Art, Inspiration and Collaboration. Not Chairs!

It is time to talk about Art, Inspiration and Collaboration.
Not Chairs!
At the beginning of 2011  Peggy Potts, a wonderful silversmith, and I started a collaboration on a piece for Convergence III.
At our 1st meeting we agreed that the architecture of Antoni Gaudi moved and inspired us. Peggy and I got to work pouring through books on Gaudi and his work, searching the internet for images of spires and mosaics designed by Gaudi.

 We learned about his collaborations with the artists who brought his plans to life. Each craftsman whether it was a stone carver or a tile layer influenced the final creation of a Gaudi's work.

Peggy and I decided to meet once a week and each week we would talk and share our drawings and ideas.

 

 We each had a vision of what the piece should be the ideas were both similar and very different. We worked together to developed the piece, not digging in to have our own way, but considering the ideas of the other. Taking each other suggestions back to our studios and working on how to incorporate them. Drawings and plans became test beads and a framework of sterling silver. 

We began the work of  balancing  the colors, architectural elements and wear-ability of the piece. I love the attention to detail Peggy gave to the piece every part of it was made by our hands even the tiny silver bead caps and chain.

As the Gaudi piece began to take shape it fascinated both of us. When you collaborate to create something it is not just yours and we both felt an almost strange awe of what we had created. We jokingly called it "my precious" because we both wanted to have it in our possession. It traveled back a forth from her studio to my studio for each addition and after 2 month of work "Gaudi" was finished.

The photos were sent for Jury and we waited..........Joy!!!

Gaudi juried into the exhibition!

Like Convergence II Convergence III will travel the country and hopefully the world.

The first stop is the Gathering in Louisville KY 

We carefully packed it up in it's own little "suitcase"  and said bon voyage.