Three new pieces

My holiday travel plans were canceled (thanks COVID), so I found myself at home for twelve days straight — a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time in my home studio. I didn’t get everything accomplished I wanted, but I’m happy with the three pieces I finished.

I started with a custom order — a pair if copper and sterling earrings for a holiday gift — then I picked up some cabochons I purchased at the Yorktown Art Stroll in September.

I started with a teardrop shaped laguna lace agate and set it in sterling. I don’t like high shines, so I left some texture on the backing. Next, I set an oval cabochon of jasper. I’m not sure what the variety is, but I love the earthy colors. I set it in a hand stamped copper backing, and darkened it with a patina.

The last piece has vexed me for many months. I’d textured a copper dome and soldered a backing to it a wile ago and left it on my bench. I’d pick it up and put it down, vacillating between interest and indifference. With the year coming to an end, I challenged myself to just get it done. So I did.

I cleaned up and filed the edges the copper component and then added the sterling wire and the jump ring for hanging. I’m happy that I finally finished it and happy with the result (though as always, I see the imperfections).

Happy New Year and keep moving forward. Be happy to get things done, even when they’re not perfect.

Hoarder of Memories

1971 penny pendant

I have a confession to make. I'm a bit of a hoarder. A hoarder of bits and pieces of this and that, which may or may not be incorporated into a piece of jewelry. In addition to traditional jewelry components (wire, sheet, beads, cabochons, etc.), I have a collection of colorful beer bottle caps (I actually did make a necklace out of these--see this post), a set of wooden dominos, vintage glass buttons, sea glass and old tea tins squirreled away in my studio. There's probably more I'm not recalling at the moment.

I think my hoarding habit is related to my deep-rooted sentimentality for things from my childhood (today called "vintage") and other old stuff.

My favorite bits to make into jewelry are coins. I recently made a pendant out of a 1971 penny. I fabricated a bezel from fine silver on copper backing, with a sterling silver bail. It has a "d" under the date, signifying it was minted in Denver.

Where has it been the last 49 years? How many miles has it traveled, carried in pockets, wallets and piggy banks? Where and how was it spent? A coin has a hidden history of its own, but looking at it can spur your memories. What was I doing in 1971? That year, I turned seven, so I was doing kid things -- playing with my stuffed animals, roller skating, riding my bike, going to second grade and collecting pennies in my piggy bank.

2P bracelet.

I also found a — coincidentally — a 2-pence British coin on my bench (I don’t remember how it got there). I had just finished the penny pendant, so I thought I’d dive in and make a 2p bracelet. I’m happy with how it turned out.

U.S. pennies minted before 1982 are mostly copper (95%) and and suitable for jewelry components. In 1982 and after, the U.S. Treasury changed the composition of pennies to mostly zinc with a plating of copper, which means they’re not as good for manipulating and making into jewelry.

I am now on the hunt for old coins that are low in face value but high in memories.

'Hard Work'

I've been working hard in my studio, getting ready for my first "deadline" of the year. I am participating in the Third Annual Art Jewelry Trunk Show, Feb. 8-9 at Yorktown Arts Foundation's On The Hill Gallery. I am a YAF member and Gallery volunteer, and I have organized this event with other members since the first year.

This year promises to be the best yet. Including me, there will seven jewelry artists who will show and sell their work. It's just in time for Valentine's Day, so it's a great opportunity to get something for your someone special -- or yourself.

Below are a few of the pieces I'll be bringing to the show.

View fullsize

Earrings, pendants and rings I’ll be bringing to the Third Annual Art Jewelry Trunk Show at On The Hill Gallery.

Getting back to "hard work" in my studio...I put "hard work" is in quotes because when things are going well, it doesn't feel hard or like work at all. These are times when the solder is flowing where I want it, I'm not melting bezels or earring posts and pieces are coming together as I imagined. I'm so focused on what I'm doing that I don't get hungry or thirsty, and the time just zips by.

I love what I do, and only regret that I didn't start on this jewelry journey when I was younger.

So, I hope to see you at the show. Until then, I’m going back to “work.”

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season.

I've been quiet on this blog and social media, but not IRL.

I had a few custom orders to complete before Christmas (see below) and a couple of shows during the last part of this year (in addition to my "day job"), so something had to fall off.

These are the stones they picked out with draft designs

Anyway, I'm back now! One of the special orders was a pair of pendants. A couple of old friends whom my husband and I hadn't seen for more than a dozen years came to visit last summer. While catching up, I showed them some of my recent work and my studio.

Later, they picked out a couple of stones from my stash and asked me to create pendants for holiday gifts. Here are the stones: One is a snowflake obsidian and the other is a jasper or agate. The unknown is one that my mother cut and polished, but she couldn't remember what it was or where she acquired the raw stone.

Here are the finished pendants.

I sketched some basic designs -- simple settings that highlight the stones -- and emailed them for review. They were happy with that, so I got to work. Here is the work in progress and the finished pieces. I'm happy to report that I completed the pendants in time for Christmas, and my friend/customer was happy with the result.

Looking ahead to the new year, I have a few goals (not resolutions). Here they are:

1. Make more rings! I made a couple as experiments and my friends loved them. I sold the first three I made, then got an order for six more for Christmas. I guess rings are like earrings -- you can never have too many!

2. Start offering my best-selling designs on this website. I'll have a bit of work to do to get the store ready, so stay tuned.

3. Look for opportunities to get my work into more galleries and retail outlets. This will be the biggest challenge, as I am not the best salesperson.

If you have tips or suggestions about where I should try, please send me a note or comment on this post.

Thank you for reading. May your new year be happy and art-inspired.

Where does inspiration come from?

As an artist, my ideas come from a lot of different places. Inspiration comes from the natural world and the things I see and hear. Sometimes my work is inspired by materials coming together on my bench. They also are handed to me in a neat package, in the form of a challenge.

Copper “shield” pendant with sterling silver rivets.

My little piece of my world is rife with textures, colors and shapes. I can step out my home and see dappled light, deep green leaves, acorns and the weathered wood rails of the deck. During walks, I search for pick up objects that interest me, like dried pods and shiny stones.

Sometimes I hear a word that drives deep internet research (you might see a collection on knot theory from me at some time in the future).

And every day, I sketch shapes and patterns, designing pieces in my mind and on paper.

I won't share a photo of my bench, but trust me when I say it's a bit disorganized and messy. Unfinished projects sometimes live there for months. I might get inspired to complete an unfinished project there. Case in point, this copper and sterling silver "shield" pendant. It was on the corner of my desk for MONTHS. Every so often, I'd pick it up and look at it and place it down again. Recently, I picked it up and found the inspiration to finish it.

Challenge pieces, clockwise from top left: “Blue” (for “Blue” show), copper side of “Diatoms” (for Botanical show), bottle cap necklace, (for “Recycled”), and “Sting Rays” (for “Animal Kingdom” show).

A couple of the rivets needed to be redone, and more added. I soldered on a bail on the back, then made a raw silk necklace for hanging. (It's available for sale -- $85 and it's yours!)

Alternatively, I might look at a stone or a bead rolling around on my bench and the muse will whisper in my ear what I need to make.

Themed challenges are a great way to think differently and build your skills. Yorktown Arts Foundation's On The Hill Gallery has a member show every year with a singular theme. Some of the past themes have been "Recycled," "Blue," "Animal Kingdom," and "Botanical." Here are some photos of pieces I made for these shows.

The theme of the next member show, which opens in May 2020, is "Water." It's time to find my inspiration....take a walk on the beach, stare at my bench and get out my notebook and pen.