here's a thought

'Thought Bubble' brooch 2.25x1.25" sterling silver, paper, ink, mica
Quote by Henry David Thoreau;
Kathleen Faulkner

...or don't see. 

things change

'Stick Pin'  4.75" sterling silver, stick;  Kathleen Faulkner

Back in the day

when running free was a given 

no worries about touching

or being in close quarters

 a sneeze brought a

'bless you'

a cough meant not too much

Community of stick pins. Kathleen Faulkner

We had our art openings and events 

filled to the brim

hugging and laughing

the good old days. 

'COVID safe' stick pin, 4" sterling silver, paper,
gouache, mica;  Kathleen Faulkner

Today's stick pin is fully covered

for protection

no direct contact

social distancing is currently in place

as it sits in a box 

on a table.

Progress

Thids in progress..

Thids' bezels are soldered now.  She can, technically, wear clothes but there really is more to do.  I think the next step will be to get rid of the excess.

Thids is dying to interview for the guest blogger position.  Who knew?  She mentioned how she's always wanted have a radio show or to own her own station.
That tells me something.

Interviews won't begin until the characters are finished.

I forewarned her,  "no politics".
She asked,  "Is being an advocate for the earth political?"

The crows get it

'Pod' Brooch, sterling silver, pods, pigment; Kathleen Faulkner
photo: David Scherrer

I live in the middle of town:  Police station, hospital, elementary, middle and high school, pool, national guard all within two blocks.

The walk to old town is twenty minutes or so.  I go almost daily to check my 'good' mail at the Post Office.  I only receive art related mail there, hence the 'good'.

I enjoy the walk and usually find interesting things along the way that, sometimes, are incorporated into my work.
The journey is not as beautiful or peaceful as in the Anacortes Forest Lands but it can be just as interesting and sometimes more useful.

The 'pods' are dogwood fruit found over by the hospital and the 'sticks' were found within a  block from my house.

I guess that potential and opportunity are everywhere if one just looks.

'Stick Pins" various woods, manzanita berry, sterling silver; Kathleen Faulkner
photo: David Scherrer

The Pod brooch and other Stick Pins from this series will be on view at the Whatcom Museum's "Art and All that Jazz' show.

Dear Ruth,

*'Various Pins' various sizes and materials, Kathleen Faulkner

I was asked how I execute my ideas:  Do I draw and plan everything out before hand or do I just make it as I go?

The answer is both.  Although I mostly just make it as I go,  I sometimes draw ideas in my journal simply because, if I didn't, I'd forget the inspiration by the next day..  The pieces above were seat of the pants technique without any notes.
Shadowboxes  on the other hand, are always drawn out and planned ahead of construction.  Composition has to be considered differently  and dimensions.  I have a hard time with the construction of it.  I have to pay attention, switch my thinking.  Precision has always been a weak link and I prefer to create as I go, loosely.

Doing it my way can pose problems, though.  It is not a fun time when you've been working on something that you're really excited about only to find that the construction is not working. Craft demands excellent craftsmanship so planning ahead is required. The fish, for example, was a moment of curling a piece of wire that turned into a fish but, soldering the skin was difficult because I didn't plan it out.  


Working loosely allows me to let it go where it wants,  sometimes in a wanderlust direction.  Once it gets there I feel good.




*upper left hand clockwise:  ''To' 2.5x3", fine and sterling silver, patina; 'I Am A Fish' sterling silver, plastic, Kathleen Faulkner; 'Ridget' approx .5x1.5", sterling silver, driftwood, Kathleen Faulkner; 'Bird' sterling silver, copper, patina, Kathleen Faulkner