When I get an email to make molten metal, how do I resist? The answer is, I cannot! Playing with fire, and imagination, building worlds that I haven't met yet. Which leads me to meet the loveliest of people.
I was graced with the task of repurposing metal to melt for future projects, saving stones from jewelry that sits in the darkness of its closed quarters and dreaming up salty, sandy inspiration. An artist to an artist. I love working with other artists, bouncing ideas, and bringing creations to life, together.
This artist right here though has a tendency to hermit and stay within the confines of a cozy home only to venture to the woods to seek friendship among the trees. You can find me in the woods. Sitting on toadstools covered in moss. But, when I'm not conversing with the pines in my studio you will find.
![sand casting crucible](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/sand_cast_begin_240x240.jpg?v=1697005974)
When KJ asked me if I could add new life to her unworn jewelry into pieces she can incorporate into her own artworks, specifically a sea-star. I set to work carving jeweller's wax, a starfish. We had met on our local beach, digging our toes into the sand and enjoying the sunny beach day we had been blessed with. Our first meeting felt as though we had met before and being in her presence was as though I was sitting with an old friend.
![starfish sand casting](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/starfish_cast_480x480.jpg?v=1697003837)
Coffee beans, keys, seashells, and whale tales caught my attention as the metal glowed bright orange. Cast in sand, a technique I had learned in the early days of my metal-making endeavours. The organic texture of sand mixed perfectly in our collaboration.
![pinecone sand cast](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/coffee_cast_240x240.jpg?v=1697004075)
![sunflower key sand cast by wandering moth](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/key_cast_480x480.jpg?v=1697004055)
![key sandcast by wandering moth](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/keys_cast_480x480.jpg?v=1697004038)
![castings in sand and a melted looking glass](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/melt_cast_240x240.jpg?v=1697004023)
![water casting beachy pearls sand cast](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/pearl_melt_480x480.jpg?v=1697003974)
![water casting and sand casting](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/repurposed_silver_480x480.jpg?v=1697003886)
![skull water drop cast](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/water_cast_skull_480x480.jpg?v=1697003798)
![seashell sand cast](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/seashell_cast_240x240.jpg?v=1697003869)
![water cast droplets](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/water_cast_480x480.jpg?v=1697003787)
![whale tale sand cast](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0256/7228/6313/files/whale_tale_casting_480x480.jpg?v=1697003765)