A new Collection is Born

While traveling to a show in Coquina Beach earlier this month, I had a thought of how cool it would be to sculpt a dragon using PMC.  I wanted a dragon that looked friendly, not mean or nasty.  According to my research, Chinese Dragons are friendly, smart, helpful, protective and all others are cunning, mean, egotistical so my dragon is definitely a Chinese Dragon. While hubby was driving I pulled out my sketch pad and was rewarded with a dragon that I would want to call a friend.

As I was sketching my dragon I thought it would be cool to do a collection of mystical creatures like more dragons, Fairies, etc.  So here is the first of my collection I am calling "Marvels of Mythology"

I sculpted my dragon in PMC3 Fine Silver and spent many hours carving in the detail.  The "stone" he is holding is covered with 22K gold and I achieved the rest of the color using a patina that was a combination of liver of sulfur & ammonia.  He measures 1.5 inches wide by 1.75 tall.

 Here is my original sketch.  I dreamed of him on 1/12/13 and I finished him on 1/26/13.  What's next?  I see a Fairy in my future.

My Mobile Studio in the middle of Nature

Hubby and I decided that since there was just one week in between the Coquina Beach show & the show in Venice, to stay in a campground rather than driving home and then coming back.  Of course the challenge would be if I could be productive and create pieces without my home studio.  After very careful planning, making many lists, & buying some duplicate tools, I loaded my Kiln, 4 "tool" boxes, my PMC silver & Bronze/Copper clay kits and hoped for the best.

When we pulled into the campsite and saw we had a riverfront site, my fisherman's blood started pumping and I thought to myself the heck with making jewelry.  I'm gonna fish!!  I promptly told my husband to go to WalMart and buy me a fishing rod.  Fortunately he ignored me (after 25 years he has learned when and when not to do that).  I decided to set up my mobile studio and came to my senses and realized what I should be doing.  Luckily, creating my jewelry is as much fun as fishing so I don't feel deprived.  Yesterday I made 6 pairs of earring and right now I have a beautiful pendant and two more pair of earrings in the Kiln.

I couldn't ask for a more beautiful spot to be creating.  The mullet jump now & then, there is a Dove family that coos in the morning, and some amazing Hawks nesting on the other side of the river.  Hubby is doing the cooking, dishes & laundry so I am feeling pretty spoiled at the moment.

The Coquina Beach show was great and one I will definitely plan on doing next year.  Hopefully the Venice show will be just as good.  Now it's time to go back to my mobile work bench and start working on a Seahorse pendant & earrings.  Till next time...