Studio Saturday with Cindy Gimbrone

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

The winner this week is Stephanie McGinley! - Congratulations, you have won one Heather's fall leaf pendants! Heather with your address, and she will send the pendant out to you.

Welcome to the studio of Cindy Gimbrone!
Time gets away from me. It's almost November and I've barely touched a glass rod. I've spent the fall immersed in another medium - metal clay. I even took a class in Mokume Gane. I've been blogging about my adventures so instead of words, I'd like to take you on a visual tour of some of the steps I've gone through in my studio this fall....

It ain't pretty but when it comes to all that metal clay dust, safety is important - studio exhaust fan on in the background.

Burnishing Mokume Gane metal clay pendant

Metal clay fresh from the kiln - crispy but fired to perfection!

Close up of polished Mokume Gane Pendant

Polished and Sealed Mokume Gane Mini-Pendants

I've got a few more pieces to fire from class. Next up will be white bronze. Attending a class filled me with ideas and excitement. I'm sure my glass misses me, but this hiatus is fueling my creative energies. I didn't intend to be away from the glass torch this long, time has gotten away from me but I'm realizing it's time well spent.

Has something re-energized you? It might be time away, a class or inspiration you found in the changing season. 

Share with me by leaving a comment and you'll be entered to win one of my Mokume Gane Mini-Pendants.

I look forward to reading your comments!

Bronze and Copper Clay Components - Without a Kiln

Since I first started creating with art beads, I have noticed a distinct lacking in the area of artisan created bronze and copper metal clay beads and components.

This is understandable, the time and money invested into this media demand a higher price than other more easily created production work. 

Why this is important to me is because;

1. I cannot afford a kiln right now and I need to work with these certain metal alloys to demonstrate how patinas work with them

2. I like to support other artists of handmade beads and components in my own handmade jewelry I send in to stores and

3.  With endless, unique varieties of creating with base metal clay components, the market won't be over saturated with similar designs for a couple of years.

So I began collecting links to the few jewelry artists that did offer these fascinating bits of fired metal as limited edition beads that we could use in our hand crafted jewelry.

Here is a list of my favorites:

Kristi Bowman Design
You may remember Kristi from her very generous sponsorship of Art Bead Scene's July challenge? 

 Jennifer Tough
I have been collecting Jennifer's worry beads since 2010 and I have several of her flowers ready to rivet onto metal ring bands!

 Focalbeadz.com
Dana is a new discovery for me and exactly what I pictured swinging from the end of long patinated lariat chains!

 SummersStudioEtc.etsy.com
LeAnn is adding to her bead making skills and is now offering hollow tube beads from bronze clay! 

I certainly hope you enjoy working with these artists components as I have, in fact there a few free design projects I would love to share in future posts! If you know of any art bead or component makers that work skillfully in bronze or copper clay media, please share a link with us in the comments.

Much Love & Respect,
Shannon LeVart
missficklemedia.com