Trying to fit in

We all go through it in our lives, wanting to be accepted as part of the group.  And even in my mid 30's I still sometimes have the urge to want to be accepted into certain groups.  I realized this when I applied to be part of an exclusive jewelry collective.  I was rejected and as I wrote back I had a revelation; that I didn't know at the time that I was trying to fit into 'art jewelry'.  And that I've been in a bit of a limbo, applying for perhaps the wrong shows because I wanted to be accepted into art jewelry.

See for the general public, and the average consumer they don't put jewelry into categories but in our field there are many.   While I was in school I was taught by 'art jewelers' (I put these in quotes because I do feel that it is an internal definition) and I learned all sorts of methods of jewelry making; enameling, casting, fabricating, stone setting etc.  In the academic environment there is a high placement on quality and creativity, I think I excelled somewhat at these but looking back I could've worked harder at being more creative. 

My personality and characteristic is that I love immediacy and am a bit impatient, I think that is why I work better doing small collections twice a year.  Thus, in conclusion of this post and from being rejected from certain shows that perhaps I don't fit into that niche of art jewelry but more of fashion jewelry.  Really I do hate these categories and part of me wants to just throw them out the window and focus on making jewelry that I love aesthetically and that pleases my eye. 

I'm learning more and more about my style and where it fits, sometimes it's so hard to gauge the right audience but I think I'll get there.  Thank you for reading!

Deer antler brooch, 2010.  Cast from a starfish, tube set cz's, sterling silver. 

Ring, 2010.  Cuttlefish cast shank, tagua nut and black coral from Panama.

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Stoneware: Cement casting workshop with Tara Locklear

I wish that I could attend this fun workshop at the Baltimore Jewelry Center with my talented friend Tara Locklear.  We were in school at ECU when she began working and experimenting with cement and making truly unique and one of a kind pieces.  

And now she's teaching workshops, I'm so proud of her.  So if you live in the Baltimore area I highly recommend taking her class.  

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Noche del Broche - So many brooches!

You can view, some of the most amazing and intricate brooches I've ever seen on the Equinox Gallery website, here.

I truly am honored to be among such talented metalsmiths!

And this is the brooch I submitted.
Quite brooch happy!

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Featured Artist: Marissa Saneholtz

Okay, so I will preface this post by saying, that ECU metalsmiths and artists in general get first dibs as featured artists on my blog because, well, I know them and they are ridiculously talented.

Anywho, so this week's featured artist is Marissa Saneholtz, a very recent graduate from the MFA metals program. Marissa is a ball of energy around the studio and she is so, so, so crafty and skilled in her work, I always get blown away by her amazing technical skills!

There are many reasons why I enjoy Marissa's work but I think the best part about her work is the irreverent and tongue-in-cheek commentary on traditional womens' role in society. She tells a story of the traditional 1950's woman that has had it with being the one to cook and clean, the feminine mystique, if you will. Oh and if you ever see her work up close...the details are truly amazing, universal joints and all kinds of hidden settings and magical ways of displaying her work.

She Had No Intention of Listening to Her Biological clock, brooch

She Excelled in Situations Like These, brooch

How Would Anyone Ever Resist Him, brooch

He Would Have to Fight Them off With a Stick, brooch

Revelation, tea infuser

The Idea of a White Picket Fence Terrified Her, necklace

The Trophy Necklace

The Trophy necklace detail shot

A Lady's Pocket Knife, Damascus steel
(Sooooo badass!)

I hope you enjoyed viewing her work, you can see more on Marissa's crafthaus site and the fun titles, they are perfect descriptions. Thank you for reading!

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what I've been making in the studio

It's finals week at school and I've been in the studio everyday...most of the day. Not only working on these two fun brooches but also on my reliquary.

In these two brooches I used the turtle 'skin' my Dad gave me along with the black coral I've been storing. I tried two new techniques with these, resin and plexiglass. I really like the brooch above but I'm not sure how I feel about the brooch below...something's missing.

Lately I've been going through a period of questioning myself and not sketching and investigating as much as I'd like; I attribute it to the lack of time I had this semester and taking three studios classes: Jewelry 1, raising and forming and textiles.

I'm hoping that this summer I'll catch up and get past my 'jeweler's block'.

Anywho, thank you for reading!

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Featured Artist: Ken Bova

Ken Bova's happy face

Ken Bova is my featured artist today for several reasons; 1. Ken is a fantastic instructor 2. Ken is a fantastic artist and 3. Ken is a fantastic person

As you can see he's pretty much an all around awesome person; as mentioned above. Ken Bova is a visiting instructor at ECU's School of Art and Design Metals and Jewelry program. And Ken is leaving us at the end of this Spring Semester. I'm SO bummed, because I didn't sign up for the courses he's teaching this semester because I thought he'd be around longer....but I can't complain, Ken has been kind enough to review my artist statement and I'm so grateful for that!

A mini-album of Ken's workshops.

Ken's work is intriguing because of the many techniques he uses and how he uses them. Ken creates a landscape of different textures and colors on his brooches and jewelry.

You can find his jewelry in numerous private collections and in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Racine Art Museum, the Georgia Art Museum, and the Tacoma Art Museum, among others. (per Ken's website).

The brooch below really attracts me with the cobalt blue, gold leaf and texture of the setting. I'm not sure which materials are which, like the candy wrapper and bicycle reflector but arrangement of it all reminds me of a butterfly wing.

Gleam Revisited

3 x 1.5 inches approx.
(images not to be reproduced without consent of artist)
Bob's Gala Pin

2 x 2 inches approx.
(images not to be reproduced without consent of artist)

Sterling, 23k gold leaf, coral, wood, pearls

Ken is teaching Contemporary techniques (electroforming, creating new and different pinback and other techniques) and Enameling II this Spring semester. Both of which I still need to take.

I really enjoy Ken's style and approach to teaching because he makes it so accessible and easy to understand. Though I haven't sat in on his class, I've copied some of the handouts he gives other students and I'm delighted at how he describes a technique step-by-step.

Even though Ken will be leaving ECU soon, he has definitely left a lasting impression on the metals program and myself.

Thank you for reading!
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Powder coating with Michael Dale Bernard

As I'd stated in my previous post on the 2nd ECU metal symposium, there was a wonderful dynamic of old and new guard metalsmiths.

In my opinion, Michael Dale Bernard represents some of the new guard metalsmiths. His work is edgy and urban but still holds true to the values of metalsmithing. I thoroughly enjoyed his lecture and demo on powder coating.

Powder coating (definition via finishing.com) "is the technique of applying dry paint to a part. The final cured coating is the same as a 2-pack wet paint. In normal wet painting such as house paints, the solids are in suspension in a liquid carrier, which must evaporate before the solid paint coating is produced."
Here you can see Michael using the powder coating gun.

Some samples and car parts Michael brought in.
More samples. Ashley Brodie shows off some pieces Tara Locklear brought with her to have coated.

Powder coating is a much faster and more inexpensive way of coloring metal (versus using enamel). Of course enamel has it's own wonderful properties but I find myself really digging powder coating. It has this wonderful pop of color that is more slick.

Several of the grad students at ECU have been implementing powder coating in their work such as Marissa Saneholtz, Laritza Garcia, and Laura Wood. And powder coating is a fairly inexpensive process as compared to others (casting and enameling), for that reason the ECU metals guild has decided to purchase a powder coating set up (primarily a powder coating gun, the colored powder, a toaster oven and ventilation system).

I haven't yet decided how I'd like to utilize powdering coating in my own work but I have a feeling I'll definitely use it!
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1st day of classes

It's a new year, and new classes; this semester I'm taking a textiles survey class, Jewelry I with Mi-Sook Hur, Raising and Forming with Tim Lazure and art history. 


I'm just a bit nervous about this semester...for several reasons, (1) Mi-Sook is a great teacher but hard; she is a meticulous metalsmith (which is exactly what I need),  (2) I'm already worried I'm going to get some serious forearm cramps from raising (I hammered today and that hurt!) and, (3) I'm teaching Thursday nights (hopefully, if enough students sign up).  I worry that it'll be quite a load; we'll see how it goes?!

But I'm hopeful and excited about this semester.  I know I'll be challenged and I vow to finish all my projects.
I don't have a photo for first day of classes, so I give you a photo of Liz Smith's brooches and sphere from her course with Mi-Sook.  Liz is really talented and good at metalsmithing. Liz and I have a similar design aesthetic. 

 
Brooches: cat bone, copper and sterling silver.  Sphere: Sterling silver. 

If you are also in school studying metals - I wish you luck and if you're a working metalsmith - good luck with your sales this year!

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Hairy Brooch

Hairy Brooch
Originally uploaded by Nick Mullins

This brooch is so interesting and somewhat deceiving at the same time.

The aquamarine 'stones' truly look like stones but are resin! Nick Mullins has a fascinating breadth of pieces, working in wood, metal and other found objects.

You can read more about Nick and view his portfolio on his website ... oh and I highly recommend viewing his other brooches on flickr.

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deJonghe Jewelry

Aren't these brooches beautiful? I discovered deJonghe Jewelry through a friend and I find them interesting and very different from my style.

Dennis deJonghe has been working in the jewelry field since 1975 and you can certainly see the experience and expertise in his Equestrian pieces and stone settings.
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Jeweler of the Day: Mari Ishikawa

I just found Mari Ishikawa via Klimt02. Her dark, organic looking brooches intrigue me. I especially enjoy her gold brooches. Pin It