Friday, March 2, 2012

Music on Friday - mini temple gong

We have a new COMA art challenge from Coordinator Ken M - an exhibition titled 'making music' - to be interpreted in our own unique way as long as it fits on a 12X12inch canvass.

Barry Smith © Detail of centre of brass gong.
So you can see from the photo above (with me in the reflection) and below I spent my afternoon creating a mini temple gong from a flat piece of brass. I had to resort to new brass again as I did not have a recycled piece big enough for this work.

Barry Smith © 2500mm circle of .6mm brass
Barry Smith © Centre roughly beaten
Barry Smith © Gong from the back before polishing 
Barry Smith © Polished mini temple gong
Barry Smith © Polished mini temple gong
Barry Smith © Polished mini temple gong - rainbow patina
The gong is about 200mm in diameter. I had to anneal it about 10 times in the sequence of beating to get the shape and tone. The repeated annealing resulted in some nice rainbow patina. The final planishing beating on the centre hardened it and gave it the shine. But does it gong? Well we had to do the sound test. Fiona did a mini video with the iPhone.



I think it has turned out pretty well.

17 comments:

  1. oh, Baz - this has made my day and my yellow book - LOVE LOVE LOVE it X

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  2. Hello, Barry.

      Awe inspiring your works...
      It lets me feel warmth with the humanity.

      Thank you for your usual visit and heart.
      The prayer for all peace.

    Have a good weekend. From Japan, ruma ❃

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  3. N&R - glad you both liked it. N - glad it added a dimension to your day - positive achievement. R- it certainly can be used to send peace vibes. Go well. B

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  4. Beautiful.... have you played it with a soft beater? I wonder what that would sound like?

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  5. Seeing this beautiful gong as well as hearing it has put a big smile on my face. Thanks Barry!

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  6. it does and oh, so, beautifully... i think i will leave this page up today so i can come back and play it whenever i like... this is masterful... really...
    have you ever heard of longplayer?

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  7. I like! I think you need a wood sculpt to hang it in. Like the video feel like I'm right there gong in one hand wine in the other. :)

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  8. It is absolutely fabulous, Barry!!!! Love the sound and the way it looks - the mirror shine in the middle is spectacular! (Wish I could get my tiny bells to ring that way...) I am totally blown away - such a great piece.

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  9. FABULOUS!... and it sounds great too. Well done Barry!

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  10. I find reflections very meditative..and so am pleased to see that your gong has a very reflective middle circle.. very Zen like.

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  11. looking at your works always gives me joy; listening the voice of this latest piece, recorded by Fiona's camera made it the most pleasurable art viewing moment! Thank you to both of you!!!

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  12. ~sigh...another piece created...you take a challenge and go above and beyond with your heart and mind...barry seeing how a piece of metal is transformed into a gorgeous reflective meditative piece is so fascinating and i thank you for sharing each step...you behold the eye to look beyond a flat surface and meld and form the most amazing pieces...and then having fiona capture it ringing...just wonderful for us to be apart of the whole transformation...a job well done my friend...be well and much love light and blessings~

    i wonder...just wonder have you yet to try a singing bowl???

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  13. VA, R, MD, SZQ, S/R JM, AM, &B - -it looks and sounds like Fiona's idea to do the mini video was a hit - and I smiled myself when I played it - great to create something but to have both form and function well that is good. VA - I tried the soft ginger and you are right such a subtle tone - thanks. R- glad you loved the collaboration. MD - I don't know the long player - I will Goole that. SZQ - you must have been on our breezeway - we had a crisp white after the videoing episode. S/R - thanks - to go beyond the thunk and tinkle of the raw metal requires quite a bit of hardening by hammering. D- the mirror finish certainly creates a contrast with the other aspects of the gong. AM - always love having you visit and glad you enjoyed the joint F&B effort. B - thank you for your thoughts - always positive energy - vibes to you. All - go well and create well. B

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  14. oh my!!! my eyeballs nearly popped out when i saw the center polished to a mirror shine!! that is AMAZING!! and it sounds really pretty too ... kinda japanese.

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  15. Another amazing wonderfull piece, and the sound...

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  16. Well Barry, I've never tried beating a gong with "soft ginger", must give that a whirl. (HA!)

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  17. L-I had to laughed about your eyeballs - I'm glad you think it has a kinda Japanese look - I was hoping to achieve that. M- glad you looked the sound - nice little video by Fiona, VA - I had to laugh - finer indeed - mind you it would be soft. Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.