artist-to-artist

i'm in a flickr group called "artist-to-artist", a "small peer group to share feedback and encouragement about the making, selling, marketing, and sharing of our work." i joined awhile ago but didn't get involved until now. the members are participating in a collaboration called the "creative element swap". participants get an object from one person and send an object to another. then we make things for each other using the objects. i got a box of elements from masaaki shinko who lives in tokyo, japan. masaaki is a ceramic artist. the box included 3 different styles of elements - 3 dimensional stars and two different styles of beads. masaaki said i can use whatever i like and keep the rest for myself. the packaging alone was incredible and it was so fun to open.
i'm not sure which pieces i will use yet or how, they are all very beautiful and interesting to me. i need to spend some time with them and away from them. i am looking forward to making whatever it is i will make, though! i think this will be really fun and a great way for me to separate myself from my other work, explore, and experiment.

i will be sending my element off to shand stamper in greenville, nc today. i chose this small rusty blade. i have a small collection of these and i think i will make a piece as shand work's. i am curious to see the similarities and differences in our pieces in the end. thanks for reading.