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>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR
COMMON GROUND IS MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.
>>> HI.
AND WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S
EDITION OF COMMON GROUND.
I'M YOUR HOST ASHLEY HALL.
COMMON GROUND IS A NEW WEEKLY
SERIES THAT HIGHLIGHTS NORTHERN
AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA CULTURE.
EACH WEEK, WE'LL EXPLORE THE
UNIQUE PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS
THAT ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
OUR REGION.
EACH WEEK, COMMON GROUND
VIDEOGRAPHERS, EDITORS AND
MYSELF WILL TAKE VIEWERS ON A
JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION INTO THE
WORLDS OF ART, HISTORY AND
CULTURE.
THIS WEEK ON COMMON GROUND, MEET
TOM HULL VER SON OF LA PORT
LAURA PAYCER OF NISSWA SHOWS US
THE THE ART OF GLASS FUSING, AND
CANDYCE FITZLOFF-WESTFIELD OF
WALKER CREATES JEWELRY WITH
PRECIOUS METALS WITH A
NATURALISTIC IMPRESSION.
>>> MY NAME IS TOM HALVERSON,
AND I'M WHAT THEY CALL A FANTASY
PORTRAIT ARTIST.
I NORMALLY START WITH HER CHIN
WHEN I DRAW SOMEONE'S FACE, AND
IT'S SORT OF LIKE A STRUCTURE.
YOU START WITH A FOUNDATION AND
BUILD YOUR WAY UP.
I USUALLY SPEND THE MOST TIME ON
THE EYES.
THAT'S WHERE WE RECOGNIZE A
PERSON, THROUGH THEIR EYES.
AS I GO ALONG AND TRANSFER FROM
THE GRAPHITE PENCIL TO THE
COLORED PENCILS, I'LL PERFECT
THE LIKENESS, AND THEN WHEN I
SHAVE IT IN WITH SOME COLOR,
POWDERED CHALK, THAT WILL GET IT
EVEN A LITTLE CLOSER THAT WAY.
THEN I'M GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO
MY POSE AND LOOK AT THE POSE AND
ACTUALLY DRAW HER BODY, AND THEN
I GIVE THEM SOME WINGS.
I'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT WING
DESIGNS I'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE
YEARS, BUT THE BUTTERFLY FOR A
FIERY IS USUALLY THE BASIC
CONCEPT I AIM AT FOR MOST OF THE
SKETCHES I DO.
NOW I'M READY TO ACTUALLY START
COLORING THIS PICTURE IN.
I'VE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT
COLORS I'M GOING TO WORK WITH,
AND SOME OF THEM, THEY GET DULL
PRETTY FAST, SO I'VE GOT A LOT
OF PENCILS PRESHARPENNED, READY
TO USE.
I'LL SWITCH OUT FOR SOME SHARP
ONES BETWEEN EACH SKETCH.
IN A SKETCH, I SPEND MOST OF THE
TIME ON THE FACE, CAPTURING THE
LIKENESS, DRAWING THE BODY AND
THE WINGS AND ALL OF THAT IS,
LIKE, REALLY FAST COMPARED.
THE HARDEST PART OF DOING A
PORTRAIT IS MAKING IT ACTUALLY
LOOK LIKE THEIR FACE.
I WANT THESE SKETCHES TO BE
REALLY COLORFUL, SO WHEN THEY
HANG IT IN THEIR BEDROOM, IT'S
GOING TO CHEER THEM UP JUST TO
LOOK AT IT.
I THINK THESE SKETCHES, WHEN A
CHILD GETS WINGS OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN A FANTASY SKETCH,
IT BOOSTS THEIR SELF-ESTEEM.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FANTASY,
THEIR SUB CON SHE IS MIND --
SUBCONSCIOUS MIND, THEY SAY,
DOES NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN FANTASY AND REALITY, SO
I THINK IT IT DOES THEM A BIT OF
GOOD.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET THE
OUTLINE OF HER FACE.
IT'S JUST AS DARK AROUND THE
EDGES OF HER FACE.
I'VE GOT TO SHAPE IT AND BRING
SOME OF HER HAIR DOWN.
I'M GOING TO USE SOME DARKENER
IN HER HAIR.
NOW I'VE GOT IT PRETTY WELL
OUTLINED, SO WHAT I WANT TO DO
AT THIS POINT IS STUDY HER
BACKWARDS IN THE MIRROR.
I'LL JUST TAKE IT AND TURN
AROUND AND STUDY HER FACE IN THE
MIRROR HERE.
WHEN I USE THE MILES AN MIRROR,T
ACTUALLY ELIMINATES ALL THE
IMAGINARY THINGS I THOUGHT I HAD
DRAWN AND I SEE THE SKETCH AS IF
FROM NEW EYES, BECAUSE
EVERYTHING IN THE MIRROR IS
BACKWARDS.
I'M GOING TO USE ANOTHER KIND OF
A RAG.
IT'S KIND OF A STRETCHY ONE, AND
I'M GOING TO USE THIS TO DIP MY
FINGER IN THE CHALK.
I'LL PICK A SPOT WHERE THE COLOR
HAS BEEN USED, THAT SAME COLOR.
AND HERE IS JUST A REGULAR FILM
CANISTER AND PASTEL CHALK THAT
I'VE CRUSHED INTO A FINE POWDER.
I LIKE THE STRETCHY RAG BECAUSE
IT ALLOWS ME TO FEEL THE PAPER
REALLY WELL SO I KNOW WHEN MY
FING SER -- FINGER IS DRY.
THE NICE THING ABOUT THE FINGER,
YOU CAN CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE
LINE GRADING JUST BY THE
PRESSURE ON THE PAPER.
THEN I CAN GET IN, LIKE, WITH
THE FLOWERS, GET IN LITTLE TIGHT
PETALS AND STUFF JUST BY BACKING
OFF WITH MY FINGER A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN I'LL PICK SOME SKIN
TONE.
I ACTUALLY USE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
COLORS IN THIS SKIN, MOSTLY THIS
COLOR, WHICH IS KIND OF A PEACH
OR A TAN.
AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE A LITTLE
HIGHLIGHTER AROUND THE EDGES TO
GIVE SHAPE TO HER ARMS AND
SHOULDERS.
I'M GOING TO PUT SOME OF THAT
BLACK IN HERE NOW.
BLACK IS A REAL POTENT COLOR.
I'M GOING TO USE UP THE MOST
POTENT PART OF IT IT ON MY
FINGER IN DARK SHADOWS HERE.
NOW I'LL DO HER PINK DRESS WHILE
I'VE GOT PINK.
I'M GOING TO USE A LITTLE DARKER
PINK.
THIS IS MY LITTLE ELECTRIC
ERASER.
IT'S JUST GOING TO GIVE IT SOME
LITTLE HIGHLIGHTS.
IT MAKES IT STAND OUT.
I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME OF THE
SPARKLES WITH SOME LITTLE SHINE
TO THEM.
SO I'M JUST MAKING MY ERASER
LIKE A WEDGE SHAPE.
SO NOW, THERE YOU HAVE IT.
A FAIRY PRINCESS, AND I GUESS
THERE'S ALWAYS ONE LAST THING TO
DO, AND THAT'S TO SIGN IT.
SO YEAH, THERE WE GO.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WHAT I DO
PROBABLY MOST OF ALL IS JUST THE
JOY IT GIVES TO THE KIDS.
I MEAN, THEY REALLY ENJOY IT.
THEY LIGHT UP WHEN THEY SEE THE
PORTRAIT AT THE END, BECAUSE I
ACTUALLY DRAW IT WHILE THEY SHOP
AROUND.
THEY COME, AND I A TAKE A PHOTO
OF THEM, AND THEY GO AND COME
BACK AND SEE THE FINISHED
RESULTS.
I HOLD UP THE SKETCH, AND THEY
JUST -- YOU KNOW, A LIGHT COMES
ON, AND THEY RECOGNIZE
THEMSELVES, BUT THEN IT'S NOT
JUST THEM, BUT THEY'VE GOT FAIRY
WINGS OR DRAGON WINGS OR A
MERMAID TAIL.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY ARE LIKE
WHAT THEY SAW ON TV, FAVORITE
MOVIES THEY'RE WATCHING ALL THE
TIME.
IT'S JUST FUN ACTUALLY GIVING
JOY TO OTHER PEOPLE.
MY FAVORITE PIECE OF ART THAT
I'VE MADE IS PROBABLY AN OIL
PAINTING THAT I DID.
IT'S ABOUT THREE FEET BY FOUR
FEET OF A LITTLE GIRL I MET IN
THE DULUTH MALL SEVERAL YEARS
AGO, AND I WAS ACTUALLY DOING
HER SKETCH, AND I WAS CAPTIVATED
BY HER EYES, AND WHEN I WAS
DRAWING THEM, I ASKED HER MOTHER
IF I COULD -- IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
HER GRANDMOTHER, IF I COULD
ACTUALLY PAINT HER.
SO I TOOK PICTURES OF HER RIGHT
THERE IN THE MALL, AND I PAINTED
HER WITH THIS LITTLE DEER.
I FOUND A DEER IN A MAGAZINE,
AND SHE HAD A LITTLE TEAR COMING
DOWN HER FACE, AND THE DEER WAS
THERE, LIKE, COMFORTING HER.
I STILL HAVE THIS PAINTING.
WE DON'T HAVE ROOM IN OUR MOBILE
HOME HERE, BUT IT'S ROLLED UP
AND TUCKED IN THE RAFTERS THERE
SOMEWHERE.
IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THAT IT
HAD A LOT OF EMPATHY TO IT.
>>> MY NAME IS LAURA PAYCER, AND
I'M A GLASS ARTIST.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH GLASS
WORK FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS, AND I
THINK I'VE ALWAYS HAD A PASSION
FOR GLASS THAT ORIGINATED REALLY
WITH MY CHILDHOOD.
MY GRANDMOTHER COLLECTED POLISH
AND CZECHOSLOVAKIAIAN CRYSTAL.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SPARKLY STUFF,
AND WE HAD A LOT OF IT IN THE
HOUSE, IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE
ANYWAY, AND I REALLY FELL IN
LOVE WITH GLASS AT THAT TIME.
IT WAS REALLY COINCIDENTAL THAT
I STARTED IN STAINED GLASS.
I USED TO LIVE IN TWIN CITIES,
AND I TOOK A CLASS AT A STORE
THAT WAS NEARBY AND KIND OF FELL
IN LOVE WITH IT, AND THE REST IS
HISTORY, AS THEY SAY.
I REMEMBER THAT YEAR.
I MADE EVERYONE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
OUT OF STAINED GLASS, AND SINCE
THEN, I'VE MOVED INTO MOSAIC
WORK, AS WELL, AND FUSED GLASS.
FUSED GLASS IS THE THE MOST
RECENT ADDITION, BUT PROBABLY MY
BIGGEST PASSION, BUT IT'S VERY
FLEXIBLE, I THINK.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO
DRAW.
I HAVE A GOOD EYE FOR COLOR, AND
SO IT'S REALLY A FUN -- WELL,
THEY'RE ALL FUN, BUT I LOVE
DOING FUSED GLASS, BECAUSE IT
ENABLES ME TO COMPLETE A
PROJECT, LET'S SAY, MUCH MORE
QUICKLY THAN DOING A LARGE
COMMISSION WORK OUT OF STAINED
GLASS.
I'M GOING TO BE MAKING ACTUALLY
A SUSHI DISH.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE
COMPLETED PROJECT.
AND WHAT MAKES THIS SUSHI DISH
VERY DISTINCTIVE IS THE DESIGN
ELEMENTS THAT ARE ADDED HERE.
THESE ARE CREATED BY ME, AND
WE'LL BE MAKING THE DESIGN BAR
OUT OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
GLASS PRODUCTS.
WHEN A PERSON FUSES GLASS, THE
GLASS HAS TO BE CAPACITIABLE,
MEANING IT MOVES AT THE SAME
RATE.
ALL OF THE GLASS HAS TO MOVE AT
THE SAME COEFFICIENT OF
EXPANSION.
AND SO ALL THE GLASS PRODUCTS
THAT I HAVE HERE IN FRONT OF ME
ARE ALL RATED AT 96 COE, AND
THERE ARE OTHER COE'S, 90, AND
30, AND 104.
BUT I PRIMARILY USE SYSTEM 96
GLASS.
REALLY WHAT I DID FIRST WAS MY
PRIMARY STEP WAS I CHOSE MY
PALLET OF COLORS TO WORK WITH.
I HAPPEN TO REALLY LIKE
COMBINING BLUES AND GREENS, SO I
HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT SHADES OF
GREENS AND BLUES, AND I'LL BE
COMBINING THOSE TO MAKE A REAL
LOVELY BLEND AS EVERYTHING IS
PUT TOGETHER.
I'M MAKING THE DESIGN BAR TO
CREATE THIS DESIGN, SO I NEED TO
KNOW THE WIDTH OF IT, AND I
ALREADY MEASURED, OF COURSE.
AND IT'S 5 AND A HALF INCHES
WIDE, SO I'M STARTING WITH A
BASE OF 5 AND A HALF INCHES BY
7 INCHES JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO
HAVE ENOUGH TO CUT APART OVER
TIME.
THERE'S NO REAL RHYME OR REASON
TO HOW I'M LAYING IT OUT OTHER
THAN THE FACT I WANT IT TO BE
ATTRACTIVE VISUALLY TO ME.
I'M STACKING GLASS, AND THERE
ARE OPENINGS, SO THERE'S A VOID
IN THERE.
SO WHEN THE KILL KILN IS RUNNING
AND THE GLASS IS OPENING,
BECAUSE -- THIS GLASS WILL SAG.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE
CURVES IN THE DESIGN, THAT'S WHY
THERE WERE VOIDS.
THERE WAS NOTHING THERE, AND SO
THE GLASS SAGGED INTO IT.
USING A DESIGN BAR SUCH AS THIS
REALLY CREATES UNIQUE WORK.
EVEN IF SOMEONE ELSE MAKES A
DESIGN BAR USING VERY SIMILAR
COLORS, IT'S NOT EVER GOING TO
BE IDENTICAL.
IT WILL NEVER BE IDENTICAL.
THE THICKNESS OF THE DESIGN BAR
IS GOING TO YIELD -- THE HEIGHT
OR THICKNESS OF IT IS GOING TO
YIELD A DIFFERENT WIDTH.
SO IS WIDTH.
YOU HAVE TO CONTAIN IT WHEN
YOU'RE FIRING IT, BECAUSE IF
THIS WERE LEFT UNDAMMED, IT
WOULD SPREAD OVER -- NOT OVER
THE WHOLE KILN SHELF, BUT IT
WOULD SPREAD BEYOND THESE
BOUNDARIES.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHEN
WE PUT IT IN THE KILN IS PUT A
DAMMING SYSTEM AROUND IT TO
CONTAIN IT AND HOLD IT IN PLACE.
YOU CAN OPERATE THE KILN UP TO
EVEN 17 OR 1800 DEGREES.
FOR A REGULAR FUSE TEMPERATURE,
IT'S 1465.
WHEN I PUT IT INTO THE KILN, IT
WAS BEYOND THE TOP OF THOSE
RIGID DAM BARS.
I USED A GLASS SAW TO CUT UP THE
STRIPS THAT BECAME THOSE DESIGN
ELEMENTS.
I KNOW ALREADY THAT THE SIZE OF
THIS FINISHED PIECE IS 5 AND A
HALF INCHES WIDE BY 10 AND A
HALF INCHES LONG, AND I'M GOING
TO CUT APART SOME GLASS SO THAT
I HAVE THIS PIECE, THIS PIECE,
AND THIS PIECE.
THESE END PIECES ARE EACH TWO
AND A HALF INCHES, AND THIS IS
FIVE AND A HALF INCHES LONG.
SO I'M USING THIS VERY PALE
GREEN GLASS, AND I'M PUTTING
CONFETTI GLASS ON TOP OF IT.
I BUY ALL OF MY SUPPLIES FROM A
DISTRIBUTOR IN ILLINOIS.
AND I USUALLY GO THERE IN PERSON
ONCE A YEAR, AND I LIKE TO HAND
PICK MY GLASS.
THE GLASS YOU SEE BEHIND ME IS
ALL USED IN STAINED GLASS.
THIS IS MY PRIVATE SUPPLY, KIND
OF MY PERSONAL WINE CELLAR.
AND IN THE STORE, THAT'S ALL
GLASS THAT'S FOR SALE.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET
OF SHEET GLASS, BOTH REGULAR
GLASS AND FUSIBLE GLASS.
IT IS REALLY FUN TO GO AND PICK
IT OUT.
OH, MY GOSH.
IT'S A HUGE, HUGE WAREHOUSE.
SO THOSE ARE THE BASIC PIECES OF
THE PLATE, AND I WILL PUT IT
TOGETHER THE WAY THAT I DID THE
BAR, WITH GLUE.
SO ROUGHLY TWO LAYERS OF GLASS
IS THE SAME THICKNESS THAT I CUT
THESE PIECES TO, AND YOU CAN
FEEL THAT IT'S PRETTY DARN
EQUAL.
SO I'LL LET THAT SIT UNTIL IT
DRIES, SO THIS IS THE UNFIRED
PLATE, THE SUSHI PLATE.
THIS IS THE NEXT STEP, SO THIS
IS WHAT THE SUSHI PLATE LOOKS
LIKE ONCE IT IS FIRED.
, AND THEN ONCE THAT WOULD BE
DONE, THE DISH WOULD BE PLACED
ON THE MOLD, IN THE KILN, JUST
THAT WAY, AND IT WOULD BE FIRED
TO SLUMP IT, AND THEN THIS IS
>>> HELLO.
I'M CANDYCE FITZLOFF-WESTFIELD,
AND TODAY I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU
HOW TO WORK WITH A PRODUCT
CALLED PMC.
IT'S PRECIOUS METAL CLAY.
AND I'M GOING TO INCORPORATE A
BEACH STONE IN THIS PIECE I'M
MAKING BECAUSE A LOT OF MY WORK
INVOLVES BEACH STONE.
PRECIOUS METAL CLAY WAS INVENTED
BY MITSUBISHI CORPORATION ABOUT
12 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS MADE
FOR JEWELERS AS A WAY TO CREATE
TEXTURE AND THREE DIMENSIONAL
THINGS WITHOUT HAVING TO CAST,
WHICH IS A MUCH MORE LABOR
INTENSIVE PROCESS.
WHICH IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IT COMES IN A LUMP FORM.
YOU NEED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF
LUBRICANT ON YOUR HANDS SO IT
DOESN'T STICK TO YOUR FINGERS.
TEAR OFF A PIECE, CONDITION IT A
LITTLE BIT.
YOU'VE GOT TO THEIR ABOUT IT'S
GOING TO SHRINK A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE SIZE, I
HAVE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIGGER
THAN I WANT THE END PRODUCT TO
BE TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT
SHRINKAGE.
THEN I HAVE THESE THAT I MADE.
THESE ARE MADE FROM A TWO-PART
COMPOUND THAT YOU PRESS
TOGETHER, AND YOU CAN PRESS
THINGS INTO IT TO GET TEXTURE.
I'VE MADE MY OWN TEXTURE OUT OF
PLANTS THAT I'VE COLLECTED,
WHICH IS KIND OF MY THING.
MOST OF MY WORK HAS SOME KIND OF
NATURAL ELEMENT TO IT.
AND THEN I WILL PUT IT INTO ONE
OF THE TEXT TOURS.
I KIND OF LIKE WORKING WITH THE
CLAY LIKE THIS, BECAUSE AFTER
IT'S FIRED, MY FINGERPRINTS ARE
ACTUALLY IN THE BACK OF IT,
WHICH I KIND OF FEEL LIKE IS THE
ULTIMATE MARK OF THE ARTIST.
IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE I WANT IT TO
BE.
I'VE GOT TO BE THINKING ABOUT
THAT IT'S GOING TO SHRINK A
LITTLE BIT, AND THEN I'M GOING
TO PUT THE OTHER TEXTURE ON
THERE AND JUST SMUSH THEM
TOGETHER TO TRY TO GET THE
TEXTURE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
PIECE AND TRY NOT TO MOVE AROUND
TOO MUCH.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO CUT OUT THE
THE CENTER OF THAT, AND I'M
GOING TO DO THIS ON THE PLATE SO
I DON'T WRECK THE TEXTURE IN THE
BACK.
NOW I'VE GOT THIS PIECE THAT'S
GOT TEXTURE ON BOTH SIDES.
I NEED TO ADD ONE MORE THING TO
THIS, AND THEN WE'LL LET IT DRY.
I'M GOING TO PUT A HOLE IN IT
RIGHT HERE TO WRAP THE WIRE
THROUGH.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET THIS TO
DRY.
I PUT IT ON THIS LITTLE DRYING
TRAY.
THAT WILL ONLY TAKE ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES.
IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GOING TO
MAKE A PAIR OF EARRINGS TO MATCH
THAT.
IT'S A LITTLE TRICKIER, BECAUSE
I'VE GOT TO HAVE TWO PIECES THAT
ARE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE
AND SHAPE.
THESE I'M ONLY GOING TO TEXTURE
ON ONE SIDE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T
FLIP YOUR EARRINGS AROUND
ANYWAY.
I WORKED FOR THE FOREST SERVICE
FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
THAT WAS MY FIRST CAREER.
IN 1999, I QUIT.
WENT BACK TO SCHOOL, AND IN
2002, I STARTED DOING JEWELRY
FULL TIME AFTER GETTING AN ART
DEGREE.
I WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT I
WANTED TO DO IN SCHOOL.
I WANTED TO DO ART, TOOK A
JEWELRY CLASS AND FELL IN LOVE
WITH IT.
AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO USE
THIS PIN TOOL TO PUT A COUPLE
HOLES IN THESE.
AND THEN I USE THE DRYER.
OKAY.
THE SAND CLAY, ALL YOU NEED
IS -- TO SAND THE CLAY, ALL YOU
NEED IS THE BASIC EMERY FILE,
WHICH IS PRETTY COOL.
I'M GOING TO GO AROUND AND TAKE
THE ROUGH EDGES OFF AND MAKE IT
SMOOTH.
OF THE MORE FINISHING I CAN DO
AT THIS STAGE WHEN IT'S REALLY
EASY, THE BETTER.
THAT'S WHEN I LIKE THE FEEL OF
IT.
AND ALL OF THIS DUST THAT I'M
CREATING I WILL SCRAPE UP AND
SAVE, BECAUSE IT'S ALL SILVER IN
THERE.
OKAY.
THEN THAT PIECE IS READY TO GO
IN THE KILN AND GET FIRED FOR
TWO HOURS.
THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET THE
STRONGEST PRODUCT IN THE END AND
ALL THE BINDER BURNS OFF AND YOU
END UP WITH FINE SILVER.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE KILN I USE
WHEN I'M JUST DOING A COUPLE
PIECES, BUT IF I WAS DOING A
WHOLE BIG BATCH, I USE THIS, THE
BIGGER KILN THAT I HAVE OUT IN
THE GARAGE.
SO WHEN IT COMES OUT OF THE
KILN, IT'S GOT THIS KIND OF A
WHITISH CAST TO IT.
THAT'S BECAUSE IT HAS ALL OF
THESE LITTLE MICROSCOPIC BUMPS.
SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO VARNISH
IT AND SMOOTH THOSE OUTSIDE, AND
THAT WILL LOOK LIKE SHINY METAL.
SO TO BURNISH THIS, YOU JUST USE
A BRASS BRUSH, A LITTLE WATER,
AND A LITTLE SOAP ON THERE.
THAT'S THE LUBRICANT.
I GUESS THE NATURAL WORLD IS
PART OF MY BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN
MY WORK, TEXTURE, NATURE.
I USE A LOT OF LEAVES, FETTERS
FETTERS -- FEATHERS, LEAVES AND
ROCKS.
I FIND THOSE ELEMENTS MORE
BEAUTIFUL THAN DIAMONDS ORPHANSY
STONES.
DIAMONDS OR FANCY STONES.
IT LOOKS ALMOST POLISHED, AND
IT'S JUST TUMBLED AROUND IN THE
LAKE.
OR IT HAS AN INTERESTING LITTLE
SPOT IN IT, OR A LINE.
I JUST THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND
INTERESTING AND MORE OF A
TREASURE THAN A DIAMOND TO ME.
OKAY.
THE NEXT THING I NEED TO DO IS
PUT A STONE HANGING IN THE THE
MIDDLE OF THIS PIECE.
NEED TO PICK ONE THAT FITS I
WANT ONE THAT'S NOT TOO BIG AND
NOT TOO LITTLE.
I LIKE THAT BLACK ONE.
SO I NEED TO DRILL A LITTLE HOLE
IN THAT STONE SO I CAN RUN A
WIRE THROUGH IT.
TO DRILL THE STONE, YOU NEED TO
HAVE IT IN WATER SO IT AND THE
BIT DON'T GET TOO HOT.
I PICK UP STONES EVERYWHERE I
GO.
ACTUALLY I DID THAT BEFORE I
STARTED USING THEM IN JEWELRY.
IT WAS KIND OF A NATURAL
PROGRESSION TO START TO DO
SOMETHING WITH ALL OF THEM.
I MAKE TEXT TOURS OUT --
TEXTURES OUT OF LEAVES AND
GRASS.
I'M ALWAYS PAYING ATTENTION TO
TEXTURES IN NATURE AND TRYING TO
REPLICATE THOSE IN MY WORK.
OKAY.
NOW I HAVE ALL THE PARTS THAT I
NEED TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND
MAKE IT INTO A NECKLACE.
I THINK IT'S THE PROCESS THAT I
ENJOY MOST.
I MEAN, I CERTAINLY LIKE THE END
RESULT, BUT I LOVE TOOLS, AND I
LOVE FIGURING THINGS OUT, THE
PROBLEM SOLVING, TO HAVE AN IDEA
AND FIGURE OUT HOW CAN I MAKE
THAT INTO SOMETHING.
THAT'S THE PART THAT GETS ME
EXCITED AND THEN TO END UP WITH
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AFTER I'VE
EXPERIMENTED AND MADE IT AND IT
ACTUALLY TURNS OUT, THAT'S
REALLY FUN.
I'VE GOT A NICE LITTLE DANGLE IN
THERE.
SO THE NEXT STEP NOW IS TO TAKE
THESE AND DIP THEM IN A LITTLE
BIT OF SULFUR.
THEY COULD BE DONE AT THIS
POINT, PUT THEM ON A CHAIB, --
CHAIN, BUT I KIND OF LIKE DOING
THE PATINA BECAUSE IT BRINGS OWL
THE TEXTURE A LITTLE MORE.
THIS IS LIVER SULFUR.
NORMALLY I'D HAVE THIS GOING ALL
DAY, BUT IT STINKS LIKE EGGS,
ROTTEN EGGS, SO I SPARED YOU
THAT UNTIL THE END HERE.
I JUST PUT IT IN WARM WATER.
, WHICH WORKS BETTER THAN COLD.
I DROPPED MY PIECES IN THERE AND
YOU CAN TAKE -- DEPENDING ON
WHAT COLOR YOU WANT, YOU CAN
TAKE THEM OUT RIGHT AWAY, AND
YOU GET KIND OF A BLUE, WHICH I
LIKE.
THE LONGER IT'S IN, THE DARKER
IT GETS.
I THINK MY WORK IS VERY ORGANIC.
AND YOU RINSE THEM IN WATER.
I DESCRIBE MY WORK AS, I LIKE
SIMPLE LINES, CLEAN LINES,
TEXTURES.
I'M GOING TO DRY THEM OFF A
LITTLE BIT, AND I'M GOING TO
BUFF THEM A LITTLE TO BRING BACK
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
METAL.
IT'S THE KIND OF JEWELRY THAT
YOU CAN WEAR EVERY DAY OF THE
WEEK, OR IT CAN BE FANCY ENOUGH
TO WEAR JUST WITH A BLACK DRESS.
IT DEPENDS ON YOUR STYLE.
I'M REALLY LUCKY TO GET TO DO
WHAT I DO.
I REALLY FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE
ABLE TO DO THIS.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S MY PASSION.
AND NOT EVERYBODY GETS TO DO
THAT.
IF I BUFF IT TOO MUCH OR TAKE
TOO MUCH COLOR OFF, I CAN JUST
PUT IT BACK IN THE SULFUR AND
START OVER.
I'LL DO COMMISSION WORK.
I SELL ONLINE, AND THEN I HAVE
ABOUT 14 STORES I SELL TO,
EITHER CONSIGNMENT OR WHOLESALE.
IT'S KIND OF A COLLABORATION A
LOT OF TIMES.
PEOPLE WILL BRING ME A STONE
THAT THEY'VE PICKED UP SOMEWHERE
THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO THEM, A
TRIP THEY WENT ON OR THEIR
GRANDDAUGHTER GAVE IT TO THEM OR
SOMETHING AND THEY WANT IT MADE
INTO A PIECE OF JEWELRY, SO
>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED THE
SHOW, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE
ON COMMON GROUND.
IF YOU HAVE A SEGMENT IDEA FOR
COMMON GROUND, PLEASE CONTACT US
AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US AT
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PLEASE CALL (218)333-3020.
PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR COMMON
GROUND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE
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