Bronze it!

Another project of mine accomplished at my Metal Foundry day job. Melted pillar candles that I cast in bronze. I put succulents in one and a little candle in the other. I plan to do a ton of these!

Ode to a Catalyst

Over the past few months I have been learning how to make bronze cast furniture. It has been a pretty challenging experience but I am so utterly thrilled with the possibilities. I have recently started learning about hot patina’s on bronze and here are a few of my experiments. I want to start playing with warmer colors next like eggplant and reds and oranges, maybe mix in some hand-dyed silk cord.

I am starting to think bigger so maybe some table top design or sculpture next?

Come visit Mary and I at Dose!

I am joining forces with the everlovely Mary Kukulinkski of Muse Vintage (formerly know as Chi-town vintage) and starting a collaborative; the body is our common ground. It is called Mannequin. We will have both our own creations and a few collaborative pieces so come check it! This sunday at Dose Market. There is going to be Doughnut Vault donuts in the house and a plethora of other fine eats, libations, fashion, furniture and etc. It really is one of the more well done markets I have seen. Don’t miss out!

The remains of a days work

I have recently been collecting what beautiful and gnarly artifacts remain behind once bronze high end furniture is cast. I then edit through the pile squinting my eyes for new and imaginative compositions I can create in jewelry with these pieces. Here are a few of my designs. I am so excited about this collaboration with Angie West, owner of West Supply foundry and look forward to keeping you all posted on what beautiful pieces we create. For a look at the pieces in person, head over to Pavilion.

 

Birthday Party

It’s my birthday and I can cry if I want to.

Death in the Afternoon

Thanks to all of you for coming out to the show saturday! I had a so much fun, and really appreciate all the feedback and support. I will be restocking Eskell with a few more pieces so if you missed the show or want to expand your collection, head on in! Also here is the recipe for the cocktail we were serving up, seems you all enjoyed it alot! 

Death in the Afternoon

Put 1/4 ounce absinthe verte (we used St. George) into a champagne flute

drop in a sugar cube

fill the glass with dry white champagne

swath with lemon and add to flute

Lillet

Also served up was a beautiful french aperitif called Lillet, simply served on the rocks with an Orange slice.

Aperitifs are generally served before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

Sneak Peak

Here a few pieces for the show! Hope to see you all there!

xo, leah

Good Company

It is official, I am having a trunk show at Eskell on May 21st! Come check out all the new stuff that I will be frantically making over the next 3 weeks! And check out this amazing flyer made by my good friend Marie. See ya there!

heart illustration

Found a wealth of vintage clip art on flickr. Here are some of my favorites. They are “anatomical” illustrations of the heart.

This one is my favorite.

And a few others . . .

Some new pieces

So of late I have been inspired by the gnarly it seems. I started wrapping and playing with melting down my scrap silver (silver is at about $35 an ounce!!!) and have really enjoyed the gnarly mangled looking pieces that have come out of it. I also have been using brass alot and have chosen to not clean it up after soldering to preserve the copper and oxidized look. Here are a few of my creations.

These bangles are brass, but I heated it up in different places to raise the copper and left the silver solder without sanding it away so you get what looks like 3 different metals.

These earrings are labordite set in oxidized silver with dangling brass shapes—again not cleaned up with the intention of keeping the full color range.

This ring just uses thicker gauge brass and silver wire fused together. Silver melts faster so it has this almost liquid-like quality.

Silver scrap ring.

And next are some pieces that I finally got around to finishing! I used a vintage byzantine rope chain, brass findings and sea urchin. I definitely think I was inspired by my friend Meghan Lorenz’s collection: Cities in Dust. And another pyrite druzy, this time utilizing some scrap silver fused beads and inspired by a bollo tie.