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 Statement Necklaces

Since childhood I've ALWAYS loved jewelry.  Not the fancy diamondy stuff either.  Costume pieces that make a statement.  I remember rummaging my Grandmother Sissy's jewelry box and being so mesmerized by the combination of colors and beads.  They had the coolest jewelry back then.  If you were to watch my outfits for one week you'd literally see 7 different jewelry looks.  My clothes, well recently in cleaning them out realized that I am a solid person....literally I wear jeans and some solid top daily.  I've decided this is because wearing patterns would certainly clash with the statement jewelry.  Yep.   

So, onto the jewelry making.  I guess my obsession with jewelry has crossed into making my own pieces to wear.  I love trying new techniques.....love.  For sometime I've wanted to continue the thread of my paintings into more wearable pieces.  I have a printing technique that can literally take my paintings and transfer the images onto tiny porcelain pieces.  Unfortunately the company has decided to discontinue most of the blanks I use, and I am down to the last handful of the pendants.  sigh.  Like I said though, I'm always on the hunt for a new idea to get the creative juices into overdrive.  So I pulled out Stephanie Lee's book one more time.  My past attempts at her techniques have failed.  This time I bought all the right materials and tools and with more than enough determination finished a few pieces.  And yes, I'm a widdle excited about the potential here!!!

This past weekend was my show in Birmingham.  With two opening receptions there had to be two statement necklaces.  Oh yes there did.  All the components of the pendants were hand cut and soldered together.  Even the little birdie I cut from a piece of sheet metal!  And yes, I hand wired the beads together.  I've got a nice little system for putting the bead chain together.  I love the way the metal and the beads compliment each other.

Last but not least, the pieces were texture hammered and stamped with sentiments. 

I've also made the main portions for a flower and a nest pendant.  Just like my paintings.  I hope to have some uploaded soon into Etsy.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!!  Hope you've had a creative week!

What is Up With My Mood?

Seriously folks, my mood has been less than appealing this past week. I'm cranky, tired all the time (napping, ME napping!), the thought of being in the studio makes me cringe, and the only thing I want to eat are Girl Scout Cookies. Yep. Something has got my goat........So yesterday after working out I decide magazine therapy is in order. I headed over to Books a Million, bought a nice hot latte, and selected everything off the shelves that looked enticing. I literally can escape to magical places while reading artsy magazines. I sip and smile as page after page begins to spark my creative soul. Folks, I am here to tell you there are so many talented people out there, I just get giggly thinking about how they become inspired to make what they do. The last magazine I cruised was the latest Belle Armoire Jewelry. The first article got me all excited with her technique....solder, stamping, texture, loved it. And she mentioned Stephanie Lee in the article. And then another article mentioned Stephanie, and another, and then WHAM! There was a four page article about Stephanie herself. You see, at Art and Soul I was smitten with her jewelry. Really, like can't take my eyes off it smitten. I did take a class with Stephanie, but it was a sculpture class. She offered one on her book Semiprecious Salvage, but it filled before I could afford to register. Bummer. So I took notes from the magazine and made a shopping list. Then Home Depot and three very kind men helped me fill my cart with the needed items. On the list: wood, copper electrical wire, insulation foam, chalkboard paint, file set, and a few other little goodies that may not even get played with yet but I just had to have!

You see, I think this mood was stemming from an angst over where to start. I get like this every time a new creative flow comes into play. Something big must be about to emerge from this little bout of the moody blues.....Part of it is fear of failing, part is wanting to work my own twist into new knowledge. Does that make sense? I learned SO much at Art and Soul, and yet, the past week I've been trying to wrap my own creative voice around this new knowledge so that it becomes mine, and not a replica of Stephanie, Julie or Lisa. Also, I want it to be authentic. Usually I can feel it.....when it's not authentic that is. When it is forced and unatural. Last night I had a vision of a new nest. I love nest jewelry, I do. I don't care how done it's been, I love it. So here's what I made this afternoon with some electical wire, solder and sari ribbon.

I am not so sure about the ribbon's place. I bought this sari ribbon a while back in hopes that one day it would become part of something.

When I picked up the nest off the fire brick under it was this splat of solder. I grabbed my scissors and cut out a heart, then stamped of course, "My Heart is Full" because it is getting there. It is. Especially after what came to the door today.

On our way out the door to baseball practice tonight there was a package propped on the door. It was from Somerset. I was so excited that my paintings from the Somerset Life issue had finally made their way back home. We quickly opened the box and found the two paintings and this issue of Somerset on top. Ok. That's nice of them to send this I thought. But I'm not in this issue.

At least I thought I wasn't. After reading this article I started crying, like really crying. It was the cry that needed to come out for a week now. Knowing I inspired someone to make something really, really made my creative spirit soar. Her words were so heartfelt and humbling.

I am still feeling my way through these emotions and creative hurdles. Today I got off to a nice start though. So will you be seeing a line of jewelry with fiber, this and that? Not so sure. Doesn't feel quite authentic enough.....yet anyways. I rather like the simplicity of my nest with the tag necklaces. I am thinking of using some nests like this with silver tags as well as the brown patinaed ones. I am sure I'll find my way soon though. And hopefully have something special to share.

A Little More from Vegas

I'm back with a little more for you to ooooo and ahhhh over. Hehehehe. My next class was with Stephanie Lee. But first, I have to say that all my teachers were very, very good teachers. As an art teacher myself, I am very observant of this quality. And all three were very knowledgeable and willing to share their craft. It takes a special type of artist to want to share their skills, does that make sense? By sharing their techniques, they open a world up for those of us pursing art to new possibilities in our own work. And I am very thankful that these ladies did just that for me. Because my head is now spinning with ideas!! This class was called Plaster Architecture. We used floral foam, wire and plaster gauze to create various forms. I was originally going to create an airstream camper. But in her demo she used wire. And from their I took off running. I'll have to photo this once it's all done. Because of drying time, I was not able to put my piece together nor paint it. It will have a rather robust birdie hanging from the center. I enjoyed her technique and more than anything, can't wait to try it with my afterschool art classes. They are going to love playing with these materials! BTW, I think I really irritated the airline steward with this baby. You should have seen the painful look on my face when they said it had to go overhead and not stay in my lap! Thankfully it made it safe and sound.

Of course we had to try out the machines. I spent $2.00. And even though it was a .1 machine, I only got one roll. What's up with that?

The last day was a class with the adorable Julie Thompson. It was entitled, "Life is but a Dream". Now I'll admit, I took this class because of her picture on the website. It was just too, too cute! But once in the class, I quickly realized that technique wise it was my favorite of the week. You will be seeing many more creations from paper clay from me! This is Vivian. And she is a crank music box which plays What a Wonderful World.

Julie kept describing her style as "Steam punk". I have no idea what that means, but I know her work was beyond adorable. And her knowledge and skills were A+. She's coming to Atlanta this summer and I told her count me on the roll for sure!

Of course you can't leave Vegas without a little show. Here we were able to see the famous Bellagio water show. It was quite magical. And later that night we saw the Jubilee show at Bally's. I personally found it incredible (ok, not the boobies don't get any funny ideas) but the scenery changes and costumes....holy cow. Amazing. They advertise it as "35 pounds on their head and a costume that can fit in a tea cup." This was very, very true for much of the show. I can't balance a book on my head, so hats off to those women! Well, the trip was beyond worth the dollar amount I have added up. And it does add up. If you are ever considering an Art and Soul Retreat you can be guaranteed that the instructors are very well prepared and skilled. Mine and Valerie's classes both filled our minds and hearts with creative ideas beyond what we can probably carry through. I am thinking of instructing in Portland in October of 2011. So......start saving your pennies(realistically $1's) and join me!