Problem solving

Two months ago I had a wonderful opportunity to take a class with Hadar Jacobson. I admire her work and the way she mixes the different types of metal clays.

During our class I made a set of earrings combining copper and silver clay but when I fired them I noticed they were to heavy to wear as earrings. I even wore them to see if I will be able to use them as earrings before thinking in doing something different with them. 

Sadly for me, they were very heavy, then I took this opportunity to think about how will I transform them into a different piece of jewelry.

After a month of not thinking about them , one day I just took them out of my box and I made two necklaces with them.

I am happy with the outcome.

Green Salsa Chicken Tamales

Tamales are made from masa dough filled with meat and vegetables or fruit and wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaves and steamed.

Ingredients :

8 cups of Maseca corn masa mix.

8 cups of chicken broth mixed green salsa.

1 1/2 cup of CRISCO vegetable shortening.

2 bottles of green salsa.

2 Tsp. Baking powder.

1 Bag of corn husks.

10 to 15 Chicken legs or 1 1/2 Rotisserie chicken.

1 Jar of pimiento stuffed olives.

1 cup of raisins.

Olive oil.

Salt.

Soak the cork husks in warm water until soft

If you choose to boil in water the chicken legs, take the legs out of the broth and save the liquid to use in the corn masa mixture.

In a mixing bowl, blend the Maseca corn masa mix, crisco vegetable shortening, warm chicken broth with green salsa, baking powder and salt to taste.

You will obtain a consistent mixture and the corn masa will be soft.

In a pot with some olive oil add the shredded chicken, a bottle of green salsa, olives and raising.

Add some chicken broth and salt if needed. 

Spread the masa evenly over the corn husk, after that you have to add some of the chicken mixed with olives and raisins on top of the masa.

Fold the sides of the corn husk to center over the masa so that they overlap to make a package(tamale.) Fold the empy part of the husk under so that it rest against the side of the tamale with a seam.

Place the tamales in a steamer and cook them for about 35 to 40 minutes. The tamales will be cooked when they separate easily from the corn husk.

Enjoy !!!! ;-)

Introduction to Bronzclay class.

I had the wonderful opportunity to teach a 5 week Introduction to Bronzclay class at the Southwest School of Art and Craft in San Antonio, Texas.

The class was focus on introducing Bronze Metal clay to the students and we all had a fantastic time, I love teaching and they were such a great group of students.

Some of my students had never work with any type of metal clay and it was really good to have the opportunity to showed them this wonderful new medium. They were very enthusiastic and eager to learn and I was very happy to see their wonderful creations.

I like to give my students the freedom to create whatever they want, I am always by their side in case they need some help or if they want me to give them a design idea. What I really enjoy is to see their own creative voice and for them to realize that they do have one.

I will be teaching another class for the next semester and I hope I will see some of them again and have the experience to meet new students and make them fall in love with metal clay as I am.

Here are some of the pieces my very talented students made during the class.