Created: Spring 2001
Dimensions: 12”x5”x4”
Materials: copper, patina, brass, lacquer
Concept: This was the final project in my hollowware class. The teacher wanted us to make a seamed vessel that was at least 12 inches high. She didn’t want us to spend too much time thinking about concept and instead focus on form. We made models out of construction paper.
Out of many models I decided on this idea and constructed the main body out of copper. The flanges were hammered out of brass and then soldered on. The whole thing was copper plated to cover up the main seam then I used liver of sulphur for the patina. It took several attempts to get a dark, even black patina. When the patina had dried I sanded off the high spots on the brass flanges to let some of the brass and copper plating come through. Then I used spray lacquer to fix the patina and make it glossy. I titled it Africa because the color and texture reminded me of things I was seeing in the Central African Art and Culture class I was taking at the time.
I felt this was one of my most successful pieces up to that time. It helped me win the Bill Seeley Reactive Metals Scholarship and was part of the Future Prospects Show at the 2002 SNAG Conference in Denver.
