I am in several private facebook groups - some are for quilting, weaving, my home town, the high school and university, and of course several are for metals (such as fold forming, jewelry, coloring metal, anvil surfing, women who do metal, etc..) . There are more of the latter than the former.

And yet I never found a group for one of my favorite sub-topics Chasing & Repousse to be known from now on in this post as C&R. 

I know others that have started FB groups and at least one group I am in is pushing 1500 members (and it is private). Even private groups can get bit and then the group requires many administrators. The issue with a generic metal group is that I would post some of my C&R work there, it would just get lost.  Plus it is hard to connect with others who focus on this technique.  

I thought - how about I start the group myself. YET,  I also thought - what will I get myself into IF I do this..

I bit the bullet and two weeks ago I corrected that problem and started the group.
I made it private too keep the focus on the subject and to prevent the spammers from posting all sorts of crap that I then have to remove which just makes more work for me.

Initially I invited all my FB friends that I know do C&R. Then I invited the teachers I know, then the other C&R artists I know. That put us up to a membership of about 50.

During the first week I started to add files about teachers, locations for workshop, where to get tools and pitch.  And word started to spread;  I was up to 80 members. I then used the events tab to add known workshops so members could find a class.

After two weeks we were up to 100 members.

I get several requests to join the group, every few days and IF I can't see C&R on their wall, sorry but they can't get in. I won't go hunting for proof that they do C&R, I just don't have that much time. I want the focus to be on C&R and if you do jewelry in general and you don't have the interest you can't join. Again, sorry but I don't want to see that amazing ring you made with 300 tiny pave set diamonds.  There are other groups for that.

We now are up to 145 members with some people in Tasmania, Iran, South America, and Eastern Europe and everyone is sharing the C&R love.

I am so glad I did this.

I know I called this the Deco bowl but I have settled on the title of Deco Dish - I like alliteration. 

This week the chasing was finished and while I was putting the finishing touches on the dish I started to think about how I wanted to finish the dish.

Having taken a class with David Huang, I thought that putting a silver wire rim on the dish would take it to the next level. 

BUT before I do that I should determine what the patina should be. In this case I do not think LOS will be enough, I want something that POPs. I have pondered a verdigris patina  (i.e. Tiffany green as it is sometimes called)  but if you don't know what that is, just look at the patina on the Statue of Liberty - that's the color we are talking about.

I like the green but the more I thought about it, I did not think it would be dramatic enough.  Again from the workshop from David he discussed some of his patina's. And when I saw this picture, I knew it has to be THAT red.

 [David was kind enough to let me take many pictures of his vessels. If you use the link above, you will see all the pictures I took]

I am now working on sample pieces of copper to learn how to get the red. Soon the Deco dish will be done and then I will have a few more process pictures to show you. 

Back in January, I sunk a small bowl down at Diane's house while also helping her make one too.

Then I planished it.  

Now I am doing the chasing and repousse on it and it has been given the name "The Deco Bowl".

Yesterday I finished the repousse and this morning I completed the lining. I can now move on the the chasing. 

When it is almost done, I will cap the rim with a silver wire.

I hope to finish it before April as I will be back in Brooklyn at Valentin Yotkov's studio for another workshop and I want to show it to my friends who will also be there.

So for now here are lots of process pictures of the lining and repousse - I know everyone enjoys seeing these and look at the links above to see the forming and planishing process.

The third project is now done and I mean completed.   
This project was part of the workshop I went to last month and I finished it 2 weeks ago and this weekend I trimmed it to size, applied the patina and then mounted it in the lid of a wood box. 

Project Name: The  Venetian (Devil) Mask 
Material: Sterling Silver Sheet.
Major Points:
Hammer raised area for the face. 
A traditional "black" patina provided contrast so the details of the face were easier to see. 
Related Posts:  Tucson 2014
Lessons Learned: 
Sometimes a traditional black patina can be good. 

Here is the final piece done, before the patina and then below is the piece with the patina and it is mounted in the box lid

Back in November 2013 I went to NYC for another workshop with Valentin.  And yes, I was remiss in writing about it which is why I am doing it now; especially since I wrote about the 5th workshop last time.  

The NYC trip was my 4th workshop/project with Val and for this one I was worked on "Alexander The Great" which is taken from the famous coin of Alexander with the ram's horn of the Egyptian god Ammon. This project is a major step up in technique as you "raise" the face before you even start the repousse for all the details (hair, eyes, nose, chin, jaw, horns). 

I did head out to NYC a few days before the workshop started so I could do some fun stuff and of course a certain bunny went with me and I was joined by several other C&R friends (Kimberly and Lisa) who were also in the workshop.

On Thursday morning got up and took the ferry from lower Wall Street, across the river to Dumbo, and walked to Val's studio. We were be in the workshop from 10 am until 4pm. Then took the ferry back across the river, dropped our stuff of at our lodgings and then took off to find dinner. This was repeated for 4 more days. 

At the end of the workshop I had new friends, some of who I saw in Tucson, and other that I hope to see again soon.

Here is a photo montage I made of my pictures, from the workshop (there is music too).