Minerals and Cutting Rough

About mid-January, we will be attending a major trade-show.  We expect to expand our offerings of minerals, Lapidary cutting-rough, and possibly even antiques.

These shows are largely unpredictable.  That is, one never knows what dealers, materials, or even countries will be represented. Therefore, we thought it might be smart to ask what 'things' you would like us to watch-for.  If you respond, it will not be treated as an "order", so you are under no obligation to buy anything you suggest.  We would just like to know what our clients and customers desire.  Then, if we are able to locate a good value, we'll offer it for sale through our store.

If you have a particular item in-mind that you would like for us to locate, please contact us through our website.  Please be sure to include your email address, as the software does not capture any information about you that you do not explicitly enter.

We look forward to your input!

Mammoth Fossils

Mammoths are some of the more famous members of the Order Proboscidea.  The Order Proboscidea includes elephants, mastodons, gompotheres, and other less-well-known animals with a pronounced 'proboscis'.   Mammoths flourished across much of of the northern hemisphere starting about 150,000 years ago, and ending about 10,000 years ago.  The Woolly Mammoth (Mammothus Primigenius) is arguably among the best represented of extinct animals on earth, due to their preservation in permafrost in the arctic.

The Latin root of the word "fossil" literally translates "having been dug up".  And fossils may be completely mineralized (like the wood found in the petrified forest in Arizona), or there may be little or no mineralization.  Heavily mineralized mammoth fossils are fairly rare, and usually limited to very old specimens.

The very best mammoth fossils frequently have almost no mineralization.  In the permafrost of Siberia and Alaska, very well preserved teeth and tusks are found which have not changed much since the animal died.  This 'fossil ivory' is highly sought for carving or other artistic use.  Similarly, the bones preserved in ice have very little mineralization, and require little special treatment to assure their continued enjoyment.  Unfortunately, access to these frozen beauties has become limited by legislation in their respective countries.

Another source of mammoth fossils are the relatively shallow seas which were dry, or covered by ice, during the ice-ages.  Modern fishing 'trawlers' drag the bottom of these seas in search of bottom-dwelling fish.  From time-to-time, their nets catch bones and teeth which have been submerged since the last ice age.  The fossils generally have a significant degree of mineralization...especially salt.   Special techniques are required to draw as much of the salt out of these fossils as possible.  And, these fossils tend to be somewhat fragile and ill-suited for carving or cutting.

Some mammoth fossils are found in fresh water, especially in Florida.  These fossils tend to be well preserved and somewhat mineralized.  Suitability for carving/cutting varies widely.  And, it would be highly recommended that each specimen be closely examined for any use other than display.

Mammoth fossils are also found in terrestrial locations.  The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota is well worth the trip and admission fee (although none of these fossils are for sale).  Mammoth fossils of terrestrial sites tend to be fragile, mineralization may range from minimal to substantial.  One would have to carefully examine each fossil for use other than display specimens.

Among the more common mammoth fossils are their teeth.  Mammoths (and modern elephants) grow six sets of molars in a typical life-span.  A "spit" tooth is a molar that has been shed in the normal process of an old tooth being worn-out and replaced by a new molar.  Curiously, the molars are constructed of alternating layers of enamel and dentin.  The dentin, being softer, wears more rapidly than the enamel, resulting in a constantly effective grinding surface (vs. a tooth that would have worn 'smooth' if all the same hardness).

The information above is the result of research, conversations, and observations.  And, reflects my opinions and experience.  We hope you will find it helpful.  But please, use this as only a starting-point for your research.

Christmas Gift Ideas - 2010

We've been notified that Crystal Moon Gallery will be featured in the upcoming Fort Worth Weekly Holiday shopping guide.  Specifically, they are featuring gifts under $10, and Carl Linde's hammered copper bracelets were selected from our store.

Continuing that train-of-thought, I thought it might be appropriate to mention some of the inexpensive items which were not selected by FW Weekly.  Although certainly not comprehensive, we thought we'd highlight some of the items under $20.  Please remember that these items are one-of-a-kind, or in very limited supply.

Karl Hoffman hand-forms some fascinating letter-openers by splitting wood from the Bois d'arc tree (among the hardest woods in North America).  He does not use a saw, but relies upon he natural grain of the wood to define most of the shape.  The result is curvy, beautiful, and a tactile delight.  $10.

Dale Miller still has a couple original cast sterling silver rings being offered at $10.

Wayne Mandrell has polished amber, with identified bugs, starting at $10.  These are small pieces, and the bugs are tiny, but the price is amazing.

Sandi McFarland offers hand-thrown and hand-carved pottery, several of which are offered at $10 to $15.

Teresa Sanchez offers many of her hand-thrown pottery items at $15.

Dyan Johnson, Margaret Laughlin and LaNelle Tadlock each offer hand-made earrings in the $12 to $20 range.

In addition to the bargains above, during the Christmas season we will be running sales on metal art by Eli, paintings by Svetlana, Meteorites, and even 19th century tools.  Some may question giving tools as gifts, but they are collectible, attractive, and give a masculine aura to an office space without treading on any politically sensitive areas.

We hope you will think of us as you compile your Christmas list.  If anyone on your list appreciates the unique, original, or one-of-a-kind, we think we can help your search.

Mineral Collecting with a Purpose

Most of us appreciate the beauty of minerals.  And, many of us will purchase individual mineral specimens that we find compelling.  We at Crystal Moon Gallery would like to suggest that mineral collecting with a specific purpose or objective in-mind can be educational, motivational, and Fun!

If one studies mineralogy, there is a potential to be entirely overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the field.  Many thousands of mineral species have been discovered and identified.  And the subtleties!  A single atom can significantly change the composition of a mineral...and result in a new mineral species.

And, let's not forget that some minerals are not very good for your health!  And, others are not very stable.  Cinnabar, a Mercury Sulfide, sometimes 'bleeds' elemental Mercury.  Realgar, an Arsenic Sulfide, forms beautiful deep-red crystals, but can alter to powdery yellow Orpiment or Pararealgar upon long-term exposure to air and light (which can be mitigated with specialized storage).

Collecting with a purpose allows one to: (1) narrow their focus to only those minerals of intense interest (2) establish themself as a local expert (3) avoid dangerous or unstable minerals (4) be motivated to find that next piece of the collection.

Collectors take a wide variety of approaches.  Following are some which we have seen first-hand:

• Fluorescent minerals.  Some minerals exhibit entirely different colors and textures under UV light.  Fluorescent minerals deliver bright colors, and a really unusual way of seeing minerals.  However, fluorescent minerals require special lighting.
• "Type Localities".  Many minerals are historically documented such that the first discovery is known.  Minerals from the location of first discovery/identification are the goal of this collector.  For example, Ajoite was first identified and named-for the Ajo mining district in Pima County, AZ.  Type locality collecting can allow wondrous variety in a collection, while keeping to a main theme.
• Unique species or groups.  We know one fellow who collects only the Garnet group of minerals.  With numerous unique species, and almost every imaginable color (except blue), the garnet group can deliver an amazingly colorful collection. 
• Crystal systems.  Most minerals form in a distinct pattern (e.g. Quartz is usually Hexagonal, and classified as such).  And some enjoy a collection of varying shapes in which minerals crystallize.  A variation would be a collection of crystal oddities...minerals that crystallized into unexpected shapes.

Not surprisingly, some will combine two or more of these example strategies.  For example, crystal oddities in the Quartz family could be a reasonably inexpensive and diverse collection.  The photo at the top of this post is of "skeleton" quartz (sometimes called window, jacare, or elestial quartz).  The steel pin is about 1 3/4" long, and is inserted about one-third of its length into an open chamber in the quartz crystal.  The prevailing theory is that the outer walls of the crystal grew more quickly than the inner areas, creating an enclosed, hollow, inner space, with an opening to the outside.

Here are Crystal Moon Gallery, we try to offer a wide variety of safe and stable mineral specimens.  And, we know quite a number of mineral dealers and collectors.  So that we can help you to fill-in the gaps in whatever collecting strategy you chose.

What's in a Name?

During our shopping trip to the Denver 'rock' shows, I became keenly aware of an amazing variety of pronunciations for the fossils and minerals on display.  I held my tongue and avoided saying something rude like "it is pronounced...".  But, on a couple of occasions, I may have stepped on toes by steadfastly holding to my own preferred pronunciation (rather than saying it their way).  Hopefully I didn't offend anyone.  But if I did, it was not intended.

I did observe just a couple people in active discussion over pronunciation.  But seriously, who REALLY KNOWS the correct way to pronounce Latin names?  I vividly remember being taught that Latin was chosen for medical and scientific names because it is a "dead language".  So, if it is a dead language, how can anyone be confident of the correct way to say those words?

And, of course, at an international type of show, there are cultural and language differences that one should respect...if for no other reason than to just be polite.

Anyway, what follows are some pronunciations observed among people for whom English was their primary language:

Trilobite:  TRY-lobe-ite, TRILL-o-bite
Sugilite: SU-jee-lite, SU-gill-ite, SHOO-gill-ite
Barite: BAY-rite, BEAR-ite
Fluorite: FLOOR-ite, FLOO-rite

Entertaining as this might be, we welcome all pronunciations at Crystal Moon Gallery.  And, please be patient with us if our pronunciation doesn't match yours.  ;-)

Painting Demonstration by Monte Wilson

On Saturday, 21 August, Monte Wilson gave a demonstration of the skills he has developed as an artist.  Somehow, I never quite finished this blog entry.  Please forgive the long-delayed posting.

Despite a recent broken-ankle, and borderline hostile work environment, Monte delivered on his scheduled painting demonstration.  Ridgmar Mall even allowed us to set him up in the common area near our front door.  This was both a blessing and a curse.  On the one hand, it allowed a number of people to watch Monte, who might not have otherwise entered the store.  On the other hand, there was also a children's event in the area known as "Macy's Court"...and the noise level drove quite a number of adults to seek sanctuary.  ;-)

After an extended break, Monte was able to complete the painting above.  All-in-all, a pretty impressive performance.  And, the high-bidder in a silent auction went home with a framed, original, oil-painting by Monte.

Monte has introduced a line of small originals, typically about 6" by 8".  And, in addition to his gallery and web presence, he is offering some of them via his ebay store.

Once again, I apologize for the delay in this posting.
David

Meteorites

Those of you that have met us know that we have a real enthusiasm for most everything in the store.  Most of the minerals, fossils, and even "Objets D'Art" are items that we have investigated for quite some time.  Meteorites are among our newest "enthusiasms". 

The technological advances of the last couple decades have greatly expanded the availability of nearly all collectibles.  That is to say that the internet has broadened the knowledge of collectors, and notified others of the "collect-ability" of items they own or can obtain.  This prompts more hunters and pickers, and stimulates new businesses.  This is especially true of meteorites.  

Stony meteorites are estimated by scientists to be the most common form of meteorite to actually reach the Earth.  More than 85% of meteorites are thought to be of the stony variety.  BUT, they are really difficult to find and identify, because for-the-most-part, they look like rocks.  Even chipped stony meteorites, examined under magnification, look like a rock to the untrained person.  For this reason, we do not offer stony meteorites at Crystal Moon Gallery.  An article at Geology.com gives some more detailed information regarding the types of meteorites.

Iron meteorites are generally thought to account for less than 6% of meteorite falls.  The meteorites that we offer are all of the Iron (aka Iron/Nickel) variety.  And, as of this writing are all from Campo Del Cielo in Argentina.  These are arguably the most affordable of all iron meteorites.  As you will see in the linked widipedia article, many tons of "Campos" have been recovered and are now on the market. This article at Geology.com gives more information on authenticating an iron meteorite.

Physical (external) features that one may find on iron meteorites include magnetic attraction, Regmaglypts, flow lines and high density (heavy for its size).  The American Museum of Natural History has a good, brief, article about these features.

Virtually all meteorites will attract a magnet.  This is due to them containing elemental iron.  Iron compounds frequently found on the surface of the Earth will not attract a magnet.  Hematite (the primary ore of iron), Iron Carbonates, Iron Sulfides (e.g. Pyrite), and most other common iron-bearing Earth rocks do not attract a magnet.  Obviously, Magnetite (lodestone) is an exception, but Magnetite rarely looks like a meteorite.

Regmaglypts are concavities in the surface of a meteorite that look very much like a child's thumb-prints in a piece of clay.  Regmaglypts are the feature most people look-for in a meteorite.  They are the result of molten metal being "blown away" during travel through the air.

Flow lines resemble candle-wax that has melted and dripped down a candle.  They are the result of the outer surface of a meteorite melting and flowing from the trip through our atmosphere.  Curiously, meteorites begin to cool as they travel in the lower part of our atmosphere.  That, combined with being essentially frozen on the inside (from eons in the cold of space), allows the flow lines to harden before contact with the ground.

Density is a tough subject to write-about.  But, once you handle a meteorite (or an iron cannonball, or a piece of steel plate, etc), you will understand the concept of a rock seeming too-heavy-for-its-size.  Our, when you visit our store, ask to handle our etched Campo.  Each half is only about 3-and-a-half pounds, but the density surprises most everybody.

A lot of people have never seen a meteorite.  Most have never touched one.  Campo Del Cielo meteorites allow one to have and hold a genuine meteorite from a distant asteroid or planet, at an affordable price.

Green Antiques, Art and Utilitarian Items

No, we're not talking about old things being allowed to molder in a  barn.  Rather, we're talking about the idea of taking an environmental approach to purchasing art and even functional items.  Goinggreenhints.com found this definition of 'going green':  "A phrase referring to individual action that a person can consciously take to to curb harmful effects on the environment through consumer habits, behavior and lifestyle". 

Fundamental to our concept here at Crystal Moon Gallery, was the idea that people can get greater enjoyment out of a smaller number of very high-quality items, vs. a large number of cheap items.  Further, that there are a large number of very skilled artists and artisans in North Texas producing very fine, original, work that surpasses factory-made items in both quality, workmanship, and yes even environmental stewardship.

Paintings vs. Prints:  High-quality prints are available with a design-life of many decades.  However, most commonly available prints are applied to wood-pulp-based papers, with a life expectancy of just years.  After all, the objective of mass-produced prints is to keep costs low.  Oil-paint on canvas can be expected to last centuries.  And, archival grade papers used by most water-colorists can also be expected to last for well over one-hundred years.  Further, original art is usually viewed as an heirloom which is passed between generations...saving many trees over periodic replacement of prints.

Trees lost to storms typically find their way to a landfill, or are shredded into mulch.  This is because most wood mills have no cost-efficient procedure for using downed-trees.  However, local artists are able to salvage wood from these lost trees, producing bowls, pens, and many other useful items.  Thus, each tree salvaged by an artist saves waste, as well as a living tree that might be cut for lumber.

Green (the spending kind): By far the greatest bang-for-your-buck will come from buying from local artists.  The reason for this is two-fold:

• Most artists cannot afford waste.  They will salvage, reuse, recycle or otherwise utilize every gram of silver, block of wood, drop of paint/glaze or fragment of a gemstone.
• Most artists are only trying to feed one person off their talents.  And, although economies of scale are a very real phenomenon, and definitely benefit the factory, each level of the distribution chain requires a markup in price.  The result being that retail jewelry stores (for example) charge prices (for mass-produced items) 5 times (or more) the price collected by the original factory.

Antique Furniture represents trees that were cut generations ago.  Arguably, the ultimate form of reuse, decades-old furniture has proven its sturdiness, and ability to survive use.  By contrast, most modern furniture is a wood-fiber product that is heavy, short-lived, and produces other waste products.

Please join us in supporting local artists...and the environment.

Of Drawers and Dovetails

Like the wheel, the dovetail joint owes its existence to some very ancient genius whose name has been lost to history.  The dovetail is a remarkably effective form of joinery used on ancient Egyptian coffins, chests and boxes.  Since that time, it has been used on log-cabins, musical instruments, machinery, furniture of many kinds, and especially on drawers.

The major draw-back to the dovetail has always been the complexity of the joint.  That is, it is relatively time-consuming to create...especially before the invention of dove-tailing machinery.  It has always been much faster/easier to drive a nail or other fastener (and doesn't require a tremendous amount of technical skill).  Therefore the dovetail was very much a mark of high-end workmanship for the greatest part of its history.  Even now, with availability of fully-automated machines, lower-end manufacturers frequently chose alternate joining techniques.

The earliest dovetails were of the "through" variety.  That is, the boards to be joined were cut-through with a saw, leaving the joint fully visible on both sides.  Very soon, people began experimenting with ways to cover the joint.  The ancient Egyptians used veneer to great effect, both to cover joints, and to make common woods look more attractive.  More commonly, a "false front" is used to cover the joint...especially when used on drawers.  Today, one is most likely to find through-dovetails on carpenter-made boxes and chests from the 19th century.

The photo at the top of this text if of the half-blind variety.  That is, half the joint is visible (one side only), while the other half of the joint is hidden (i.e. the front).   The half-blind variety of dovetail requires that pockets to accept the tails be chiseled out of the wood.  They are substantially more labor-intensive than a through-dovetail, and much more attractive.

A variety of half-blind dovetail popular in the 19th century (especially in England), frequently called the "arrowhead dovetail", is shown above.  This style uses very acute angles, and may have as few as one pin.  As shown in the photo, the fit and finish tend to be very fine on quality furniture.  That is, better furniture, appropriately preserved, won't show gaps and looseness in the joint. 

Because hand-cut dovetails (especially half-blind) were so labor-intensive, there was much experimenting with machinery to cut dovetails.  The photo above shows a machine-cut dovetail, frequently called an "English" dovetail.  There are a large number of pins and tails, of equal size and angles.  Alternate names are "pin and cove" or "post and cove".  This style of joinery is a very useful tool for recognizing furniture made after 1900.  However, the exact date of this innovation is uncertain.

The "sliding" dovetail is also very old.  Proponents like this dovetail style because glue is not essential, and the joint can flex with wood as it naturally expands and contracts.  The sliding dovetail also works well with  the various wood-particle and wood-fiber products.  This has not enhanced the sliding dovetail's reputation as a mark of quality, but has made it more common in homes.

Megalodon Teeth

The giant shark known collectively as Megalodon seems to capture the imagination more than almost any other sea-creature.  The enormous teeth they left behind trigger something in the human imagination.  This leads to any number of assumptions, misunderstandings, preconceptions, and just plain misinformation.  Since we offer these fossils in our store, I thought it appropriate to try to BRIEFLY provide some information, and point the reader to other sources of more detailed information.

1. The Megalodon were VERY LARGE sharks.  This may be intuitively obvious to many.  But, in our store, we routinely hear people assuming that teeth this large must come from dinosaurs.  Much disagreement exists over just how big.  But, it seems safe to conclude they were at least twice as long as the Great White Shark. 
2. Sharks produce many hundreds of teeth in their lifetime.  Therefore, shark teeth are a relatively common fossil.  HOWEVER, other shark fossils, such as bones, are quite rare (due to the cartilaginous skeleton).
3. The lack of articulated fossils (bones preserved in anatomically correct position) requires a very different approach to Paleontology...resulting in multiple opinions on Meg lineage.
4. Much physical evidence DOES exist indicating that Megs fed upon early whales.
5. Physical evidence does NOT exist indicating that Megs are still swimming somewhere.
6. Meg teeth are commonly measured on-the-diagonal.  That is from point to each corner of the root.
7. Size is a major determinate of price.  Each full inch of slant-length marks a significant price-point.  Under 2-inches is considered a pretty common size, with prices increasing significantly at 3, 4 and 5 inches.  Almost any tooth over 6 inches will draw a pretty impressive number of dollars.
8. Condition is the second driver of price.  The best teeth will have a complete tip, little/no chipping, sharp serrations, and complete bourrelet.  A small tooth in extraordinary condition may sell for much more than a larger tooth in average condition.
9. The bulk of Meg teeth are recovered by divers working in pretty scary environments...low visibility, sharks, alligators, etc.

For beginning or intermediate fossil-collectors, a really good article may be found at FossilGuy.com. Also, a more detailed (and more technical) discussion of the various arguments for Meg lineage may be found here.  Regardless of the 'final' decisions on Meg lineage, feeding habits, etc, these teeth remain among the largest, and most impressive, of those readily available to collectors.

Texas Plume Agate

Plume Agate occurs in several locales, most notably in Texas and Oregon.  Brewster Co, Texas produces a significant quantity of Plume Agate.  Plume agate gets its name from the feather-like inclusions frequently found within the Agate (Cryptocrystalline Silicon Dioxide).  In general, the Agate occurs in igneous rock, though not all  igneous rock produces Agates.

One prevailing theory is that the the plume-like inclusions in Texas Agates result from metallic compounds infiltrating the Agate while will it is still in a gel state (think Jell-o).  Differing colors result in different color plumes, including Black, Red, Yellow and White.  For some reason, it seems that red plumes typically occur together with black plumes.  That is to say that a stone with only black plumes is not too unusual, but a stone with only red plumes seems to be especially rare.

Very fine Plume Agates will have very distinct 'plumes' in a contrasting color Agate.  More commonly (at least in Brewster Co. Agates), the plumes tend to be quite dense.  And, a popular approach to working Texas Plume Agates is to slice them quite thin (as thin as one mm) to allow the plume to be seen distinctly.  A clear quartz top is then added, and the entire assembly polished en-cabochon.  Displays of thin-sliced and back-lit Texas Plume Agates are sometimes shown at Gem and Mineral Shows, and can provide a breath-taking view of their wondrous beauty.

Artist Intro - LaNelle Tadlock

Lanelle Tadlock is a jewelry artist, working in Silver fabrication and wire-wrapping.  She offers her work at shows across Texas, and of course, at Crystal Moon Gallery.

How did you get started in your art?

I've been doing creative things my whole life.  My dad taught geology and lapidary arts (gemstone cutting) at a local college when I was a kid.  I did bead work when I was in high school (too many years ago), and I've always loved fiber arts.  When my daughter was young, I did some heirloom sewing, which uses the same construction techniques as antique and couture garments.  Then in 2002, I learned about wire jewelry; it has a lot in common with lace-making and embroidery, particularly the coiled and basket-woven styles.  I was hooked.

What is your favorite medium/technique?

I hate to say it because it's such a cliche, but it's usually whatever is on the bench right now.  In the last couple of years I've added a lot of hammer texture to things, even wire pieces, and this summer I'm taking a class at our local club in chasing and repousse--using a hammer and punches to make a raised design in the metal.  I don't always know how I'm going to incorporate something new into designs when I start learning, but once I get my hands a bit dirty the ideas come flying.

What has been your most satisfying moment as an artist?

That's a tough one.  I think I would have to say it was last summer, when I finally got around to teaching a class in prong-setting stones with wire.  Seeing the students leave with a piece of jewelry they could wear or give as a gift and a technique they could incorporate in their own work made me feel like I had really accomplished something.

What has been the most challenging skill to master?

I think it was probably basket weaving with wire.  I worked on the technique for a couple of years off and on before I got clean, even weaves.  Even now I never go straight to silver or gold when I make a woven piece.  I make at least one practice piece in copper or brass first.  That way I can plan out the piece and work through any problem areas.

How much time and materials are required to complete an "average" piece?

That's a tough one to answer because I got really frustrated with the kitchen timer early on.  When I make fabricated pieces (the ones where I solder with a torch) I work on them in groups, so if I have a piece that needs to sit in a chemical bath I'm still working.  For the wire pieces, small things like earrings might take from 15 minutes to a couple of hours for prong set stones that I need to be extra careful with.  The basket-woven collar I did for the State Fair of Texas a couple of years ago took a week of solid weaving time.  I started from the center and wove each side as one continuous piece to keep it even and smooth.

Artist Intro - Jack Spinks

This week, we'd like to introduce Jack Spinks.  Jack is an accomplished metal-smith, who happens to prefer working in Sterling Silver.  Most of his pieces are hand-fabricated.  However, he also likes to use unusual casting methods, like broom-straw casting and ice-casting to create unusual and natural shapes to serve as his starting-point or platform for his creative processes.

How did you get started in jewelry-making?
I got started when my eldest son was about to ask his girlfriend to become his wife. I had been buying old antique silver rings and she had really liked one I had given her as a gift. My son wanted something unusual but was on a budget.  He found one of my rings that was unusual and asked if I could get it re-sized.  I found few jewelers that wanted to touch silver so I pulled out some books, read up on it, and taught myself silver-smithing by resizing that first ring.  Of course he then wanted to replace the stones with darker amethysts and I found a 1 ct Songea Ruby from Tanzania to set in amongst them.  Much more effort on that first ring than I would have to spend now but the results were worth it since the young lady is now my daughter-in-law. 

What is your favorite medium or technique?

Probably my favorite style is filigree in conjunction with large stones.  I note that most folks only wear costume jewelry in plastic due to the high cost of genuine stones.  I often obtain 10 to 100 ct stones and mount them on filigree and put relatively low prices on them.  Mostly I just sell the silverwork and the stone goes for only slightly over what I paid for it. Thus average people can afford really impressive jewelry. 

What has been your most satisfying moment as an artist?

Not sure if that was my daughter-in-law's ring, or when I remarried a couple of years later and my fiance told me to get to work and make our wedding rings.  We still get comments about the fact they are an unusual style and I have recently made rings and wedding jewelry for several friends and relatives that have gotten married.  Very satisfying when you deliver and see faces light up with surprise and appreciation.

What has been your most challenging skill to master?

The most difficult technique has been learning to cut my own faceted stones and devise suitable mountings for them.   Being able to cut my own stones specifically for sparkle has been rewarding in that several have been mistaken for diamonds and it drastically enhances the appearance of the piece.  The most difficult silver technique has been without question the making of Mokume Gane which I use for pendants in designs not commonly available. 

How much time and materials are required to complete a typical piece?

I don't think I have an average time to complete since I rarely do the exact same item twice but it rarely takes under two hours to complete an item, sometimes as much as a day.  I only gain time when I am making what for me is a production run.  Then I may make 5 or 10 basic shapes prior to customizing each one with different designs and stones.   

Artist Intro - Marvin Glasgow

Marvin Glasgow is an avid amateur Archeologist.  He usually donates time each summer to help in archeological "digs".  He builds clay bowls in the traditional coil-and-pinch method, and has spent a lot of time learning to create stone tools and weapons.

How did you get started in Native American Reproductions?   
I hunted for arrowheads before I became a teenager.  Over the years places to hunt became overgrown or off limits.  I then started knapping, sporadically, about 20 years ago, but when I retired 7+ years ago, I seriously returned to flint-knapping more frequently, attending workshops and spending more time improving my techniques. 


What is your favorite medium/technique?
I like knapping Obsidian (volcanic glass) more than any other material.  It is easier to knap than flint, and the finished product is more colorful and unique. Since Obsidian is not available locally, I purchase it thru E-Bay, where it comes in saw-cut slabs of different sizes. Occasionally I will use colorful fiber optic glass to make arrowheads.

What has been your most satisfying moment as an artist?
There has not been one moment that stands out by itself.  There are many moments that make me feel real good, like when I make a really unique point, or when I demonstrate the skill to school children and see their amazement.  Other times are when I teach someone how to knap and they become good knappers themselves.  Perhaps the most flattering moment is when a professional Archeologist ask my opinion about an artifact and how it might have been made.  I once made a point that was so good and authentic looking that I was asked where I found it, not "did you make this?"

What was the most challenging skill to master?
To be able to make a complete blade that is thin, wide and long without breaking it.  My record right now is 8 1/4"+ by 1" wide by 1/4" thick.  Then I add the handle, which can be up to 5" long.


How much time and materials are required to complete an "average" piece?
If I take a large piece of flint, perhaps one I have picked up in a dry river bed, it can take 3 - 5 hours to make a blade or point, depending on how the flint chips when I work it, the point or blade style, and  how long the blade will be.  That process takes percussion to remove the excess material, then pressure to finish the item. If I make a small arrowhead from a flake, then about 15-20 minutes, depending on how pretty I want it to be.  If I use a saw-cut slab, it takes me about 3-4 hours to complete a blade, depending on the length and style.  Arrowheads I can usually make in under 2 hours (from a saw-cut and shaped slab).  If a person is thinking about picking up this hobby, there is a saying among flint knappers that "it takes desire, patience, and a ton of rock to learn to make arrowheads successfully."  By the time you have broken a ton of rock, you have become a pretty proficient knapper, and can probably start teaching others the hobby.


On 19 June, Marvin gave a demonstration on flint-knapping at Crystal Moon Gallery.  We all learned quite a lot during his visit:

Since neither high-grade flint, nor obsidian are common in North Texas, Many natives in the North Texas area would work with whatever stone had good fracture characteristics.  Ancient arrowheads have been found knapped from fossil (aka petrified) wood, Quartzite, Flint, and Chert.

As an example, Marvin showed how a large river-rock of coarse Chert could be subjected to percussion flaking (hit it with a rock!) to test its quality:

In most cases, our native cousins would not want to carry a river-rock back to camp.  So, they would typically reduce the stone down to a 'quary blank':

The 'quarry blank' removes most of the exterior part of the stone, and has hopefully eliminated any fracture-prone areas.  This piece is about an inch thick and about 8" long.  At least half the original stone has been removed.  Later, when they could take their time, they would use pressure-flaking to thin and shape the blank into something like this:

The shape is beginning to look familiar, and the stone is now only about one-half-inch thick.  If they were interested in making a weapon, the final product might have been refined into something 1/4 to 3/8 inch-thick which would be attached to a handle:

The Nature of Made-by-Hand

Among the challenges of living in a mass-produced, consumption-driven society, is a decline in appreciation of individual creativity.  There is wide preference for a large amounts of cheap "stuff" as opposed to satisfying needs with high-quality and carefully created items.  One of the most glaring examples we see in our gallery are the pens painstakingly created by Ann Hast.  Each of her pens requires about 3 hours of her time to create...plus the cost of materials.  Prices for Ann's pens start at about $35...certainly a reasonable price for 3 hours of time and creativity.  But, we are constantly reminded that a perfectly functional (machine-produced) pen can be purchased for less than $1.

Another example is the stunning glassware produced by Phylis Denton.  It takes Phylis several hours, and a number of steps to create each of these, using high-quality glass, and very specialized equipment.  Functionally, they serve the same purpose as glassware that may be purchased for about $5-$10 at high-volume retailers.

In a prior post, we spotlighted Rebecca Glasgow's oil paintings, and the 100+ hour labor of love to create them.

The items being created by Artists and Artisans are rarely necessities-of-life.  But, they bring color and value to our lives.  Wouldn't it make sense to fill one's life with  a smaller number of unique artist creations, rather than a large number of mass-produced items?

See us at crystalmoongallery.com

Oil Painting - Making Mom's Biscuits

Rebecca Glasgow is a painter, and artist at Crystal Moon Gallery.  In an effort to help people to understand art, we had asked her to provide us with a synopsis of her creative process.  We were wowed with what she provided.  If you have any interest in how hand-painted art is created, you should enjoy the following narrative. See her work at crystalmoongallery.com
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After painting a kitchen still life entitled, “Making Mom’s Brownies,” I decided to paint a series of “Making Mom’s ____ “  since I enjoy painting and cooking and have happy memories of my mom and me in the kitchen together when I was a kid.
 This painting, “Making Mom’s Biscuits,” will be the second in the series.  The next one will be “Making Mom’s Apple Pie.”

My mom was a great cook and a wonderful person.

PHOTO Dates and Notes:

1.   1-22-10  After numerous arrangements, this is the setup I selected for “Making Mom’s Biscuits” which was set up on my dining room table in front of a large window.  I did add extra light to emphasize the cast shadows for the painting.  All the other work will take place in my studio.

2.  1-28-10   Here is my drawing of for the painting on newsprint.  I rarely use a grid for drawing, but decided it would speed up the process and help ensure I had all of the items in the correct alignment.  However, even when using a grid, adjustments must be made. 

3. 4.  5.  2-2-10   I then transferred the drawing to a wood panel that I had prepared by putting several coats of gesso on it and sanding between the coats.

Here are several photos showing progress of the underpainting.  The drawing is very pale.  I like doing an underpainting in an acrylic monotone in order to get the values down correctly.

6.   2-16-10   I did not have a photo of Mom cooking and holding the “big blue bowl.”   I had a friend of mine pose for the photo; but used mom’s face of course. (photo missing)

7.   3-5-10  YEAH!!!   I have finished the underpainting!   Now the most fun starts – applying paint!

 
8.   3-11-10  I have applied the first thin coats of glaze (thinned down oil paint).   

9.    3-11-10  I have toned down the yellow background moving it towards a calm shade of burnt sienna, added highlights to the sifter and intensified the colors on the flour sack and rolling pin, etc.  Also worked on the bowl inside and outside shaping it with shadows and highlights.

At every painting session, whether underpainting or afterwards I make technical adjustments as needed, i.e., ovals are ovals, angles are correct, shadows are dark enough, highlights are light enough, etc.

10.  3-28-10  I have made additional adjustments including, intensifying highlights and darks inside the bowl and on the baking powder can, adjusted the color of the rolling pin. I have not painted the words “Baking Powder” yet- I don’t like painting words (especially since my handwriting and printing aren’t great). 

11.  4-2-10  I have added color to the table as well as made other modifications.

12.  4-29-10   With additional highlights, adjusting the background color, and finally painting the “Baking Powder” words, I have finished the Painting!  Yeah, I have finished it and framed it after 138 hours!! 

Judging Antique Age - Glass

Welcome to Crystal Moon Gallery's first Blog. We hope to use this forum to educate and inform. And, we hope that you will find it useful.

Perhaps as an out-growth of the rapid advancement of technology in recent history, it seems that many people make some erroneous assumptions about the age of antiques. An example of this was a gentleman I recently overheard stating that a piece of furniture could not date from the 19th century, because beveled edge mirrors hadn't been invented.

Glass (and by extension, mirrors) have a fascinating history. Archaeologists know that glass-making was well-established in Egypt by about 1500 B.C. And, we know that glass was greatly advanced by the ancient Romans. Through the middle-ages, glass sheets were generally formed using centrifugal force to spin a disk of glass. The glass disks could then be cut into useful shapes, but the glass was found to be thicker as one approached the outer rim of the disk. Imperfect glass eventually came to be ground manually on a flat abrasive surface.

• Small sheets of glass were then assembled into window panes by use of wood, lead, or other connective materials. And, eventually led to "stained glass" techniques.
• Once the techniques of grinding glass were established, it was only a matter of time before they were used to decorative effect. So that beveled glass appears about mid-way through the 17th century. 
• The Glass Press was invented in 1827, allowing glass to be formed in a mold.
• Glass Rolling machines came into common use in the mid 19th century, and allowed production of continuous or nearly-continuous sheets of glass. However, these machines tended to embed bubbles in the glass, as well as imparting a somewhat "wavy" surface.
• Cylinder-formed glass was created about 1900, and eliminated most of the undesirable qualities imparted by rolling machines. 
• And, while wavy glass is generally considered an attribute of 19th century glass, truly (optically) flat glass only became widely available in the 1950s. 

We hope you find this useful. Please remember that any technology older than "today" can be replicated. So, the absence of modern technology cannot prove age. But, the existence of modern technology can definitely disprove a claim to age.

See some of our antiques at crystalmoongallery.com

David Abbott