I am a Senior Art Clay Silver instructor and a Silversmith using traditional fabrication techniques. My art glass beads are created on a torch in Italian glass or borosilicate glass and I am a member of ISGB, the international Society of Glass Beadmakers.
All jewelry items are original, handcrafted designs made in my studio in fine or sterling silver, bronze and glass.
I use traditional jewelry fabrication techniques along with silver and bronze metal clay techniques. All art glass beads are created in my studio.
Please click on the tabs at the top of the page to go to the jewelry or glass beads gallery.
Deloris,
Your bronze pieces are exquisite! I’ve done several things in bronze and finally think I have it figured out but I did a pendant (very large) with a large bail like one of yours. I had to put it in the firing pan at an angle to make it fit and the bail slumped badly to one side. I thought it should go in with the bail up and down because of what I’ve read about collapsing. My question is – do you place your pendants on their back for firing and do they stay in place?
I’d really appreciate a bit of advice. I’d take a class but we’re so far from the rest of the world (southeast Colo.) and I think I’m one of the few in Colo. trying bronze.
Thanks so much.
Patsy Oxley
Hi Patsy,
I always place my large pendants on their edge with the heaviest part (usually the bail if it is located on the edge) planted first into the carbon (the pendant looks like it is standing on edge vertically). Don’t try to work against gravity-heavy part plants into the carbon first. Also, make sure you are not overfiring the piece. I use the bronze firing schedule recommended at Cool Tools http://www.cooltools.us/Articles.asp?ID=164 This schedule seems to be more fine tuned than the manufacturers general schedule. There are 4 articles on bronzClay that are really worth reading if you have not read them already. If you are seeing bumps or bubbles in the surface of your piece or excessive slumping, you may be overfiring the piece.
Hey, what town in Colorado do you live? I will be moving to Pagosa Springs (near Durango) sometime this year (retirement) and plan on teaching metal clay classes (both silver and bronze) when I settle in. I currently teach bronzClay in the Dallas area and my students are doing quite well with their work. I lived in Colorado Springs for 2 years and Boulder for 15 years before moving to Dallas. We’ve had a house in Pagosa for about 7 years so I already feel at home up there.
Thanks for your kind words about my bronze pieces! Good luck, let me know how things are going.
–Delores Highsmith