5 tips to wear statement earrings with style and confidence

October 1, 2017 2 Comments

Is this you?

You’re staring into the mirror trying to decide, Are these earrings too big? Can I carry these off without looking odd? A lot of people opt for tiny hoops or safer studs, but miss out on the fun that comes when you know how to wear statement earrings confidently.

I can help. A few months ago, I shared tips on how to wear a dramatic necklace with flair—and people loved it! It’s now the most-visited page on my website. With that theme in mind, I thought I’d add follow-up suggestions about how to wear statement earrings so you feel confident adding color and sparkle to your ears.

Statement earrings come in five basic designs

Dangles
Drops
Chandelier
Asymmetric pairs
Hoops

There are a million variations on these basics that add stones, feathers, chains, fabric, and other embellishments for extra drama. When you’re familiar with each design, you can learn a lot about your own style and also try new looks.

A little more detail

Dangles are the statement earrings I like making most. They’re usually eye-catching and colorful, attracting attention with every move you make.

Drops are traditionally a large gemstone or pearl hanging from a vertical piece of metal. Drops can also be soft materials like pompoms or tassels. I love using colorful lampwork beads in my drop earrings.

Chandelier earrings feature layers of rhinestones, like a miniature version of the real thing. They are stunning and shimmer like waves of water.

Asymmetric pairs combine earrings that are each unique, but use similar elements of color or design to make a complimentary pair.

Hoops can be single or multiple and can feature embellishments that hang between the rings. You can wear large, thin hoops if you’re still experimenting with your courage. Hollow, chunky hoops are dramatic, but lightweight.

Dangle silver wire earrings

Tips to wear dramatic earrings with flair

Not just the red carpet. Don’t wait for a special occasion, with a pair of sparkly chandelier earrings, you instantly look dressed up. Earrings make any outfit or style classier. You could be wearing a cozy tee and your favorite jeans. Dressy earrings aren’t just for dressy occasions.

Give statement earrings the spotlight. Unlike dramatic necklaces which need a neutral background and neckline, you can wear larger earrings with complimentary or contrasting-color clothing. The earrings are art, accentuated by the clothing you wear.

Space out the art. In a gallery, all the works have space between them so each one gets noticed. To create balance with art jewelry, pair dramatic earrings with complimentary bracelets or rings instead of necklaces. This makes the pieces stand out and gives the eye a place to rest and really appreciate their beauty.

Hair up or down. You can wear any hairstyle with statement earrings. If you want them to stand out, wear your hair up, back, or push longer hair behind your shoulders. Lots of models wear their hair down so a glint of metal or color comes through the curls.

Enjoy what you own. Most importantly, remember what sparked your love for your dramatic earrings in the first place. Open your jewelry box today and put on a pair that make you feel happy and playful. That gives you the most confidence of all!

Dangle butterfly wings

Do you have questions about how to wear statement earrings?

Art stash: How I choose my beads

September 8, 2017 Leave a Comment

The drawers and trays in my art studio are brimming with colorful, glimmering treasures. It’s a delight just to open them and peek in. Every time I do, I gasp with excitement about all the beautiful potential they contain.

Although my medium is wire, practically every piece I make features exquisite beads. People ask me all the time, Where did you find these?

I’m drawn to the unique and unusual. Original lampwork focal beads made by hand by talented glass artists are my first love. (There are too many to name, but if you follow my work, I always credit the bead makers!) Lampwork beads are heavy and solid, like wearing a sculpture on your body.

I also adore big, chunky, colorful Lucite beads. While most people shun plastic, Lucite is a really beautiful material that adds a bold brilliance to my work without adding weight.

My other favorite material is silver beads by the amazing silver artists in Bali and Thailand. One artist, Niki Passenier, designs the beads herself and has them made in Thailand.

The biggest struggle I have in using those simply gorgeous beads—especially Niki’s—it that I love them, and they’re not replaceable. Sometimes this makes a bead seem too beautiful to use in a piece. I have to stop and ask myself, “Are you going to save the special thing or are you going to use it?” I have to fight the urge to save them for the most special most right thing.

How I select my beads

I like to look for beads everywhere. My favorite is to go in person to bead shows—BABE in Oakland, Bead & Button (can you say overload?) and locally, Heart of California Bead and Adornment Expo. At events like these, a lot of vendors are represented, and you have have tons of variety to choose from. In person, you can touch the beads and trust your eye.

There are great places to buy beads online, and I use Ebay for Lucite and vintage and Facebook groups for lampwork (Lampwork Bead Market and Artisans Lampwork, among others). There are some vendors I go back to a lot because I like their aesthetic, selection, or quality (on Ebay I like ellielantern, bykayo). The biggest challenge with buying online is that you have to know your sizes. When you look at big, detailed photos, 6mm is not as big as you’d think. Ask me how I know!

It also helps to have color palettes that I really like and am drawn to, and I tend to buy beads in those shades. My favorite colors are pink and silver. Outside of that, I go in waves and cycles from cool to warm. Outside of the rainbow, I also have a lot of white, milk glass, opalino, clear–all “neutrals” that work well with silver. I’m not big on yellow—the closest I come to it are butter, citrine, cream, and bone—otherwise I stick with oranges and reds. In the photo below, I have collected a coral theme for an upcoming piece.

On the whole, I tend to like monochromatic color schemes in my work. A lot of artists use contrasting or complementary colors, but I tend to do sister colors. That’s my own aesthetic. In my classes, participants ask me about colors, “Does this work? Is this good?” Sometimes it doesn’t and breaks a color rule, but for the most part, it’s an Artists Choice moment. Art is subjective. I can tell you what I like, but I can’t tell you what you like. That’s part of what makes it so fun.

When I select beads, I use a lot of intuition. I like to imagine what they would be when they’re in a finished piece. Picturing them with beads I already own also inspires my creativity. Talking about my beads makes me want to get back in the studio!

What do you look for when you’re selecting beads or jewelry?

Here there be (friendly) dragons

August 1, 2017 Leave a Comment

Befriending a dragon

Dragons are magical. Their scales glimmer. Their eyes shine. Their wings take us soaring to far-off, mystical places. Of course, they do have the ability to breathe fire from that huge snout or slice with fang and claw. But the dragons of my imagination befriend us humble humans for exciting adventures.

Given my love for fantasy and embroidered tales, it was only natural that dragons came into my art bead collection. It was a lovely day, perusing the work of my bead-maker friend, Robin Poff, when I saw her dragons made in art glass.

It was fairy-tale love at first sight. Ivory in color, her glass dragons are pure whimsy and imagination. Three-dimensional and weighty, and each one has its own personality and facial expression. I had to have them.

Another lampwork artist, Kerri Fuhr, also conjures dragons from glass. I began to collect her beautiful beasts more recently. Her two-dimensional portraits have lots of texture and dragon colors like gorgeous blue-green, emerald, and chartreuse. And those quintessential fierce eyes!

Dressing with dragons

I love using dragons in my necklaces. Wearing one helps you be feisty and fanciful at the same time. Dragons help shy people express their bold alter ego. If you want to feel brave, keep a dragon close to you. Their big, powerful presence will inspire you to be courageous.

I dream of dragons

I once found The Dragonology Handbook, A Practical Course in Dragons by Ernest Drake. It lists all the different kinds of dragons—just like an Audubon bird book—and includes Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Dragonology lessons.

If I had my own dragon, it would be pink and sparkly with wings. It would breathe fire with glitter. My dragon would fly at sunrise and visit me to be scratched behind its ears and fed hard-boiled eggs. Until that happens, I’ll keep including glass dragons in my art.

My dragon necklaces

Because the dragon beads are glass, the pieces I make with them are heavy. (See my article on how to wear dramatic art necklaces with confidence.) My dragon necklaces are carefully balanced, designed to rest on the breastbone, rather than hang (or possibly pull) on the neck. Several of the lovely beasts pictured in this article now belong to collectors and inhabit a shadow box or a neck stand perch for viewing.

If you had a dragon, what would yours look like?

5 benefits of collaborating with other fine artists

July 3, 2017 Leave a Comment

I’ve been collaborating with two local fine artists, Kathleen Mattox and Paul Parichan, for over a year and co-creating art together in special seasonal collections.

It was specially exciting to take the collaboration further as a guest blogger on Kathleen’s Mixed Messages Gallery website this month! I’ve written about how this collaboration began, how we work together, and five benefits of getting out of one’s artistic comfort zone.

Come see fun photos of what three unique and creative people can do together!

Mixed Messages guest blog post

How to wear a statement necklace with flair and confidence

May 18, 2017 2 Comments

Put it on!

A lot of people own a statement necklace, but hesitate to wear it. Art pieces draw attention, so you might feel awkward if you’re not sure it “works” with your outfit.

Want to wear dramatic art jewelry with confidence and style? I have some ideas for you!

Monarch Duet necklace (c) 2016 Melanie Schow -- a dramatic statement necklace

How to wear a statement necklace with flair

It’s easy if you make showcasing the art your primary goal. Your clothing becomes the gallery wall that makes its artwork stand out.

Dark backdrop: To make your necklace pop, wear dark clothing that accentuates its design. A black, boat-neck dress or velvet top highlights the necklace’s colors and sparkle

Bright, solid backdrop: Choose a color from the piece and wear a solid top in that shade. This allows you to wear something colorful without overpowering the piece. An alternate way to add color would be to wear a matching-color jacket or skirt.

Nude backdrop: If you wear a dramatic piece on any shade of flesh-colored clothing, it provides a simple canvas for the art. You can also wear a low-cut top or dress so the piece is displayed against your skin.

Use caution with patterned clothing: It takes a skilled eye to combine patterns and statement pieces. Because prints add more visual elements, they can be too busy and detract from the necklace’s effect. If you want to try patterns, choose those that have low contrast and the same color spectrum (all reds, for example).

If you check your closet, you’ll probably have at least one item you can wear with a statement necklace.

Morning Song rooster necklace wire art jewelry

Why wear dramatic art?

The most fun part of wearing a statement piece is people’s reaction. When you wear something dramatic, it gives you a kind of freedom and license to be someone different. Very often, you get a compliments and attention wearing something bold.

It’s a joyful experience. I’m reminded of the artist Susan Golden—wearing primary colors and her great big beaded bangle bracelets—carrying off a style all her own. Get inspired, see how it’s done in Advanced Style, a photo book about New York’s most fashionable older women by Ari Seth Cohen. It features lots of over-60 women looking classy, dramatic, artistic. They’re my sheroes!

Classy, brave, inspired. This is how I want people to feel when they’re wearing my statement necklaces.

Where to wear your statement necklace

To the supermarket, of course! If you love wearing dramatic jewelry, be bold, and wear it for no occasion at all. If it makes you happy, put it on. Take yourself to dinner. Wear it to an art event. One of my favorite customers bought a piece from me and then shared it with her sister. They take turns wearing it to events.

And—since you can’t wear a dramatic necklace every day—you can also display it as art. One of my friends hangs hers in a shadowbox and another shows hers on a neck stand. Instead of tucked away in a jewelry box, you can enjoy looking at it all the time. Why not display it as art?

The most important thing is to enjoy your art jewelry.

If it’s something you love, just wear it. You can carry off anything. You just have to DO it!

Dreaming Bead Dreams

March 31, 2017 Leave a Comment

From bead dreams to art realities

Last year, I was really excited to submit my work to the annual Bead Dreams competition, part of the one-and-only national Bead and Button Show.

This year, for contrast, I’m reminded of the two most challenging parts of being an artist: 1. being judged, and 2. comparing your work to others. It’s on my mind a lot as my submission for the 2017 Bead Dreams competition comes together.

The mind of an artist

Honestly, this is the part of art-making that people don’t see when they look at a finished piece. We wonder: Is it good enough? Is it me enough? Is it what the judges will like? How will it compare to all the other submissions?

What I’ve learned over the years is that you can’t focus on these questions. You almost have to pretend none of that exists so you are free to create what wants to come from your muse.

Art as a practice

This reminds me of a story I learned during my year-long art masterclass:

A pottery teacher split her class into two halves.

To the first half she said, “You will spend the semester studying pottery, planning, designing, and creating your perfect pot. At the end of the semester, there will be a competition to see whose pot is the best”.

To the other half she said, “You will spend your semester making lots of pots. Your grade will be based on the number of completed pots you finish. At the end of the semester, you’ll also have the opportunity to enter your best pot into a competition.”

The first half of the class threw themselves into their research, planning, and design. Then they set about creating their one, perfect pot for the competition.

The second half of the class immediately grabbed fistfulls of clay and started churning out pots. They made big ones, small ones, simple ones, and intricate ones. Their muscles ached for weeks as they gained the strength needed to throw so many pots.

At the end of class, both halves were invited to enter their most perfect pot into the competition. Once the votes were counted, all of the best pots came from the students that were tasked with quantity. The practice they gained made them significantly better potters than the planners on a quest for a single, perfect pot. (story source)

As an artist, I have to remember that I have a choice between worrying about making the perfect piece, or focus on making as many as I can. In the end, I only need one perfect pot. At this point, I’ve created six tiaras and two bejeweled combs.

If I want to make myself happy (and less crazy), I’ll keep making lots and enjoy the process of learning and experimenting with many techniques and materials.

Focus on the dream

Despite my nerves, I force myself to stop thinking, “But it’s Bead Dreams!” I have to stop pressuring my work to be bigger, better, or fancier—and just make it. Just pick up some wire. Just make another tiara.

The best way to make great art is to allow myself to play, to try things and see what happens. Just go for it and see. There’s a click at some point. That’s where my best work comes from, whether it gets into Bead Dreams or not.

Bead Dreams preview

Here’s a sneak peek at what I’m going to submit:

Do you create art?

What do you do to manage the pressure of having your work judged and comparing it to others?

As designated queen, shouldn’t you have a tiara?

March 2, 2017 1 Comment

Over the years, I’ve made many different kinds of art jewelry pieces for the neck, arms, and earlobes, but this time I am inspired in a whole new direction.

Can you see it taking shape on my work bench?

Tiaras!

Like some of my favorite projects, I didn’t plan what happened—which made it even better.

Mixed Messages Gallery was putting on a themed show for a book signing. In honor of Laura Sidsworth’s newest kids’ book, Spoiled Pink, they threw a pink princess party. I was invited to participate, and when little girls’ pink tiaras came to mind, I made several for the event.

And were they ever fun to make! They were full of sparkly Lucite beads and spiral wire—light to wear and fanciful! After making those, I started to think about bringing that playful sparkle to every day life.

Shouldn’t grown-ups have tiaras too?

Tiaras, everywhere!

I asked myself: What if you were queen of your life? What if you ruled over your domain with benevolence and dignity? And a sense of humor? Well, you would have a royal title and a tiara for everything, of course!

Inspired and following a wild creative path the goddess work set me on, I’m making sparkly, collaged tiaras with regal titles for everyday activities. “Our Lady of the Laundry,” “Sultana of Sear,” and “Goddess of the Golden Rule”. Working in every spare moment to capture the energy and the idea—adornment, acknowledgment, flights of fancy and fun—in service to everyday, mundane, and life at our simplest and most common.

What if?” I wondered. And I tried it. “What if…” and I tried that too. I love when creative work seems to take on a life of its own!

Her Serene Highness of Hearth and Home

Our Lady of the Laundry

Having fun with soap bubbles and froth!

Countess Penelope
This royal lady is in charge of the household budget, dollars and sense, and pinching the pennies.

Goddess of the Golden Rule Tiara

Sultana of Sear

The Supreme Sorceress of the Spicy Kitchen

I’m getting so many ideas!

Each tiara are sparkly and humorous, fun and fanciful. The pieces are wearable, yet over-the-top enough to be displayed as art pieces.

The fun of collage is making a variety of materials work together. I love faceted Lucite beads— which are too big, too loud, colorful plastic—paired with gorgeous Swarovski pearls. In others, I’m using tulle puffs and sparkly ribbon with colored art wire.

Despite being a first for me, the style is consistent with my body of work with wire, coils, and really unique materials. The designing has been fun, and the execution fun too (which isn’t always the case). I’m having a blast. It almost doesn’t feel like work.

Come see!

These tiaras will first be exhibited at the new show, “Reflections,” at Circle Gallery in Madera starting March 2, 2017. They’ll be on display (and for sale) along with several others not shown here. If you’re in the area, please come by to take a look!

If you were queen of your world, what would your title be?

You otter see this!

February 1, 2017 Leave a Comment

The project

As an artist, you think you’re in control, but sometimes the materials make demands on you.

I took this photo of “what’s on my bench” last November. With a whole season of flowing, water-themed work behind me, I already had coils made up. In this tray of materials, you can see ocean blues and foam spray with white and metallics. That was the idea, anyway.

The inspiration

Then Otter showed up. This bead has been talking to me since it arrived.

This lampwork art glass bead is by Joy Munshower. She’s really good at animals and gets great personality and sparkle into them.

He’s really cheeky. It looks like she’s using dichroic or silver glass–something under the surface that catches the light and reflects it back out. Even though it has a matte finish, the eye is still shiny and sparkling, just like in nature.

For months, I’ve been carrying this otter bead around, looking at it, putting it near the top of the “I wanna do that” pile. I kept thinking I would get to it.

Well, he hopped right into the middle of all my watery blue coils to stay. I had the idea that he’d have a little pearl or some treasure, and the blue water background would highlight it nicely.

The challenge

In spite of my efforts, the concept of the otter necklace wouldn’t come together. Sometimes that happens.

I moved things and reshaped, but I couldn’t get the necklace to work. Eventually I realized it didn’t want to be a necklace. But that’s always a big decision because once I cut it, it won’t be a necklace anymore!

Once I snipped, otter hopped right into the frame. The piece changed shape for the better, and the pearl and starfish went more easily into place than on the necklace. I’m finally happy with the way this bead is set and glad this sweet little guy has a home at last.

Otter on view!

I titled this finished piece, “Same Ocean, New Tide,” since it combines my theme of watery colors with a new visitor. I’m thrilled it’s being included in the first Madera Circle Gallery‘s art show of 2017. If you’re in the area, feel free to stop by to see their New Journeys show.

A flowing year for my art

December 24, 2016 Leave a Comment

Celebrating a year

In some respects, this month is the most productive of the year as I prepared for holiday shows and created new art for them. In other ways, it’s a time when I reflect on the year’s accomplishments.

2016 was probably my most art-filled year in recent memory—a fact I’d love to celebrate with you. I haven’t had a year with this much artwork in a long time.

Here are my four big successes from 2016….

One: A more satisfying process for producing art

This year has been about flow and new energy. Instead of being surprised by deadlines, I planned ahead and got the dates down on my calendar. This allowed me to focus on meeting one deadline and then look ahead to what I wanted to participate in next.

What was really different is how I planned in enough time for the creative unfolding process. You can’t execute big art pieces in a day, but it sometimes still surprises me how long things take. Every project has at least one “OMG this is never going to come together” moment. With better planning, I could work on it, step away, and keep coming back until it starts to come together.

Spaciousness and time make better art and a happier, saner artist.

Two: More art pieces than in recent years

This spring, something just clicked for me when I started working on the piece below, a free-form sterling wire necklace with a lampwork blossom bead.

Then I created Breastplate for Ninsun using this same free-form style. I loved it so much, I even decided to submit it to Bead and Button.

BreastPlate for Ninson wire art necklace (c) Melanie Schow

It’s common for artists to focus on a particular color or medium for a while, creating a series of pieces that use a similar style. Once I got rolling, this new, bigger style kept flowing through the subsequent pieces of jewelry and wire embroidery.

All of the designs revolved around the theme of precipitation and water. Talk about flow!

Organized Precipitation Little Sister necklace

Organized Precipitation’s Little Sister necklace

Three: Recognition for my art

I entered Organized Precipitation (below) into Madera County Art Council’s Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts 2016 23rd Annual competition and exhibition. It won second place for the category “Water… Agriculture’s Lifeblood.” I received a Certificate of Recognition for the award from California Legislature assembly and senate with my name and title of piece and stamped with a silver emblem.

The Alliance of California Artists Open Show’s theme was Falling into Winter. I submitted The Sky is Falling, a wire embroidery piece depicting rain turning to snow. For the rain, I used glass beads, crystals, bugle beads, and wire. The snow is wire with sparkly Lucite beads in stars and shapes. I won Honorable Mention in the category of Three-Dimensional Drawing and Non-Traditional Artwork.

Four: New venues for my art

The Art Shop at Vintage Market at 601: This year, Paul Parichan created an art shop dedicated to local artists. All of the participating artists make diverse and high-quality art in a variety of media—including mixed media, ceramics, fabric pillows, wire work, paintings jewelry. I’m really honored that he invited me into this prestigious group and featured three of my artworks (Monarch Duet, Breastplate for Ninsun, the “baby sister” of Organized Precipitation).

New online shop: People have always asked if they could purchase my work online, and this year, it’s finally possible! Although, it’s on vacation mode during the holidays, my online shop will be active again in January. Here’s the link to see what’s new in my online store.

If you’re in or visiting the San Joaquin Valley, I’m also showing my work at:

Mixed Messages in Sanger, CA
The Art Shop at Vintage Market at 601 in Fresno, CA
Circle Gallery in Madera, CA

My hope is to ride the energy and success of this year into the new one. In the meantime, I’m wishing you a fruitful and flowing new year!

Clouds in my Coffee (c)2016 Melanie Schow

I don’t make art glass beads, I make them even better

October 31, 2016 Leave a Comment

Do not pass go

I’ll never forget how surprised I was the time I got turned down to show my work because the focal art glass beads in my creation were not my own.

Even though the sting has worn off over the years, this experience gave me an insight into the standards of the art world. Painters don’t make their own paint. Sculptors don’t quarry their own stone. Similarly, when wire artists use beads, frequently they are not of their own making.

Many artists, many styles

From the very beginning, it was a conscious choice to use others’ artist-quality beads in my necklaces, earrings, and sculpture. Here’s why: no on can be good at all things.

Instead, my finished pieces are different and unique as Breastplate for Ninsun, the Scaredy Cat collection, and the Morning Song rooster necklace.

BreastPlate for Ninson Silver Necklace

Professor Specs pendant

Morning Song necklace

What I love best about working with artist-quality beads is the variety. From Joy Munshower‘s animals and the art glass of Gail Crosman Moore to the whimsical cats of Kathleen O’Connor and Robin Poff‘s dragons, these gifted makers inspire the art I create.

The art of wire design

When you work with wire as I do, the artistry comes down to creating a beautiful, balanced piece using a variety of elements. Wire artistry entails knowing how many scrolls and coils create a harmonious look and also recognizing the point at which you stop adding.

Using focal beads means understanding color and choosing accent elements that highlight the theme. For example, in my pendant using Kathleen O’Connor’s Wicked Witch, I echo the fun, square-kinked tails in the wire scrolls of the drop on this pendant.

Although I have taken lampwork bead-making classes, it’s not my medium. Understanding the kind of work that goes into making fine art glass beads makes me appreciate artists that use this medium even more. If I tried to do it all myself, I’d be a beginner for a long time!

My specialty is in creating a beautiful, well engineered settings with high-end materials and choosing gorgeous color palettes that bring out the uniqueness of the focal beads that are made by other artists and by Mother Nature too.

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