Recently, the U.K. has been hit with a series of intense thunderstorms, lighting up the sky and shaking the atmosphere with their raw power. While most see storms as just a dramatic weather event, there’s a hidden potential for artists and jewellery makers. The same atmospheric conditions that fuel thunder and lightning can help transform brass jewelry, giving it a beautiful, natural patina. This patina is not just an aesthetic choice but a way to infuse the energy of nature into your work, using materials like ammonia, salt, and vinegar.
How Does the Patina Process Work?
Patina forms when metals like brass react with their environment. Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, naturally tarnishes as it interacts with oxygen, moisture, and certain chemicals. When you want to speed up or direct this process, you can use a simple combination of natural materials such as:
• Ammonia: Releases vapors that oxidize the brass, producing a blue-green hue, reminiscent of weathered copper.
• Salt: Acts as a catalyst, encouraging faster oxidation by drawing moisture from the air.
• Vinegar: The acidity breaks down the surface of the brass, allowing the reaction to take hold more deeply.
The Magic of the Weather’s Influence
Thunderstorms can supercharge this process. With high humidity, increased static electricity, and charged particles in the air, the brass patina process becomes more dramatic. The dampness from rain helps salt and vinegar work more efficiently, while the atmospheric pressure and electric charge seem to give the reaction a little extra kick. Just as a storm transforms the sky, it also transforms the metal, creating unique textures and colors.
After applying ammonia, salt, and vinegar to the brass, leaving it outside during or just after a storm creates a more pronounced and spontaneous effect. The jewellery becomes a reflection of the weather itself, bearing the imprint of nature’s raw energy. It’s almost as though the storm becomes a collaborator in my artwork.
The synergy between the atmosphere and brass jewellery not only gives my pieces a story to tell but also makes each one distinct, shaped by the forces of nature.
I can’t help but think of Astrape and Bronte , who were the goddesses of lightning and thunder, ministers of the weather-god Zeus in Greek mythology who held lit torches in their hands as storms raged.