Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Welcome to the studio of Cindy Gimbrone and Studio Saturday!
My glass is sharing studio space with bronze metal clay these days. I decided to start small with just a few small charms and pendants. First, there was the rolling out and cutting the metal clay….
…which, honestly was a huge mess for me. But I got over it and figured it out. It was a great way to use the vintage newspaper advertisement stamps I found at the flea market a few years ago…
Here’s one of the pendants fully fired and polished…
…not too bad for a first go around. I’ve got more on the workbench to fire today but before I get back to work, I’d like to hear from you.
What new things are you trying out lately? Whether it be in jewelry making, beadmaking, crafts, sports, life – tell me about what you’re trying new and you’ll be entered to win the bronze pendant shown above.
I look forward to hearing what you’re trying out new!
sharon
July 18, 2009 at 2:58 pmWOW, these are fabulous Cindy, I just love them! I am always always making jewelry, and was really itching to try mixed media and ATC's, so I gave it a try, and have a double obsession now! BUT, my paper crafts need a lot of work yet, but it's fun to learn all the new techniques…..I LOVE to learn!!
Anonymous
July 18, 2009 at 4:04 pmHi Cindy,
Those bronze pendants are beautiful! My latest endeavor is making yogurt. My husband and I eat an absurd amount of yogurt, and I decided that by making at least some of it, I could save money (thereby having more money for important things like beads and jewelry-making tools). It's working out pretty well so far!
Hannah B.
rosebud101
July 18, 2009 at 4:06 pmI am playing with ceramic bead making. I took a class with jennifer (Jangles) at the Bead and Button Show, and I discovered it was a challenge to make great beads like she does. I plan to do more, but it's a challenging experience for me!
EmandaJ
July 18, 2009 at 4:56 pmOoo Aaa, Love the pendant! Sign me up!
I'm shifting gears right now. I found out I won't be teaching in the fall (drats!) but now I have this wonderful opportunity to try all the things I didn't have time to try before.
I'm working on some small art quilts for a place in a co-op gallery. I'm also playing with dichroic glass, but without much success. The most important thing I'm doing right now is bringing order to the chaos that is my housekeeping style — lots of work to do here!
Emanda
http://www.ArtemisiaStudio.blogspot.com
Alice
July 18, 2009 at 6:14 pmI want to try it all–and all at once! Polymer Clay, wire wrapping, cold connections, enamels, using LOS and other patina, and ceramic beads. I can't decide which to start with, but what's worse is that I don't have a budget for this or a place that does class nearby.
Your new bronze pieces are just fabulous!
Alice
The Joy of Nesting
July 18, 2009 at 6:33 pmGosh Cindy,
You make it look soooo easy and sooo hard to resist learning to do it. Hmmmmm if I have to got to the States in Nov, I could get all the supplies,take a class and buy a kiln… Oh LW look out I feel a new adiction in the making!! 🙂
Right now I'm working on making links, and hopefully with a lot more practice they will even look sorta like the ones Sharon-Livewire
creates 🙂
Pattie 😉
Mazatlan Mx.
TesoriTrovati
July 18, 2009 at 8:59 pmNew things….I am working a lot with metal. I just bought my first sterling silver sheet metal (just a little bit!). I have been having fun with liver of sulfur…I would love to take a torch to metal, particularly wire to make my own head pins and ear wires, but I am a bit skittish about that. I am just not set up for that sort of thing. I would love to work with the metal clays, but again, I don't have a kiln and I don't work with flame. I would love to take more classes….
Thanks for sharing your awesome inspiration Cindy!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Pamela of Kings Ransom
July 18, 2009 at 10:52 pmI have been teaching myself how to knit and crochet and want to try this with beads. I love to try any medium and am game for something new. It too, becomes a new obsession. I like being a life long learner!!
Dale
July 19, 2009 at 4:32 amI'm so excited that next week i will be trying silver clay for the first time… should be a lot of fun!
instig8r
July 19, 2009 at 4:49 amI'm enjoying my most recent series of bead art I've been creating. I'm incorporating found objects into my seed bead art. This mixed media jewelry has has made it into two juried exhibitions recently. The pieces include ammunition and hardware. I continue to search for the unique pieces to incorporate into by beadwork such as your bronze clay pendants to make meaningful art.
IndianCreekStudios, Pam
July 19, 2009 at 4:56 amOh, I want to try the bronze clay. I have a kiln I use for ceramics, it is cooling from a bisque fire this afternoon. It looks like bronze clay would be similar to work with, well up to a point anyway. I really love the charms you made 😉
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:30 amThanks, Sharon! There IS always something new to learn, huh? 🙂 Sounds like you've got cool new skills to create more beautiful jewelry! Look forward to seeing your new work!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:31 amHi Hannah,
Making yogurt is fun and really easy. Before I had to give up dairy, I used to eat alot of it too and started making it. The taste is wonderful! Enjoy!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:33 amHi Mallory,
Way back when the WetCanvas Glass forum had the ceramic beadmakers on it, I bought some clay and tried my hand at making ceramic beads 'cuz I do love them soooo much! You're right! Jennifer makes it look so attractive and soo easy but it isn't! Keep at it – it's worth the effort. Hope you'll share some of what you're doing on your blog. Would love to read how you're doing!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:36 amHi Emanda,
Sorry you won't be teaching come fall but sounds like you've made a plan to have your art come to the forefront. The quilts sound like a great idea and I'm sure they'll be exquisite!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:38 amHi Alice,
Thank you! So many new techniques and materials and so little time! LOL!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:42 amHi Pattie,
There is such cool stuff out there to work with and add to our arsenal of techniques and materials. Always another obsession waiting to happen!
Hope your links turn out well!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:47 amHi Erin,
Getting the equipment to do a particular craft can be a real barrier sometimes. I rented torch time by the hour at a glass studio for almost 2 years before I had all the equipment to make glass beads. I was a bit skittish about it – still jump when I first light the flame on my torch! LOL!
Thanks for the comment!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:48 amHi Pamela,
Oh knit and crochet! I love both! So well suited to beads too! Enjoy your new craft 🙂
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:49 amHi Dale,
Good luck with trying out the silver metal clay. Let us know how your adventure goes!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:50 amHi Instig8tr,
Thanks for sharing what you're up to. Always love to hear from readers of ABS and Studio Saturday!
Cindy
Cindy Gimbrone
July 19, 2009 at 10:53 amHi Pam,
Thanks for commenting. Yes, I think ceramic and poly clay artists have an easier time acclimating to the metal clays than I have. I'm not used to being able to touch my medium (hot glass) so I manipulate the medium much differently and indirectly.
If you give it a go – let us know how it goes!
Cindy
Kiwiken
July 19, 2009 at 6:21 pmI would soooo love to try out metal clay, but I don't have the possibility right now (no kiln, no money, no work space), so it'll have to wait.
I'm planning to start a little shop on Artfire soon, just a small collection of 12 items at a time (I don't have the time to make huge amounts of things anyway, so it seems perfect for me). I haven't created for selling before, and it's a different feeling somehow (I'm a lot more self-conscious about my work now), but it's a lot of fun as well. Gives the hobby a little bit of purpose, thinking that someone might actually be wearing the stuff I make!
WillowWalker
July 19, 2009 at 7:20 pmWhat's new with me? I am trying out new wire wrapped bail designs and seriously thinking about selling my dichroic fused glass cabs as supplies!
Gail w
July 19, 2009 at 9:34 pmCindy,that pendant is awesome!First try?Is it that easy or are you that artistically inclined?Wow!I love the way that turned out.Right now,last week,I ordered the things to start doing some metal work.I'm so excited,and I'm entering the Stringing contest.And the Rings&Things essay contest.I pray to win something,and I love your bronze bead!Wish me luck.Oh,by the way,I hate blogging,love to read ya'lls,but I do sell at etsy at Jewelsoftheearth.
Gail W