Mall Gallery Open Exhibition Entry

I have now completed and posted my entry to the Mall Gallery Open Exhibition for the Royal Society of British Artists, and I am looking forward to seeing if this item is accepted.  If it isn't accepted then it will be available for Galleries.

Some photos of it appear below - it is 21cm high and the retail price is from £350 (for battery operated clock version, mechanically operated can be made too, but will be a little larger and cost more).

The hands were made by myself from solid brass.

The clock is made from Spalted Beech, and is a new design of mine, which is being included in my Spring 2012 Collection.  I am currently working on other designs, including some more Bauhaus inspired ones - in fact will be in the workshop this afternoon making more.  Do signup to my newsletter or email me on handmadeclockcases@gmail.com if you would like to be notified when the Collection is put on my website (the next website version will include prices), or if you have any other queries.

Designer Crafts at the Mall 2012

Designer Crafts at the Mall 2012, 6th to 15th January 2012, from Society of Designer Craftsmen, click here for flyer.  Do support them!  (I am not exhibiting in this by the way but hope to be visiting).

Making clock hands for Mall Gallery Open Exhibition

I think that for a quality clock, the hands of the clock make the clock.  For some of my clocks I use standard off the shelf clock hands, but there are times when they don't quite for it for me - so I make my own, using traditional techniques of fret sawing from hard brass sheet, then fettling and polishing.  The background to this blog shows clock hands I have made myself.

The ones I have started making today are for an Arty clock entry into the Royal Society of British Artists Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, which I hope to be completing within the next week, ready for entry.

I wanted a subtle diamond shape on them - nothing too much - but something - which I feel I have achieved.  The photo below shows the hands in process of being made - they need polishing and rounding off, and the collets fitting so they fit to the mechanism, but they do fit the case I have made for them, much better than what I could buy off the shelf.

And if the clock isn't accepted into the Exhibition, then it will be available for galleries to take.  Price of clock not fully decided, but in the £100s.

Do sign up to my newsletter by emailing me on handmadeclockcases@gmail.com to hear more about this clock, when I publish news stories, or follow me on Twitter on http://twitter.com/clock_cases.

Thoughts on selling at Christmas Fayres

Been prompted by @TheArtistsWeb for thoughts on selling at Christmas Fayres ... been at exhibition in Berkhampsted in last week and sold some clocks, here are some thoughts...

Research where you are selling before hand and how much people will be prepared to spend - the event may not be aimed at people making fairly quick decisions about spending say £100 - better to take some cheaper items like cards etc. along too (or in my case cheaper clocks) at a few pounds, people are more likely to pay out something like this - and remember you in the future.  And give them a business card with your contact details on - who knows, later on they might want to spend more, or may have seen something costing more and want it later on.

Cocobolo Wood Clocks

I fortunately picked up a fairly large piece of Cocobolo (a lovely figured wood, red in colour with darker stripes) recently - it is difficult to find, and very expensive - and am planning on making some with it soon.

I'm planning on what designs to make with them - trying to find something Bauhaus inspired, but as Cocobolo apparently doesn't glue well, I'm going to have use brass screws to put it together.

The number of clocks I can make with this will be limited as I don't have large stocks of Cocobolo, and what I do have will be difficult to replenish easily.

Ashridge Christmas Fayre

Went yesterday to the Ashridge Christmas Fayre (National Trust land) and it was very good - lots of stalls, mainly outside - I was hoping to be there myself this year, but due to house move etc. didn't have the chance, but I am on their mailing list for next year so hope to get there - particularly because I buy some of my timber from the National Trust at Ashridge, so it was good to see some of the saw mill team there too.

Bauhaus: Art as Life - Barbican in 2012

As someone who is interested in the Bauhaus art movement (as it helps to inspire some of my clocks), I'm excited to see that the Barbican are having an exhibition of their work in the UK - their website http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=12409 states that

The biggest Bauhaus exhibition in the UK in over 40 years presents the modern world’s most famous art school.


I for one will be trying to get to this!  Their website states:

Bauhaus: Art as Life
3 May 2012 - 12 August 2012
Barbican Art Gallery


Tickets: On sale soon
Please note dates of exhibition may be subject to change

Artweb publish interview with me

Am pleased to say that ArtWeb have published an interview with me today, for more information see http://blog.artweb.com/2011/12/making-time-spotlight-on-clock-designer-david-rodgers/.

9 month old son crawls today!

Our stationary son has been trying to crawl for a while and today he managed to crawl over to me as I was shaving!  Exciting to see him crawl now, but our lives will never be quite the same again ... but in a good way!

Oak from National Trust

This afternoon I've been unloading some (more) oak purchased from the National Trust - it is the base of the tree, cut into Cheese shaped wedges by chain saw which I hope to use in making some clocks when it is dry.

It is cut into cheese shaped wedges so I can use the timber 'quarter sawn', which means it is more stable and has the quarter sawn rays that I like to use.

Excited by how I could use it, it will just take a while to dry out.

At last, my new blog

It has taken a few weeks of resting from illness (which I don't have very often and caused by exhaustion with a house move with a 8 month old baby) and I've found the time to create my blog, which I've been meaning to start for sometime.

I hope that you enjoy it and do let me know if you want other topics covered here.