Made from silver plate tray, brass wire fused with bits of silver. The thin layer of silver on the brass plate has moved, clumped, and revealed some of the underlying brass. Because the metal has a rough patina, I don’t make the pieces perfectly even, and move them around until they have a pleasing design. The brass wire is fused with bits of silver because it fills in the gaps and adds to the wabi-sabi look I want. I soak the chain in white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to clean off the fire scale. The main pieces I usually leave the patina the torch put on, but sometimes will put them in warm vinegar and salt pickle, if I don’t like those results, back to the torch until I am satisfied with the results. As some have said, the metal informs the outcome.
Small Chunk Necklace
Roxy Lentz
Photo credit: Larry Sanders
Bio
I am self-taught with a very few formal classes. I love to use metal that others see no value in, thrifted silver plate trays, copper flashing, and sometimes new sheet brass. Because I am self-taught, and the metal is unconventional, I often have problems to solve that are unique to my work. I use a torch and flux to make the brutalistic patina.