Ondine Collection Trunk Show at Schroko's Hair Studio

I love having my studio in Uptown Greenville especially because I've made several life long friends with other business owners, such as the ladies at Schroko's Hair Studio - Sarah Schroko and Candace Joyner.  Two fabulous ladies that LOVE doing hair.

I met them about three years ago, right around the time I moved into Art Avenue and I'm very excited that I'll be hosting my next trunk show at their hair studio!  If you recall back about 3 years ago, Schroko's Hair Studio worked with myself and Paula Chrismon for our Auerlian Nights Fashion Show - the hair they did was SO baller.

Ondine rings, in bronze, sterling silver and oxidized silver. Photo by Tara Locklear.

 

Of course Candace Joyner at Schroko's does my hair and it's the best whenever I go to their salon.  I get the four star treatment! I mean, she made my hair purple!!! I want to go back again so bad but alas...it's too much maintenance. 

So if you live in Greenville, I hope you will come out to the trunk show and purchase new and old pieces from Eilisain Jewelry! 

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It's almost here....a bit of a teaser

I just got the product photos from Tara Locklear, and I'm super excited.  Ya'll know by now that I get happy when I'm about to release a new collection.  I can't help it, one of my friends compared it to sharing a baby with the world.  Granted....pregnancy is much more intense but that's about how I feel when I've put my heart and hands to work on new jewelry.

So here is a bit of a teaser and notification of the Ondine Collection and special trunk show I'll be hosting at my favorite hair salon, Schroko's Hair Studio in Uptown Greenville on Thursday, April 14th.

The Ondine Collection takes inspiration from the ocean, specifically the texture and colors that come from the cuttlefish bone and the beautiful iridescence of labradorite, azurite and lapis lazuli - think blues, purples and deep greens.  And you may ask, what does Ondine mean? Well, as you know I have penchant for strange words and names, it is taken from the French folktale story of a nymph that falls in love with a human.  Dreamy right?

Khristi Thomas looking deadly beautiful in our pieces.
Photo by Aileen Devlin, makeup by Meagan Wilson.

I love how this piece looks like some sort of octopus or third eye. Photo by Tara Locklear.

I had to push the release date back a bit, however the entire new collection will be posted for sale on Friday, April 8th! 

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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Visit Greenville

I just discovered this video and I LOVE IT!

Greenville, NC is small but we're a big lil' city.  Watch and see why so many people love Greenville!


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First Friday in Uptown Greenville

I'm quite excited that I'll finally be in town for a First Friday here in Greenville.  It seemed that every show I did for the past several months were during First Friday, and I missed them!  Of course I'll be repping at Art Avenue, we have a great holiday booth show with makers featuring pottery, textiles, jewelry and holiday gift sets.

And the best part is attendees get a FREE shop small business bag, I love these bags as they're great for grocery shopping or when I hit up CVS (I love that store)!

If you'll be in Greenville Friday please stop by, you can RSVP for the event here.

So I'll see you Friday!
stay lovely,
xoxo
Lisette
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The Afterlife exhibition at Art Avenue call for entries

The call for entries is finally here for the Afterlife Exhibition at Art Avenue which will be opening the weekend of the ECU Metals symposium.  As you know from my previous post about the symposium, I'm super excited to host and jury my second exhibition.  It's been much too long and I feel that professionally it is very edifying to run an exhibition.  You learn so much about how to handle work, correspond with artists and view incredible work.

With that said I present the poster for the CAF, it's a bit hard to read as I had to snapshot the pdf of the poster - but for now, all the details are there. 

If you're interested in submitting, send images of your work to eilisain@gmail.com with Afterlife entry in the subject line.  Submissions are $20 and can be made via paypal to ecusymposium@gmail.com.

And of course let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for reading and as always - stay crafty!
xoxo

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The Contemplative Vessel exhibition

For so many reasons I really love having my studio space at Art Avenue, and one of them is seeing all the great exhibitions in our gallery space.

Longtime AA studio renter and supporter, ceramicist Hollie Lyko will have her first solo exhibition at Art Avenue on the First Friday Art Walk in Uptown Greenville on Friday, September 4th 5-8pm.

Her newer large vessels are awesome and the glazes she uses are layered and subtle.  I'm really looking forward to this exhibition, if you're in town I hope you make time to view the show.

As always thank you for reading and stay lovely!
Lisette
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I'll be a teacher again!

I'm super excited to announce that I'll be teaching an introduction to metals class this coming fall and winter at Emerge - Pitt County Council for the Arts in Uptown Greenville.  If you're interested you can register here.

You may recall that several months ago I subbed for Joanne Lang's intro metals class at Emerge and I really loved it.  Teaching enlightened me to how much education I have and that it teaches me to be better at what I do.  I'm also challenged to freshen up on my own skills and jewelry vocabulary.  Often times when I'm in the studio, I get comfortable in one technique or skill and end up 'losing' some of that previous knowledge that I had learned in school.  So teaching gives me the opportunity to retrieve that knowledge and pass it along.

Now here's my plug, if you live in the Greenville area, sign up! It'll be fun and a great way to learn something new, meet new people and stimulate the creative part of your brain - it's good for your soul!

I'll be teaching the Fall class which will begin on Tuesday, September 8th from 6-8:30pm thru October 20th.
And the Winter class beginning Tuesday, October 27th from 6-8:30pm thru December 8th.

Me, in the early days of school, raising a copper vessel.

Thanks for reading!
Stay lovely,
Lisette
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Maker.Jeweler Profile: Brittany Nicole Brisson

I haven't done a profile in a long time and it's apt that I do one on my good friend Brittany Nicole Brisson.  Brittany is having her senior exhibition tomorrow night at Art Avenue and I'm just so proud of her, she's one of the hardest working students I know!

Isn't her poster fun? ECU Alumni and illustrator Alice Holleman designed it!

Brittany is not only a BFA candidate in metals but also Art Education, which is a hard juggling act.  Students getting a degree in Art Ed have a much heavier work load as well as get a dual degree in a specialized program, such as metal design.

Brittany and I became friends 2 years ago and she's helped me cast in the studio, assisted for the Aurelian Nights Fashion show and just hang out.  I truly admire and respect Brittany, she juggles work, school load and creating awesome pieces.  She's an innovator and loves to play with all kinds of materials.  Here are several of her pieces that do just that!

GeoJane Necklace

2013

Brass. Powder Coat.
Fabricated.

Bolo Tie for Joe Bova

2014

Sterling Silver. Copper. Enamel. Photo Decal.

"Don't Hug Me" Brooch

2014

Brass, Enamel, Beta Sand, Sterling Silver.
Die-pressed, Formed and Fabricated.

Sugar Skull for Theresa Holtz's Clothing Line for 2014 AIMO Fashion Show

2013

Necklace.
Steel. Enamel. Photo Decal. Powder Coat.

You can view more of her work here.  Thanks for reading!
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The BRIGID COLLECTION is almost here

The tension and excitement is really building for the Brigid Collection.  And the photoshoot/videoshoot made it even more special. 

For this shoot/collection I wanted to work with new and old people, such as Aileen Devlin.  Aileen and I have worked together for two shoots (Vespa and Valkyrie) and our chemistry is great.  I never really need to direct or tell Aileen how to capture my jewelry, she just gets it.  As for the rest of the team, I couldn't have found more talented individuals.

Amanda Adkins, owner of The Lucky Owl Shop, creates really beautiful flower bouquets, arrangements and flower crowns. So I knew Amanda would need to be a part of the shoot, then came on Meagan Wilson a freelance makeup artist. Lastly, I was able to grab two gorgeous dresses from my girl Paula Chrismon's shop, The Closet Consignment Boutique as well as blouses from Catalog Connection both located in Uptown Greenville. 

The day was beautiful and breezy and the setting was perfect - a cemetery! When I told some friends they were a bit confused but to me, it works so well, marriage is meant to last until ultimately you pass into the next life so why not shoot the collection where others have gone to depart but are buried next to their spouses and loved ones?

Photo by Aileen Devlin
Model: Ashleigh Bowden
Flowers by Amanda Adkins of The Lucky Owl Shop

Stay tuned - the Brigid Collection drops the first day of spring - March 20th!

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Fugheads and Spazzing out

It's been awhile since I've posted any events happening in Greenville and especially at Art Avenue; we're still going strong and hosting great exhibitions.

This upcoming First Friday in Uptown Greenville Art Avenue will have Andy Denton display a variety of his works; sculpture and ceramic pieces.  Andy is a playful artist and has delved into a variety of materials which I really admire and appreciate.  Andy's latest venture of creating facial mugs, bowls and planters are fun and comical. 

 

You can RSVP here.

Another awesome event coming up is SpazzFest, founded by local music supporter and manager Jeff Blinder.  And of course Art Avenue is participating.  There is still time to apply for the exhibition, here are the details:

Spazz Within Juried Exhibition: Deadline *HAS BEEN EXTENDED* to SATURDAY MARCH 14TH! Drop off your works during business hours (12-6pm at Art Avenue) OR submit via email at contact@artavenc.com. This exhibition includes all types of medias. Entry fee is only $10 ($5 for second entry, etc.) Cash prizes will be awarded! Submissions must include a paragraph that relates to the exhibition theme. The theme is celebrating uniqueness within a community. This can be expressed in any way you can think of. Examples: It may relate to personality, personal style, artistic style, micro view point within society, a personal experience, macro/existential ideas, and/or spirituality. Reception will be held at Art Avenue March 21st, 3pm with music performance to follow!
 

As always thanks for reading!
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Featured: Local maker The Lucky Owl Shop

Going along with my theme of yesterday, favorite shops.  I've decided to try, at least once a month, feature a local maker or small business.

Last Friday evening I attended the Meet & Greet at Art Avenue to meet the other makers & exhibitors for the annual holiday sale at Art Ave.  I was excited to catch up with Amanda Atkins, owner of The Lucky Owl Shop.

Amanda is from eastern NC and has worked in the Uptown sector of Greenville for a long time, and I'd seen her around town so I was happy to see that she was selling over the summer at the Umbrella market.  Amanda makes organic and all natural home & body accessories, like all natural deodorant, lip balm, candles, bath salts, dream catchers...she is super talented and I love the antique/vintage feel of her company.  
I also love Amanda's enthusiasm and creativity, she has re-purposed old packaging to conserve and recycle (which I love!) and made all kinds of delicious and affordable goodies!

The Lucky Owl shop display for the Art Avenue holiday sale.

See how inventive she is? Creating her owl light switch covers!

So, if you're in the Greenville area or follow The Lucky Owl Shop on instagram or facebook - order some of her amazing stuff!
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Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide

 

Shopping small businesses is a great way to invest in your community. Independently owned businesses generate 70% more local economic activity per square foot than national retailers. Money spent at a local business generates 3.5 times more wealth for the local economy than big box retailers. Independent makers are much more likely to use recycled materials.

If every family in the US spent an extra $10 a month at an independently owned business instead of a national chain, over 9.3 billion would be directly returned to our economy.

This holiday season, let's support our community by shopping local.

1 & 2. Choose from a vast collection of handmade art, accessories and more. Featuring vegan leather and vinyl clutches and bags from The Wayward Stitch and canvas bags and accessories from BabyPeach.
Art Avenue
212 E 5th st
864-1634

3. The coffee-lovers and foodies in your life will love a gift certificate from The Scullery - now featuring local milk from Simply Natural Creamery in Ayden!
The Scullery
431 Evans st
321-1550

4. Your favorite workaholic could sure use a break - give them the gift of yoga with a five class pass for 50.00.
Purple Blossom Yoga Studio
302 S Evans st
364-2917

5. Handcrafted using found animal parts, rough coral and gemstones, animal teeth, and the alchemical properties of metal, Eilisain Jewelry represents the vitality of myth the belief that adornments can transform ones perspective.
Eilisain Jewelry
Art Avenue
212 E 5th st
864-1634

6. Your tea-loving friend is sure to appreciate a teapot basket!
Tipsy Teapot at Limelight
409B Evans st
413-0087

7. Your favorite little Pirate will love learning their ABCs with Coach Ruffin. 12.99 at UBE.
University Book Exchange
516 Cotanche st
758-2616

8. Art and good wine go together like, well, art and good wine. Your creative friends will love Sip, Savor and Create from Emerge. 30.00 for Emerge members, 45.00 for non-members.
Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge
414 Evans st
551-6947

9. For your favorite little Picasso, gifting the Clay Luminaries January Workshop at Emerge would be a great way to give an experience rather than just another toy. 20.00 for Emerge members, 30.00 for non-members.
Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge
414 Evans st
551-6947

10. Gift the gift of glamour with the wide selection at your local university boutique!
Catalog Connection
210 E 5th st
758-8612

11. Functional, dishwasher safe ceramics available in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Bullfrog Ceramics
Art Avenue
212 E 5th st
864-1634

12. Hand-cut and enameled, these skull earrings are a perfect gift for an ECU fan. Multiple color variations make for a unique gift every time. 48.00
Chromafusion
Art Avenue
212 E 5th st
864-1634

13. A gorgeous sunset over Dowdy-Ficklen during the UNC game. Starting at 32.95.
University Book Exchange
516 Cotanche st
758-2616

14. Baja hoodies are great for keeping warm in Greenville's chilly winter weather. Only 24.50!
Uptown Art Supply & Gallery
529 S Evans st
752-0688

15. Earrings and other jewelry by local photographer and maker Aileen Devlin.
Art Avenue
212 E 5th st
864-1634

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A Day in Uptown Greenville

Since I moved to Greenville four years ago there has been an incredible amount of revitalization and support for small business' in the Uptown District of Greenville.  I'm really excited about it and the potential to keep young people and small business owners here.

I was super happy to participate in this fun video, documenting the day in the life of working and living in Uptown Greenville.  

A Day In Uptown from Black Tree Media Group on Vimeo.
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Art Avenue Cinco de Mayo member social

Art Avenue is hosting it's 2nd Annual Membership Social.  Last year was such a success for the gallery and studio space that it was inevitable that we do it again.  It's our way of thanking our current supporters and members and also raising funds to maintain the studio space and gallery.  

We are at a definite cross roads at Art Avenue; on the cusp of truly being a business but not fully, we've gone through growing pains and now is that time to move it into the next phase.  

The membership social is next Monday, May 5th from 6-9pm.  There will be live music, food, drinks and of course the infamous Jalapeno beer! (I really loved it).  You can RSVP for the event on FB. 

The infamous jalapeno beer.  Freshly brewed.

Art Avenue's wonderful supporters!

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Uptown Greenville ArtWalk

I'm really thrilled at how much Uptown Greenville has been working to support the arts & culture in Greenville.  Hopefully, it'll only get better!
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