I normally show my completed projects but sometimes it’s nice to show a work in progress! I mean after all - aren’t we all a beautiful work in progress?! This particular color scheme reminds me of my “trip of a lifetime” - driving down the Pacific coast highway and through Big Sur! I took so many pictures of the water - I just couldn’t stop! If you’ve ever driven that route, you know there are countless overlooks for which to pull over and observe the ocean and it’s magical shoreline. And each one provides a new prospective of the breathtaking view. Today I stopped to observe this piece in progress. I think it’s coming along quite nicely!

As we leave Summer behind and say “Hello” to Fall, I begin to think of the beautiful transition that happens between seasons. In Summer the warm glow of the sun lights the lush, green trees. In Fall the colorful leaves slowly reveal their splendor. It’s a cycle of life that I never tire of experiencing! Nature is the inspiration of my art, and for this particular piece, I imagined that this is what Aspen must be like right now! It’s as if the trees are at the edge of the cliff of Summer ready to leap into the Fall season! For this particular piece, I patinated the copper for over a week, manipulating it to achieve these vibrant colors! Aspen Summer, here I come (well, in my mind, anyway)!

My clients can be quite creative with their ideas for how aged copper can fit into their space! In this case, my client from Maryland called me to create an art piece for her river house. She sent me a picture of a colorful vase with vivid greens and touches of neutrals and browns. She wanted me to mimic the colors of that vase in the art piece. I chose to do a 3 piece grouping because the tall, skinny palates reminded me of the tall vase. When hung together, the pieces create a beautiful, artistic statement!

My residential customers are drawn to the aged copper. They may have seen a piece in a gallery or on my website and want a custom work specifically for them. Sometimes they have a specific spot for the art in mind and sometimes we place it according to the flow of the room. In this particular case, we framed the copper to give it more depth. I thought, at first, that the frame would dull the look of the piece and make it seem one-dimensional. However, to my pleasant surprise, it took the copper to a new level! It anchored it on the wall, both visually and literally! Ha! It seems as though it allowed the colors and textures to come alive in the space!

Maverick is an intricate part of the copper patina process! He provides constant love and encouragement to me while I work, and sometimes a cute distraction. Maverick is a 6 year old standard poodle with a kind (and energetic) human soul. Maverick's favorite things are jumping, sweet potatoes, long walks, and being petted. He enjoys being a copper expert and approves every custom piece that goes out of my studio door.  I mean who could resist this face?! My copper is Karla aged and Maverick approved!