I stayed up late on Thursday night to finish a few pieces with gold keum-boo for the Alone Moose Gallery reception on Friday. I made them in honor of seeing Jayne Redman from whom I learned the gold to silver bonding technique. It also gave me a chance to try out the Ott light (full spectrum) for taking photos at night. I usually use natural light coming in through my dining room window, or if I’m really stuck at night I will take photos under my kitchen fluorescent lights and try to Photoshop them into something I can live with.
The hollow formed pendant below is reversible. This was the first time I fired a natural moonstone in a piece. Lab grown stones, set in place before firing, will usually withstand the high temperatures needed for precious metal clay. Natural stones are less predictable. I already knew that sunstones fired beautifully. The moonstones were worth a try since they are also in the feldspar family. I used the auto program setting on my kiln for a slow firing of PMC+.
As for the simulated citrines in the earrings below, I like the idea of the setting, but the color is unremarkable. I think it faded a little with the firing. Green stones are funny when it comes to high heat.
Trying to make the backs more interesting…….
(I hope that’s a poppy seed and not a tick or a flea!) I have a second smaller clamp on Ott light to use with the floor lamp. I’ll try it the next time I set up my table top photo cube to take photos, when I am not in a hurry or bleary from lack of sleep. But, especially for a rush job, I was happy with the quality of the new light.
Barbara S Fernald Jewelry 