Sunday, October 1, 2017

My First Assignment in Metals Class in Art School



This was the first project I made in a metals class in art school. The assignment was to fabricate something in metal. Using forming and soldering techniques.  I chose to make a 1: 12 scale teapot on a stand.

The stand was made of sterling silver square wire because I needed that gauge and sterling was all I had. The flower cup holder was cut out of a dapped piece of sterling with a jewelers saw. Then the stand was oxidized to make it look like wrought iron.

The body of the teapot is in brass and was made of two dapped pieces soldered together. I wanted a tapered hollow spout and the only way I knew to make it at that time was to electroform it. I made a wax interior shape and painted a conductor on it. Then literally grew copper over the wax. Once I had enough copper on the wax I was able to melt out the wax and solder the spout on the brass pot. Everything brass had to be gold plated. The burner was made out of telescoping tubes and sheet brass. The wood knob and handle are ebony.

My father gave me the life size version of this piece for my birthday. For Christmas I gave him back the miniature I made of it.

More 40 years later this first project makes me cringe a bit. I made five of these pieces. Dearing and Tracy (miniature dealers from the 1970's)  sold the other four for me.