Metalsmithing

Every once-in-awhile I just HAVE to make jewelry. I just do. I get an idea in my head and have to run with it. These are made using the awesome techniques I learned from Stephanie Lee. The techniques she taught me years ago have really broadened my jewelry making vocabularies. I love seeing how far I can take the skills learned. Pushing new shapes and designs. It's rejuvenating.

Over the holiday break I had such an wonderful time playing in my studio. I actually started with these, then after a deep cleaning and reorganization of the studio, I painted the watercolor boxes. I had to let the watercolor box idea percolate a little more. In other words, I was over thinking the watercolor boxes and knew it so I had to let it sit until I could focus.

Do you get like that with your ideas? Sometimes I think and plan so much on an idea that by the time I get to the doing of the idea they FLOP. Spontaneity can be a good thing for my artsy brain. Otherwise I'd just sit and think about ideas all the time and never get anything done. These jewelry pieces were a total spontaneous idea. I was actually cleaning the metalsmithing table and thought...I wonder if I could make a 3-D heart shape? And I could.

These are at the Naked Art Gallery in Birmingham if you are interested. They are $48 each. I sent 12 different ones. Vero usually gets everything online here. Check it out and all the other cool artist in her gallery!

The Watercolor Boxes

I teach K-5 Art Education in a public school near our home. It's a great job...really stress free because it's not a certified position (even though I am certified in art k-12). So I get to come to school...play art with kids all day....and go home. Seriously, where else could I find a job where I get to do that right? In my classroom I am probably not the norm when it comes to the typical "art teacher". I like a very neat, clean and organized classroom. In fact I go through days of cleaning. Purging crayons, testing markers and throwing out stinky paint. Side note peeps, old paint is the worst smell on the planet. Hands down. No lie. Blerg. Anyhoo.....before the holiday break I always do a major paint station clean up. Because of said smells. I didn't want my room to smell like dead paint upon return in January. I was throwing watercolor pans out by the dozens because well, they don't make them like they used to. In the old days we art teachers could buy the individual pots of colors and replace the old ones. Especially colors used out quickly like blues. And poor yellow. He gets to be yellow for one student and then he becomes green or orange. Yellow doesn't stand a chance in an elementary art room. While throwing all these pans out I had a vision....first I started thinking they'd make cute pencil boxes for our upcoming Southern Circle Retreats. I'd wanted to make something special for the attendees from me to keep their supplies in we use and voila! They worked perfect. (can't show yet because I want them surprised)

And then I started to look at the larger containers closed up without the watercolors pans in them and found they were stunning on their own. The various paint colors splattered all over. Hmmmm....I wonder if paint would adhere to the inside so that when closed it becomes sorta a magical shadow box?

The answer to that question is yes. Yes. Yes!! Of course it took some trials on what to put first to get the paint to stick. Again, clear gesso came to the rescue. Superhero of my studio these days!

Now I did remove some paint in areas so you could see my images a tad better. Not much though. I just love these so much and am tickled to think my creative brain actually thought this up!

To stamp I decided on the outside was best so you could really read the words. Plus it gives the overall affect of 3-D better. Now, ding dong me just grabbed a stamp pad not looking for permanency. Urgh.....So then I had to spray a little clear on top to protect the words from smearing. Lost one in the process. Bummer. Oversprayed it and made it cloudy. Then the light went on in my head to look for my staz-on pad. What would I do without that sucker?

These too are headed to the Naked Art Gallery Microlove opening. Although I might make some more for my Etsy shop. I'll be sure to let you know if I do.

I Puffy Heart You

I used to say on my blog all the time "I puffy heart you". A few years ago when I found these metal "puffy hearts" at the mart I had to buy them to paint on. And yep....they sat in my studio for years. The even got packed in moving boxes from one studio to another if that tells ya anything about age.

Each year my favorite Birmingham Gallery, The Naked Art Gallery, hosts a Microlove art show. All the work has to be tiny, like no larger than a postcard. Each year I do something fun. Last year it was a series of 4" encaustic paintings. They were so adorable. This year I pulled these out! They turned out awesome. I just wish I'd bought more.

The metal surface was tricky to paint on so I used clear gesso first. Clear gesso has got to be the best invention like ever. Ever. First of all it's clear. (duh jenni) Second of all it has this awesome sandy texture unlike white or black gesso. It makes the paint go onto the surface dreamy. And I was able to leave the heart above with metal showing through since the clear didn't affect the color of the metal. The other 2 I got a little carried away with the flowers and painting. Last step I sprayed them with a clear spray which the name of is escaping me but it comes in a turquoise can and makes your work look like glass. Anyhoo....if you are interested in these they will be available at Naked Art Gallery.

Hope you had a fabulous Christmas holiday. I was a little quiet here during the break for personal reasons. Sometimes you need to step away and gather yourself before you can present yourself again. It was not the best Christmas to be quite honest, too much stress and not enough joy. If I looked back on my blog posts from previous holidays I'd probably have said the same thing. My hope is that during 2015 holiday, yes already thinking about it, we change something. Yeah. Something.

Later guys.....

A Common Thread

Last Wednesday I showed you some of the new jewelry baubles headed to the Micro Love show in Birmingham.  I talked about my love of making things...all sorts of things.  And how sometimes my creative brain works in overdrive which can be quite inconvenient sometimes!  Seriously folks, after Christmas I went to Target to A.return the Spy Watch William got for Christmas that did not work and B.buy wrapping paper for next year.  I mean, that stuff doesn't exactly go out of style right?  While cruising the aisles I came across a rack FULL of these little dainty clay bird ornaments.  Yep.  Overdrive time.  I placed a couple in my buggy thinking to myself, "maybe these would look good with my stamps?"  I walked around a little more with the gnawing thought that if I didn't get more birds now, they would not have them later as they were seasonal, so I better buy a pile!  So I did.  And look how sweet they look!!

Which leads me to the Common Thread thought.  I do make a bunch of stuff.  Yep.  Love that about my brain and my hands.  Together they have the ability to turn ordinary items into art.  But here's the thing, although I make lots of different types of art they all have a common thread that unites them.  I saw plenty of other adorable ornaments at Target that day that would make adorable charms.  However, had I placed "give them wings" on an elephant charm...although dear Dumbo did learn to fly, it would not exactly have the same meaning to who I am and what I create.  See, finding your thread is important to creating a body of work and giving yourself an identity in the art world.  It's very important.  Very.

I've had some conversations recently with an artsy friend about just this.  We are amazed at the number of artists that feel transforming themselves into others will give them success.  I think the total opposite will happen, because it's not part of your thread, of your sweater.  And in case you've never tried this....two people indeed can not wear the same sweater at the same time.  You must find your own.  Now my sweater is striped, yep, with a ton of colors and textures all in one big over sized piece.  But it's mine.  And all the threads I add continue to make me an authentic voice in the world of art. 

With all that being said, no I did not invent the bird charm or the woven nest, or metal stamping, or be the first to paint a bird or a nest or a bike or a truck or a camper or you get the idea.  However, the way in which the elements I use are placed together and the process that puts them all together, those are the threads that are uniquely mine.  I treasure those threads and look forward to adding to my sweater this year.

I Love to Make Things

So here it is, I love to make things.  Yep.  LOTS of things.  Jewelry projects, sewing projects, sculpture projects, clay projects, paintings, encaustics, colored pencils and even oil pastels.  Yep.  Like I said, I like to make things and that means lots of materials and lots of products go through this studio.  With that being said, I am always on the look out for a new product to incorporate into my work.  Sometimes it's a bother.  I mean who goes to Target after Christmas to buy wrapping paper and leaves with a cart full of clay bird ornaments in the hopes that they can be incorporated into her jewelry one day (which they did...oh yeah!)?   Oh, and I totally forgot to buy the wrapping I was too tickled about the darn ornaments!  Anyhoo, while cruising a Michael's store about a year or so ago I found these brushed nickel birds on a branch necklace charms.  OH MY GOODNESS it was love at first site.  It looks like a little 3D version of my favorite painting subject, right?  Love.  I bought all they had, then went to another Michael's and bought all they had.  Because they were definitely a part of my thread.   And then they sat....and sat....and almost got returned because what in the world do you attach to those rather long bird branch charms to make a necklace pretty enough to wear?  And then came along my statement necklaces with the beads linked together forming a perfect chain....and then I found the nickel chain I'd stashed forever ago....and then the flower beads I'd defiantly saved for a rainy day....Sigh.  I love it when a plan comes together.

I should also mention, because it is so cool, that these little pretties were taken on our ice day.  Ooolala...love the way the snowy ice looks like crackled glass under the hardness of the beads and charm.  Nice.  So these little charmed necklaces are headed to Birmingham, Alabama to Naked Art.  Vero holds a Microlove Show ever year which includes tons of jewelry and micro sized paintings.  This year I am just doing jewelry..... paintings have to be saved for MY Solo Show coming before I know it!

PJ's and Poloraids

The year was 1984. It was a great Christmas. It was the year Molly got a Polaroid instant camera. We loved it. And how magical. Nothing like it still. You carefully place a box of film into the unit, press a button, and voila! A photo pops out. Wave it in the air a few seconds and the image magically appears in the black box. It took the crappiest photos, but what an invention. When it came time for me to create a series of paintings for the Micro Love show in Birmingham I immediately thought of that camera and how I could place little images in the 3" square. Below are what I am calling "Mattie's Scrapbook". Photos she's taken of her friends doing super fun things. She's not in one picture, because like a Mother, she took all the pictures. So enjoy! Okay, Mattie did not take that super great picture of me above. That's to show you how I came up with the measurements. Man, was I styling or what? Braces, GIANT homecoming mum on the shoulder, hair, weave sweater, elastic waist skirt.....seriously styling.

They are of course much better in person. I need to do research before buying another scanner. Seriously.

I used a new favorite tool for the lines. You'll never guess in a million years, so I'll tell ya! It's a wood burning tool!! I was so tired of paint pens and micro pens dying on me, and they are not cheap. This worked amazing. And had a lovely smell too. I only burned one finger in the process. Hehehehe.....

Here's a close-up of my favorite one in the batch. I used roofing felt for the base, so it has a rough texture base. Can't wait to drop them on Vero's doorsteps tomorrow!! The show opens February 5th in Birmingham, Alabama.

Oh, about the Pj's in the blog title. At bedtime last night I asked the kiddos to get Pj's on and hop into bed. I looked at Mailey and realized that she still had on the purple snowman Pj's from the night before. "Mailey, did you ever get out of your PJ's?" "Nope, and neither did you Mommy." "Well, I'll be, you are right." I'd been in my sleepy shirt and jog paints all day. Today, she's been in pink rendeer PJ's all day. Me, in my long sleeve sleepy shirt and jog paints. And no, I did not do any jogging today or yesterday. What a lovely two days it's been. Hope you've taken some time to stay in your Pj's this week!

Going Back to the Crayon Box

As I posted yesterday, I just finished up quite a collection of jewelry for the Naked Art Gallery. Whew.... Seriously I am thrilled with this new idea of making jewelry to sell and not just adorn my neck and ears. I will say however, that I feel I need reading glasses now from the countless hours spent threading those tiny pearls on wire! The time and energy spent was well worth it and hopefully the pieces will find loving jewelry boxes very soon. Anyhoo....my post today is about going back to the crayon box. Every one has one.....it's just that mine are these most fabulous collection of Sennelier oil pastels. Oh how I love these little guys and what they can do to paper! The upcoming show I am participating in is actually called "Microlove". Great idea. Everything is not necessarily lovey, but they are items you could buy for your sweetheart. And the micro part is that all the artwork had to be under 6". Yes, that's the size of a $1.00 bill. I found these great paper mache frames at Michael's in the scrapbooking section last week. The work on it's own would have been just okay. But with these fabulous frames it really makes the work special. I added little copper hooks and voila! Micro art ready to hang anywhere you please!

So I'm off to joint compound some freshly cut wood. What's the inspiration you ask? Well, this go around I have on my mind umbrellas, a pink bike, chairs and a special idea from William. I'll post work as I complete it, hopefully very soon!