laurieopal

Coin Sculpture from Nisi Shawl's Everfair and Kinning

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 05:43:24 GMT

Nisi Shawl commissioned me to make the coin from her book "Everfair" and her forthcoming book from Tor, "Kinning". The link is to my review of "Everfair". I thought it was a remarkable book. And it improves on rereading.

As folks who read laurieopal know, it took me a long time and some very particular research to make the coin. The white winged tern and the Shongo African weapon are part of the story.

Here FINALLY are the photos. Given the size (about 1") and the level of detail I put into the carvings, the photos were hard. The light reflections off the texture made them particularly difficult. These are only OK. The coin is more beautiful but they give a good idea of it.

Vonda MacIntyre left Nisi a Krugerand that I alloyed into gold "electrum" for the coin. Turning a coin with the history and symbolism of the Krugerrand into a coin for a free Black African Nation (liberated from the evil Belgian Congo) was a brilliant idea. And of course, it was Nisi's. Artistically it was a lot to live up to and I loved making it.

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The date 1922 is in the left top corner of the Shongo side.

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And "Everfair My Home" is written on the white winged tern side.

Nisi wrote: "Laurie, this coin is beautiful beyond my wildest dreams! Thank you for your tremendous work! It is so gorgeous! I must share it soon! "

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Lace Agate and Crysocolla with Druze

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 21:47:54 GMT

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These are two stones I'm thinking about. They are gorgeous in different ways. The agate is about 2.5" high and the chrysocolla is a little smaller but ir should be measured for width.

I bought a small shadow box that's made for food advertising because I couldn't get a good shot of the coin I made for Nisi Shawl for her forth coming book Kinning and also her previous book Everfair. Everfair was the best book I read that year. Anyway the coin was, as I've said, a lot of precise work and I really wanted a photo. Fortunately it worked for an OK image. It will go up after she receives it.

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The agate shot with a million reflections of the LED lights in the box, so I shot it the usual way. But the chrysocolla shot perfectly in the shadow box. So, I'm learning something new about jewelry photographing again

I had started out wanting to photograph 3 tourmaline small rings stones that I've finished the designs for in wax. The had too much reflection in the shadow box from small LED lights. And weren't very photographable without it, so I'll try again after they are rings in silver. They are pink, turquoise and green and I had wanted to show the variety of tourmaline color. Maybe the rings will work well.

Lots more design work right now. Take care all.
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Mescalero Jasper Perndant and Still More Work on Everfair Coin

Sat, 29 May 2021 00:45:29 GMT

I did some more final work on the Everfair coin for Nisi Shawl. I'm obviously slightly obsessed. But all I need to do now is the coins edge and then it will be cast. I'll be celebrating.

I'm continuing to work on the Ethiopian opal discs and (among other things) deciding on the design for the Ray Mine silica and chaoyant malachite that I posted about a little while ago.

The pendant design is bronze and about 3" high. The Mescalero Jasper is exquisite. And the photo came out really well!. It's from the collection of Tracy Schmidt..

I think my Pandemic Shadow photos are about to start influencing some of my jewelry designs. It's going to be interesting to see how that works.

Back to the coin.

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Coin from Nisi Shawl's Everfair

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 06:24:58 GMT

I’m writing today to try to chill after yesterday’ s infamy. (I am delighted about Georgia, and had made lots of phone calls for the Senate race.)

I recently had a good talk with Nisi Shawl about the coin pendant I’m making for her from her book Everfair. The book is _remarkably_ good. Quote below is from Amal El-Mohar’s review on NPR.

“The scope and ambition of this book is immense. Shawl has marshalled a wealth of research in imagining, not only an alternate history for the Congo, but a cascading sequence of consequences for global politics in its wake. The cast of characters is beautifully diverse in terms of faith, ability, ethnicity, sexual orientation and nationalities, making the web of relationships intricate and fraught.”

She is currently writing a sequel to Everfair - “ Kinning”

The coin will have a Shongo, an African weapon, on one side and a grey hooded gull on the other. The gull is one that might be found on the Congo’s large lakes.
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Shongo

Grey Hooded Gull

Thanks to Martha Harbison for the information on the gull. (The gull on the coin will be in flight.)

The coin will be dated 1923 and will have written on it “Everfair my home”.

I’ve been working on the design for a while but after our conversation, I can concentrate on another level.

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Stones for 2021

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 06:36:37 GMT

I thought I'd put up a couple of beautiful stones to start the New Year.

Boulder Opal

Rock Crystal with Inclusions

And I've been working on an "Everfair" coin for Nisi Shawl from the kingdom she creates in the novel. I'm going to have a consultation with her and then commence the last part of the design work - it will still take some time. The book is superb, I highly recommend it

I'm also going through my stones for new ring stones that I plan to make in the new year. Hopefully a far better 2021.

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Follow my new Pandemic Shadow photos on Instagram

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