A windfall landed on my studio doorstep a couple of weeks ago – copper- thanks to my friend and new showroom-mate, Skip of Back Alley Studios. Lucky me! This windfall came in the form of waste cut from copper roof flashing – big, long, uneven strips. The moment I saw it, it called to me, like a song, “bracelets, bracelets, bracelets!” Armloads of them! Betwixt and between other duties, I worked on these babies.
The metal was thin, so double-layer cuff with a fold-formed element over the top became my design direction. Every cuff would be a different height. Perfect! Eight strips were cut from the long pieces, annealed (heated with a torch to soften the metal), and imprinted with several different patterns to create texture on the “base” cuff”.
Copper Cuff Progress Photo #1 – In the photo at left, you see the textured “base” cuffs formed up into proper bracelet shapes. The pile of copper strips at the top of the photo will create the “top” layer of the double-layer cuffs.
The FUN part was doing the fold-forming on the next eight strips of copper, which would then create my top layer of the double-layer bracelet. For this, I got out my 2-pound forging hammer – a massive, highly polished hunk of steel on a stout hickory handle cut to just the right length for me. Wailing away with just enough precision to get the job done, let off some steam, and not crush my moneymakers, life was sa-weet! Then…
Copper Cuff Cavalcade Progress Photo #2 – In the photo at right, the smaller top layers of the double layer bracelets are finished and matched up to their best mates. Pretty mates all in a row.
After Photo #2, ahead of me lay four more hours of riveting, final filing, sanding, and protecting the lovely patinas with a nice layer of Renaissance Wax. Created to protect the British Crown Jewels, doncha know! Kate Middleton approved! Nothing is too good for my peeps.
Have a look at the final results. I think these will look good on the models in an upcoming runway show that my work will be in, called “Art in the Round.” You’re invited. You can say hi and tell me what you think in person! Or post a comment below. Either way, I’d love to hear from you.
