It has now been two weeks since my Emma family were together in the Boreal forest of Saskatchewan, creating at the Ness Creek festival site. big sigh. Still processing what went on for me. There were 85 + artists from around the world, and I had the pleasure of joining. Check it out: http://www.emmacollaboration.com/

That’s a wee bit of background. What did I do there this time around? Well, do let me tell you. Some of the items I worked on dealt with molten metal. Seems hot, glowing, liquid metal had a large pull for my attention. I smelted used copper with Grant Iron (a Saskatoon, exquisite knife maker), played with the jewellers and did a silver cuttlefish carving pour and a copper cuttlefish pour. Worked with some wood artisans and made a metal base for an end table. Back to the copper, we made copper babies. Big solid copper pours into water (water casting).

Take aways for me, I need to learn more. One mistake I made was having a flannel sheet completely cover the top of a garbage can with water in it. Should have had space for vapour leave. One casualty, a garbage can did pop its seams. Will I do it again?? Hell ya! but with more knowledge and with space around the sheet. Looking forward to doing more.

In the photos: 1. Copper baby #3 is the coral the little whale is swimming over, while the boat is above them all. 2. Copper baby #2 (big boy) turned into this gorgeous face. 3. Copper baby #2 just after coming out of the water. 4. garbage can seams opened. 5 and 6 are of the kidney shaped copper baby #2, he had heft. 7. is my itty bitty silver casting, dragonfly fairy.

photo 1 and 7 are photo’s by Gary Robins.