It's this

With candy-like colors, this beautiful and crunchy...

chard is a delight on any preparation you make.

What's this?

What's this returns!

As my trusty Pentax Optio 330GS suffered an accident I began experimenting with a new camera, which is far more complex and heavy (I'll present the new camera soon). So probably the photos will be a bit strange while I learn the secrets of my new toy.

Now, guess what's this with such vivid colors

Write what you think it is on the comments section and wait for the answer here on Sunday.

New Home

Sunset in Bogota          Photo by Pablo Abitbol

It's almost three months since Bogota is my hometown again. This city of magnificent and violent sunsets, never ending rain, cold houses and sometimes scorching sun. I was born here. I have lived many years here. I love and hate this town.

I say to myself that I don't have time to write on this blog but the truth is that I spend a lot of time looking through the window at those flaming sunsets trying to digest what is happening around me, trying to reconcile the peaceful dream that was living those past years in my little German town with the heart-rending lack of restraint that is living in this city, in this country, in this century.

I had never seen my city so poor, so broken, so full of tears. And my heart is very sad.

So, please, have patience with me while I recover the strength, the illusion and acquire a protective cuirass. I promiss, though, not to become blind and apathetic.

Now that my soul's atmosphere was revealed, it seems sincere, even therapeutic, to return to this space. We'll see if LIRIO blooms once again the way flowers can only do around the Andes and if LILI becomes strong and happy again.

I'll leave you with something that I do enjoy everyday: the colors, the smell, the taste and the exuberance of this soil.

Market Place of Paloquemao in Bogota

In the midst of the summer

There's a lot going on in my life right now. The days go by so fast and sometimes I can't finish my daily labors because they are so many and also because when the weather is beautiful, sunny and hot it's impossible not to go out for a walk.

During June and beginnings of July I worked in the new jewelry designs for summer and some special commissions. I also began a new training with lots of exercises and a similar diet to the last one, but this time I do the workout first thing in the morning and it feels really good.

For the last 15 days I have been busy closing my German home and packing.

Yes. I'm going back to Colombia after almost 4 years in Witten. In my heart there's a mix of happiness for the return and the beginning of a new chapter but also sorrow for the wonderful people and places that I will leave behind.

I will miss the calm and the walk to the woods very much.

Mermaids

Dreaming of the sea and her mysteries. These mermaids have a soft shiny body, a textured tail of shimmering scales and heads of pearls as white as the moon.

This design occurred to me after I produced the Madame Yu Earrings. Now I have in mind other variations of ladies from different times and cultures and distinctive stone heads.

Click here to see the Mermaid Earrings

With their curves and light effects, these earrings look very elegant when worn. From a distance they have an abstract shape, only from a closer look you discover the curvaceous mermaids.

 Freshly posted at my Etsy store!

I will be posting new designs this coming days.

Wild Flower, Two Petals and Ahuacatl

Three additions to my store!

Wild Flower: These earrings are made of three fine bands of hammered silver that hang from chains at different levels. They tinkle, shimmer, spin and change their form all the time.

Click here to see Wild Flower Earrings

Two Petals: A pair of silver plaques and a pearl were all I used to create these curios, delicate and elegant earrings.

Click here to see Two Petals

Ahuacatl: this is the Nahuatl word for avocado. I made these earrings some time ago and in their actual version a dark, iridescent patina covers their interior creating a strong contrast for the golden little seed.

Click here to see Ahuacatl Earrings

I will be producing more jewelry during this week. Hopefully the sun will shine in the mornings so I can take nice photos.

I love to see my store well supplied!

Moon Mirrors

These earrings are  in my store since yesterday. 

I wanted to achieve an effect of striking simplicity. A design that could be worn easily every day or become an accent for a modern and elegant dress. I love the fact that the more I try to get to the essential elements of a design the more they end up resembling the pre-Columbian objects that I admire.

Click here to see the Moon Mirror Earrings

Fuchsias

There are new arrivals at my Etsy store from today and during the next two weeks.
Let me introduce you the fuchsias:

Click here to see the Moonglow Fuchsia Earrings

They are named after a white variety of fuchsias. White like the pearl and the effect of the silver on the hammered petals.

I like these earrings a lot. The idea of creating a volume from layers which are free to move and organize themselves opens a whole new world of possibilities for my designs.

I'm already thinking of new flowers to deconstruct and recreate.

How I wish the day had more hours!!

Tomorrow I will post new earrings in my store.

Behind the curtains

Stones and metal parts move around on my bench and combine with each other because... the new jewelry collection summer 2010 is coming!!

There are also rehearsals for photography. Here is my sophisticated scenery and lighting equipment.

The new collection arrives to my Etsy store on the 15th of May. 

See you there!

Training complete!

It's been a long time and I've been so quiet around here. The reason for that is that during the last three months most of my attention has been directed to complete my physical training. Sadly my work, blog and store have suffered a sort of neglect. But I'm back, ready to write and hammer once again.

Last year wandering the web I found The Peak condition Project and I was filled with curiosity. While reading its creator's blog about his own experience I asked myself if I had enough discipline to accomplish such an interesting transformation and reach my "peak condition".

A goldsmith's job requires many hours sitting at the bench which ends up tensing the back and shoulders. That's why I've always tried to  practice some kind of physical activity to keep my back healthy. After two years of doing yoga I felt that my practice was held back and I was gaining some inches here and there.  So after December's work was finished I decided to give myself the challenge of completing my own Peak Condition Project as a Christmas gift.

This project is about getting participants into their peak physical condition through a healthy, balanced and natural nutrition complemented with a series of work outs to develop muscles and a good cardiovascular capacity.

Well, I did it. It wasn't easy but the results are worth the effort. I proved to myself that I have the discipline to accomplish something that I really want to and I feel great, energized, strong and much leaner.

Here is my diary of the project.

Next time I will tell you more about my experience.

The roots of the Seed

As I promised yesterday, I want to show you what happens after the roots are soldered to the body of the ring.

The roots of  the Seed coil and turn...

... to form the bands of the ring. I like to see jewelry sprout.

A new Seed ring

What happens between this moment.....

... and this moment?

A lot, that's why tomorrow I will show you a sequence of photos. 

This ring is called Ruby Seed. It's a bean that has sprouted and its roots grow coiling around the finger.

Some years ago I made this same ring but the first version of Seed had two roots instead of three.

Unfortunately that first ring was stolen so my friends asked me to make a new one. This new version is made of 18k gold, the roots are made of sterling silver and a ruby with the most spectacular color.

It's this...

 

This fragile form was melting next to me on a park bench.

What's this?

It's been a long time... but it looks like the sun will shine again and I will have the chance to take new photos for this section.

What's this?

 

If you know the answer, please write it down in the comments. I will tell you what it is on Saturday.

The Red Neptune

Last year a friend of mine requested a ring for his girlfriend. He liked the Neptune but wanted a thinner version of it with a red stone: her favorite color.

Here it is: The Red Neptune.

 

The stone is a beautiful ruby, of intense color and a very nice cut.

 

The Neptune is inspired in the corals of the picture: the holes, soft borders and texture. 

The stone makes me think of a submarine seed.

The first step to create a ring like this is to carve it out of a wax block using special files. Carving is something that I enjoy very much. It's like making a small sculpture. Then comes the moment to submerge the wax model in plaster and wait for it to dry. After that, the wax must be melted. This technique is called "lost wax" because there's no way back, you only have one chance. If the plaster mold turns out defective or the metal that is poured in the hole left by the wax has bubbles, you are lost!.

I don't have the required equipment to make this casting procedure, besides, it's so messy and demanding that you need years to master it properly. I prefer to leave it to the specialists. When the casting is ready I get the model in silver and give it the final form and texture.

While working on this ring I learned that it's necessary to count with the best team of specialists there is to get the results I strive for. It's no use to make fine wax carvings if  I can't rely on a good casting specialist or  a good stone setter.

In Bogota, after years of trial and error, I found my dream team:  a great casting specialist, even if he takes his time, and a fantastic stone setter who works impeccably  and understands the spirit of my designs. I haven't found that kind of team here, therefore I can't be quite sure how long is it going to take finishing a piece and I suffer a lot  every time I have to try the work of a new stone setter. Sometimes the language and the differences in the culture of work constitute an obstacle for me. But, I'm learning.

In spite of the delays, the corrections and the heavy snow that kept this ring at a post office somewhere between Germany and Spain for too many days, The Red Neptune arrived to her owner.

Fragments of Budapest. Last Part.

To finish my tour of Budapest I will leave you with some fragments of color, texture and time from that wonderful city.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

Photos by P. Abitbol and Lili

Budapest is too cool. Third part.

These are some details that make of Budapest a city full of life and movement. Nice to her inhabitants, she makes you want to discover her.

 

The cafés. Every neighborhood has many of them, in different styles. Some small,

and some grand. Check out the pianist!

Like this is easy to talk about art and philosophy, even politics ... I was ready to draft a referendum ...

And then, something for the body:

An outdoor hot spring bath in the middle of winter. While the body is submerged in mineral water at 100˚F your head remains cold at 28˚F. With luck that day the sun will shine a little and the rays will penetrate the clouds of mist covering the water surface and when you look at the sky, the pigeons will fly over the statue of a gaseous Venus and it absolutely will be a great moment .

 

In a city like this you can walk along the river even in a gray day and check whether they advance in the restoration work of the church on the hill

or you can stroll around the synagoge.

And fortunately when you don't want to walk there is the tram. It goes to the hills and through the neighborhoods.

 

A city with lots of stone lions is too cool.

Next, in the fourth part: Budapest, a city of textures.