A Little Torch action...

Beautiful Mr. B helped me this weekend to get my torch set up and it is located in his studio...who would have ever thunk that he and I would be working on metal side by side...certainly not me.
Now that I have taken metalsmithing and have some of the fundamentals down (well more or less) I can speak his language and understand what he is saying to me about how to work the metal...

This was my first attempt...He gave me some lovely old bronze sheet which I texturized using different techniques...the metal was roller printed at school using bits of old border lace.

the ring base was hammered with a texturing hammer 

and then cross filed...

I just plunked the top onto the band and went for it...

then hammered it to the shape of the band...

I got some lumps...but I like them and it's meaningful to me...

I embrace my "mistakes" as you never know what will evolve from them...

 This ring was my next experiment...everything is an experiment at this stage...

First I hammered this rectangular shield shape and used an old made in Paris metal stamp to create the lines, hammered the whole thing on the concrete studio floor and then made the dimples with metal punches...

next came the ring band..thick metal with a cross hatch design..

I have never worn big rings like this but I tell you it feels powerful to

wear a big statement ring on your pointer finger...


This one is close to my heart as it is my first real made by me ring.

I love working in metal, the torch and all the tools....It is a more authentic way

for me to design as there are not as many bits and pieces to deal with...beads, wires, wrapping...

I tended to get all confused and maniacal with all those bits around me and too many choices..

 I love texturizing and hammering metal...and soldering is magic.

Because I know there is more where these came from I have listed this in my Etsy Shop...

It is my first metalsmithing piece in there...big girl pants on!

Shield...bronze ring from Beatnheart