...it's been a while.

Apologies for the long silence. To be honest I've got so many thoughts that need to be sorted out in my mind regarding my work that I feel a flurry of short essays coming on, so I'll make it all up as soon as I can.

Anyway, Japan was intense...as always. The orchid tsuba was very well received...although it remains without a permanent home as yet....hope springs eternal ;-) Personally I was very happy with the way it turned out and I'll let you see the images in a day or two....
what a tease I am?

I've been working on another kagamibuta....I know, I said I was finished with that format due to an indifferent audience but things change. Seems someone with his own museum devoted to netsuke quite fancies my work and ideas. So I'll be making this one and another 8...making a neat dozen that will be on show in Kyoto.

This is what it looks like today. It's a raised steel bowl and inlayed and carved steel lid. the inset rim is gilt brass. I'll polish most of the gold off the outer surface and patinate the brass olive green. I've now got decide where and how many orchids to inlay. They'll be silver, gold and lilac. Bet you're wondering how on earth I'll manage lilac on silver....keep guessing but I'm not telling, you'll have to buy my horribly overpriced book to find out...if I ever get it published ;-)

Here's a link to the forum where you can see a few more images.