More Moss!

Last month I shared some images from a new series of pieces developed using clumps of moss as the base for sculptural pendants.  I am using recycled silver that has been pulverized into tiny particles that are combined with an organic binder and water in order to make a silver paste.  I developed those hollow pieces by draping moss around paper straws and soaking them in this paste as they hung to set up.  Once set, they were fired in a kiln which burns out the remaining moisture, moss and binder to leave behind pure silver.  This technique allows me to capture the intricate textures that make moss so very fascinating.  The most recent pieces in this series are more dense and incorporate color.  Instead of hanging to create a hollow form, the moss is again soaked in the silver paste, but then is "piled" on small slats of wood as it dries.  A small piece of dichroic glass is pressure set in each of them to create a focal point.  Rather than using a liver of sulfur patina of dark gray to pronounce the surface relief, I have treated this piece with a sage green alcohol ink that settles into the complex grooves and illuminates the subtle depths of its surface.  I am excited by the potential that continues to unfold from this new series...