Looking Ahead...

Welcome 2013!  Clean slate, metaphorically speaking, right?  Clean work bench at any rate....new designs brewing in my brain, anxious to become reality.  Got a fabulous package of goodies from Becky Nunn of Nunn Design, to stock me with the very latest jewelry components from their soon-to-be-released 2013 catalog.  Yes, I am so happy to be a part of the 2013 Nunn Innovation Team!  Becky also sent me a PDF preview of the catalog and I drooled all over my keyboard.  So many lovely design elements!!  Many included with the 2013 stash she sent me.  Already been busy, effectively destroying my clean work surface in a creative frenzy.  I can't share photos of the new stuff yet, (I send the finished designs to Becky first and she promotes for us--SWEET) but I can tell you about my favorites so far...first off, the brass elements coming out for Nunn are FABULOUS and I've been cold connecting like mad (made a gorgeous cuff).  Deep bezels in many sizes (great for us mixed media, assemblage folks--I made two really cool pendants filled with this and that), tons of unique, detailed stampings, new clasps, closures, chains, findings, chatons, settings, bangles, and SO MUCH MORE.  I have included here some photos from the catalog of finished designs from the Innovation Team, including some of mine.  Becky has a great team and the photography for the catalog is to die for.  

So, get to the Nunn website and go crazy!  She offers wholesale accounts for designers and links to retail outlets that carry the products.  You won't be disappointed! 

Creating with Intent

Just got the latest issue of Nat'l Geo, with the cover all about Cleopatra. The image focused on an amazing gold and pearl earring that belonged to her. A golden snake coiled around huge white pearls. Breathtaking. In reading the article, you discover the intent behind the design. Snakes represent long life and prosperity, and were featured in countless jewelry designs from bracelets to necklaces to clothing.

This got me thinking about the history of human adornment, and how every culture in the world historically created art and jewelry with "intent", meaning behind the design that goes far beyond simple beauty. I think that is fascinating, and have always tried to incorporate a message or meaning in my work. Some of my designs are inspired by, or inspire themselves, a short story or poem. I'm partial to Native American folklore and often incorporate elements of that into my designs and writing. No matter what I create, I find that each design began as something more--an intrepretation of a greater idea or inspiration.

Susan Lenart Kazmer always encourages us to "create with intent". To make concious decisions with each step of artistic design. Every curve of wire, every bead or stone placement, the choice of metal or material, every hammer strike, should mean something--should be meaningful--even if it is only to you, the designer.  I agree, and find that being concious of this--of opening yourself up to explore meaning behind design and creativity--inspires greater creativity and originality.  Each design is a bit of my imagination come to life, made material.

I am inspired by nature, and try to reflect that in everything I make.  I believe I impart a message in every design, and hope the person who ultimately makes that design their own can see or "feel" my intent.  This way of thinking has made me a better artist, and I hope a better person as well...Isn't it amazing what personal expression can do for the individual and the group?? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, and how you express your intent or message in your work.  Please feel free to share here...THANKS!

This ring was made with spectacular varacasite from Out of Our Mines.  I chose it because it made me think of the Earth, with rivers and valleys in the marbeling of the stone.  It feels like magic to me...

Body of Work...Bodies as ARTWORK!

A few months ago I met an amazing artist at a local show--Georgette Pressler. Georgette is a professional body painter. This is an area of art that I really knew nothing about. What I now know is that this genre of alternative art is a highly competitive phenomenon!

Georgette works under the name Devious Body Art and her work is stunning, amazing, risque, and utterly beautiful. Since meeting her I have had the pleasure of watching her work at art galleries, shows and events all over town. I am always left speachless by what she creates. Please, visit her website and take a look at her virtual portfolio. She's available for private events, art shows, music festivals, you name it!

Oh, and did I mention that she is drop-dead gorgeous and unbelievabley nice? Yeah, I know, go ahead and kill yourself now.

Here's a few teaser photos of her work....

Altered Inspiration

I posted the other day about altered art and how it inspires me.  I've been spending some time drooling over some really great artwork, Keith E. Lo Bue of Australia (I already posted about him...) and another wonder-jeweler, Kristin Diener.  Check out her website and be prepared to pick your jaw up off the ground!  Kristin creates stunning assemblage jewelry on a grand scale, and that is putting it mildly.  I especially like her use of vintage and antique eyeglass lenses, still in frame, as cabochons.  What a GREAT idea.  This mixed media, altered art movement is really....well...moving!

At the same time, I am also creating my own series of altered works, inspired by these and other artists, for an upcomming show I will be in called "Theatre of the Absurd - Beauty in Uncommon Forms".  This show is all about mixed media, unusual art.  I'm having a blast.  I have always incorporated found objects such as bone, feathers and fur into my designs, but after seeing what some of these phenomenal artists are up to, I am looking at things entirely differently.  I consider these new "explorations" absolutely infantile--first attempts--but I do enjoy the results so far.  I've included photos here of two new designs.  One is a tiny masonite box shrine called "Southern Girl".  I used a vintage photo, tiny air bromeliads from my back yard, a sea urchin and various gems and charms to create the main "soul" of the piece.  I used an antique porcelain doll body--head above, body below, to finish and give 3-D "body" dimension to the woman pictured.  The piece is about 6 inches tall.  I plan a series of these...I'll post more pics as I go. 

Next is a pretty elaborate piece for me, inspired by Lo Bue, called "When the Baby Comes".  I began with two tiny lidded tins--one an inch round, one a little over an inch rectangle.  I used the tins lids and bottoms as separate items, separate bezels if you will.  In the central round, deep bezel are layers of images and objects including vintage photographs, text transparencies, mica, porcupine quills, watch parts, and paper text.  Below, the rectangular box holds a aged bronze baby, door image, mica, watch parts and leather.   The rest of the necklace is made from the tin lids, which I filled with images and objects front and back--the entire necklace is totally reversable.  I used a key as a link and a tiny key as accent.  The result is pretty damned cool if I say so myself and fun to wear because most of the elements spin individually and are double-sided so you can wear this multiple ways.

I think I am attracted to art like this because most pieces tell a rather detailed story, and I love a good story.  I like jewelry that has meaning as well as beauty.  So, here I go, off on another new artistic journey.  Wish me well on my travels!

Dive Down the Rabbit Hole...

Okay, strap yourselves in and get ready to blow your mind with some FREAKY, CRAZY, GORGEOUS stuff. I just discovered Keith E. Lo Bue and he is my new PERSONAL HERO. Please, please take some time to sip a goblet of absinthe and browse his web site. He takes mixed media art and jewelry design to an entirely unheard of level. What he does with spoons...Holy Moly!!! Whether you are a fan of "steampunk" art or not, you simply can't deny the man's unholy talent. I'm green with envy....and FILLED with inspiration. So, take off your rose-colored glasses (unless the frames are made from animal bones) and prepare to be AMAZED.

I've Gone to the Dogs...

The cooperative gallery I work with, Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery in Lake Worth, FL, is hosting an event next Friday (the 20th) called Dog DaZe. We're supporting Elite Greyhound Adoptions and the gallery will be filled with guests, their dogs, and art inspired by our furry friends. I created this necklace especially for the event, and will be donating 100% of the sale to Elite. It features a vintage, sterling silver dog-head whistle that is just gorgeous. It's fully functional, and removable. This piece is called "And We Danced" and comes with an original short story I wrote inspired by the whistle. The necklace also features a gorgeous lampwork glass pendant bead, a vintage optic lens, and a silver framed moth wing behind acrylic. I hope it sells, and that we can raise some funds for Elite, a wonderful organization that finds homes for retired racing greyhounds. If you're in the neighborhood, please stop by! Also, if the necklace does not sell on the 20th I will be listing it in my Etsy shop, so check back!!

Florida Craftsmen

I've been so busy with my "real life" that I have had no time to vacation in cyber space lately. But, I wanted to share some exciting news, so here I am. Last week I got an email from the director of the Florida Craftsmen Gallery in St. Pete. They are a non-profit, member organization that represents Florida artists. They want me to join the Gallery! They have asked for 10 pieces--I am so excited. The Gallery is really lovely, they have a great contract and are totally professional. I am flattered and terrified at the same time. I'm trying to put together 10 pieces that reflect my work, I figured five rings and five necklaces....still, very intimidating! Have to put this together today and ship tomorrow if I can. Wish me luck!!!

Art Rocks!

My friend Jill Elisofon-- fantastic jewelry designer and bestest friend--and I will be in a funky-cool art and jewelry show in May. The show is called Art Rocks and wil be held May 15th at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. If you are around, you HAVE TO COME BY! The show will feature 45 booths of wearable, touchable, edible, ORIGINAL art. This will be fun!!!

Cool Artist Alert!

My super-hip niece, Laura, sent me a link on Facebook a while back to a super-cool artist website. French artist Maissa Toulet creates "cabinets of curiosities", 3-D assemblages containing...well...everything! Totally cool, unbelievably unique, these dioramas are amazing. Please take some time here, you'll be compelled to look at each creation--full of detail and amazing botanical elements. Love this!!!

New Work...

I've been busy lately working on new designs. I was part of a great art show last week for the conservation organization I work for, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. We hold a nature-inspired art show every year. This was the fourth year for the show, and we get better each time! Great artists, lovely venue (a private studio behind a friend's house). We had a ball and shared some wonderful art. The images below are of a few of my new designs created for the show. More to come!

Also, I had the wonderful good fortune to meet Bernie Berlin yesterday while updating my gallery display at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery in Lake Worth. Bernie is a fantastic mixed media artist--get to Amazon to purchase her book, "Artist Trading Card Workshop". Totally cool. Her eye for color and design is FANTASTIC. Bernie raises money through her art to support the rescue and placement of unwanted dogs and cats. Visit her at A Place To Bark, her animal rescue organization. So nice to run into her...you never know who you're going to meet on any given day. Art is such a unifying force and the force was definately with me yesterday!

More Experimenting...

Another package arrived from Objects and Elements...so love getting those! Their new line of handmade brass charms are so cool. Very ancient in appearance, so many to choose from! Can't wait to begin working with them. I did immediately pounce on the faux bone I ordered. In case you haven't heard, this stuff is really fun to work with. It's basically PVC in sheet form. You can cut, saw, heat, bend, scratch, and carve with ease. Age it with anything from shoe polish to glaze, buff it up, and you have the look of ancient bone. Robert Dancik is the genius behind this, and he is aslo a fantastic jewelry designer. Take a peek at his site and get inspired...Don't miss his tutorial on YouTube!

So, here are two new designs using some of the great stuff from O and E. The bracelet is made from a 7-inch brass bangle topped with layers of brass, faux bone, copper, sterling silver and a Michigan beach stone. I textured and aged/patina'd all the metals myself. This piece is cold-connected--held together with brass screws and nuts. The ring is a layered design using sterling silver that I impressed with a woodgrain pattern then colored with patina to bring out the design, topped with sterling silver, a text transparancey sheet, a cup of plexiglass, a copper washer, a brass bezel and sterling silver bead (again, held together with a brass screw and nut). Love them!

More to come soon....

Sunday--It was a Good Day!

Yesterday (Sunday) was a nicely productive day for me in the studio. My head was chock-full of inspiration from visiting my favorite artist's websites and blogs, and I was ready to try some new techniques and designs. I created four rings, each very different in style and appearance. One incorporates a vintage photograph and loose gemstones under a clear mineral crystal dome, one features a super-cool antique signet stone I found at a funky antique fair, the third features a hand-carved 800 year old bead from Africa, and the last is a huge stack of mixed metals hammered and heat treated with oil pastels. WHEW! Three of the rings are cold-connected, no soldering involved, and use my favorite copper and brass tube bezels in one way or another. I connected the elements using rivets and brass screws. How cool is that???

I'm most excited about working with oil pastels on metal (thank you again, Susan Lenart Kazmer). I had no idea you could work the colors into the metals (with or without patina), heat it with a torch or heat gun, then seal. The possibilities are endless, and I plan to do much, much more with this. I'll keep you posted...

In the meantime, here are a couple photos of the results. What do you think?????

All of these designs are available in my Etsy shop...

Amazing Artist...

Okay, so I'm cruising through Susan Lenart Kazmer's webiste--a constant source of inspiration--and I see they now have a Zine (online magazine). Wonderful stuff, you MUST take some time here. Anyway, while browsing through previous posts and images I discovered Richard Salley, my new FAVORITE ARTIST OF ALL TIME. His work is absolutely inspired. What he does with found objects, metals, wire, heat and patina will take your breath away. His tutorial for a locket pendant created from a rusted automotive flange has me digging through my husband's workshop for similar design elements. AND, he offers an online tutorial to create that very locket!! Please, please visit his site and prepare to pick your jaw up off the ground. I've included a couple images of his work here to whet your appetite...

Bye-Bye 2009....THANK HEAVENS!

Excuse me if I slam the door on 2009...not the best of times for so many of us. I now turn my attention to 2010, with the hopes that the year is prosperous and PEACEFUL for all. I've been out of my studio for a while, holiday madness put the brakes on my creativity outside of the kitchen (I cooked me up a storm this season!). The holidays brought me a few culinary firsts--my first brined, organic turkey for Thanksgiving (DELICIOUS), my first "fancy dinner" with friends (tucked fresh allspice leaves into each folded napkin--cloth napkins--at the table), and my first attempt to make homemade beer bread (eh, could take it or leave it). All in all, fun and EXHAUSTING.

Now, it's time to get creating in the studio! I'm still struggling with my conscience, debating how to create meaningful art and jewelry that doesn't take advantage of the planet's resources...my designs this year will be different--I can feel it.

I would love to hear from other artists out there who are "creating with conciousness" so to speak. How do you express yourself artistically? Please, send me your stories or images to share. We all need inspiration, right? I hope 2010 inspires us all to create with intent, share with heart, and celebrate the natural wonders all around us.

Happy New Year!

Handmade Chic Interview

I invite everyone to take a good look at Rachel Baron's blog, Handmade Chic. Rachel is a wonderful glass artist (Inferno Glass Beads) and a staunch supporter of handmade art. She graciously interviewed me for the blog--THANKS, RACHEL! So, stop by and visit with Rachel for a few moments when you can, and visit her website for lovely glass creations!

Wonderfully Weird - Using the Unusual in Jewelry Design

If I were to write a book about jewelry design, the title would be the title of this post. I really love incorporating unusual elements into my work. There are many names for this type of design--mixed media, altered art, assemblage jewelry, and found item jewelry are but a few. I'll go with assemblage jewelry for the purposes of this post.

Assmeblage art is very big right now. Artists like Susan Lenart Kazmer, Tessa Rickard and Stephanie Lee and have pioneered this artform, bringing everything from doll parts and old dominos to burnt out miniature lightbulbs into fine jewelry design. If it can be bezel set, then by gosh BEZEL SET IT! The results are stunning, as you will see on these amazing artist's websites.

I am a collector of oddities, I always have been. My passion for wildlife conservation and animals is evident in my collection of "weird" which covers everything from glass taxidermy eyes to animal bones of all kinds. I especially love working with animal bones. At my work station I have several boxes and containers of bones from raccoons, opossums, and most recently, an iguana. All these items are found on the 30-acre wildlife preserve in which I live. Sunny south Florida is a great place to bone hunt and I often find great, bleached out bones from animal visitors long past. I've collected bones forever, even as a little kid. I like to think I honor the animal by turning their bones into something unique and beautiful to live on in their memory.

I never really considered this all that strange, until my sister visited me recently and discovered my bucket containing a complete opossum skeleton. I could tell she was simultaneously interested and grossed out. I remember she said, "Oh, I bet you'll do something really amazing with this." I immediately started telling her my plans for the vertebrae and teeth--I use these smaller bones in rings and pendants. She nodded politely and then said, "That sounds really cool. But, when you're planning Christmas gifts, remember this isn't for me!" She was trying to joke, but was also deadly serious. That got me thinking--one woman's weird is another woman's wonderful.

I've been lucky. I have created animal bone jewelry that has been appreciated (and actually PURCHASED) by many people. I've never thought twice about using bone or animal fur/feathers in designs. But I wonder, is there such a thing as too weird? Tessa Rickard, I'm sure, would argue and emphatic, "NO!" Some of her work incorporates human teeth for crying out loud! AND, the results are GORGEOUS as you can see in the Lark book 500 Pendants and Lockets, which features her designs.

I guess it's all about having the courage to put your work out there and not be overly influenced by those that may not "get" it. Art is fluid, constantly changing and open to interpretation. Most of all, it's EXPRESSION that matters. Yes you can use a clasp created from your Grandmother's beautiful vintage button collection to finish a necklace made from copper electroformed iguana vertebrae.

So, do you agree??? I've included a few photos here of some of my "weirder" work and ask that all you assemblage artists out there to send me images of your "wonderful weirdness". I'll post them here with links to your web pages.