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Alright, have you ever seen copper jewelry that looks like it was dipped in all the colors of a firework show? Meet Natalia Skuba, the genius behind The Copper Oasis, who uses heat - not paint - to create jaw-dropping color shifts on copper. Yep, she basically plays with flames and makes the metal blush with reds, blues, purples - you name it!
Her secret? Heating copper just right makes it oxidize and flash colors in a wild, unpredictable way. It's like nature’s own color wheel, but with a fiery twist. And get this: after Natalia’s family lost their home in the 2018 Paradise fire, the flames that took everything also sparked her amazing art journey. Talk about turning disaster into dazzling bling!
Ready to see crazy cool flame-painted copper pieces and hear Natalia spill the tea on how she tames fire and metal? Dive right in and pick your faves!
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When asked what she hopes people notice first before realizing it’s copper, Natalia said:
“I want my work to look so unique and cool that people can’t quite put their finger on it. Once I explain it’s just heat and copper, their jaws drop! That’s the best part.”
Her whole flame-painting obsession started in a fiery way: “My house burned down in the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire. My dad pulled this massive copper sheet out of the ashes, and the flames had left crazy colors all over it. It was like fire’s own artwork.”
“He dove deep into flame-painting, found the ‘Godfather’ of the style, Skip Matthews, and then passed the flame (literally) to me. I was hooked instantly!”
Her lightbulb moment came one day with octopus earrings: “I’d been practicing with my torch, and suddenly this gorgeous green popped up on the metal - something I hadn’t seen before. I did a happy dance right there!”
So what's really happening when the copper changes colors? Natalia explains: “Copper gets super hot. It forms an oxide layer that reflects light like an oil slick and BOOM - rainbow colors.”
“The colors show up in a special order: orange, red, purple, then to blues, greens, pinks, and even lavender before fading to gray. With practice, I’ve learned to control the heat and get just the tones I want.”
At first, the copper did most of the bossing around. Now, Natalia’s the torch-taming queen, getting the results she’s dreaming of most of the time. But hey, the metal always keeps her on her toes - weather and all!
Her tools? Mainly just a blowtorch and a Dremel to prep the copper. She also cuts pieces with a CNC router, which took forever to figure out but now she’s a pro.
Favorite colors? Blue and pink, because they're tricky! She matches colors with themes - fiery oranges for desert vibes, deep blues for ocean feels. But sometimes it’s all about the cool patterns, like scales on her koi fish designs.
Worried about wear and tear? Natalia seals her pieces with UV resin to keep those flames glowing and uses skin-friendly metals because she’s got sensitive skin and wants everyone to rock her art without worries.
People often think there’s some secret sauce added to the copper. Nope! It’s pure heat magic, all natural oxidizing doing its thing.
Her no-nonsense advice for beginners: Always gear up with gloves and safety glasses. Torches can be tricky and flames unforgiving. Patience is key - heat too much and the color’s toast. Take it slow, cool down, and soon you’ll make copper dance with color!
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