A Review of December 2009

From the observations made at the two craft markets I did running up to Christmas, I have decided to rethink how I present my Art-Brooches. Despite having printed information, it was quite obvious from every visitor I spoke to, that they did not realize it was a detachable brooch in the frame. So, rather than selling the complete package, I think I will have to sell the Art-Brooches on their own, with the option of purchasing frames to keep them in.

I have been working on some more brooches (CF023 - CF031), using Friendly Plastic, but all the time thinking about future designs that will incorporate other materials for contrast. As there is no market at St Heliers in January, I have booked to do the big art and craft market at Mission Bay, on Auckland Anniversary Day (1st February 2010), which should be a great event if the weather is good.

My plans to do some experimenting, over the Christmas holiday time, with mould-making and casting did not exactly go to plan. We have today, just signed up to move into a great little apartment, right on the beach front, in a couple of weeks time. It is, however, in a totally different location – Browns Bay on the North Shore.

I only managed to have one small go with the casting resin (Easycast) kit but the pieces I made were very thin, so I found that they snapped if you bent them. I do not know how thick a layer it needs to be to have the strength but this has ruled out using it to make the thin additions to my 'cast' brooch ideas. I then started to think maybe polymer clay? But that may well be the same when in a thin layer. I have not had a chance to try the silicone (Pinkysil) for making moulds (I used the reusable KleanKlay) or the doming resin kit, to compare with the Envirotex Lite that I have used previously. After reading all the data/safety sheets for the resins, I do not know how I feel about using them long-term.

Anyway, my creative ideas will have to go on hold for the time being, while we pack up, move in and get settled in our new place. Limitations on space in the new apartment and reorganizing my creative time to fit in with our commute to work means that I will most probably have to change the medium I am working with – it could be a return to Paper Mosaics. So the New Year may well bring a new direction to my art/craftwork.

Art-Brooch Designs CF023 - CF031