Side tracked

Well everything was going well and then...... WHAM!! I looked at the pile of Altoid boxes that were , I thought, sitting there innocently and the inspiration bug swiftly hit me between the ears. I have to say these boxes were from an earlier time when I had come up with an idea to make wire gears to have them open and such. Very neat idea and with great possibility. Unfortunately this got mired in technical problems. But now!!! Altoid boxes with out gears!!

I had a proto type box sitting there for quiet some time and I had just stopped at the metal crafting table to see if anything was new. The table does have a habit of acquiring odd bits and such. I picked up a box that I had previously aged and as I looked around all the parts laying about they all of a sudden started fitting together. What you see is the beginning of a " flower box". The base is part of a rusted flower that I make and sell at the Tucson Museum of Art Gift shop. The smaller flowers on the top are flowers that I make for a whimsical item called the "bullet flower". They are usually used with an old found shell casing. Other items are and will be items that we find at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show or out and about the area where we live and wander.

The first challenge was how to attach these decorations. This was a real stumper. I tried soldering, silver soldering, bought several glues but non of these were working. The quality of the work required a different approach. I had reached an impasse so to speak. Then providence decided to intervene as it so often has a want to do. I had gone over to a neighbor to look at his progress on his new work shop. As our conversation wound around building problems and solutions I realized here was the person to help in my problems with silver soldering on my flower box. After all he is a silversmith. Duuu... He told me that what I was trying to do just would not work. He then suggested rivets (picture on the left) Eureka!! I knew that was the answer. After some trial and error I found that a 14 gauge copper wire works great to make rivets. Who would have ever thought copper wire rivets! I must say I am thrilled with the results. This method combined with regular solder has opened up all sorts of possibilities and ideas.

I envision using this rivet idea in numerous applications. I am going to try smaller wire and see what else develops.

If some one wishes to know more about the rivet making procedure, that I use, I will be more than glad to give a more detailed explanation. It is very simple.

So I have become side tracked, held hostage by Flower Power! All art is just so exciting to me. Every project has elements of the new discovery. Of course with my terrible memory every day has lots of discoveries.The lesson learned here is, when a problem just does not have the right answer ask. I, for one, seem to get caught staring at the same brick in the wall and wonder why the brick does not change ( real bad metaphor!!!!) It is at these times it helps to take a moment to ask the the universe, in this case my neighbor. I can't count the times when what I am working on reaches a dead end because it no longer feels right. I have a painting called " The dance of the thunderstorm". I have been working on it for quite some time. Each part of the picture comes to me by an out side answer. Forcing the completion of the painting would just make a really bad painting. It is said that a wise man knows that he does not know. I am not wise but I do know that if I search and be patient the answer will come when I am ready to see it.

In conclusion ( official sounding :) ) Never stop and admit defeat just realize that the answer is headed your way. Keep your head up and allow yourself to be smacked with an inspiration!!!