Commission pendant

I had a last minute commission to produce a 'pinky' colour pendant yesterday.

I've just varnished the pieces & the customer is coming in later today to select one.

The one pendant has an etched copper decorative surface & the other I've fused a silver wire onto the surface. The colour is then obtained by the heating process.

I hope the customer likes one of them?.....

Rowan leaf commission

I've just completed this metalwork plaque commission this morning. This piece is to celebrate the imminent birth of baby 'Rowan' for some very good customers.

I saw-pierced the leaf in brass & then textured the surface with a punch to impress 'veins'. This was then soldered onto a copper background & took several attempts to get the right colour as it was quite a large piece of metal.

I hope they will be pleased with the results.....

HEREFORD THIS SATURDAY!

I shall be braving the cold on Saturday once again!

At the Hereford Craft Market on High Town in Hereford

Opening hours are 9am to 5pm

A great opportunity to purchase affordable crafts for Christmas.

I shall be showing a selection of jewellery, metalwork panels and pictures,

garden sticks, Christmas decorations and greetings cards.

The studio at the Fold, Bransford will be open as usual 10am-5pm.

Large Commission piece

This large picture has just been collected this morning! A customer had bought some of the small block pictures a while ago & wanted a larger piece in the same colours. This one is 90cm x 55cm which heat coloured brass & copper on a deep red painted background.

I couldn't get the lighting right on these this morning so the colour is a little off but it gives you the idea!!! Obviously I can make these pictures in sizes to suit & paint the colours to co-ordinate with your interior decor.

So now I have today & tomorrow to continue making panels & pictures to deliver to The Gallery Upstairs in Henley in Arden on Monday hopefully......then off to Tetbury on Thursday to Hookshouse Pottery....and Ludlow on Friday to set up Showing Off...phew!

Crafts not just for Christmas

I've just completed a commission for Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum. This November & December they are holding a crafts exhibition at the gallery. I was approached to design a piece to illustrate the theme with a play on the words 'pets not just for Christmas', making my cat & dog look rather sad....it's amazing what a difference the head angle, eyes & mouth can make! I hope I have answered the brief!?

The piece was saw pierced from copper & brass & soldered together - the whiskers were a little tricky! I then oxidised the piece & textured the little dog to make him look even more scruffy.

Christening Plaque

Just finished a commission for a Christening this weekend......

I've made pieces before for weddings & new babies but this is the first one in this style. I need to have a couple made up in the studio so visitors get an idea of what's possible for a really personal gift.

Elephant garden stick

Yesterday I made this elephant garden stick for a commission. I've used the same design as on the E for Elephant alphabet card then cut the piece out in copper, soldered on a wire for the ear & stamped some patterns. The flower underneath has been etched in brass.

The colour has worked well & I think he looks a happy chap!

Tortoise Garden Stick

A good customer has a passion for tortoises! I've made this one as a birthday present for her husband. I'm sure it will look groovy in the garden! It's slightly more involved than my usual garden sticks as it has been made by soldering copper & brass together to create the colour contrasts rather than etching the patterns.

In the past I've made other special garden sticks for commissions:

Bumble bees!

Thought you might like to see my of my latest commissions.

Fishy Designs

I have recently been asked to make a few of the mobiles that I used to produce a lot of a few years ago. I supply a gallery in Borkum in Germany called 'Insel-Galerie' with these whimsical pieces. The gallery is situated by the sea so aquatic themes are always popular......

Panel Commission

I have just finished a commission for a special long metalwork panel.

The piece is a 40th birthday present & my customer requested that we try to make the motifs personal to her husband.

The designs incorporate references to family, work & hobbies. It's interesting to work with other ideas & develop new images. I'm particularly pleased with the olives & the Worcester pear although the Canary Wharf tower turned out quite well too!

Although I generally make these pieces as more abstract patterns I am happy to work with customers ideas if I feel the designs will be suitable.

FIRE ENGINE WALL PLAQUE

My latest commission had been for a metalwork fire engine for a guy who has recently retired from the Fire Brigade locally. The design needed to be fairly simple but I wanted the style to be in keeping with my work. The main part of the piece is copper with brass highlights. The wheels have been coloured to blacken and create a contrast.

Another different commission!

A very good customer of mine asked if I could make a metal wall piece to incorporate a french theme for a gift. Not having spent any time in France myself I had to do some research as to what particular regions are well know for.... I've included a rather fine fish, Champagne bottle & sunflower (which a friend thought was cheese but never mind!) to decorate the plaque. Cutting out the actual map shape was quite tricky as my piercing saw would not fit the size of the piece but after some manoeuvring I manged to cut it out.

I hope the recipient is pleased with the results!

CUFFLINK COMMISSIONS

Manta Ray cufflinks

Mole cufflinks

I have recently completed 2 unusual commissions. I often get asked to make one-off pieces of jewellery & metalwork. If the ideas are not too far removed from my usual designs I will undertake the order. Although these were a challenge I'm happy with the results & more importantly the customers loved them!