It's Simply a Matter of Time

Don’t be expecting some apocalyptical prophesies here. I’ll leave that to those more qualified. I’m just thinking that sooner or later we’ll emerge from this cold grip that Old Man Winter has had on us these past weeks. While I realize that a low of 9 degrees this morning is a 20 degree improvement over last week I still think it’s cold.


I suppose since I brought it up, we ought to take a look at this phenomenon called “time”. I looked it up in my paperback Webster College Dictionary and one of the definitions it gives for time is “the period during which something exists or happens”. That’s pretty good.

In practical terms, we can say that it takes a certain amount of time to go somewhere, or do something. It takes a certain amount of time for something to happen too, like write this column or eat breakfast, paint a painting or make a picture frame. It’s probably a good thing we have this invention called time or everything would be happening all at once and that’d be really hard to deal with. We all spend our time doing something, even if it’s doing nothing which can be a worthwhile pursuit sometimes.

It’s been said that time waits for no man, and that time marches on. We’ve all got a certain amount of time. We just don’t know how much we have, unfortunately. If we did, I bet we’d use it differently. What we choose to do with our time is what separates us. I saw a video the other day in which Alan Watts, a British philosopher, makes a good point of “doing what we’d like to do” with the limited amount of time we have. He says it’s really stupid to spend our time doing something we dislike just so we can make some money to continue doing what we dislike. Point taken.

While I think that is an admirable outlook, I also think that sometimes life gets in the way and we do what we have to do to make things work out. The important part is that we really need to take the “time” to enjoy some of what makes life worth living. Stop and smell the roses, sort of thing. Pretty heady stuff for so early in the morning so let’s move on.

I’ve been spending a little of my allotted time lately looking at the map. As you know, I like to get out and about a bit and it’s been awhile. Cabin fever is settling in. Lots of choices out there and I’m getting a list made. Stay tuned. Thanks for spending some of your precious time with me. I appreciate it.

Thawing Out

Yes, it's been a little chilly around these parts. The other night we had -12 degrees...that's below zero folks.

 I haven't been in cold like that since I left Wyoming several years ago. Fortunately I have a nice warm shop to work in these days. I've got a number of frames to gild with 23kt gold which is exactly what I like doing. That and gilding on glass...and making paintings... OK. I like everything I am doing. Feeling really blessed to be in that position.

I was going to upload a photo I took of the thermometer outside the other morning but for some reason it's not working. I'll keep trying and show you the proof. We're in a bit of a warmup right now as last night's temp was only 5 degrees above zero. I think we've got it whipped now.

There we go. I checked on the blogger help page and they said they were aware of the issue and it only affects the Internet Explorer browser so I just fired up the iPad and here we are...no problem.

This is a seies of frame I'm working on in my cozy warm shop. Luv the gold.

This is a new to me (used) Dodge van I recently bought to use as a shop/delivery vehicle. I really like all of the glass. This will be great for some gold leafed lettering. After getting the transmission rebuilt it has turned out to be a great little van. Good mileage and lots of room inside...did I mention all the glass? Can't wait for it to warm up enough to get the windows lettered. Wish I had a heated shop with an overhead door I could just pull into. Maybe I can do it at the gilders conclave I'll be going to next month in California. Should be warm enough there.

Happy New Year

Well, it appears we've been saved from plunging over the cliff. Life can now go on. Idiots.

I managed to get through the Christmas rush...just as I suspected I would...just as I have for the past 26 Christmas rushes. It's always nice to take a couple of days off afterward to regroup and recharge. Hanging out at the shop the last couple of days with some time on my hands led me looking around and realizing it was a mess. I've got 26 years worth of stuff accumulating in various piles here and there. I got a new vinyl cutter a couple of days ago and realized I had no place to set it up.

Thus began the clean up. I filled one dumpster with stuff and probably have enough for another one. What a great feeling to purge all of these little treasures I've been hanging on to, thinking I would use them some day...which of course I didn't. Sure enough though, I'll get a job next week for which I cold use that piece of cork I've been saving for the past 12 years.

I'm pretty excited about this vinyl cutter I got. I'll use it primarily to cut sandblasting masks. Oh! I forgot to tell you. I got a sandblaster too. I'll be using it to etch glass. Exciting stuff coming. Lots of gold leafing, glass etching and lettering on tap for the new year. Who knows. Might even get some painting done too.

Current plans are to go to Telluride at least one day a week. I've got a designer up there who is interested in working with me. I can deliver/pickup framing jobs and maybe land a little gold leafing job or two from some of the business who want to make their signage and or windows stand out.

"Clink"! Here's hoping you're as excited about the New Year as I am. Great times are ahead.

Waiting

Thought I'd drop a few lines while I'm waiting for a delivery. While the Christmas rush for picture framing was slow getting started, I'm in the peak of the crunch as I write this. Why do I have time to write my blog if I'm in a crunch? Well....I'm glad you asked. I was supposed to get a delivery yesterday for the final fifteen or so jobs I have yet to finish for Christmas. The driver, from Denver, called yesterday afternoon to say he was broke down near Vail and wouldn't be able to make it here until late today (Friday) or probably tomorrow (Saturday). Not his fault...stuff happens. In the meantime, I'm answering calls on the phone from people wanting to know if their work is done. I try to explain what happened and so far everyone has expressed frustrarion but understanding also. I'll get it all done just as soon as I can, knowing I'll have to work through the weekend and probably wrap it up Monday Chrismas Eve.

Every Christmas, for 26 years, I've managed to get it all done, one way or another, and I will this year also. I will however, take some time off the week between Christmas and New Years...but...then again maybe not.

Burnished

I'm still working on the three frames I showed you in the last post. After the gold is "set up" or "cured" on the frames, it is time to begin the burnishing. In this photo, just about where the glare spot is, you can see on the narrow left surface where the sheen of the burnish,  on the lower half, meets the flat matte look of the unburnished gold on the top half. The flat panel to the right will be left unburnished. By alternating a burnish and matte suface one can achieve a look of interest and dimension.

These are a few of the tools used to burnish gold with. These happen to be polished agate stones attached to wooden handles. In days of yore, bone and or antler points were used.

Here are the three frames that have been burnished and rubbed lightly with pumice to allow the under color of the bole to appear and further influence the look of the gold. Next step is to add a protective coat of shellac.

These frames are going to be reproductions of old frames. I want them to look like they have been around for a hundred years or so. After the shellac coating I will add a lightly colored patina and do some antiquing to the frames. I'll post the finished results when I get them done.

As a side note, I was interviewed yesterday by WATCH Publications of Telluride, CO. for an upcoming article in one of their magazines. The focus of the article will be on me as a gilder, both of gold on frames and gold on glass. That'll be some great exposure.

Laying a Little Gold

Here are some frames that I'm in the middle of gilding for a client. The two with gold on them have just been gilded and are in their raw state. The other one is ready to gild. It has a red bole with a dark chocolate panel and highlights on the raised portions of the profile. "Bole" is a clay base that was mixed and applied by hand. After the gold has been burnished to achieve a sheen it will then be rubbed a bit with some pumice. The gold is VERY thin and just a little rub will bring out the color of the bole thereby giving a color influence to the gold.

This photo shows the frame in the process of being gilded. You can see how the gilding goes in sections. The liquid is a wetting agent that is applied, activating the adhesive properties of the clay bole. This allows the gold to "stick" to the clay.

These are three of the frames for this order. They are in their raw gilded state. I'm waiting for them to dry and cure. Next step is to burnish the gold with an agate stone stone that has been polished so it is very smooth. The process of burnishing will set the gold in the clay and yield a high sheen to it. I'll follow up with that in the next post. Although the gold used here is 23kt. the lighting I photographed these frames under makes the gold look more like 18kt.

Busy in the Studio

Well, it a long ways from Winslow Arizona. It's been awhile too. While my typical framing business has been suprisingly slow these days I've been busy laying some gold for samples of different techniques in gilding and lettering styles. I've really been enjoying this time to get caught up on a number of things. Here is an example of my latest...

This is a vintage "S"  23 kt gold gilded in reverse on a piece of glass. It is two toned, in that I gilded part of the letter with a "bright" watergilded technique and then leafed the duller, matted look with a reverse oil gilded process, thereby giving the two toned look. All done by hand. Classic. I love it. I'm thinking that these might make for a special Christmas gift...a personalized monogram in the letter of your choice.

Also gilded my shop address numerals on the transom glass above the doors the other day.

Hard to see the burnished reflection of the gold in this shot. It looks like a matte gilding but trust me, it is watergilded bright. Again 23kt gold gilded in reverse on the glass with a black outline.

Although the numbers don't show up as well in this photo, the bright reflective properties of the gold are more apparent.

I've been getting these sample photos together because after Christmass I'm taking this lettering, painted and gilded, on the road to businesses in the area. I've become absolutely infatuated with this and lovin' it.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!