A few projects

April 28, 2014 by Johannah Willsey in Mosaic, Collaborations, Fireplace Accessories

Sneak peek of the award we made for RVA Creativity Awards.

This Thursday evening marks the first-ever RVA Creativity Awards. Many of the awards were created by members of RVA Makers. Everyone really let their imaginations fly on this project and the results are wonderful. You can see more sneak peeks of the awards on the RVA Creativity Awards Facebook page.

You can see some of the other projects we’ve been working on as we prepare for craft shows below, from bonfire pokers to mosaic mirrors and jewelry.

Kyle forged these bonfire pokers from reclaimed steel. The pokers are extra long, designed to be used for those great spring evening outdoor fires.

Check out the color & texture on these new mirror frames. Johannah used reclaimed concrete & glass for the mosaics, and the frames are reclaimed wood.

Latest grouping of mosaic pendants before they were grouted. Come on out to the show to see the completed version!

Color transition custom mosaic

March 14, 2014 by Johannah Willsey in Mosaic

The thrilling beginning of a custom mosaic commission: colors are named, themes and patterns are suggested, sketches are created.

For this mosaic, Johannah and the client settled on two images as a starting point for inspiration: a mermaid image (source unknown), and a book cover for Swedish Braille: Braille and its Terms and Conditions, designed by Helena Lunding Hultqvist. Each features a lovely transition of warm to cool colors, with an emphasis on the warm colors.

To create the composition, Johannah looked to candle and flame images that embodied that transition of warm to cool colors, and mountain landscape views of the Southern California area that would be eventually be home to the mosaic, such as the above photo by Cmrowell.

In the end, what makes a commissioned piece so satisfying is the collaborative nature. One person provides the initial inspiration of a color, image, or theme, while another person brings the idea to life through their own vision and technique. These are pieces that truly require community and connection to bring them into being.

Forged steel collaborations

March 07, 2014 by Johannah Willsey in Inspiration, Railing, Collaborations

Forged steel is a versatile medium, beautiful in it's own right. But we also love to see the depths of color and texture created when blacksmiths collaborate with ceramic and glass artists. Here's a round-up of a few of our favorite examples.