238/365 grampa

I just got back from a visit with my grandfather who is 87 and quite ill. Grampa is in hospice care at home now, he's confined to a bed and taken care of by his wonderful and loving wife, Jan. While I was there Jan, Aunt Sally, and I looked through some old photos and I chose some to take home.

My absolute faves are two of my grandfather, Mr. Robert Durgin, in drag. Here he is in the bathing suit competition as "Miss New Hampshire" - apparently this pageant is a very popular annual event at his mobile home community. Those old folks sure know how to party!


As I said goodbye to him yesterday I was thinking, "This is the last time I will see him", and I wondered if he was thinking the same. It was profoundly sad. I am so grateful to have had him around for so long, my last living grandparent. And if it's all the same to rest of the family, I prefer to think of him in drag. It makes me smile.

213/365 pablo

I made this ring in memory of Pablo, my feline friend for the past fifteen years. When I adopted Pablo I was 26, and we have lived in 5 different homes and 4 cities since then. He was with me for the end of my twenties, through my thirties, and into my early forties.

Earlier this week I drove him to the vet and helped him to sleep for the last time. Digging in the hard Memphis clay was exhausting and so sad and took forever, but I'll miss this blister from the shovel when it's gone.

It's such a difficult thing we must do for our animals, it's only bearable because we know it's right.

209/365 duracell abu ghraib

This one is pretty over the top, I prefer the subtlety of the other rings in this series. I was in the studio until 5am and had to see the battery idea through to the end, just to see if I could do it. Nickel silver, copper, duracell battery - held together with duct tape and play doh.

I am finally on track and caught up with rings!

206/365 cummings

I have recommitted to making one ring per day without skipping, and had hoped to avoid a paper quickie so soon, but I had to say goodbye to an old friend today and I don't have it in me to get to the studio. The poem is by ee cummings.

love is more thicker than forget
more thinner than recall
more seldom than a wave is wet
more frequent than to fail

it is most mad and moonly
and less it shall unbe
than all the sea which only
is deeper than the sea

love is less always than to win
less never than alive
less bigger than the least begin
less littler than forgive

it is most sane and sunly
and more it cannot die
than all the sky which only
is higher than the sky

106/365 twin towers 3

Playing around with scale and yesterday's ring. Of course if you were this close you would see windows, I tried to minimize the problem by shooting the ring in silhouette against the sun.

the ring in sterling silver

original Google Sketchup design

105/365 twin towers 2

Today I used sterling silver to make the ring that I designed in SketchUp yesterday.

100/365 hectorad

Ring a Day is referred to as RAD by the participants, hectorad is my 100th ring. Sawn from sterling sheet, soldered, and forged.

83/365 exxon valdez

Today is the 21st anniversary of the devastating Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska. Hundreds of thousands of animals were killed, the best estimates are: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs. And we still haven't learned our lessons about oil.

http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/

sterling silver and copper

53/365 malcolm x

sterling silver, etched shibuichi

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. I made a memorial ring, but made a big mistake with the etching and Malcolm was unrecognizable. Today I remade the top, and reused the band from yesterday.


A big thanks to Dauvit Alexander who sent me an article that he published about electrolytic etching. I have not tried the process yet, but his instructions suggested a halftone image for capturing tonal detail. I've been photo etching metal for years and have never been very happy with the results I've had with faces. I need to work on this a bit more (and try the electrolyte process), but I am very pleased.

13/365 ring for Haiti

A monumental earthquake shook Port-au-Prince yesterday, thousands have died and the presidential palace has toppled in one of the poorest countries in the world. I took some time to reflect on the tragedy and suffering today. I am so grateful that all of my beloved friends and family are healthy and well.

nickel silver, sterling silver