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I finally made it to the torch yesterday, after taking about three weeks off. During this time, however, I have been painting beads for electroforming, one of my favorite things next to torching. Above are three new leaf focals.
A little history on the leaf beads: A little over two years ago, I became very interested in electroforming, and since much of my work is nature inspired, I decided to try incorporating real leaves from the back yard into my bead designs. I played with the idea quite a while before I came up with something I was satisfied with.
Now, each spring I become impatient, waiting for the first signs of green. Fresh, new, tender leaves do not work as well, as they do not have the mature veining, so I have to wait...and wait... Once the leaves are ready, I pick a variety of leaves throughout the spring and summer, placing them in books to flatten and dry. Friends and family also "harvest" for me, and I now have a pretty good collection.
I hope you enjoy seeing them half as much as I enjoy making them. As always, thanks for looking!