http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=305597 Artist http://www.mnartists.org/work.do?rid=323855 <a href="http://www.mnartists.org/work.do?rid=323855"><img src="http://www.mnartists.org/uploads/users/user_24865/8498b8a6a75b1602b04374c87d77c03a/8498b8a6a75b1602b04374c87d77c03a_scale_72_80.jpg" height="80" width="72" border="1" alt="Cosmic Dust ... Enameled Earrings" /></a><br/>Enamel on 22 guage copper. This design is a free hand creation (no stencil), 3 applications of enamel and 3 firings to complete it.<br/> Sun, 04 Nov 2012 23:13:37 GMT Nadine Nelson & Karen Adams http://www.mnartists.org/work.do?rid=323003 <a href="http://www.mnartists.org/work.do?rid=323003"><img src="http://www.mnartists.org/uploads/users/user_24865/f513ee98aa35fb85d3867a76910aacf3/f513ee98aa35fb85d3867a76910aacf3_scale_82_80.jpg" height="80" width="82" border="1" alt="Multa parva foramina I (Many holes in goose egg shell)" /></a><br/>This is a real goose egg shell carved by me (Nadine Nelson) using a high speed drill (400,000 RPMs) and dental bits. Each egg shell is purchased from a hatchery in South Dakota. When an egg doesn't hatch, its contents are removed through a small hole that is drilled on the large end and then it is sanitized. When the egg shell reaches me I check it for cracks, draw the design on the shell and begin carving. The more intricate the design the longer the carving time required. This particular type of carving is called "fillagree" because it resembles lace. Each hole was drawn on the egg shell before any carving was done. The egg shell is bleached after carving so the inner membrane lining the shell dissolves. This makes the egg shell even more fragile. The egg shell is then placed in a neutralizer. This particular shell was sanded to 12,ooo grit prior to drawing the design on it. No other finish is on the egg shell.<br/> Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:54:22 GMT Nadine Nelson & Karen Adams