Friday, January 27, 2012

Fold-forming Meeting

Today's meeting was at Sandra's lovely basement studio- she showed us fold-forming! Thanks to all the amazing ladies who came out on a wet rainy muddy day!


What a nutball! Jowita puts on her "copper lips" made from fold forming 24 ga. copper.



And look what those copper lips became- gorgeous earrings! Lips in the morning, earrings in the afternoon...



Sandra starts the demo by randomly cutting a shape of 24 ga. copper.



After folding, she hammers nice and tight. Pictured l to r: Jowita, Sandra, Bodil, Carolyn, Caroline, Sharon, Ellen and Karen (and me, Dana!)



Confirming the edge with a hammer helps to make the fold's crease stand out once opened up.



Anneal the copper to restore softness, to allow opening up, or to create more folds, or to planish for formwork.



The vise is a nice tool, but not necessary.



This is Sandra's demo piece after folding, confirming, annealing, planishing, and opening.



Jowita's piece in process.



Working on opening a piece- use a knifeblade or steel burnisher.



Ellen's simple but elegant leaf form. To be continued..?



One of Sandra's experimental forms- so elegant and abstract- a bird??



Some of Sandra's silver pieces ready for opening!



An accordion fold done last night by Sandra as an example.

Charles Lewton-Brain has a book called Fold Forming that's amazing- treat yourself to a copy.

Need copper? Try going to the Roofing Center in Alexandria: 5900 Farrington Ave. Contact: Joe Lemen, phone (703)941-6400. Their 12" wide roofing copper (which is 24 ga.) is about $5 a linear foot.

Thanks to all who came, and a big thank you to Sandra!!