Oh it feels so good

I promised Nanney of SeaColors an extraordinary silver button for the Crafts at the Castle show in Boston this weekend.
My studio time has been derailed by Mama's death, so the week before the show, I haven't made the button. Upon returning home, it has been a week of holiday, unpacking, rearranging, and chaos rules in my house, more than usual.
Finally it is Tuesday, November 27, and I have to deliver a button by Wednesday evening or give it up.
Now I need to make this button. I hunger for it. I crave art making so much, I ache. Giving up is not an option. But I can't get started-- my engine just won't crank and I am getting crankier by the minute--weepy, frustrated, pissed! Then something happens. Don't ask me what. At 10:30 pm Tuesday night I sit down with the PMC, and I start making the button.

VROOOM! Just like my friend's Rambler, my engine rumbles to life, and I am in the Art Zone. The top picture is what the button looked like at two o'clock in the morning when I went to bed.

I got up early and worked some more. I left to go to my job for a few hours, and rushed home for final touch up of raw material, adding button loops and speed drying the piece to get it ready to fire. I fired fast, to maximum temperature for PMC 3 silver clay, 1650 degrees F. This is what the fired piece looked like before polishing. The oxidation is white like porcelain. But it isn't. It is 99.9 percent silver.

After a few minutes with a brass wire brush and a burnisher, the glory of this button shines.

Nanney just called from the road. She picked up a sweater from her knitter made with her Seacolors aqua yarn, with a seaweed colored shawl collar. I hope she gets a picture of it before it sells. Because somebody at the Castle is going to want this sweater with this button.

I know you are dying to see the back of this button too.

And me, my art engine is roaring along. VROOOM VROOOOM! Vroom VROOM

Did I mention HOW GOOD IT FEELS?

Comments

[Angela]

Oooohh, so beautiful, Carla.

[eileen (the dream)]

Awesome description of the creative process, Carla! The button is beautiful - you know the subject is a fave of mine.

[gel]

oh, so very lovely! I was relieved and elated for you that your creative spirit kicked in with so little time; it seems many of us create gems when under pressure.
I clicked on the link again today. (I've looked before) SOunds like a yummy spot to pair your work up with her knitted pieces.

I'm often asked by others at home, "Why were you up all night painting?" Sometims it's because of impending deadlines, even though I'm a planner. (there's so much last minte "stuff" to do when preparing for certain shows.) Also, the time goes by so quickly.

P.S. I'm not able to particpate in the tag. I'll be doing a specal post on Sat that is a slight alteration of my current post. Tags don't go with it, but thanks for asking me!

(My current post reveaps some random things about me.I've been very privatef on m glog

[gel]

oops hit wrong keys at the end above- hahah
last phrase should read "private on my blog." (somehow i think u could have figured that out...)

[Tammy Vitale]

Spectacular piece of work! And thanks for sharing that process - it makes me feel better. =]

[Carla Sanders]

Hi Everybody, thanks for the encouragement. I am glad you like the piece and the story. Thanks for being part of my community. YOU get it, art divas that you all are!

[Absolute Vanilla... (& Atyllah)]

Your art is so beautiful, so incredibly evocative. Love it!

[wwa]

got it, sweet potato you