Fellow maker profile: BellaBellota shirts

As you know, I love a good trade and several months ago I was excited to get an email from fellow maker and Eilisain Jewelry fan, Jahlelah.  When I saw her tshirt designs I was definitely excited about a trade.

Jahlelah initially found Eilisain Jewelry at my stockist in Portland, Altar.  Then she found me on Etsy and the rest is history.  BellaBellota designs are beautiful and creative.  She mixes animals with beautiful imagery.  You can shop for her tshirts on Etsy, and if you order I recommend a size up as most likely the cotton may shrink. 

Lovely card with an  even sweeter note.  I love good packaging!

My new favorite tank top.

I plan on matching The Hunted double owl talon pendant with this thsirt.

As always thanks for reading!
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Art Avenue's 2nd Annual Prints Charming live screenprinting

Last year Art Avenue's first live screenprinting event was such a success that we knew we'd have to do it again!  People loved seeing how screenprinting is done and having a custom shirt made on the spot.  This event is a collaboration with the ECU Print Guild, this year we worked with the guild so that it would be a dual fundraiser for the guilds upcoming projects and Art Avenue's membership!

You can RSVP for the event here.   Art Avenue has already secured some wonderful items for the raffle (which will benefit Art Avenue's reconstruction and studio spaces).  Jeremy Fineman donated a beautiful drinking cup, Andy Denton's ceramic bowl, Eilisian Jewelry silver owl talon earrings and several other great items.  

It's really exciting to be a part of this event and others at Art Avenue; I'm a big believer that engaging the community and public in art events foster strong bonds and education for the field.  

Mike Smoot and Lauren Kinlaw working the table.  

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Prints Charming

Isn't this poster and concept fun? This is a city wide event, celebrating LOVE for the week prior to Valentine's Day.  Art Avenue will be participating with the concept of Prints Charming, meaning we will have the ECU Printmaking guild come out and screenprint tshirts, prints and cards.

You can RSVP for the event on Facebook.  I'm excited about it because printmaking is one of my other favorite crafts, besides jewelry making.  So, if you are in the area I hope you'll come visit Art Avenue and my studio space!

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Purple lace

I have to say, I miss screenprinting.  I really enjoyed the class, so I've continued, on my own to do some printing, mainly for my jewelry and displaying it on these lovely little cards.  They were supposed to be boxes but it's just too much work constructing them!

These sweet lil' cards will be prefect for putting my earrings and having them for sales and such.

I have however, moved on from screenprinting to letterpress, which I'm taking this semester.  It's somewhat similar to screenprinting however it requires much more precise coordination and using magnesium plates which are used to mechanically transfer a jpeg image - almost like etching onto a plate.  I haven't started on my first project...of course I"m waiting until the last minute.  Anywho, I'm excited.

Also, I just listed my screenprinted totem cards, 4 for $6 in my Eilisain Etsy shop...check'em out!

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Screenprinted totem cards

I finally had a full day in the screenprint studio this past weekend and I made more totem cards to go with the corresponding jewelry.   

Each totem card can come in purple or green lace.  Most of these cards measure 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 and make wonderful personal cards for friends, family and loved ones that may need strength and guidance during troubled times.  Many cultures and religions around the world call upon specific animals (and often regard them as deities) to be their personal totem so that they may gain their special qualities and protection.  

One of my totem animals was a beaver, initially I was surprised; I never guessed it would be a beaver but the beaver came to me because I was building my dream to become a metalsmith and jeweler, slowly preparing my portfolio to apply to art school.  Beavers are diligent and wonderful at creating a home, and make hardy planners and work tirelessly until their goal is achieved.  The beaver was with me until I was accepted to ECU. 

I hope you like my cards as much as I like them!

Barn owl print with purple lace background.  This card comes with all owl talon jewelry.

Stag print with green lace.  Comes with any deer antler jewelry.

Raven/Crow print on purple lace.  Comes with raven jewelry.

Bear print on green lace.  This print comes with any bear charm purchase.

And last but not least, the badger.  This print comes with the badger pendant. 

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Totem animal cards

Yesterday I finished my final screenprinting project, finishing the packaging that goes with the gift boxes.  The prints you see below with the purple lace will also be printed on gift bags.

The images along with the lace came out much better than I expected.  I quite love them. 
I hope you do too.  I have plans to make tshirts, and greeting cards....

 

Totem cards, 2012

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paper boxes

I can't say enough how proud and excited I am about my gift boxes. Even if that sounds a bit conceited of me...it was alot of work.

I learned how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and did a bulk of the work myself with a lil' help with my professor and classmates. I have big plans to create an entire packaging system, gift bags and tissue paper.

Funny but my older prints turned out to be great back drops for the boxes.
And my contact info at the bottom of the box. Pretty awesome.
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Making a box

Making a box is alot harder than it may seem, especially if it has geometric angles/sides. I had a good amount of help though from a classmate. However I'm quite excited about this project for my screenprinting class.

I plan on transferring the image of my box, to make a dozen or so more, then I'll screenprint an image of my jewelry and logo on the top, inside and bottom of the box.

It's gonna be cooooool.

Here are some process shots. It took me eight samples of the box to get a final perfect fit.

Several samples/prototypes.

Final box and closed!

And it opens, ta-da!

Thanks for reading.
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fill in the colors

As you know, I've been learning a new craft, Screenprinting, and I quite enjoy it but find it intense and of course, requiring patience - just like any other craft. But once you learn the steps, like a recipe, it becomes less and less obtuse and more square....hehe, ok, bad joke!

I found Two Elm studio on Etsy by Erin Mcintosh and I love her work, it's a fun and simple investigation of color and shapes. Very liberal and dream like.

You can purchase her prints here on Etsy, support an independent artist.

Hope you had a great weekend!
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Screenprinting

One of the studio courses I'm taking this semester is screen printing, and I'm very excited about the possibilities. Here is a sneak peak on my first design. What we're learning with our first project is making a screen (the frame and stretching the screen) - yes I made it....also with the help of a great and generous classmate!

I have plans to make greeting cards, jewelry displays, posters and maybe even tshirts. It's really refreshing to take a course in a medium other than metal and I respond well with paper and ink.

Thanks for reading!
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last day of printmaking

I've really enjoyed this class, I learned quite a bit in a short amount of time. However, the class was also draining, standing most of the time, cranking the press bed and constantly editing and proofing. I have a new found respect for printmakers.

Here are photos of Matt Egan, our professor, showing us how to screenprint. It was a quick demo and has me wanting to learn more. However, I'm slowly considering it, as Egan is a demanding professor.

Matt taping the borders of the screen, so as to prevent any acrylic from seeping in.
Matt applying the acrylic.


Matt powerwashing the emulsion off of the screen.


Our collaborative screenprint for our portfolio covers, on the drying rack.


The final product!

I was really happy Matt decided to give a brief demo on screenprinting, which I've been wanting to know more about, for awhile. Matt had each of the students make a design in black and white and then put it onto one image for our portfolio covers. My design is the moth in the middle.

Now I'm off to take my printmaking exam...wish me luck!

Thanks for reading.

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