New work

I was so pleased with my booth at the Queen of Arts Show this past weekend. The red boxes are a testament to marketing classes I've taken-it just took awhile to sink in (about 8 years!!!). I sold like crazy. Of course I did have some very nice necklaces at the right price.


A few of the new books I made for the show

This one even has a short story about chairs.

Here is the front of the finished Tree Bracelet

Notice the crow on the sides.

I'm happy to report that this piece sold to one happy customer. She recognized it's uniqueness.

This is an example of using the rolling press with the Keum-bo technique.

The top crow has a soldered bail which is new for me.

Below I soldered a silver tube to act as the bail. I love it.

)please excuse the out of focus picture).

Below are the latest silver spoon bracelets.

Freedom horse

Happy Halloween

Here are a couple of ghoals. I for one find the one below extremely scary. Especially in about 5 years!!!! Yikes, what a devil. By the way, she won "most scary" at the Girl Scout Halloween party.

Below is the beginnings of a bracelet I am making using sterling silver that has been stamped with my rolling mill using a copper plate that I etched. I love the possibilities!!!

Keum Boo

The art clinic held a class this weekend on Keum boo and Carl Stanley, Silversmith and teacher extrodinair taught a very enthusiastic group. That was Saturday and today, Tuesday I spent a few hours bonding 24k gold to some of my metal clay (fine silver) pieces. Keum boo is an ancient Korean metalsmithing technique in which gold is bonded to silver. It is relatively simple, you just need the right equipment. I have wnated to learn this technique for years and had practically everything needed, but i was scared to do it!?! Why you may ask. Sometimes I get freakout by heat, but that is changing. Carl Stanley http://carlstanleyjewelryarts.com/is an excellent, giving, caring teacher. We want him back at the ART CLINIC.

I made these in the class. I am longing for a disc cutter.
My husband bought me a rolling press because he spoils me. We went to Harbor Freight to look at a hydraulic press and they had a rolling press. I didn't twist his arm, just looked longingly at it. I haven't played a lot with it as I need to bolt it down. So far I love it!!! The silver below was pressed with sequin scrap.
The silver below was pressed with a piece of copper that I had etched previously.

New Jewelry Ideas

I am gearing up for the holiday season which, for me as an artist/jeweler is a busy time indeed.

Below you can see that I have been working with sheet metal (sterling and fine silver), a hammer and a torch and loving it. At the end of the day I am beat, my eyes are tired and I need to sleep, but I am enjoying forging the metal and learning new things constantly. I guess that is the part that I love the most, the challenge, the new ideas and ways of working.

Yesterday, I received my copy of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" . It is jam packed with information, but truthfully, I've not had a chance to look at it. I will though, soon. I'm sure I can learn a thing or two!!!!

New jewelry designs-Mixed Media Self Portraits out

Today I received my addition of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" so the book is out!!! How fun to see it in print. I've not had a chance to read it, but it looks packed with info and lots of gorgeous self portraits!!! Even Ruth got a her name in it as she was the photographer of my picture, how fun is that?!!!

Art Show- the face Of It Sept.2 - 30, 2008

The reason I have not been posting lately is because I have been sooooo busy. As soon as I got back from my family reunion, I was in studio cutting mats getting ready for my one woman show at the Grossman Gallery in Lompoc. It is a very big space and I hung it with Syd on the 2nd of September. Sixty Six pieces in all and I went home with a few that wouldn't fit!!! I based it on the work I did on this blog A Face A Day, though not all the pieces are from this project. I'm happy with how it looks and have sold a few pieces. I hope to sell more so I can cover the cost of frames!!!! My goal is to get to a place where I can afford to have the work framed by someone else!!!



As they say, when it rains it pours. While busy working on this show, I got a couple of calls from businesses that wanted my jewelry in their shops- and now!!! So I really had my work cut out for me, and i don't see an end in sight as I gear up for the holidays. I am having a blast working with jewelry. The ideas are more than I have time for!!!

Family Reunion 2008

I have not stopped since I got back home from my family reunion in August. Above is a preliminary design for the official Tee shirt that I screen printed one by one on Sat and Sun with the help of a few of my cousins. It was an art weekend for me as I also lead the group of us in making books for my Mother Roberta and her sister, my Aunty Janice with whom we all celbrated their 80th and 85thBirthdays perspectively.

This is the group shot from my camera, but there where a lot of photos taken as two freinds from Finland got the job of taking the picture of all the family. they both had 5 or 6 cameras to shot. There were over 50 people who came from all over the state and country, and seven people from Finland all camping in the redwoods of Mendocino County. We had one flush toilet, no hot water, (we did have the use of the sauna) and way too much food!!!. Camp Serenity truly is an incredible place.

Here are the two octagenarians, Roberta and Janice. They really are quite spry!

As soon as I got back it was into the studio as I have a lot of shows going on.

I've been have too much fun drilling Mermaid tears (sea glass) and rocks.

I love these bracelets.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ed20HTRU-Sk
My cousin Lise Henriksen came the the Old Mission Show Alternative Art show of July 4th and sent me this link of a poem by Shel Silverstein that she put to my crow images. It is short and sweet so take a look.

Getting ready for a few shows

I have been working long hours getting ready for a show in Santa Barbara. On the 4th of July, Syd and I will be showing and selling our wares at the Alternate Mission Art Show at 2227 Garden Ave at the corner of Pueblo and Garden from 10am-5pm, and on the 6th we will be at Dinosaur Caves at Shell Beach off the 101. I have books, paintings and jewelry. Below are a few things. Sorry the photos are lousy but my photographer is on vacation!!

Red Belly

acrylic

6" x 6"

Yellow Belly on Cigar box Lid

Acrylic

6" x 8"

Buddha Spoon Bracelet

Sterling Silver Spoon with fine Silver, copper, turquoise, and coral

"Delphos"

Sterling Silver Spoon, Fine Silver, Copper, Peruvian Opal,
Coral and Carnelian

Did you know that Delphos means both fish and womb in greek and that the fish is a symbol of the Great Goddess BC? I love history.

Mixed Media Self Portraits- I'm featured in the preview

Here is the link to the preview of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" in which an "eye" primer I wrote is featured:

http://www.quiltingarts.com/shop/MixedMediaSelfPortraits.html

I can't wait to see the whole book which will be out Sept. 1st 2008!!!

Meanwhile I have been working very hard in Studio. I promise to share photos soon.

Mixed Media Jewelry- Weaving and Metal Clay

I have been having a lot of fun making jewelry. This one below is woven-remember making baskets with pine needles. Very similar, but with SS wire on a bottle cap. I love finding uses for all those bottle caps I save!!

"Crow Weave"

Found Objects ,Sterling Silver, Collage, Mica

"Dancing Women"

Fine Silver, Iolite

I made a impression with two part silicon from a friend's glass perfume bottle and cast metal clay.

"WHoly Man"

fine Silver, Brass, Citrine, Garnet, sterling silver,24K gold

This is a hollow bead, the form was made with cork clay. I sculpted the face and added 24k goldcasting grains for the eyes.

"Three egg Nest"

Fine Silver, Sterling Silver, Pearls, Garnet

I have not been successful photographing these nests I make. Sorry for the poor picture.

"Buddha with Coral"

Fine Silver, Sterling Silver, Coral, Turquoise

I don't tire of the Bhudda.

Featured Artist for 1st Thursday

June 5th was the 1st thursday of the month and I was featured at Santa Barbara Arts at 128 E. Canon Perdido in Santa barbara.

I gave a demonstration on Metal Clay which was well received.
Thanks to Georganne Alex, Shelly Niro and Lynn Adams, the arrangement of my work looked pretty good,

and abundant in the Gallery. One man accused me of hogging all the creativity, which of course is absurd.

The weather at the show at Dinosaur Caves on June 1st was hot. Unfortunately, I got a sunburn as I was thinking it would be like last month. Silly me. Next month, I think Syd and I will use a tent.