Wind From the East

With the wind blowing into the dock for the better part of two days the predatory fish were hunting on our side of the bay for a change. The lure, Red and Orange Twitch N Pause, was only cast one time prior to catching the fish... the first cast had a very strong strike, but alas, no fish. The second cast was a winner. Neighbor and fishing pal "Hawk" came over and helped measure.

Glorious Nature

A "Chappy" ride down the logging road, into the deep woods, offers stunning natural phenomenon such as these still-unfurling fern. What a great place to be by one's self and observe the great world of the wilderness. I would add, though, with this experience comes lots and lots - I mean boatloads of wood ticks...

Liking the woods and water

It's been almost two weeks and the weather is still cool. Today is especially windy and cool. Probably won't break 50 deg. I don't mind, though. The cool air feels good against my skin. Some days have been too windy to fish, but I've managed to get some images of fishing, fish and other various facets of the northern Minnesota environment.

Enameling underglaze samples

A few samples I recently finished using vitreous enamels and black underglaze pencil. These may or may not end up as anything but samples. I was really happy with the polychromatic, pastel-colored one.

Buck-tail Madness

'Bout time to start thinking 'bout putting gas in the boat... with that comes lure making. Tying buck-tail lures is relatively easy, but time-consuming. Here is my set up, samples, bench, and tote mid-frenzy. These lures are intended for Northern Pike or Muskies, but bass like 'em too.

Breakfast Food

Some mornings are just better that others...

*Not Pictured: Buttered Toast and Tang

In Prog Lurewelry

Couple images for your viewing consideration. Notice that one of the images is sans eye, whilst the other has it firmly planted in socket. This is a freshwater pearl serving as the representation of the eye... you may have noticed the background of the gent holding out his arms... as I a enameling, I always keep a piece of "slippery" magazine paper below where I am sifting. That way I can easily dump excess enamel back into it's rightful jar. This page happened to be out of an Outdoor Life. Fitting, I thought. I haven't completely decided if this is fishing lure or jewelry.

Newly posted items on Etsy

The Original Recyclure Fishing Lure. Not all the lures in the image have been listed, but if'n you'd like to request a specific lure, holler! www.teddmcdonah.etsy.com. Some jewelry pieces listed recently as well.

LaCrosse Tradition

My experiences as an art student at the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse were all positive, but none more so than those I took away from having had Bill Fiorini as a professor, instructor, and mentor. The most significant skill I was taught, was the production of diffusion-bonded Mokume-gane. At the time of my graduation I was still "dabbling" with the process, but later, in graduate school, I was able to spend the time to make mistakes, experiment with different metal combinations, build forges, and pattern-out material to the point I got very comfortable with the process. I am, typically, only making materials for my self, stock piling until a need arises.

Torch-fire Enameling

My presentation was based on the ability to form 18 gauge copper with a steel punch when back-supported with a hockey puck. The resulting floral-form was then enameled via torch-firing. Here I am doing the enameling with onlookers from the UW-LaCrosse metals program.

Together Again

This past march I was able, through the generosity of Ruth Anne Knapp, able to attend a gathering at the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse. The event loosely entitled "40 Years of Metals at UW-L" was an event to honor and celebrate the retiring of Professor, Bill Fiorini. Shown are (from L to R) Bill Fiorini, Brad Nichols, Becky (Chader) McDonah, Tedd McDonah, James Viste, Ruth Anne Knapp, Dale Wedig, and Mike LaRonge.

40 years of Metals at University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

March 27 and 28th. Metalsmithing Symposium at UW-L hosted by Bill Fiorini. Bill has unofficially decided to retire and has put together an event to help celebrate his accomplishments as a Professor of Metalsmithing at UW-L. Dale Wedig, James Viste, Becky (Chader) McDonah, myself, and Brad Nichols, will be presenting demonstrations and showing 'n' telling about current and/or in progress work. Topics: Dale Wedig, Angle-Raising and manipulation a raised form; James Viste, Textures and further discussion of texturing die production for both ferrous and non ferrous metals; Becky (Chader) McDonah, Mechanisms/Captures and etching with PNP; Tedd McDonah, torch-fired enamels and threaded connections; Brad Nichols, chasing and repousse.

Thank God I was on the Dock

As anyone who fishes for Northerns will tell you, "careful, they've got long, sharp teeth." This day, that was the last of my worries. If they have enough energy, they will continue to fight after they are out of the water. Well this little guy sure did. At this point, the bend of the hood is visible. It hadn't always been that way; as I was holding the fish in one hand and reaching for the pliers (to remove the hook from the fish), with the other hand, the slippery dude opted to fight some more, and "good for him" I say, keeps things interesting. The hook had been buried to the point where there was no light between us. And, oh yes, it stung a little. I tried having my 6 year old son try to remove the hook with pliers - bad idea. Grasping the fish with one hand, and the other, as you can see, tied up, gave me some time to think... ooh, go get the camera! Long story short; I finally got the hook out on my own.

FISHATURATION

Every year, at about this time, my mind turns to fishing. I really intended for this blog to be about my creative exploits in the field of metal- smithing, education, and the occasional rant (which I have yet to do). Here are some winners from last summer I had, yet to post. More images of fish than actual Artlures. Been putterin' mostly. And mostly slackin' at the blog site...

Mokume-gane at Yuma 30

Yuma 30! I will be presenting the process of diffusion bonding a billet of copper and nickel silver. The process could also be called: semi-solid-state diffusion welding. If everything goes right individual sheets will become a solid mass of varying, alternating strata. If things don't go right, I'll be dipping into the tool box for stand-by materials... You can expect to see hot metal on the verge of, but not melting; some, hopefully, controlled hammer -ing; a patterning demo, and if time permits, patina explanations. Here are some images of billets fresh from the fire. The stack needs to cool off a touch, before removing it from the torque plates.

Don't Think Out Loud

When I bought my first computer, I thought I'd be a graphic artist. Then I realized how much I start to squirm after a few minutes of being lashed to a computer. Fast forward a few years, then a few more, couple more, yep, a few more, ok then couple more. So here I am in '08. Image before you was done last year. I remember now why I didn't go the graphic route. I like to doodle on paper, as well as, the screen...

Heavy Duty Hanukkah Menorah

Celebrate!

This Menorah was built back in 2003 for the 3rd Annual Menorah Exhibit, at the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery in West Bloomfield, MI. The Curator was Janice Wetsman. This was my first, and to this point, only menorah. To do it over again, I probably would've made it slightly smaller. It measures about 27" wide, 30" tall, and 8 inched deep (at the base). And yes, heavy.

New Work

First piece in a new series (hopefully), I've decided to call "Intuitive Afterthoughts", or maybe "My Autonomous Art." Many of the elements come from class demo samples. This one is 11"x3"x2". There are references to several functional devices, but as it is, this one simply rests.

Work to be Published

This image was chosen to be in Lark Books upcoming book entitled 500 Enameled Objects, by Juror Sarah Perkins. I'm very excited and honored to be included.

Michael Perry and the Clodhopper Report

If I ever forget where it is that I came from, or maybe a touch of the home-sick, I read one of his books or watch one of his "Clodhopper Reports." The Clodhopper Reports are featured on Wisconsin Public Television.

Enjoy!

PS. Notice all the salt being spread on the highway from the red dump-truck. Typical winter strategy for preventing the roads from "freezing over." It really takes its toll on the northerner's vehicles. A couple of winter's worth of driving, and you can just about hear the rust starting to chew away the precious sheet-metal. OK, so that just may be the spray from wet roads, but it really reminds me of the types of road maintenance trucks and the salt/sand mix they dump/spread.

Fish on

Cockamamie Candleholder #3

This is, to date, the final of the candleholder series. I should mention #2 was completed in 2004, this one in 2006. There was a Heavy Duty Menorah produced in between #2 and #3. I'll post it as well.

Unlike CC#1 and CC#2, CC#3 has some traditional joinery (collars), whereas the first two are strictly welded in construction. Also, there are no pre-made or "found objects" in this composition; all elements are forged hot, scrolled, twisted, bent, smooshed, or manipulated in some other way. Dimensions: 35"X14"X11" (w/o candle).

Cockamamie Candleholder #2

This is the Second in the series of three (so far). I choose to use fewer elements than in the first and third. Forged and fabricated, found steel objects, as well. Dimensions: 28.5"X16"X13.5"

Cockamamie Candleholder #1

First in a series of three (so far). Forged and fabricated steel and found steel objects. This one made in 2003, while living and teaching in NW Ohio. Dimensions: 35"X11"X8" (w/o candle).

Moke-A-Bou Musky Lure

Decorative Fishing Apparatus