I was disappointed to miss
last month. I was traveling once again ~ busy on Long Island attending
retirement parties, family events and participating in the Sag Harbor Arts and
Crafts Fair. In case you’re wondering (and even if you’re not), in spite of the
pouring rain, I had a good show, with follow up opportunities.
I enjoyed Swamplandia,
by Karen Russell. The story follows a family of alligator wrestlers who run an
ailing tourist attraction in the Florida Everglades. Chief Big Tree and his
children struggle to keep Swamplandia open after their mother, the main
attraction, succumbs to cancer. They also have to contend with competition from
“The World of Darkness”, the new high tech amusement park on the mainland.
It wouldn’t be a book club
selection if there wasn’t a bit of the supernatural or weirdness involved in
the story. Sixteen year old Ossie
considers herself to be a spiritualist and believes that she has relationships
with ghosts. After finding a ghost ship (really a dredge from the 1930’s), Ossie
imagines herself in love with a young man who perished in an explosion and decides
to run off and marry him.
The obvious inspiration for
this book would be alligators. So, as I read, I checked my stash and a few
suppliers – no alligators. Then Ossie and Ava stumble upon the decrepit ship
with a swarm of buzzards overhead. There was my inspiration! Somehow, someway, I
was determined to create a buzzard. Luckily, Kevin
Potter has a great bird pancake die and it
was on sale when I wanted it. I headed out to the hydraulic press with some 20 gauge sheet copper. The next challenge was how to make it look
like a buzzard…
After an internet search for
buzzard images, a trip to Ornamentea
in Raleigh for Thomson enamels, and four torch firings of different layers and colors, I’m pretty
excited with the result.
 |
| I don't always counter-enamel, but felt this piece needed it |
I've added a bail and chain, maybe I'll add some beads, but haven’t
decided if I prefer copper or silver chain.
What do you think?
Please visit book club leader, Andrew Thornton's blog here to learn more about our group
and visit other participants listed below...
