Pocosin Arts Workshops

 Living in North Carolina, I've come to realize is a hub for makers and crafters.  In addition, there are quite a few schools and places to learn trades and take workshops.

As you know from my posts from several years ago, Penland is one of them (up in the Western mountains of NC) as well as Pocosin Arts, on the other side of the state.

I'm a bit embarrassed that I've never attended a workshop at Pocosin nor have I written a post about how wonderful this Art center is! Pocosin Arts has a great metalsmithing studio along with residencies and workshops (many of my friends have been instructors there).

Thus I want you to know about the upcoming workshops at Pocosin Arts, one of them being taught by my good friend Laritza Garcia (aka my Mexican adventure traveling buddy). 

Laritza's work uses the method of powdercoating to add color and durability to her pieces.  They're super fun and vibrant, just like Laritza! 

Check out this workshop and apply for the scholarship, you just might get one!

As always, thanks for reading!

Pin It

Deep Sea shell and coral earrings

This was such a fun pair of earrings to make and reminded me of my trip to Mexico last year, I bought the shells in the high mountainous city of Taxco.  It was so hard on that trip not to buy everything!

I chose to set the shells in oxidized sterling silver to allow the shells to 'breathe' and not be conformed by a bezel setting, plus the shells are somewhat delicate.  And the twisted black coral from Panama adds such a great contrast and sea-like creature quality to them.

Now on sale in my Eilisain Esty shop!

Curvy black coral and red shells from Mexico.

Lil' sea creatures hung from your ears!

Pin It

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

style and fashion from jewelry design sisters

Anndra Neen jewelry designers & sisters Phoebe & Annette Stephens discuss their inspiration, how the dress and what motivates them to make jewelry.

Phoebe & Annette Stephens Closet Interview with StyleLikeU.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

Great statement on jewelry:

"We love the idea of a woman who is in a relationship with herself. She buys a ring, a necklace, a cuff as if she is romancing herself." Phoebe & Annette Stephens

Pin It

Lady of Life and Death

I'm so pleased to post photos of a new brooch I completed for an upcoming exhibition at Equinox Gallery, where my good friend and ECU metals MFA alumni, Laura Wood works at.

Lady of Life and Death brooch, 2011

Chased and repoussed coppper, powder coated copper,

spray paint, plexiglass, hand drawing of Catrina.

(Images not to be reproduced without consent of artist).

Lady of Life and Death brooch, 2011 - sideview.

Up close shot

Back of brooch, the roughness of the back

is in correspondence with death and decay of

what La Catrina represents.

Lady of Life and Death brooch was inspired by my trip to Mexico and the devotion and amusement of Mexicans for the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe and La Catrina (a symbol of death during the celebration of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead).

Traveling through Mexico there is a church on almost every corner and the Virgin Mary charm or prayer hanging from almost every cab dashboard. When I researched references for my brooch I came upon a quote by Octavio Paz (Mexican thinker, writer and Nobel prize recipient) that had a lasting impression on me "When Mexicans no longer believe in anything, they will hold fast to their belief in two things: the National Lottery and the Virgin of Guadalupe. In this I think they will do well. For both have been known to work, even for those of us who believe in nothing."

I'll be shipping my brooch off soon - here is a brief description of the exhibition and idea behind it:

“The inspiration for La Noche del Broche came from an idea of having one night to commemorate the brooch and its art form in a festive atmosphere where Spanish Music and Dancers would collaborate to create an atmosphere of Celebration!!! Models would be colorful and adorned with brooches celebrating the human spirit. This exhibition is an opportunity for artists to honor and celebrate the art form of the brooch. For this vision to be appropriately achieved, we would need a large collective of brooches each one expressing the multiplicity and individuality of the creative essence. Equinox Gallery serves as a meeting place to showcase Jewelry and metalwork in San Antonio. Our Mission is to exhibit and educate the community by providing a Platform for the diversity in the field of Metalsmithing.” -Alejandro Sifuentes

Pin It

Mexico Post part 3

My posts about my Mexico trip are still coming in, there was so much beautiful and rich art to drink in - I couldn't help take photos of everything!

The second day Laritza and I were in Mexico we visited several museums, one of them had a very extensive exhibit on the history of Mexican art, from all mediums - textiles, clay, metalwork, sculptural and murals. The artwork spanned decades of traditional mexican art, such as masks (the ones you see here), murals, ceramic wear, textiles, jewelry - much of the work is around the fascinating and evolving religion. I've always been drawn to how humans and cultures manifest their belief system in art work - essentially cultural anthropology (my first degree).

The mixture of indigenous groups, such as Mayans with Spanish and European influences is so visually appealing. My main love affair is with the intense love affair with the Dead and spirit world. I could go on and on but here I will allow the photos to explain themselves.

Enjoy - and have a great weekend!

A ceramic Catrina doll. Craft is ridiculous!

Virgin Mary Catrina.

beautiful, the hand has such a morbid but cool aesthetic.

Mermaid skeleton - love it!

Lil' old Abuelita (Grandma)
dead and still smoking - kinda like the secretary in Beetlejuice!

Flying devil/trickster.
The interpretation of nighmares and evil spirits into
the devil and his faeries - not so uncommon around the world.

My brother would love these masks (he collects them).

Laritza absorbing this beautifully painted mural.

Gorgeously repoussed silver crown and cups.

These pendants remind me of replicas my Abuelita has.

Pin It

Old world Mexican jewelry

The first full day Laritza Garcia and I had in Mexico we spent most of the day visiting museums, the Franz Mayer museum and the National Art Museum, where we saw the old world jewelry below.

It's quite detailed and beautiful. During my entire trip through Mexico all I could think was - how the artists were able to craft such amazing pieces out of very basic yet multi-use tools whereas nowadays we have tools for very basic things...we are so spoiled!

I apologize I don't have names/dates for the jewelry, there was so much to drink in but I hope you like what you see as much as I did!

Thanks for visiting.





Pin It

Romero Gurman Glass studio

Finally, a Mexico post! ha, I know I said I was going to and going to and never got around to it until today! When I arrived in Mexico City, Jesse Bert met me at the airport and we checked into the hotel near the Zocalo (town square). It was an overcast day but the weather was wonderful, cool and breezey (very unlike Greenville, NC).

Jesse and I had time to kill before meeting Lari at the airport (her plane was massively delayed) so we visited Romero Gurman glass studio just on the outskirks of Mexico City.

Gurman and Romero business teamand Jesse Bert
having a good laugh with their adorable son.

Jesse getting a closer look at
Romero Gurman brass set glass production work.

Design process of mixing the glass pieces.

Production closet. I love Deborah Gurman's organization!

Storage bins for the different glass/colors.

A cutting machine, just place your original on the left side
and cut out an exact replica on the right.

A bezel set glass piece in sterling silver.
Gurman fabrics them himself.

Glass beadworking station.

Debora Gurman and Marco Romero are a wonderfully charming and talented husband/wife business team. They teach classes and sell their work in Mexico and internationally. They were so generous in giving me a tour of their studio and soon-to-be workshop space.

Marco is not only a highly skilled glass worker but also in metalsmithing. He has a ridiculous amount of machinery (I was SO envious). I'd estimate about 10 glass kilns, and several soldering stations.

*Side note, their adorable 4 year old son was busy running around playing with the machines.

Not only did the successful couple have an awesome studio, they also are very organized with their production work. Debora was really proud of the way she had the glass jewelry categorized.

And here is a Youtube video of their work:



Hope you enjoy this post!
Pin It

Mexican dream

I'm back! I feel like I was gone years, my trip to Mexico was beautiful and amazing. I have never met more generous, humble, industrious and talented people. I feel so blessed to have had the experience to visit.

There is so much to process and meditate on, I'm not yet ready to post all the photos. But here is one, especially for the metalsmiths. Photo was taken just outside our hotel in Taxco, Mexico.

Pin It

Colonial Mexico

Oh yes, it is finally vacation time for Ms. Lisette Fee!!!

I'm very excited and ready to travel and explore a new place. I'm traveling with fellow metalsmith student, Laritza Garcia to visit our friend and also metalsmith and ECU alumni Jesse Bert.

We're planning a tour de art/metals in Southern Mexico; Taxco (famed for it's excellent crafted silver), Santa Clara del Cobre (famed for large chased/repoussed copper) and then San Miguel de Allende where Jesse resides to work in his studio.

It'll be such a great experience to see the work of traditional metalsmithery in Mexico and be inspired to make new work when I return.

Beautiful church in Taxco.

Look at all that silver!!! Only in Taxco, Mexico

Coppersmiths from Santa Clara del Cobre (of copper)

Beautiful copper handcrafted in Santa Clara del Cobre

I won't be posting for about 10 or so days, after my trip to Mexico I'll be back in G-Vegas for 2 days and then it's off to DC/VA for the Trifecta Trunk Show...no rest for the weary they say.

Hope you're having a great summer too!

Pin It