Make Your Own Luck

Mermaid

Make Your Own Luck
ft. Fisherman Phil
photographs by George Hayford-Taylor

Just Because Its In Print, Doesn't Mean Its The Gospel

Seeing Is Believing


Chance Would Be A Fine Thing


Anything For A Quiet Life


Saved By Angels

Ornamentalise Yourself: Making of the Coin Medal

Coin medal in solid brass depicting regal side profile and reads:

The Invention Of Tradition.

The initial embossing over a photograph into sheet tin over plasticine. Melting wax in a bain-marie to make a positive coin cast. The white wax retains some of the black plasticine. More detail added to the face and hair. A sand cast is then made from the wax mold into which the molten brass is poured. Imprint of the coin in the burnt sand. The two finished medals: The earlier with less detail and heavier at approximately quarter kilo of brass. Above is from a more refined later design. The original broke in casting leaving the cracks. The difference between the coins gives the impression of two editions of the Queen's face during her reign.

The Art Of War

Pigeon Claw Necklaces, the new range

I made individual sand casts of a pigeon's foot to make this new range of necklaces. Each cast can only be used once so they are all different. They are made from brass and bronze that I melted down to create a gold coloured alloy. One is made from solid silver. I fixed glass faux pearls into the claws. I brazed screws onto the last pair to make pigeon claw hooks for the wall.

Pigeon Hat

I caught, killed, ate and taxidermied a pigeon to make this hat. I used a classic 1940's style shape because it complimented the shape of the bird. I love the pattern that the shades of the grey feathers create and the way green and purple colours come through on the neck feathers in the light. Pigeons are seen as vermin. I wanted to pay homage to the pigeon and celebrate its beauty influenced by the taxidermy hats women worn in the early 1900's. The fashion then was to adorn hats with tropical bird feathers, but I think our native birds are underappreciated. It has a faux glass pearl for an eye I and tinted the socket with gold ink. My intention is not to shock, I just want to make beautiful pieces out of the things I love.