Interview with Roadkill part 1

Ms Roadkill herself has posted a new product- a tiny deer pendant (and yet another stunning photograph) and so I figure it’s time to begin to unleash the email interview we did a short while ago. Here goes:

1. so, i’ve never worked with metal before and have a tough time imagining
the process of handcrafting a small bird. can you tell me the steps?

I discovered the lost wax process about a year and a half ago, and fell in
love with it! I was completely obsessed… There were wax shavings all over
my apartment, and Pepito the persian cat was dustier than usual. You start
off with a piece of wax, and just carve! I usually use an x-acto knife and
a couple of dental tools, and I do my finishing with a little bit of fire.
Then you cast your wax bird, and out comes a metal bird! There’s a lot of
cleaning and finishing that needs to be done before it becomes shiny and
wearable… The first time I had something cast, it was so exciting!! Can
you imagine, making something, that’s yours, out of metal??

for more on the lost wax process, check out this description of the process as practiced by artistans in India and Bangladesh.

for more from my interview with Roadkill, ah well, you’ll just have to stay tuned.