final Penlandia post

So I know I've been super behind on blog posts and my last Penland post.  What can I say the holidays are right around the corner and things are about to get cray-cray!!

But nonetheless I'd like to share the last of the Penland posts, with photos taken from the studio visit, and this one below of the River Arts District in Asheville.  

Everytime I go to Asheville there is a new place to visit!

the gorgeous moths (and other bugs) collected at Penland.

Penland Resident Artists studio visits with Dustin Farnsworth (wood) and Micah Evans (Glass)

Creepy cool,  Dustin sculpts the faces from wood!

Micah's glass is just ridiculous, so imaginative and fragile.

And Micah at work, so badass!

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how to display your jewelry

Nikki Lee's bronze owl talon ring, displayed on a deer antler.
LOVE IT!

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Maybe Sparrow

 I love it when I'm offered/invited to participate in an exhibition because it gives me the opportunity and excuse to create a one of a kind piece that deviates a bit from what I normally make.  In essence, I get to play and that is always fun!

Every year Equinox Gallery in San Antonio, TX  participates and hosts a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibition.  This year, I wanted my piece to not be the traditional Catrina (mistress of the dead) or something so identifiable.  I also wanted to use the bird bones and skull that my future mother in law gifted me (she always finds some cool dead animal on their property).

I incorporated my signature Vespa shape, the pentagon, to highlight the skull.  I named this piece Maybe Sparrow after one of my favorite Neko Case songs; I'm just so pleased with this piece.  I hope you like it too!

Maybe Sparrow, 2013 cast bird bones in sterling silver and bird skull in bronze.
Photo by Lisette Fee, all rights reserved. 

Maybe Sparrow, 2013 

Maybe Sparrow, 2013 

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Amir Friedman Dalmatian Collection

Ok so I have been posting several videos in a row, but sometimes that just happens when you keep finding great vids!

I'm really excited to share Amir Friedman's video for his Dalmatian Collection.  It's pretty awesome, right? He looks like he could seriously f'up someone in the video while he's hammering on the anvil.

Amir Friedman ID 2013 from Snow R. Shai on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoyed it!

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Casting Ant structures

Way beyond cool to me; watch this video to see an FSU professor cast an ant hill!

Ants really are amazing architects!

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I am SNAG

SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) is an organization for metalsmiths, vendors, gallerists, makers etc. in the field and connects us at the annual conference and many other ways, online and through mentorships.  Bob Ebendorf was one of the founding members.  

This is a sweet video (made by Jen Townsend) was created to promote the organization and membership, quite a few familiar faces (aka ECU alumni and students) in it.  

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New places carrying Eilisain Jewelry

So it's been awhile since I've posted on here the new places that are carrying my jewelry.  I've been a busy bee these past several months preparing the jewelry to go out.

I'm really happy to say that the spaces carrying my jewelry are on the West coast, as well as the 'dirty' south!

Tempest Couture
1305 S. 900 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
 
Ghost Gallery
504 Denny Way at Olive St.
Seattle, WA 98112
 
Resurrect Boutique
4135 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611


Young Blood Boutique
636 N. Highland Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30306

All four of these boutiques/galleries are owned by women, which is something I've noticed as of late the number of women run business' has truly grown and it makes me proud to be in such great company.

If you happen to travel in these areas, definitely pop in.  They carry a wide range of independent designers and artists.

The Hunted bronze small double owl talon pendant (and my awesome makers mark!)

The Hunted sterling silver owl talon ring.

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More reasons and facts for shopping local

I just got a GREAT email from The Old Town Boutique District (in Alexandria, VA, where I used to work at LDM) and there were some great facts and reasons that I didn't know about shopping local, so I thought I'd share them with you:

***These same reasons are good to keep in mind anywhere you visit with a downtown or local shopping district - aka, Uptown Greenville***

1. Keep more dollars in the local economy.
   For every $100 spent in a local store, $68 will stay in the community. But, spend $100 at a chain store and only $43 stays in the community.
2. Create more local jobs.
   That extra money is spent on hiring more people in the community, who buy their own products and services and pay taxes.
3. Attract tourism and visitors.
   It’s old Town’s independently owned businesses that make it a unique destination for tourists and residents of the washington, D.C. area.
4. Get better service.
   Local businesses take more time to get to know you and the products they’re selling.
5. Help local causes.
   Studies have shown that local businesses provide 350% more support to community causes than national chains.
6. Enjoy a diverse range of product choices.
   Small businesses choose products based on what their customers love and need — not a national sales plan.
7. Help the environment.
   By shopping in a central business district, you discourage sprawl. Plus, purchases by independent businesses typically require less transportation. And our easy Metro access and King Street Trolleys reduce congestion and pollution.
8. Invest in the community.
   Local businesses are owned by people who live here, work here, and are more invested in our future.
9. Invest in entrepreneurship.
   Local entrepreneurs work hard to grow their businesses. As they expand, they create more wealth for the local economy.
10. Put your taxes to good use.
    Shopping in old Town requires less public infrastructure, less maintenance and more money available to beautify our community. Also, spending locally instead of online ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested right here in Alexandria.

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ECU Symposium 2014 Presenters announced

Once again, it's that time of year to begin preparing for the 

ECU Metals Symposium, this year's title is: Image & Meaning.  

I think that title is appropriate and really great.  As well as the presenters, every year it gets better and better! I have to say that for several reasons, the symposium is near and dear to my heart.  I was here (in Greenville, still am!) when it was conceived by Laura Wood, it's small and intimate and also...I don't have to travel and it isn't expensive! (I know I'm a bit lazy).  

This years presenters are seriously good, Arthur Hash, Avery Lucas, Teresa Faris, Christine Clark...and MANY MORE!!! 

From the first symposium part at Tipsy Teapot (sorry for the bad quality image)

And did I mention that we have the coolest tshirts and pin swap?! Registration will open October 11th, so mark you calendars! 

If you'd like to read about the past symposiums, please scroll through my old posts here. 

Thanks for reading!

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spend locally

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Golden Success

So it's been about two weeks since the fashion show and Art Avenue is reaping the results! I'm quite pleased.

It was such a whirlwind evening; considering I had to fly out the next morning for Panama! It was such a great event, what I was most pleased with was having such a diverse crowd of attendees to see a mixture of clothing and jewelry from all stages of their career.

The Daily Reflector full page article about the show!

The East Carolinian piece.

Some photos from the pre-event and the night of the show.  

The vinyl was an added bonus, looks so great on the Art Ave window!

The crowd could barely be contained.

And my new jewelry display cases, FREE! 

For more photos of the event visit the Art Avenue facebook page!

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Penland post part III

Now that it's September, almost fall, my time at Penland feels like it was ages ago! I've been a bit delayed with my posts for my time at Penland, especially because SO much happened during that time and I took quite a few photos.

So here his a bit of a bump in the timeline of the posts (I have more studio visits but have to prepare the names etc.).

this post concerns the last days at Penland with the auction and special gift our class gave to our instructor Amir Friedman.  Amir is a really good teacher, he pushes you mentally and physically to give more than 110 percent!   With that being said, so did the students, pushing each other to work harder!  Barbara McFayden (a very skilled and veteran metalsmith) brought up an idea to make Amir a badge of honor, we all loved the idea immediately.  This would be a collaborative piece, each of us working on a component of the badge.

I don't think we knew what we were getting into, but in the end the piece was SO special and fun to make.  When we presented Amir's badge, he was speechless - which is very, very rare! 

Amir's badge of honor (copper, silver, brass and tin) 2013.  

Amir being his goofy self wearing his new badge proudly.  

Collaborative necklace components.

And yes, we even did a collaborative necklace.  An idea that came about discussing the classes and similarities with Rebecca Frank, the instructor for the steel/wearable sculpture course.  

Final collaborative necklace completed.  Each student made about 3 inches of the necklace. 

A donation item for the Penland auction.

Samples of steel work from Rebecca Frank's class. 

Samples of work from Amir's class.  

Laurel Fulton's rabbit neckpiece. LOVE

Rachel Mauser's cicada and paper brooch.  She worked so hard on these.  

Very cool chair. 

Glass neckpieces. 

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a lil vaca for the soul

Last week I had a wonderful vacation in Panama, visiting my family.  It'd been three years and it felt so good to return.

My grandmother is getting much older, so the trip felt even more significant.  Here are some photos from the trip. 

My mom and I at Casa Cor Panama, an interior design expo my older cousin Alina Carrasco particpated in. 

Visited the island of iguanas, they're quite friendly. 

I was amazed at the variety of colors in crabs.  These little guys died. 

Some cool street art. 

Frank Gehry museum still in phase of being built. 

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VESPA Collection F/W 13

With the craziness of the fashion show (Aurelian Nights), I forgot to post the beautiful shots of Sterling Lieske that my good friend and super talented photographer, Aileen Devlin took several weeks ago. 

I'm SO very happy with the way the images came out.  Aileen went with it and is stellar and taking jewelry photos.  We shot the lookbook in an abandoned house right down the street from my apartment, it was the perfect setting.  

The entire lookbook and Vespa jewelry collection is all available on my website.  Check it out!

Vespa III Ring, sterling silver and large faceted citrine.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved. 

Sterling wearing the Vespa earrings.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved. 

Various Vespa jewelry.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved.

Vespa rings.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved.

Back shot.  Vespa pendant, brass and rutilated stone.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved.

Vespa bracelts, rings and earrings.  Image by Aileen Devlin, all rights reserved.

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Black and gold

It's been such a busy but in a good way, weekend. 

I've gotten much accomplished and am feeling confident and proud of the work I've put into the first fashion show I've ever produced.  

Here is a product of it, the video for the fashion show and jewelry in motion exhibition.  Hope you love it as much as I do!

Aurelian Nights Fashion Show: Jewelery in Motion from Brian Korff on Vimeo.
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