Frances Federer Blog: June 2013

Sunday 16 June 2013

Home made pic

another one

I have been rushing around trying to get as much out of London Jewellery week as poss. I missed The Jewelry Show, but you cant do everything. Talked to lots of people about exhibiting.... learned a lot.
Consensus is I should do Treasure. The J Show is very costly and more for mass produced stuff. Mine is def not that. Treasure will be good for meeting new people and finding clients.
Then there are the Pet shows. With luck I can find commissions through them, for pet portraits. Also I will do pics of horses! That is a rich vein of customers, I think.

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Work plans and a bit more

From the front with a couple of glazes on.

Stage 3

Stage 4. From the back, scratching through the paint

Now it is backed with foil so the silver leaf is both matt and shiny. I will photo it in situ. It is a devil to photograph, as anyone who has tried will confirm. But once in place it will be easier to read.
This is photographed from the front.
Size, 20" x 28". I used 4mm toughened glass.

Happy to say I am now collaborating with Lucy Batt, www.lucyalexandrabatt.com who is a glass artist working for interior designers. Together we are offering decorated glass that is NOT kiln formed, rather decorated with cold techniques that not only better fit tight(er) budgets (not you and me though, we are talking yachts and planes here) but that are less stressful to produce.
Lucy sandblasts the front, using stencils and working deep, and then I paint and gild the backs! A perfect combination. These panels will be suitable for items such as table mats and table tops, as well as for wall coverings for bespoke interiors.

I hope in the future to get more work up on the blog.
One slight problem has been the lack of time. I am of an age when I get very tired and need my evenings. I am not a Margaret Thatcher type who can manage on 4 hours!
My husband, Stefan, and I are living with my parents and taking care of them. They are both well over 90 and pretty frail. So my time at work is limited and very scattered. I am trying really hard not to get frustrated and to accept it all, (ha!) but a bit of a balancing trick is going on. A lot of shopping, cooking, washing etc. Anybody reading this know what I mean??

To get the work done, out there and sold is a big job! I am trying (like LOTS of others) to get the jewellery marketed, without the lovely Laura, my p.a., who has just swanned back to Canada till September.
I did do well on my first visits to town as I said in a recent blog, but it needs more!
This is what I need to find:
1. a group of jewellers who will be happy to have me within their group, in order to share in exhibitions and be part of a community. This is not urgent, but I need gallery exhibition opps.
2. suitable trade fairs to exhibit, such as the Pet Fairs, where I would push the Pet Portraits as jewellery; meet clients/collectors, gain commissions and even sell! Yeh!
3. the right retailers to stock the work.
4. More clients like the last lot..... tailors, shirtmakers, fashion people for the buttons (!) etc.

None of this is rocket science, I just have to get on my bike and do it. It takes time but that is ok.

More pics soon once the splashback is in place.

I do understand some people read this. (someone I had never met before told me she read it!!) I was thrilled. Please people, if you are reading this, please stop by to say hello (comments?).
Best, f

Sunday 9 June 2013

Splashback, working larger.

Splashback stage 1.

This is the first stage of a splashback for behind a cooker. Regular, toughened 4mm glass (not low iron, so rather greenish, which is no problem). Strips of silver leaf laid on the wetted glass, left to dry and distressed.

Splashback stage 2.

First layer of paint, with a variety of colours, laid on in one go. Working in reverse I have to imagine how layers will look all together. The silver leaf is now covered. Further layers will build up the colour. The work will be viewed eventually from the front.