Living Jewelry

I have mixed feelings about this new interest in live jewelry. Poor little beetles! I'd prefer to find a dead one and make a mold than dress up a lil' creature with heavy weight on it's back.

It seems to stem from a Mayan tradition of wearing Maquech jewelry, "Maquech brooches have women swarming to pick up one of the hottest accessories: live beetles covered in small gems that are worn as jewelry. The pet-cessories may seem shocking to some, but they're actually part of a centuries-old tradition that stems from the Mayans. When the artists glue small, colorful gems onto the bugs, they also frequently add bits of gold trim chain, attaching a clip that can be used to wear the beetle on clothing" -Huffington Post

What do you think?

Living jewelry. Tenebrionid beetle.

Courtesy Virginia Scott, Entomology Section,
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History

Pin It

Heart on Fire

I finished my Heart on Fire brooch a month ago but wasn't yet ready or perhaps feeling skeptical about posting it.

This brooch along with the Lady of Life and Death are my Mexican trip inspired pieces. It was really fun to use such bright colors and go a little crazy with layering metal and expressing my Catholic upbringing.

I definitely experienced some issues with putting all three pieces together and in the end had to create the silver rivet heads you see on it, instead of concealing how it was all attached.

Lisette Fee 2012 Enameled and powder coated copper,
steel and sterling silver rivets.
@Images not to be reproduced without permission.

Back of the brooch, 'cause you always have to look at it!
Enameled and powder coated copper,
steel and sterling silver rivets.
@Images not to be reproduced without permission.

Pin It

Faux real

I'm so excited about these earrings, faux gauges!

These beauties are a custom order from Rebecca in Colorado; I'd had several recommendations to make faux gauge and gauge earrings but just hadn't gotten around too it.

I'm very pleased with the way they turned out, especially in the silver.

Now on sale in my Eilisain Etsy site;
as a custom order.

New embossed paper with my new logo!
Next up, screen printing on paper.

Thanks for visiting and TGIF!!
Pin It

Owl talon cocktail ring

Oh yes, I could rock this with a black pencil skirt and snazzy top - nice and shiny talon bronze makes an outfit. This ring is similar to the one I made previously but is cast entirely in manganese bronze. In addition, the entire shank is the actual skin of the upper talon.

I just love a giant cocktail ring.

Just listed on my Eilisain Etsy site.

On my pretty quartz crystal. I think it brings me good luck.
Two talons grasping each other.

Happy Spring!
Pin It

Honey bee

Last week, before I was getting ready for the Preyed Upon exhibition, I stopped by the Greenville Museum of Art to check out the Honey Exhibition curated by Lisa Beth Robinson. (ECU teacher and friend of mine).

HONEY is a dynamic, juried exhibition embodying and celebrating the role of the honeybee. In light of the international Colony Collapse Disorder crisis and global concerns over war, economic collapse and a worldwide food shortage, the fate of the honeybee mirrors the fate of humanity. Philosopher Rudolf Steiner noted the bees as an indicator species in developing his ideas on biodynamic farming and caring for the earth.

Below are some images from the show.

Eye see you!

Freaky cool encaustic piece.

This would make a wonderful addition to my home...
if I could afford it.
Honey crates turned into art.

LOVED this piece, so interactive!

Necklace by Kelly Jean Conroy.

I really enjoyed this exhibition; with it's environmental and societal message along with the wonderful interpretations of bees and their impact on our world. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Pin It

Opening Reception for Preyed Upon Exhibition

I'm so happy and very proud of how the Preyed Upon Exhibition turned out. We had a great crowd show up and our guest speaker Billy Barber, a Eastern North Carolina native really engaged the attendees with insightful hunting stories.

And people really responded to the concept of the exhibition - illuminating the hunting culture of Eastern NC with art work.

Below are some photos I took at the event and of the pieces. I'm so appreciative of all the help I had with the show, especially Andy Denton, Andrea Smith, Craig Malmrose, Autumn Brown and DJ. And it goes without saying Claire Edwards, Director of Art Avenue was my biggest supporter.

Hope you enjoy the photos!

Kevin Vanek's sculpture piece.
He created a new species!

Charity Valentine's photography over Gail's installation pieces.

Autumn Brown's The Stand.

Andy Denton is the master of setting up displays.

Duncan Stephenson's brooches.

A good crowd a the opening.

Myself, Andy Denton and Claire Edwards
- just one part of the Art Avenue team!

Oh and if you missed the opening reception, don't worry, we'll have the show open for Uptown Greenville's First Friday in April.
Pin It

setting up for Preyed Upon

Last night I started setting up for the show with several awesome and generous volunteers; DJ and Andy Denton. Andy really saved me for the show, he's the master at setting up for exhibitions.

So...if you are in the area, eastern NC come out and see this amazing exhibition, tonight 6-9pm at Art Avenue 212 East Fifth Street. We'll have venison stew too!

DJ and Andy setting up for the show.

My gold leaf deer antler in the window.

Thanks for reading.

Pin It

Happy Birthday to me and you!

Today is my 33rd birthday and I want to celebrate it with you!

For today only you can purchase any any of my jewelry and receive a 14% discount! Use code BIRTHDAY14 to receive the special discount for TODAY only.

Raven claw bronze pendant. My new favorite!
With 14% discount it's $124.7o (with silver chain).

Petrified wood stone earrings. Also another favorite of mine.

With birthday discount, $124.7o.

Owl Talon double claw earrings. These are so bad-ass.
$107.50 with discount.

This is just a sampling of what you can get with my special offer. I hope you enjoy it. I love celebrating birthdays - especially when I can share it with others!

Thank you for visiting my blog and hopefully my Etsy site.

Pin It

Preyed Upon Exhibition - photography by Charity Valentine

Red Fox by Charity Valentine
@All images property of Charity Valentine
not to be reproduced without permission

Leftovers by Charity Valentine
@All images property of Charity Valentine
not to be reproduced without permission

These are amazing photographs, especially the Red Fox, has a strong impact.

I'm getting SO pumped for the show!!!
Pin It

Song of the Day: Bronte by Gotye

Gorgeous anime with a lush song. Enjoy.
Pin It

Cat crazy

Newly acquired cat decals...yes, I just had to get them!
Pin It

the power of the bear

A single bear claw charm has a quiet yet powerful elegance to it, and also holds some of the mystery and potential of the bear.

Both cast in sterling silver and the rich manganese bronze. I like wearing them with several other charms on a long 20" inch chain.

On sale in my Eilisain Etsy Shop, $50 without the chain.

My jewelry just photographs so much better with the white quartz crystal.

Thanks for visiting and happy Friday!


Pin It

MFA Thesis show at Umass Dartmouth

Isn't this a wicked video from the MFA graduate students at Umass Dartmouth? There's Avery Lucas in the freeze frame. We took Jessica Calderwood's Penland class together.

They are so talented over there, we've got a few alumni from their school at ECU, Tim Lazure and Abigail Heuss to name a few.

hope you enjoyed the video
Pin It

Art of Enamel Exhibition

ECU Metals Jewelry MFA Alumni Kathryn Osgood curated this show - featuring many ECU alumni and professors.

Here is the official release and invitation information:

The Art of Enamel exhibition opening reception will be held on Thursday March 8 from 5 - 7 pm at the COA Gallery in Manteo. “The Art of Enamel” is a national invitational show of contemporary enamelwork. This exhibition will celebrate the diversity in the field of contemporary enamels, featuring work by artists using a variety of techniques, from traditional to experimental processes.

The exhibition will take place in the COA Professional Arts Gallery at the Roanoke Island campus in Manteo, from March 8 to April 6, with an opening reception on Thursday March 8 from 5 to 7 pm. For more information contact Kathryn Osgood at 475-9248.

Artists include: Linda Darty, Robert Ebendorf, Marjorie Simon, Barbara Minor, Deborah Lozier, Jan Harrell, Mi-Sook Hur, Ken Bova, Marissa Saneholtz, Sandra McEwen, Kristin Mitsu Shiga, Charity Hall, Kristi Kloss, Liz Steiner, Felicia Szorad, Adrienne Grafton, Julie Brooks, Irene Schindler, Jane Wells Harrison, Ashley Gilreath.

Hope you can make it if you live in the Eastern NC area.
Pin It

more images for Preyed Upon exhibition

More wonderful images of the work that will be on display at the Preyed Upon Exhibition at Art Avenue Gallery in two weeks.

Mike McAteer's miniature mossy snail world.
@All images reserved Mike McAteer

Marlene True's Hare brooch.
@All images reserved Marlene True

Rachel Qualliotine bullet and fur neckpiece
@all images reserved Rachel Qualliotine

Thank you for visiting my blog!
Pin It

She wears it well

Ms. Jodie Bakker wearing her new earrings and ring.

Several weeks ago I received the sweetest email from Jodie Bakker, of Canada, stating that she loves my jewelry and use of black coral, and it really made my day. Her email also got me thinking about my one year anniversary of selling on Etsy.

Jodie purchased the above matching cuttlefish cast ring and earrings from my Deep Sea Jewelry collection - and she wears it SO well!

Thank you for sending the photo Jodie, you look great, if only you lived closer I'd have you model all my jewelry!

Pin It

public art in Pitt County - Eastern North Carolina

Way to go Matt Amante, Associate Fine Arts instructor and MFA alumni of ECU is featured on Pitt Community College tv channel. Sounds like he is getting things done on campus, broadening the public's knowledge of public art and sculpture. Very encouraging. Watch it:


Pin It

sophisticated alien

My bench buddy, Jeffery Chen and his pink finger nailed alien sculpture. We had a good chuckle at the irony of using nail polish as a resist...so why not paint the nails?!

Pin It