Hi! Remember Me? by Karen McGovern

Just a heads up...this post is going to be all over the place.

It seems like forever since I've posted to the blog! I've flaked the past couple months--life getting in the way and all that. Plus, summer. Everything gets weird in the summer. Trying to juggle work, family, and cramming in a vacation if you can, plus WORK....and it's been one of the hottest summers in South Florida. Days and days of temps hovering around 100 degrees. I work and live on a 40 acre wildlife sanctuary and work out doors EVERY DAY. I wilted about a month ago and am only now beginning to feel even remotely life-like.

So, here's the highlights of the past couple months. I went to Maine with my BFF, who happens to have a family home on the island of Vinalhaven off the coast of Maine. I spent four days with her and her lovely sister STUFFING MY FACE WITH SHELLFISH and generally laying around in a coastal paradise. It was HEAVEN.

Then, a major event for me personally--I GOT MY OWN STUDIO BUILDING! That's right folks, I am moving out of the garage and into my very own space on our property!!!!!!! I am SO EXCITED. I got an all wood shed from WeatherKing Sheds. 10 x 14. It arrived after my Maine excursion and I have been working on it non-stop with my patient, understanding and heroically helpful husband. A few pics below of the process. Painting, flooring, AIR CONIDTIONING (OMG), and today we installed the shelves. I set up my soldering station an hour ago, next I move my bench. That is where the nightmare truly begins. My bench is a TOTAL MESS. Since planning for this building I have basically abandoned my work space and have been dumping A BILLION THINGS on it that I plan to somehow move. UGH. So many things. I am amazed at all the STUFF I have accumulated. I had no idea. I started several boxes of beads and findings that I plan to destash in a week. Yes, I am holding a HUGE destash sale starting on Friday the 25th if I can get myself together by then. Here is the Facebook link--I'll be offering beads, findings, finished works and whatever else I don't want to move!!! So, join me if you can. There will be some pretty amazing deals.....seriously. Until this is all done, I am not creating anything new, which is killing me. Can't wait for the fresh, shiny new space to totally wreck in a matter of weeks!!!

Prior to the building excitement, I had made a new line of pendants featuring my favorite stone of the moment, Rio Grand Rustics. This stuff so amazing--I'm obsessed. Angela Fowler cuts it and I fell hard for this organic material. I have a pile more set aside and have some ideas for bracelets as well as pendants. Can't wait to begin!!! Hopefully I'll be back at work artistically within the next two weeks....or I'll go CRAZY.

Finally, I also took a break from posting much (other than photos of monarch butterflies because I hatched and released FIFTY monarch and queen monarch butterflies on my back porch) because I was getting really burned out with all the noise I found myself in the midst of online. I am a member of and follow several arts groups on Facebook, and I have become really sad and depressed the seeming WEALTH of negativity rolling off folk's keyboards. Slamming artists left and right for every perceived slight or misspoken word, attacking people behind their backs (or not) and just general shitty behavior. I've written about this before, and I'll say it again. Don't support this online bullying. Please. Follow the THINK rule. Before you post, consider the following. Is your post thoughtful, honest, important, NECESSARY and kind? There is so much horror and sadness in the world. As artists we need to lift each other up. Art is an intimate expression, a link so someone's often private thoughts and feelings. Unless you are explicitly asked to critic this work, keep your negative thoughts and opinions to yourself. Pleaseandthankyou.

To close, I leave you with a video of an amazing artist named Riusuke Fukahori. I've seen his work before in images, but never a video of his process. He creates STUNNING three-dimensional paintings in resin of fish and other undersea creatures. IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY. I love finding images and video like this. Art and artists that take your breath away. That is what art should do!!! 

Now, go make something AMAZING!

Intimidation???

by Patti Vanderbloemen for Love My Art Jewelry


Intimidate - to frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants.

Are you easily intimated?  I am speaking in the "jewelry making" sense of the word, of course.  I used to be. With all of the social media plastering images - Face Book, Pinterest, Etsy, heck, Google Images - it's hard not to be. I used to wonder, "how I could I live up to that?"  I would swoon over images of jewelry that quite frankly, scared me into thinking "how in the world did they make that"; or, "I could never do that!"; and the worst one, "My designs never look as good as that, why do I continue to do this?" . It would actually depress me.   Bottom line is, I don't need to live up to any one's standards, except my own - and most importantly, I don't want to.  It took me years to say this last statement.

Don't get me wrong - I still ooh and awe over images of pure art.  But nowadays, I am admiring the art instead of downgrading my own and berating myself into trying to unsuccessfully emulate it. Why would anyone want to copy someone else's designs in the first place?  I will never understand that, and it actually infuriates me! I simply appreciate its beauty, but I will admit that sometimes, my mind wanders into the techniques used to create this fine art.

By doing this, I have realized that my repertoire of techniques needs tweaking - some a lot more than others.  Like bezel setting...and using that least favorite tool in my arsenal - the jeweler's saw.  So, a couple of week's ago, I made a challenge for myself - use only sheet metal and wire - and create a piece of jewelry that is 100% handmade - and in the process, tweak those two techniques.  I have lots of cabochons that need setting - but, bezel setting is very frustrating for me.  So, I decided to practice using copper instead of those precious gemstones that will one day make a gorgeous focal/earrings/bracelet, or ring, I hope.

I have recently acquired a few handmade stamps from Danny Wade.  So, I cut out a copper disc from a very old piece of copper where my etching did not quite etch deep enough, and domed the metal to resemble a cabochon.  I then stamped some pretty designs on a back plate, held my breath, and used that jeweler's saw that I absolutely despised.

I added some handmade chain that took way too long to make (that is an understatement)...

...and added a copper tube bead from my stash that has a bit of PMC fired on for texture and color.

I have not taken this bracelet off since the day I made it. Feeling successful with that saw and bezel setting, I made a few more pieces.  With each back plate sawed, it got a little bit easier.  The bracelet below features a handmade bead - in the shape of a drum, if you will, with matching stamping along its sides. 

Infinity link soldered chain on this bracelet.

Tiny little post earrings - I FORCED myself to saw around that excess back plate, instead of grabbing my shears. 

Then came the necklace - and this focal truly almost killed me - my spirit, at least!

It was not the sawing that almost did me in (though it is not perfect)...it was the bail!  That is the third bail I soldered onto that back plate.  I just did not like the first two, I was getting tired of soldering on a bail...hating it and soldering it off...solder on another one...solder it off.  So, it is what it is!  Each link in the chain is soldered - even those itsty bitsy jump rings.

The last piece is a ring.  I even stamped the bezel wire - a first for me.

I truly feel like this "challenge" was an accomplishment for me - practice, practice, practice.  And that jeweler's saw...I am now a huge fan!

While I am still on the subject of emulating other's work, last week, Carol had introduced a new tool on Love My Art Jewelry (see her post here).  Her bracelets made with the techniques used with this tool (bending brake) were simply gorgeous.  She was kind enough to include a link as to where she purchased this marvelous little tool.  There is a Harbor Freight Tool store located not too far from my house, though I have never even stepped foot inside.  What a mistake to wait that long!  I picked up the tool, and started to play.

Not the best pictures, but Carol suggested "slipping something decorative" into the channel created inside the border edges of the folded over metal .  So, I did a bit of fold forming on some 30 gauge sheet, and made this cuff.

This is possibly the biggest cuff I have ever made, though it is only 1 3/4" wide, it seems thicker!

I had time to make one more little design using this cool technique.  This pendant is actually 2 pieces of metal - the base, with the folded over edges, and the inside piece of metal.

If you look closely, the inside design features a piece of brass and copper (I used 24 gauge) that  were soldered together into one flat sheet, and independently textured.  Carol demonstrated this technique last year in this post post (click here) and it has been on my "to try" list ever since first reading it.

So, while I did have to wipe the drool off my keyboard when seeing Carol's designs, I did not feel the need to copy them - rather, make them my own. (Thank you, Carol!) :)

I am continually inspired by the art created by the contributors of Love My Art Jewelry, as well as the myriad of artists that surround my "online" world, and for that, I am truly grateful.  Inspiration instead of intimidation - that's my motto these days.

Inspiration - something that makes someone want to do something or gives someone an idea about what to do or create

Thanks for hanging in there for another long post - now go create something wonderful!

xo

Patti

Color Play

by Sherri Stokey

Have you noticed how many gorgeous pictures go scrolling by daily in your social media feeds?  Those photographs can be great color inspiration for design.  I loved the jewel tones in this one and pulled out beads and cord in aqua, lavender, orchid and slate blue, then started a design using the aqua cord and a mixture of beads.  (If you're trying this and are having difficulty pulling colors from the photos, there are some great sites online to help you with that like Kuhler and Color Palette FX.) 

Then I switched out the cord for orchid, but used all of the same beads.  It looks very different, don't you think?  

 Not only is the overall look different, but the individual beads even appear to be different colors.  That, of course, led to trying one more version with slate blue cord.

All of these pieces were inspired by that one photo and there are still many variations to be explored.  I could introduce a bit of the green into the mix or concentrate more on the pink tones.  I also see a ribbed texture and some webbing that would be fun textures to try to mimic.

Where have you been finding your inspiration lately?

Inspriation Move Me Brightly

by Staci Louise Smith

I am pretty sure I have used that title before, but I love that line.  It's from a Grateful Dead Song called Terrapin Station.

TERRAPIN STATION
Inspiration, move me brightly
light the song with sense and color,
hold away despair
More than this I will not ask
faced with mysteries dark and vast
statements just seem vain at last
some rise, some fall, some climb
to get to Terrapin
Counting stars by candlelight
all are dim but one is bright:
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shining best,
From the northwest corner
of a brand-new crescent moon 
crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune
Terrapin Station
in the shadow of the moon
Terrapin Station
and I know we'll be there soon

Terrapin - I can't figure out
Terrapin - if it's an end or the beginning
Terrapin - but the train's got its brakes on
and the whistle is screaming: TERRAPIN

Anyhow, my mind goes there when something inspires me.  It goes to show just how much music plays a part in my life.  I have a constant soundtrack in my head at all times.  

Recently, The Grateful Dead got together one last time for a farewell set of shows.  I blogged a bit about it here, on a more personal note, complete with pictures from my hippie days (I am still a hippie girl at heart- just all grown up)

http://www.stacilouise.blogspot.com/2015/07/oh-memories-of-times-gone-by.html

Music truly inspires me.  Lyrics inspire me, especially poetic ones.  Plus, music also brings memories to life once again.  I did a blog hop once, based on music, it was amazing.  It was by Erin over at Treasures Found (the link I have doesn't seem to be the one I participated in, but you can get the idea).

(This was Erin's piece inspired by Cirque Du Soleil)

http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-challenge-of-music-reveal.html

It was beautiful to see again and again how everyone was inspired by the music and how that was then interpreted into jewelry.  Each so very different, yet all inspired by the same thing: music.  

The Grateful Dead is one of those timeless groups for me.  I have so many fond memories of the shows.  I love poetic, sometimes silly and often wonderful tidbits of wisdom that are found in the lyrics.  I could listen to their music a bit everyday and never tire of it.

I had planned to spend the weekend watching the shows on demand or online with friends and family, and really wanted to make something we would be able to keep.  (I must say, I was VERY dissapointed we could not go to the shows, but in the end, watching in my jammies with the kids, and getting together and camping with friends while watching- even better.  No lines for the bathroom and you can pause the show too!!)

anyhow.............

So I ended up making a limited run of my own version of their infamous Steal Your Face design- which is of course a skull, which I of course, love.

So I ended up making these.

Through making these and putting them online (they are in the shop now http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store) and selling some at my last art show.....it was really amazing to see who else shares my love of The Dead.  I think music and art are so closely bonded, whether you paint, or you make with your hands or your dance, music runs through it all.  It connects people, it reminds us, it invokes emotions in us that need to be felt.  Mostly, it brings people together.  Dead Heads can get a bit of a stigma attached to them, but they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.  It warms my heart each time I meet another person who just "gets it".  When we share something as intimate as music, its like we must get each other on some level.

Not only did I meet some customers who are Dead Heads, but I met a fellow artist and her work is amazing!  I mean, her work just plain old makes me happy!  

Not all of her stuff is Dead Wear, but it is all amazing!

She has a Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/maedaymetals?fref=ts

and a shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/maedaymetals

I really enjoy how music and art connect people.  

Do you have any fun stories about how music or art has connected you to someone you may not have met otherwise?

Variations on a Theme

By Sherri Stokey

Some of my best ideas just sort of morph into being.  I know that sounds odd, but let me give you an example.  A customer asked me to feature some Mexican Red Snowflake Jasper beads in a micro macrame bracelet.  If you know me at all, you know that red is my Kryptonite.  It's just so hard for me to work into a design that feels right *insert whining here*.  But the customer is always right and the show must go on and all that stuff, so I found an image I felt might inspire me and pulled some beads and cord to match.

*Shudder*  Just look at all those warm colors!  I made a bracelet using these from this pile, and it was fine.

Fine, but it wasn't speaking to me.  I tried, people.  I tried to get the red to speak to me, but it was definitely giving me the silent treatment.  So I went back to the drawing board and pulled out some beads that were talking to me to act as interpreters.

It's turquoise to the rescue (okay, okay - sort of sagey green if you want to get technical about it).  I threw it into the mix and made another bracelet, and this time it sang to me!

I probably never would have had the idea to create this piece from scratch.  The idea came gradually, step by step.  Evolved.

This is a technique I use often.  I think it's because I'm curious.  I make a bracelet like this:

Then I wonder what it would look like if I switched out the marigold for another color and before I know it, I have a coral, a chartreuse and a lilac version:

I also like to use the very same pattern and the same beads, but switch up the cord colors:

Remember this next time you think something isn't turning out quite the way you want.  Maybe you just need to let the idea steep a bit.  Maybe if you let the ideas develop, you'll get right where you want to be!

Feeling Uninspired?

by Sherri Stokey

 

Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks, even) when it feels like your creativity has left the building?  You've ground to a halt; come to an agonizing standstill.  Your muse is on vacation.  The idea fountain has run dry... I think we've all been there, but I'm here to help today with some ideas on how to find that spark again.  I find inspiration everywhere!  The wall decoration above is a good example.  I found it at a yard sale for $1 and besides the fact that I love it in all its kitchy glory, it gave me a little seed of an idea that turned into this micro macrame piece:

Fun, don't you think?  Flea markets and garage sales can be a treasure trove of pieces that may just transport you to another decade and change the way you look at things for a little while.  Anybody remember these Tupperware containers in avocado green and burnt orange (my mom is still using hers):

Try to change your mindset and look around you.  Common, everyday objects can provide you with ideas on colors and textures.  Even sand:

And water:

And street signs (this is from my hometown, Valentine, Nebraska, and yes, they really do stencil hearts on the sidewalks on Main Street):

If you have a talented person in your family (or friends), maybe you can piggyback on their creativity to jump start your own.  My mom makes beautiful quilts, but maybe you know a painter or a weaver or a clothing designer?  These are a couple examples where I drew inspiration from Mom's work:

Are you getting excited yet?  Seeing some possibilities?  If none of those ideas appeal to you, you can always turn to color palettes pulled from photos.  

Try thinking of the photos a little differently, too.  Instead of just pulling a color palette, consider the shapes, textures and movement in the photo.  Is it something you can use?  Like these undulating lines:

Or this texture:

Or just pick up a feeling from the photograph and go from there.  In this next piece, I tried to capture the feel of the waves lapping up onto the sand; the foam; the colder, deeper water further out:

One more place you can turn in a crisis and then I'll leave you to ponder.  One of my all time favorite color palettes is pulled from the raku finishes on some of the art beads I've collected (these are from Star Spirit Studio).

I think I could use these colors for years without getting bored (raku focal pieces below are from Star Spirit Studio, Spinning Star Studio and Elements Pottery and macrame work is by yours truly)!

If you get to that point where you're uninspired, try taking a look around you again with fresh eyes.  Hopefully some of these ideas will help you.