Thursday, January 28, 2010

Here fishy, fishy, fishy...


I like fish, it's a bit of an obsession.  They are everywhere in my house, (tastefully of course).  These earrings are made from sterling silver and I used Nitric acid to etch in my design.  Simple, nothing too glamorous, but I like them anyways!

They are in my Etsy shop if you would like to see them.  Good day!

Thursday, January 21, 2010


I have an absolute passion for intaglio thanks to Dave Williams at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.  He is absolutely amazing & truly inspiring. 

This intaglio/aquatint is of a snake charmer in Africa.  My dad is a photographer and this print was created from one of his photos.  The gentleman depicted invited my dad for tea after...and as my dad said, "How can you turn down tea with a man who charms black cobras?"  Unfortunately, there were...errrr...consequences from drinking the untreated water.  He still said it was worth it.

Anyways, the man and snake are true to the original photograph.  I embellished the image with the foliage, sky, plane and border.  I always like to add more and have a hard time limiting myself.  Maybe this is why intaglio is so appealing, you can always add more lines, stop out sections so they don't etch too deep and become too dark. There are so many layers to a print you don't even realize are there.  It is a true art that deserves a deep appreciation.

You may view this print on my etsy site.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

be mine...



be mine...valentine

It's almost "that" time of year again.  High expectations from lovers, or if you're well seasoned, perhaps boycott the holiday (if you can call it a holiday) all together.

I don't make too much heart jewelry, but I'm starting to become more fond of it.  I cut out a piece of copper using my jewelers saw & then enameled it.  I was having considerable difficulty enameling the piece, my enamel kept lifting right off!  Incredibly frustrating, but worth the results.  I absolutely love enameled pieces, even if it does take hours for one little piece because I have the smallest kiln available.  One day...sigh.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Slither....


I take a considerable amount of inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement.  This pendant was inspired by a serpant necklace I found in one of my many books. 

The stone is a white agate, and vintage black beads adorn the sterling silver chain.  I originally cut the snakes out separately & soldered them together along with the bezel setting to save on metal.  Once again my love for Intaglio is where the etching originated from.  I used Nitric Acid to etch the silver, and I rub in an enamel paint to help bring out the details of the lines.

Necklace is available to view on my website.

Monday, January 11, 2010

little blooms...


I like to add detail where ever possible, I'm not a supporter of "less is more".  I created a little silver frame by cutting out a piece of silver & soldered on a bezel.  I drew a little picture and watercolored it.  Set the picture & filled in my little frame with a 2 part resin.  A little tricky to fill such a small space with such a goopy substance.  

A friend and I once made a coffee table with bottle caps and filled in the area with resin.  It is amazing!  Very durable and scratch resistant.  Equivalent to 25 coats of poly-eurothane or something ridiculous like that.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Going Postal...



Printmaking is my other passion in life, especially intaglio. It's an art that has remained the same for centuries. You start off with a flat zinc plate, and through a process of resist, nitric acid, drawing, waiting, proof printing, adjustments and creating the perfect final edition, you are rewarded with an intricate, beautiful & dimentional piece.

This work was inspired from a postage stamp of an actress whose name I can't recall. I have it as my avatar on my www.emylewis.etsy.com site.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010



Roman chain...one of the most tedious, frustrating, & cumbersom creations ever! (Hence the hefty price tag!) Despite the process, it can be rather relaxing once you get a rhythm.

You start out with making your own hoops, fusing them together, (melting half of them in the process), and then stretching them to an oblong shape. The relaxation is when you get to weave all your stretched out hoops together, until you have a chain (that will look horrible!). The trick is to anneal the metal (without torching your chain!) and draw it through a series of holes in wood or metal to tighten everything up.

But...after much practice, set backs and creativity, you create something unique and one truly amazing.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Tree Nouveau



I absolutely adore the Art Nouveau movement. Nature was truly appreciated and always portrayed so elegantly. This is one of my favorite creations. The silver pendant is a hollow form, and I etched the tree design using Nitric acid. I had been holding onto this stone for a while, not sure how to present it. My design kept evolving & I think the pendant and the Rainbow Agate were destined for eachother!