Solamente

Convergence: Fire and Ice Reversible Cuirass

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There is a competition sponsored by the International Society for Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) and Bead and Button. This year it pairs a glass artist with a jewelry artist or in some cases they are one in the same. They collaborate to make a piece based on a theme, Art Jewelry inspired by the Four Elements. I worked with a bead artist from Florida, Holly Young, who I had not met prior to the competition. It presented an interesting challenge to work with someone clear accross the country who I did not know. For one thing, I realized we take our ability to communitcate our ideas for granted. “What do you mean you are not picturing what I am telling you?” When I re-read my description and looked at my chicken scratches, it’s quite a miracle that Holly grasped what I was trying to say at all. Some faxes, a few phone calls and some more beads later… the heart of the piece, some big lampwork beads, arrived here to get wired.

I was inspired by a cuirass, a piece of armour worn on the front and back of the body, fastened at the shoulder. I wanted to show the extreme opposites of the elements, fire and ice. The finished piece would be reversible and you could wear either side forward, depending on your mood. Okay, good idea. Got it made and was quite pleased with the outcome. Do you know what one of the biggest challenges of presenting your work is? Getting a good photograph for the jury process. Not just the quality of the photo but how do you show a two-sided piece in a single photograph? With the help of my graphic artist friend and much trial and error pictures were accomplished. The next part might be the hardest… you just wait.


The email started out “We had many outstanding submissions…” okay I am braced for the bad news. But it continued… “and yours was selected” phew and yippeeee! Wow, this is exciting. The next hurdle was to see if it would be selected for the special Bead & Button publication that will feature work from the exhibit. It was selected for the publication too. No, it’s not the first time I have submitted work for juried exhibits, but yes, it is the first time my work has been selected. I will post some pictures, but like I said earlier, the photos do not do it justice. Are you headed to the Bead and Button Show, you can see it there. It will also be at the ISGB Convergence in Florida this July. And… if you really love it, you can bid at the ISGB Charity auction where it will be sold. Want to make your own? It will be published this October in a Bead and Button special issue called Jewelry Designs with Art Glass Beads and Holly is prepared to make more fire and ice beads.

Capture the Dragon

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I am an avid collector of Robin Poff’s dragon beads; they are special, sculptural and big! They each have their own personalities. I have spent alot of time working out how to mount them so they can be used in jewelry. You can see one example on my home page here. The spring issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry has an article I wrote called Engineering Sculptural Lampwork that gives directions for a wire based frame.

The article includes instructions for making this necklace.

I like to use lampwork with wire because they work so well together. The lampwork accomodates the wire and makes a bold statement. The challenge can be engineering the piece so it is not too heavy. Here are three suggestions to manage the weight:

1. Make sure the heaviest part rests on the center of the chest, just below the collarbone.
2. Include a counter balance, I use several beads at the end of the series of links attached to fasten the piece. This falls down the wearer’s back creating weight in the back that offsets the weight from the front. Bonus! if you wear your hair up, you are adorned going as well as coming. I first read about using a counter balance in a book by helen deitze.
3. Compensate for the heavier beads and wire by using lighter beads and pieces where possible. I am fond of vintage Lucite beads and they often find their way into my designs. Resin, horn, filigree findings, or whatever you have in your stash that works with the design.

Time and Love…

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Some days it seems like there is not enough time to do all the things you love. My list is long. I need to make things. I want to share my thoughts about the things I create. I’m enthralled with an internet filled with blogs; can you ever get enough? Blogs about creating – wire, beads, knitting, spinning, all sorts of crafting. Blogs that track back to the beginning of a craft: before knitting, before spinning, before dying and processing, all the way to fiber on the hoof. This morning I watched on the lambcam as twin goats were born, talk about taking it back to the beginning.

All it takes is time. Away I go down the rabbit hole, linking along from blogs to etsy to flickr to youtube, paypal, download and go around again. If it has color and texture, I am so there. If I can click there from here, I am so there. I am working on parceling out my precious time so I don’t disappear down the rabbit hole. Family and friends begin to wonder what happened to me although their first clue should be frequent emails with links and photos from my wanderings. My bench gathers dust and my pliers sit idle. I haven’t posted or updated in ages although I excitedly seek out my favorite aritsts who do.

Knowing how much I enjoy a well written update or new photos from a favorite artist, it is my goal to be in that flow; not just to watch and admire from the sidelines. Here’s a bit of new work for you to take a look at. This necklace features a lampwork fish by Cathy Lybarger of Aardvark Art Glass I have used lots of Lucite beads in the fringed tassle to manage the weight of the necklace and because they wisper so nicely when you move.