A Curious Elixir : an alchemical transformation of pewter into unique artworks
My Technique:
Using a metal tooling technique known as repoussé, I emboss each piece by hand in my studio. After pressing the design into the pewter sheet, the surface is etched, bumped, scratched, marked, doused with a dark patinating solution and then polished back to give it a tarnished, aged look, leaving the metal surface stained with tones of blacks, browns, blues, golds and silvers – because this process is unpredictable, every piece is completely unique. The piece is then finished with gems, glass paint, enamels, iridescent pigments and sometimes patterned origami papers or vintage engraving imagery. Each wall piece is sealed with crystalline wax to protect the surface and framed up ready to hang/stand. Each pendant is sealed into its backing with layers of crystal clear resin.
I sometimes reuse designs though I never use a stamp or machine embosser to create my artworks – every piece of metal art in this shop is handmade and one of a kind.
My Materials:
Pewter is my favourite metal to work with due to its softness and malleability, it is a bright silver with tints of gold warmth to its surface, and you can work into it to create delicately raised three-dimensional shapes, use patina solutions, stains or wax to age the design, or cut it away to reveal patterned or textured backgrounds. The glass paints I use are thick and translucent and reflect the light like an intense glaze, reminiscent of stained glass windows or cloisonné enamel. I use a variety of different gems, crystals and microbeads and bed them in with antiquing wax. Some works feature vintage illustrations or patterned origami papers as collage elements.
You can find my metal work on the web here: acuriouselixir.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/acuriouselixir
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