Sing A New Song

I've spoken here often about how important it is as an artist to find that common thread to weave through your work.  It opens your creative thought process up and expands your vocabulary as an artist when you recognize the patterns in your work.  Setting boundaries may not be the best way to describe it, but making conscious decisions about what you put out in the world is important to becoming an authentic voice in the art world.  A voice that people will be drawn to because they know it's you.

Awhile back I tweaked my original bird pattern from Betz White's felted bird one to my own using fabric, felt....and lots of love.  A friend had passed along the idea of using embroidery hoops as a cage, and adapting it to my aesthetic, came up with these cuties:

Fast forwarding, my creative doors have opened to jewelry making.  After taking Stephanie Lee's class I have found a whole new passion for jewelry making.  And feel I've been able to weave my voice into her techniques and learn to make them mine.   As evident below:

Art imitating, art.  Love this.  The cage has been made using brass strips and solder.  The bird was hand crafted from paper clay and then coated with gloss medium.  Hanging from the bottom to replicate my ribbons and hand stamped message is chain, glass beads and a sweet message to "Sing a New Song".

The bird cage hangs about 36" down on this amazing new rosary inspired chain I found.  Love it.  As I finished this up last night Mailey said, "Mommy, you just can't sell this."  But you know what, I am.  And you can find it here.   I'm making some changes in the studio.....important ones to my business growing.  And one is reaching to those who can not attend art shows or my galleries.  Etsy is about to get puffy heart time.  I'll be sure to let you know as items get listed.  My theme is, "scattering joy through paint. fabric.metal".  I've got a nice pile of metal to photo, edit and upload first.  Already starting with the lovely piece above.