Pendants
12.5cm (high) x 13cm (wide) x 1cm (deep)
Weight: 96.3g
Time to Create: 52 hours
Inspiration
I am inspired by nature, stones and Victorian jewelry of the past.
This particular moth was inspired by the journeys of my lapidary artist friend, Paul.
He is a rock hound and hikes over the hills and valleys of Northern California. Sometimes he takes me with him on his cell phone. We both have a passion for poppy jasper.
Over the years he has backpacked long trips with hammer and picks extracting rocks from the Ancient Chief Two Jackets Mine. Paul carries 75lbs-100 lbs. back from the mine to his home where he washes them, cuts them into slabs to show the beautiful patterns of the poppies and sends me pictures. I draw shapes on the pictures and then he cuts and polishes them into magnificient cabochons.
It is hard to believe what is hidden under our feet.
Paul sent me a cigar box with unbelievable stones of “ Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper” with the rare pimento variety… and this moth was inspired…EJC.
Techniques
After receiving the cigar box of Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper cabochons, I was inspired to make this large moth. I chose two beautiful rare pimento variety stones for the body.
I began drawing the outline of the moth, then adding the decorational lines. I added a few Victorian twists that I enjoy for my art pieces.
I chose a large seed pod that I found on a walk in the park to mold for the eyes. I made snake rolls of PMC for the antenna, carving as needed. I then made the head, face, and components, carving and texturIng each of them. I cut a few small tools to make the squares on the wings and made the flowerettes also texturing each one.
I rolled the clay and cut each wing individually.
I made the bezels that will house the jasper stones. I wanted to make sure they would stand out as the magnificent body of the ‘ MORGAN HILL NIGHT MOTH’.
I measured often to make sure every piece would fit and fire as one piece one time. I filled the bezels with an investment material to hold the size and shape of the stones. After firing I washed the piece to get off any dust. I then added the patina and let it dry. My next step was to sand off the black patina to reveal the beautiful shine of the fine silver with different grits of sanding papers, leaving enough black for that old look. I then set the stones and polished again with a soft cloth. A fine silver moth is born and comes alive.
Materials
PMC+
PMC3
Morgan Hill poppy jasper
Cubic Zirconia
Black Onyx
About the Artist – Ellen Jean Cole, USA
Ellen Jean is an artist of PMC and once a potter of clay from the earth. She has been creating fine silver pieces since 2006. Her pieces are whimsical in nature with a Victorian twist. She is best known for her love of making bugs and birds in fine silver jewelry. She has sold her pieces all over the world..
Ellen Jean has been featured in the Rock & Gem Magazine with her beautiful butterfly on the front cover. Her pieces have been pictured in the Tampa Bay Magazine. Ellen Jean has been a member of the Dunedin Fine Arts Center for over 20 years. This is where she shows her wearable art jewelry.
Ellen Jean gave an hour long talk about her art with visual slides and pieces to hold in hand..talking about her growing up in Maine and Florida. These memories still inspire each piece from vision to creation . Ellen Jean has received several awards at her art center, but nothing is as rewarding as the love her friends and customers have for her wearable art.
You can find Ellen Jean Cole Designs at Dunedin Fine Arts Center.
Website hugsellen.com
Superbly Sintered: Masterful Designs in Metal Clay celebrated the very best designs from metal clay artists around the world.
22 pieces of exceptional work were chosen by a distinguished jury. The exhibition was shown at the Sinter Conference in Pittsburgh, May 2022
