I now have two concrete ideas for my summer research project and discussed them with my professor. I will be starting them as soon as the metal I ordered comes in the mail. I am really excited about these two projects for many reasons. One of them will be made entirely of silver which I have not done before on such a large scale. There also is a possibility of electroplating if there ends up being enough time during the summer session which would be pretty amazing! Can't wait to get started!

Above is a progress shot of a sample of an anticlastic form with spirals forming at the ends. It was formed with both metal and plastic hammers on wooden and metal forming stakes.

Above is a couple of progress shots of an asymmetric synclast formed with a raising hammer and a depression in wooden block.

Above is a sample of a double helix in the beginning stages. It started as a basic synclastic form that has been manipulated by hand to form the start of a spiral.

Above is a sample of basic foldforming. It is started by hammering the metal closed in the center of the form, like folding a piece of paper in half. Then it is annealed and opened up, creating the central crease in the form.  

 

Here are some photographs I took from my nature trail walk at Tillman Wildlife Preserve in Clarence New York. I found some seed pods both on branches and on the ground, broken egg shells and many other great sources for inspiration. Also ran into two snakes on the walk which keeps things interesting!

Took some photographs of seed pods. I am interested in the dying seed pod in contrast to the bright green and the new lily buds forming. The pod protected the seeds of this plant and allowed for its' continuation and growth.

Here are some progress shots of my sample I am making for my Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship. It is an anticlastic from and a synclastic form that will be soldered together to complete a shell forming process called decking. I have some other samples started as well and am starting to collect resource information for my sketches.