I finally got started translating some of my plaster forms into metal. So far, I am enjoying trying to figure out the similarities and differences within both the process and products.

My first experiment was with a form I created by pouring plaster into a smooth plastic serving spoon. I did not want to just make a perfect copy in another material, but echo the curves of the original shape in a metal form that can eventually be used as part of a jewelry piece. First, I used a metal disc cutter to create a small hole in a flat sheet of brass, then positioned this hole within a larger circular template to cut out a flat ring. Next, I used a dapping block to bend all sides of the ring and mimic the curving edge of the plaster form. Finally, I filed and sanded the ring to get a smoother surface on the metal. I also created some brass and copper domes using these same tools to get more familiar with them: a lot of the forms I use are circular!

I think my method of manufacturing a lot of  individual pieces and then organizing them into distinct groups is going to characterize my jewelry work this semester, as it has become essential to creating my plaster work as well. It’s definitely interesting to notice patterns of how you work regardless of material, not just visual connections between your finished pieces.

Featured Image: Jill Sibio, 2018