I probably mis-quoted her severely, but that's what my mentor and friend Lexi Erickson told me one day.
I still can't claim mastery over any one thing (except maybe computer Mahjong.)
I was all prepared in Mrs. Erickson's studio; ready to tackle my apprenticely tasks with the timid eagerness of a novice performing in front of a master.
That day, she took me away from the jewelers' bench and to a different part of her studio (some people call it a "kitchen counter") and set before me a dish of ferric chloride, a few rubber stamps, some transfer paper with doodles on it, and a bunch of strips of 18-ish gauge copper.
"Today we're doing some acid etching." She announced.
Not wanting to sound completely ignorant, I think I responded with something like "Oh."
She explained the process to me and walked me through it a couple of times. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but it very rapidly became one of my favorite art forms. Especially after the etching part was done and the finishing process started.
I'd file the piece so it was comfortable to wear, then gently put a patina on it, darkening the copper and giving it a character of its very own. Depending on my mood and what I felt from the piece, I'd clean some of the patina off, or most of it, leaving the copper with a personality I agreed with.
Pictured is one of my first in a series of etched cogs. I absolutely adore how it turned out and plan to keep making more - some similar, some wholly different.
This weekend, I'll be planning a small trip to Galaxy Fest, and at the Pandora Celtica band table, a couple of these fun little trinkets will be available for purchase. (You should listen to their music as well, it's delightful! They'll have CDs and t-shirts and art prints and all manner of fun things available.)
After the show, I'll finish putting my little copper bits up in my new Etsy shop: Ravensong Industries.
I do look forward to seeing you there!
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