Forged Iron Triplet Cone Bells
May 20, 2009
Just finished these shaman’s bells today – I still need sound recordings and better photos for the website. Both sets are cone bell triplets hung on triangular hooks so all three bells can swing freely against each other for the best sound. The hooks were forged from small flat triangles. The Genii Cucullati set is named for the three mysterious “Hooded Ones” of Roman British mythology. They are an experimental lantern-like design, forged from narrow, elongate flat triangles, and have copper clappers that are hot-forged from heavy 6-gauge scrap electrical wire. They make a wonderful double tinkling sound: the clappers strike the iron bells, and the iron bells strike each other. They were a lot more work than I expected, so I probably won’t make any more like this.
Genii Cucullati Bells
The second set is simpler, but another new bell design for me - I took the usual triangular cones a step further and flared the edges on the anvil horn to give a more graceful look. I like it and will probably make more, especially in the smaller sizes. Of course the big bell is the loudest, but the others add a higher, lighter sound for a good contrast. Something very autumnal about these – I may ultimately fasten them to a deer antler. For those who are curious about such things, the large bell is forged from a flat 2″ equilateral triangle, just like the ones I use for the medium-sized domed “wild ginger flower” clapper bells – two very different shapes from the same piece of steel!
Triple Flared Cone Bells
Black Cat Deck: Card Back Motif
May 1, 2009
The design for the card backs will be quite intricate, as is traditional for playing cards, in order to provide a visual contrast with the spare, uncluttered card fronts. Here’s the image that will eventually be doubled and surrounded by a border so the card backs will be reversible. The cat is Beluga in one of his favorite sleeping positions.
Black Cat Card Back Motif
Although the ink drawing shows the Full Moon, the design is based on one of a series of eight paintings that I did a couple of years ago showing Beluga with the primary phases of the moon.
Beluga Dark Moon
