Finding Sculpture

Sharing some of my inspiration...

I enjoyed a really fun trip to the beach last weekend. After a lazy day in the dunes, by the early evening the lively beach had nearly emptied and we took our time finding strange and unusual rocks to show to each other.

The geology class I finished this year gave me a deeper appreciation for them, but I will still have to do some homework on the things I found. Here's a selection of these wonderfully weathered formations.

If you have your own specimens you would like to know more about, Manchester Museum has lots of events where you can learn more from their experts. Here are some dates for things coming up...

How to identify a meteorite Wednesday the 21st August 2-3pm

Meteorites grab our attentions like nothing else. Join us to see fantastic examples from the collection and discover how to identify if your rock is from outer space.

Spaces are very limited so please email museum@manchester.ac.uk to book your place.

Rock Drop - drop-in Geology Identification sessions
Our Curator of Earth Sciences, David Gelsthorpe, will be in the Collections Study Centre on the dates below to answer your questions and identify your rocks and fossils.

Come along on:
Thursday 18 July 2013, 2-3pm
Thursday 22 August 2013, 2-3pm
Thursday 26 September, 2-3pm
Thursday 24 October, 2-3pm
Thursday 28 November, 2-3pm
Thursday 12 December, 2-3pm

Bling Pong

As part of The Rocks Exhibition at the Goldsmith's Centre they are hosting a range of activities combining geology and jewellery in interesting ways. Their Bling Pong is one that's on today 'til 9pm:

"Show us your sporting prowess and indulge in your artistic side with the most 

creative table tennis you'll ever play. Beat your colleagues and friends at our 

table tennis table and use the ping pong balls to create your own piece of 

contemporary jewellery." 

​Not wanting to miss out on the fun I opened up my studio and invited some chums round to get creating our own rocky balls, complete with cakes, crisps and adult fizzy beverages...

​Faye's Hematite is geometric and metallic with portions carefully sculpted out with a blade

​Louise's was textured with granite and lots of elbow grease!

​If Gustav Klimt ever played Ping Pong...

​Here's Natty drawing her lovely design

​This yarn is so much like Perthite I had to use it!

​Here's mine! (It still bounces quite well, the texture makes it go in some unexpected angles though!)

​I hope you're inspired to have a go yourself, it was a really fun thing to do together and reminded me of youth club days playing ping pong and reading Smash Hits magazine. To be honest, it was pretty much the same but with an issue of Vogue instead and no curfew! 

Here's a link to the Guild of Jewellery Designers who have more information on these events!​