Beginning Stages

| 16 November, 2011 07:35

This is where patience is tried....Alcohol lamp..check.  Carving tools....check.   Block of sculting wax...check.check.

 

Recreating postmarks into a three dimensional mini-sculpture takes tremondous patience.  It is no time for a Starbucks extra-shot Americano (my personal favorite).  After hours of work the piece can be ruined by being over-anxious to complete it.   Sometimes that "final touch" before I close the studio for the day can result in wax scrap for a future project. 

The wax sculture is almost complete. I will put it aside for now and return with a fresh perspective tomorrow.....


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Follow me on my new postmark journey!

| 07 November, 2011 07:52

I thought it would be interesting to show how the creation of a new postmark design comes about.   I have just found an awesome postcard from New York circa 1906.   It is in pristine condition and has images of some key New York landmarks.   It took me a minute to figure out that the Empire State Building hadn't been built when the postcard was designed.   I'm planning on visiting each location shown on the postcard to compare the landmarks both then and now. 

The postmark itself is beautiful and will make for an awesome jewelry design. It takes a lot of research to find  a postcard that has both beautiful design as well as an attractive postmark.  Here's a peek at the front of the postmark. 

I realize my scan of this postcard is difficult to see, but trust me the details are amazing!

Now my recreating the postmark in wax begins.....


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Postmark History

| 24 October, 2011 16:08

 

 

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Welcome to my first Susan Rodgers Designs post. The best place to start is to describe my fascination with nostalgic articles and my collection of jewelry based on vintage postcards I have collected over the years.

A pivotal moment in my collection occurred during my search for a Florence (Firenze) postcard. After hours of pouring over vintage correspondence owned by a stamp dealer in Nevada, not only did I find one that spoke to me but it had been sent in 1938 to an individual in Sayville, NY.  This might not sound like much, but taking into consideration that my work is shown in an artisan gallery in Sayville on the street adjacent to the addressee on the postcard, I found it truly serendipitous!

These are the moments that motivate my work-and I am so fortunate that they are always happening! These postmark pieces take me back to a bygone era of romantic faraway places-perfect for the dreamer in me.

 

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