I do believe I have just experienced one such event.
Where it will take me, I'm not sure. I just know my brain is zinging with new thoughts and ideas....and it shows no signs of slowing down.
I had the AMAZING opportunity to take a workshop with the renowned Michael Boyd.
I sat entranced and enthralled for 3 days -
listening to him speak
watching him work
holding a good number of his finished pieces in my hand. These, I turned slowly, examining every inch....no, every millimeter...of each piece.
The cut and polish of the stones,
the fabrication and assemblage,
the minute details (details upon details upon details),
the engineering....
I was, to put it mildly, inspired.
The concept of using stone as 'just another material' -- as a base material much the same as sterling or gold. . . . uhhh, hello - paradigm meet huge impact - and be forever more shifted.The piece to the left - the 'backplate' collage (the red and yellow) was ONE stone that he broke into pieces, heated select areas turning them red, then put them back together.
uhhhhhhhhhhh.
UHMAZING!
I took an exorbitant amount of photos and some scribbled notes. . . I cut and polished stones.
But mostly...........
We sat and soaked and 'sucked the aura' (as one girl said it in the workshop) of Michael and his work.
I definitely have a new way of looking at my processes, materials, and work. I'll be sharing more in the days to come. :-)
Many of Michael's pieces have a larger than life presence.
They demand attention, yet remain elegant.
Each piece contains many smaller components that he makes and then assembles.
case in point. That is resting on the tip of my middle finger.
both the stone and the setting are hand done by Michael.
It is sitting on one HALF of the TIP of my finger.
It is tiny.
But it will become a part of something BOLD.
It is those tiny elements that capture my eye and cause such delight as I hold a piece of Boyd jewelry. There are constant surprises for me as I turn a piece around and inspect it from all angles.
I can't wait to get back to my bench! But first to my new Genie. :)
More photos from the workshop to come!! (the workshop was at the Spruill Center just outside of Atlanta. They did a great job hosting and are really working hard to create a dynamic arts center to learn painting and sculpting and metals and more! Get on their newsletter so you don't miss anything!)
