I am in the throes of designing and creating unique settings for my tiny ceramic, bronze and silver animal sculptures. I’m considering which metals and forms to use, trying to keep an eye of conserving materials to keep costs reasonable for most of these pieces. It would be very easy to get carried away especially as I see the setting as another opportunity to sculpt and create a world for the story behind each animal portrait.

Each of these focal piece sculptures are wearable art and also worthy of display. I find it a little sad that pieces of jewelry which are wearable artworks are hidden away in a drawer or jewelry box and only taken out to examine and cherish sometimes.

I want my artworks to be part and parcel of larger art that is always worthy of display, always calling our eyes and hearts into contemplation.

The freedom to design and create using metal clay is extraordinary! So satisfying with just a hint of mystery and risk.

I suppose the risk is intimidating with this pretty expensive media. Of course technically none of it goes to waste even if a design or process fails. It can be melted down and reused in another way. But the hours spent in making the thing can never be recovered. The hours spent in development, trial and error, in making are the most profound investment in any studio.

But the hours pass anyway and what better way to invest them than in creating art that will outlive generations. True heirlooms.

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