Real life vs Creative life

if you've been following me for a bit, you might have noticed that i've been struggling lately. like more than normal. energy levels have been low and creativity has been sparse. I had chalked it up to a busy work schedule with lots of travel, but it turns out that i have been fighting Mono.. seems like something i should have had in high school or college, but no- it waited until 36 to come along and kick my ass. i'm kind of proud that i didn't miss 2-3 weeks of work due to it, like some folks do, but i chalk that up to pure stubbornness, not any kind of easy infection. The doc says that mono in adults, especially ones that get strep throat once and ear infections twice during the span, can take 6-8 weeks to get over it and i should be feeling better in the next week or so.. bleh!

its a relief to know why i have been so tired and achy, and generally just lacking the ability to do much. all that combined with a wicked deficiency of vitamins, i'm actually doing better than one would expect. I seem to be the fail at taking care of myself, even though i've been eating healthier. It all goes back to that being done with adulting thing. :)

All that aside, i did get 11 pairs of earrings made this week at Open Studio Night, although the phone died before i could get a photo. I'll update once i get one taken.

Here's a kitten photo to be a place holder. :)Willow has laser eyes, shadow is between them and zelda is like "mom- stahp!!!"

Creative Life 2016 - Week 11

I'm starting off week 11 with positivity. I am reinforcing my affirmations, trying really hard to show myself kindness, and remembering that I cannot give from an empty bowl.

Part of what makes my art so important, at least to me, is the amount of myself that I put into each piece. It is my way of making my story immortal. However, if i'm all used up, i'll have nothing to give to my work, and it shows. People respond so much stronger to the work that was made with passion and imbued with love and light.

I dove off into the amazing and terrifying world 24 karat gold. I made granules for a granulation project that has been stewing since my class on the 5th. I'm excited about the potential.

Check out this lovely fungi. The whole stump was covered in this beautiful colorful shelf fungus. I took a little mold of those tiny bits and am looking forward to reproducing it in bronze or copper. When i grew White Oysters a couple of months ago, a few of them dried out while i was traveling for work and are these hardened, compacted versions of themselves. I think i should be able to get a good mold from them, so positive outcome from a negative thing (they were very tasty and had a lot more to give, but mushrooms must not be allowed to go dry... )

Creative Life - Travel photos

Since i've been traveling so much, i have been able to explore new and interesting places. Here's some shots from my trip to Denver. After i finished my job, i had a whole afternoon to explore. I went up to a panoramic overlook (and Dinosaur Ridge, but the museum was closed due to the docent not showing up for work) and got some great shots of the mountains. Then i drove downtown and had lunch at Palettes at the Denver Museum of Art, then wandered the museum for a coupe of hours (while taking calls for work- i made sure to leave the galleries before taking calls- even if there was no one else in there, it felt weird talking on the phone while looking at the art)

Creative Life 2016- week 10

well.. i've missed a few weeks. i was in Denver the last week of February and i was in Nashville last week. In between all my travel, i've been fighting off a sinus infection that reminds me it's there by sending me to bed at 4 in the afternoon. Not exactly the most conducive atmosphere for creativity.

I took a granulation class at the Metal Museum this past Saturday with Doug Harling. When i'd signed up for the class back in January, i had no idea how badly i would need it. It was the first time i'd been at the torch in almost 3 weeks. And this technique is all about patience-  something that i have been in very short supply of recently, so that was good. It's funny how i can pull patience up when i need it for something like this, but still have none for my daily life.

We worked in Fine Silver, but i'm already itching to try it in gold. This is a way that i could make my gold go further and is much less wasteful than casting.

 

Creative Life 2016- Week 7 - Continued!!

Look at me.. making twice in one week! {sarcasm} if i had the energy, i'd be in the studio every night again, making a dozen pieces a week. The weather is absolutely beautiful today though- i rode the scooter back to work after lunch (and was tempted to not go back to work) and am looking forward to riding around this evening, before the chill sets in after dark.

Last night i got a few pieces made :) To be fair, they were mostly doing the final assembly, clean up or whatnot of pieces that have been sitting around for a while- the large copper piece has been tossed around my office for almost 2 years. BUT- i'm going to take the victories i can get and i will be content in knowing that these pieces are not 100% complete and ready for pricing and display.
Yes- i tweaked the image strangely, otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see the three earrings at all. one pair is a wire fabbed triske- Sterling, one is mold cast fine silver trilobites and finally, the bottom set is made from water cast pieces that have been soldered together to create a harmonious pair.

The leaf is a fine silver peperomia leaf with liver of sulfur patina (sealed) on a metallic bronze leather cord with sterling clasp. And of course, that big honking statement piece is solid copper- coated to protect the brightness.

Creative Life 2016 - week 7

BOOM! Finished piece. finally. (other than the competition piece and class samples). Indian Kammererite, Australian mint chrysoprase, sterling silver. hand made matching, removable chain. Satin finished. 2/2016.

That's the positive- what's below is the whiny, emotional, artsy-fartsy stuff that goes through my head all the time. If you want to skip it, that's fine. Scroll back up and look at the pretty. :)

2016 has been a rough year, creatively speaking. I am realizing that I need to take some things off my plate in order to be more effective at the things i need to keep. I got distracted by the 'business of art making', the networking, the groups, the functions, and forgot that at the end of the day, i need energy for the actual art making. It always gets hard during the winter months, when the energy is scarce to begin with. I'm sure by late spring, i'll be back to my old self, getting involved with this guild, or working with that group for a show. and i'll be delighted by my connectedness, my sense of belonging to a bigger community, and my ability to make progress in the 'art world'. Right now, i just want to curl up under the blanket with the kitties and sleep.

There have been a lot of external circumstances that have made me feel less than my normal self over the last few months. I have looked back over my writing, my sketching, my finished work (what little there is) to see how my state of mind has been going. the lack of content speaks volumes. even my blog posts have been of lower quality and certainly less frequency. I really hope Blogger gets their app fixed soon so i can blog from my phone. I spend most of my workday on the PC, and honestly, getting on it when i get home is one of the last things i want to do. (also why i have a pile of invoices to enter into QuickBooks.... hmm... )

I think i just need to hibernate from like December to April. come out for food and showers and then retreat back to the blankets. if i live tweet it and cast it, does it become performance art? { sarcasm }

Creative Life - Week 5 & 6

It's been a busy year. At least on the "Main Stream Job" front. i have been trying to be the artist also, but time has been scarce. I am proud to say i completed my piece for the Halstead Kinetic Challenge and went to the opening of the Collaborations show at MJCC that i am a part of (along with a slew of talented Tennessee artists)

I haven't been able to keep up with my blog because nothing wants to post from the mobile app anymore- something broke on the last update, which is just silly since i have a google phone and this is a google app...I had week 5 written and ready to go last week, but anyways- it's about the spirit of the blog more than the letter of the posts.

i have been treading water (in life) mostly- work is busy, creativity scant, weather weird. I keep pushing on because i know the life i want is within reach. I sourced some neat old silverware from the early 1900's for my next project- i'm going to make molds of parts of them and use them in other pieces- there's too much of a historian in me to cut them up and use them. i picked up two lovely floral pieces from an antique store in Galveston- they'll have a fun story at least. :) And i'll have some great samples to show off at my Mold Making for Metal Clay class that is happening March 12th at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. :)

Creative Life 2016 - Week 4

I've been trying to find small ways to channel my creative energy in this strange, cold and dreary winter. Most of my orchids left me this year after a nasty infestation of the dreaded mealybugs, so i've been looking for something interesting to grow that might also be functional, so i got a mushroom grow kit.

I was thinking my green thumb had left me, as it sat for almost a week with nothing happening. I went to Florida for work 2 days last week and when i got back on Friday, this had happened!

It was pretty exciting- they look totally different from what i was expecting- since they're white oyster mushrooms, i wasn't expecting the lovely colors. well- with mushrooms, things get interesting QUICK- because here's what they looked like 2 days after that 1st photo. 

And then this morning....

I think i'm going to feel bad about eating them now. Its been really cool to watch them change color and shape. The texture is so neat on them. :) and we all know i have a small obsession with photographing fungus... so this might turn into me growing all sorts of neat mushrooms just to take pictures of them. lol. I looked on amazon and i can get a kit to grow Morel and Shaggy mane mushrooms- those are some pretty cool textures and highly photogenic mushrooms. :)

Interestingly enough, this little bit of 'creation' in my kitchen has helped me get back a little of my creative mojo. I have been feeling like the artistic well has been mostly dried up and not seeing a way to replenish it. Cold, gray weather and i don't get along and i have just felt so weighed down by everything, but this simple project of growing something- watching it change and mature- it has been inspiring. The kitten sisters are interested in it too, though thankfully they have no desire to chew on the mushrooms or rub against them.. the just look quizzically at them and then at me. :)

UFO day at BMB designs on Saturday the 23rd was awesome. We had a lot of fun, enjoyed some great food and the ladies got a lot of projects finished. it was wonderful to see them come in with bags of bits and go home with several finished pieces. 

I finished up my samples from my Kitchen Table Silversmithing class back on the 16th and snapped a quick shot of them so i could feel accomplished too. :)

Creative life 2016- Week 3

I'm going to be gone on Thursday and Friday, so i have to get my weekly post in early, so i don't miss the deadline. :) Last week, i had some technical difficulties posting from mobile and i had to log in on a PC and rewrite the whole thing since the app was crashing. It was short, so not too bad, but i don't want to risk it again. Here's the woven wire band from the ring i made in my class on Saturday the 16th. i started the band in class to show how it was done and finished it up after class. I'm trying to decide if i want a black CZ or a purple one to be the big flashy stone at the top.. decisions.. decisions..

Creative life - Week 2

This year has started out much busier than i thought it was going to be. I've only been in the studio 3 times in the first 15 days of the year, and that's not good for my sanity or the safety of the people around me, lol. I did manage to get into the studio for a little bit in week 2. While i do not have any finished work to show for my endeavors, i do have a solid foundation for lots of finished pieces and i got to play with all of my hammers and make fun textures. Which makes me pretty happy :)

Living the Creative Life- Week 1 2016

I'm not necessarily starting this year off well on the maker front. I was in the studio for Open Studio night this past Wednesday and I worked on some fine silver leaves and some FS molded pendants, but I didn't finish anything and i didn't take any photos.

However, i was in Flint, Michigan for work the first part of the week and i went the the Flint Institute of Arts after I completed the on-site visit that took me there. I bought a gorgeous handmade craftsman style tile to hang in the living room and a Fordite necklace (i know- super nerd buying 'Detroit agate' jewelry *in* Michigan :)  ) and had lunch in their cafe before I had to head to the airport for 8+ hours of waiting, flights and layovers.

Wandering the galleries reminded me why i love art. It's an escape, a testament to the innovation and creativity of people, an attempt to communicate, to tell a story, to capture a moment in time forever, and it makes me look at the world with different eyes. Looking at the Inuit art, the African masks, the Renaissance paintings, the Baroque tapestries, the Tiffany window.. they all make me put myself into a different point-of-view. I consider what life was like at that time, for those people, and it boggles my mind sometimes. Like the tapestries- they were MASSIVE- and so detailed and finely woven. How did they do that all by hand, without electricity, without quality controlled dye matching? Ancient and medieval metal smithing is like that too- how in the world did they make *that* with the tools and equipment available... and why can't i be that cool? :)

So, here's some photos from my wanderings- hopefully they will inspire you, even if you're not an artists, to look at things a little differently and to appreciate the amazing things that people have done without smartphones, CAD, programmable kilns, etc. (i wish i could share the smell of the art library that was tucked away in the museum- filled with books on every type of art and every artist imaginable from modern all the way back to ancient, and tons of gilt leather bound books that i had to put my hands in my pockets to keep from fondling)

Weekly Challenge- Week 52

Monday i was sitting at the studio feeling utterly lost creatively. i needed to do something to break me out of my downward spiral so i decided to melt my scrap silver down. well.. it was a bit more than i thought it was once i got it melting, so i did some water casting. 

the results were pretty inspiring. :) so i made some new jewelry. three pairs of post earrings, two rings and a pendant. A pretty solid foundation for a new collection, if i do say so myself. :) 

Being a maker - 2015 wrap up

"Be truthful, one would say, and the result is bound to be amazingly interesting."
-Virginia Woolf "A Room of One's Own"

I have struggled with what is has meant to me to be an artist/maker and have an artistic voice my entire adult life. I have never felt like the 'artist' label fit me. I didn't think i was making things to make a statement (i later discovered that even when i thought i wasn't saying anything, i was) and i didn't feel like i had the skill level to call myself anything more than a dabbler. It was much easier when i was a child and the 'artist' label didn't have all the societal baggage that it does, although, even when i was little i knew that growing up to be an artist wasn't something i should aspire towards. It was somehow lesser. And i am still working through the mine field of self-worth, cultural worth, and 'productive member of society' definition that comes with all that- this post is about part of that journey.

For many years, i was afraid to make the things in saw in my mind and doodled in my books. They were weird, different, technically difficult or nonsense to wear. Even after being obsessed with haute couture for quite some time, i never thought that *i* could get away with making something like that. I struggled in my art classes at college because i always scaled it back, made it useful/wearable/relatable/normal/safe. I didn't have these grand 'meanings' behind my work. I didn't explore like many of my class mates. I kept things small, rigid and for a while, lacking in any artistic life.

Looking at my photography portfolio, the further i progressed in my studies, the worse my photos got. And looking back, that is because i wasn't being honest in my work. I was taking the photos i thought i should take, or the teacher thought i should take- not the ones i wanted to take. I was learning metal smithing techniques at this time as well, but the supplies and tools were pricey, and i was mostly self taught, so i was also playing it small and safe and trying to make things i thought would sell, instead of things i thought were awesome. I look back on my first jewelry piece that i made 'just because' with a mix of embarrassment and pride. Pride that i finally did something just because and embarrassment because it took so long and it was so bad. lol.

This year, thanks to the years of support from a very patient and encouraging partner combined with the influence of a very wonderful and dear artist friend, i have started pretty much exclusively making what i *want* to make- marketability be damned. :) And i was surprised at the overwhelming positive response from people purchasing my jewelry. There was a truth to my work- no artsy fartsy philosophical stuff (that i could never get into when i was in school, which also made me feel like a fraudulent artist), just me, the metal and the tools making something that captures a moment- whether that's how i felt about the song on the iPod, the weather or just me enjoying a new hammer.

I've also started selling my 'experiment' pieces, and they've been flying off to new homes. Previously, they would have been tucked away in a drawer or in a box, forgotten as i refined a technique, looked for better tools to do said technique, or set it aside as a failure for not 'being perfect'. I think people respond well to the lack of perfection. I'm not a goldsmith making shiny, traditional rings with a mirror finish and diamonds. I'm an art jeweler- making fun, funky and statement pieces from copper, silver, gemstones, pebbles, driftwood, rusted bits and vintage stuff. my perfection is found in the imperfection and individuality.

Now- that doesn't give me license to be sloppy, but it also means that i should not be spending 2 hours hand polishing a $20 pair of copper earrings to absolute perfection. Because then, they're not perfect anymore- they look manufactured and overworked and that's a huge turn-off.

I am looking forward to 2016 as the year i really come into my own. I have a cohesive line of jewelry and art now- when it's all spread out at a show, it flows. My displays, my work, me.. we are all in harmony. I'm also looking forward to getting back into photography. I pulled out my old portfolio and actually sold two pieces this month to someone who really wanted them. I'm going to be setting up the dark room and adding traditional B&W photos to my offerings- i haven't decided if i'm going to create a separate Etsy shop or just add them in for now. I'd like to work on incorporating some of the photos into reliquary style jewelry and into my larger wall pieces- i'm working on some ideas- look for in-progress blog posts next year. :)

Weekly challenge - Weeks 49-51

I haven't made any new art that i could share over the last couple of weeks because it's all been stuff for gifts- either commissions or gifts i'm giving.

I did go to the MTGMS gem show back on the 13th and picked up some neat stuff i can share though! (the sting of peacock beads are from Flamey Amy- not the gem show, but they came in the day i was taking the photo so i thought i'd include them in the new loot)

I picked up a lot of rutilated quartz at this show- something about it kept calling me and i purchased pieces from three different vendors. I got some neat fossils too- sand dollars and horse teeth.

The smaller cabs (from the left to right over the peacock beads) will be ones i'll have available for my stonesetting class in January at the MBG. This will be a fun class- students will have a choice of making a ring or pendant and we'll set a cab and a faceted stone.

I keep feeling like i have so much to say about this year- about how i grew as an artist and as a business woman this year.. but i don't know how to start. With Week 52 being on the horizon, and me actually keeping up with this very well this year, all things considered, i feel like i need to sit down with my fancy pottery mug of tea and write some words of wisdom, hope and summation, but i just can't get that first sentence out. Maybe i'll be better next week and can give 2015 the artistic send off it needs... and deserves.

Weekly Challenge- Week 48

I had my last show of the season this past weekend. It was the Brooks Holiday Artist Market and it was great. :) I made friends with some artists, bought some beautiful work, and received a lot of positive feedback from customers. All in all, it was a very successful, albeit busy, fall show season. I'm thankful for the break, but already planning for the spring. The fine silver gingko leaves were popular this year- I'm looking forward to collecting some more and making another statement piece - I didn't get any good photos of the one I made, but it was three small leaves, cascading on fine chain from a hammered sterling circle. I really liked how it turned out. I was also experimenting with a new very black patina on silver that is highly polished. It looks almost like hematite when it's finished. I think it's pretty slick and it looked great on one of the gingko leaves and the little stacking rings. I have a long list of things to work on for the spring shows.

I made myself a ring as a reward. I used a freeform piece of 96 layer copper and fine silver mokume gane that I made and set it into a lovely statement ring.

Mokume Gane (wood grain) set in sterling and fine silver ring- Private collection

Weekly Challenge catch-up - Weeks 46 and 47

I promise I was working the last two weeks! (the dark circles under my eyes from the late nights at the Studio corroborate my story!)

My last show of the season is this weekend at the Brooks Museum and honestly, I'm thrilled. I have a pile of commissions to work on before Christmas and then I can take a break for a couple of weeks before I have to get back to it for classes and spring shows. If I sound like I'm complaining, trust me, I'm not, I just need to make myself a working time turner and maybe make a clone or two of myself! Lots of work is a good problem to have and it is one of the things that I made sure to be thankful for this past holiday.

I'm working out my schedule for classes next year with the Botanic Garden and the Metal Museum. I'm very excited to have opportunities at both locations and am thrilled about the added reach I'll have to get other people addicted to... I mean interested in, metal working!

I've been busy making fresh new things and a few classics. My artistic ADD doesn't allow me to do too many of the same thing without being uncomfortable and a bit whiney. :) But I think I have a good system down for pseudo-production line work that isn't all the same. It can be difficult to create a body of work that is cohesive yet varied enough to be engaging. I am finding that just changing the pattern or the accent stone isn't' enough to keep me feeling like I'm growing and moving, so I have to push myself a bit more. A dear and respected friend said I needed to go a bit further with my work- to not play it safe and to be a little less of a perfectionist. so I'm trying to get a little more dimensional. I'm adding some dapped and swaged shapes to my standard designs and I'm finding they bridge the gap nicely between my fold formed pieces and my air chased pieces. they're not quite ready for the spot light, but watch for them to be showcased in Week 48 as I'll be debuting them at the show this weekend :)

New earrings made for the upcoming show

A shot of my booth at the Crafts & Drafts show on 11/14

Living the artistic life

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the work of an artist that I truly admire displayed at the Dixon gallery and gardens. 

Martha kelly is an inspiration, not just as an artist, but she is also an amazing person that embraces life. I have to say I'm a little envious of the amazing life she has, but I am so happy for her that she has it, and it gives me something to aspire towards.

There is a print (tbh several) that I want of hers that makes me tear up just looking at it. Not sure why, but it's a good tear up- like so happy I can't hold it in.

If you want to look at places in Memphis in a whole new light and see some art that will take your breath away, make time to go see Martha's show and the American impressionists show- both at the Dixon through January. 

If you want to be reminded on the regular that life is as wonderful as you make it, and point of view makes all the difference,  click on this link to view and subscribe to Martha's blog.

Weekly Challenge - week 45

It's hard to believe the year is rapidly coming to a close. I have been trying to create new work for this Saturday's Crafts & Drafts show at Crosstown. Last night's creative haul was pretty good- i took a photo of all the stuff that has been completed this week for debut on Saturday and i like how it is all pretty cohesive. I really have the mixed metals thing going and everything has a sort of down to earth, warm feel that i like. :)

Tonight's goal is to get some more silver work finished. I have like 4 pair of silver earrings, one silver fold formed necklace and a handful of Infinite Love pieces left- everything else sold out at River Arts festival (YAY!)

Weekly challenge - weeks 44 and 45

I have been doing a fair bit of traveling for work these past two weeks- i was in the Carolinas the last week of October, back for halloween (taught a class that day). Then it was off to Houston/Galveston the first part of this week, and i wrapped the week up with Lebanon, TN this past Friday. As such, i have gotten SO LITTLE DONE in the studio.. :(

I have a show this Saturday at Crosstown arts- Crafts and Drafts from 10am-4pm. It's the first year for this show but i'm pretty sure it's going to be great. There will be lots of great local art and fabulous food trucks.

I did get a few things done this week - here's one of the new steampunk love necklaces.

This is what i made tonight!

 This is what i bought at an awesome Bead shop in Charlotte i found while killing time for my flight.

And here are the pieces made in the Air chasing class on Halloween at BMB designs. the big piece at the top was my demo and the small pieces below are all the student work. they did a pretty awesome job!

Weekly challenge - weeks 42 and 43

I can't believe I missed posting for week 42! It is, after all, the answer. Last week was a little busy with the River Arts Fear downtown (had a blast) and this week has started off busy with me being in South Carolina for work. I'll be working on Halloween costumes, getting stock made for my next show (Crafts & Drafts at Crosstown on November 14th), prepping for the Gift Workshop class (Nov 20th) and finalizing my spring schedule of classes at the Metal Museum. Busy times!

Here's some stuff I've made recently.