clean Clay and poured a rubber mold of it. I then took that mold and cast the brooches in wax. After considerable clean up and surface decoration I sprued and invest them for casting. On Tuesday, I cast them in bronze using the lost wax method at Stonybrook Fine Arts. Then a frantic three days of clean up and polishing followed, after which I set the copper rivets to hold them together. I was finished at 2pm on Saturday, we hopped in the car, drove to Manchester, NH and they were presented in court not long after. As part of the presentation, they were festooned with lovely Viking style beads made by hakerh.

Whew, glad to be done and glad they came out well but boy, I'm taking a little time off!