More ArtFest Stuff

My classes at ArtFest this time were the best! The second day was "Porthole Pendants" with Melissa Manley. We worked with copper pipe, washers, and silver solder to make pendants in two sizes. This one has a mica picture window on the back side.
This is the "porthole" side where a small image is under a flat marble, held by washers and prongs cut from the pipe. Melissa is an excellent artist and teacher. She'll be teaching at the Art and Soul retreat in Portland in October.
My last workshop was "Heavy Metal" with Ty and Marcia Schultz. We spent the day making molds from silicone putty, then pour casting a metal with a melting point of 300 degrees F. I had mixed results. It was difficult to come out with anything fairly thin, like the religious medals I brought to make molds. But the buttons are great; they'll make nice charms. The molds made in class can be reused with either the metal, or polymer clay and resin. Really enjoyed doing something new and fun here!

I'll soon be off on a little road trip to southern Oregon to visit my best-friend-since-fifth grade. Thrift shopping, Pear Blossom Festival, and best of all...laughing!