art business Archives

Artistic collaboration: A sparkling virtual art show

November 12, 2020 1 Comment

Celebrating collaboration

As an artist, I’ve shared before how inspiring and uplifting it is to collaborate with fellow creatives. Just recently, I started back to meeting weekly with my local artistic ally, Kathleen Mattox to talk about all things art. Even if we’re physically distancing, this connection is vital.

Last month, when I saw two of my favorite lampwork glass artists’ gorgeous online show, I just had to cheer. Kerri Fuhr Keffeler and Stephanie Dieleman have been friends for almost 15 years and, in Kerri’s words, “met over their mutual love of beads.” Their creations end up in my own designs all the time.

In this month’s post, I want to celebrate their inspiring collaboration. If you’re a fan of beautiful glass lampwork beads and jewelry, you’re in for a treat! Feast your eyes on their stunning work from a recent online show and look for an announcement about upcoming plans.

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

Stephanie: “We’ve always done shows together — you only have to pack half the boxes! We usually do artisan shows in US and Canada, but they’re all closed. I wanted to place to sell not just jewelry and interact with customers. We’d been losing that.”

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

Kerri: “Selling online is much less hassle, gives us more time to be in the studio creating beads and jewelry for our amazing customers. We each have a large customer base and many of our customers purchase from us both, so it seemed practical to group everyone together into one online space where they could easily purchase from both of us.”

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

Perhaps some would not be willing to share the spotlight, but Kerri and Stephanie understand the many benefits of collaborating with other artists.

Stephanie: “We’re there to support each other. ‘You make lunch, and I’ll post on Facebook.’ It’s nice to have a partner, since we make beads by ourselves all the time!”

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

Kerri: “It’s so much fun being able to do this together since we know each other so well and we are used to working together as we have in our travelling show days.”

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

Kerri: “The beauty of online shows is that we can host a show together, even though we live far apart. It’s also really helpful to have two of us to take care of group administration and make sure that our shows run smoothly and that we are able to keep our customers happy and entertained.”

(c)Kerri Fuhr Keffeler, used with permission

(c)Stephanie Dieleman, used with permission

Announcing the next Stephanie and Kerri Show: Black Friday weekend

Stephanie: “The next show is massive—three days starting November 27th, the day after U.S. Thanksgiving. It will be the biggest show of the year with the best bonuses and giveaways.”

If you would like to view and participate, join their Facebook group. I’ll be there too, cheering them on!

The Stephanie and Kerri Show (Facebook group)

2019 in Review: A Year of Making Art

December 26, 2019 2 Comments

Making time for making art

Creating beautiful, colorful things brings me joy. If your life is like mine, you can get to the end of a busy year and wonder if you got anything accomplished. 2019 was such a whirlwind! Even when the schedule has been hectic, I still found time for making art and using color in fiber, cloth, and especially wire and beads.

As this year draws to a close, I wanted to share some of my favorite creative endeavors and highlight projects that appeared even amid occasional chaos.

Advanced wire techniques

In January, I taught a class on how to take wire embellishments to a new level. In the image below (the sample I created during the class), note the techniques of using pearls, scrolls, rhinestones, and wire-wrapped wire to add interest, volume, and sparkle. My focus was on teaching techniques rather than creating a specific project, so the resulting creations from the class were as unique and fun as each participant.

Recognition for my art

At Chris M. Sorenson Gallery this year, my piece “B Illuminated” was a particularly fun challenge and won second place in their Love of Letters show.

This year, I was invited to participate in the Fresno Art Museum gift shop. They requested that I bring my showstoppers, and it was exciting to display some of my high-end, fine art pieces in support of this local location! (I love this gorgeous “older” work featuring dragons by Robin Poff and a pocket watch works along with the hand forged wire and interesting beads).

Fiber and fabric

Attempting this complicated shawl made me one grumpy knitter, but after it was lovingly blocked by a more experienced knitter (Help Me Meg!), it now looks great. It’s such a great feeling when items move out of a project bag and into my closet to wear!

One of my biggest accomplishments this year was completing a quilt. After rediscovering my love for beautiful fabrics in a local quilting class, I got really motivated to finish a quilt for my own home.

Like a lot of creative people, I often work best when I have uninterrupted time and space. Well, I took the quilt project with me on vacation to Pacific Grove with a dear friend for company, determined to attempt a new and easier method of binding. We worked away on our respective projects, cheering each other on. Now it’s bound and on my bed! I call the back “technicolor zebra.” Every time I make my bed, this colorful quilt makes me smile.

A trove of wire art pendants

As the holiday season approached, I felt a new wave of inspiration to create with wire and my stockpile of beautiful, fun, and festive lampwork focal beads. In a matter of weeks, I created over 60 pendants for three local galleries to display.

Stretching my skills and local visibility

By far the piece of which I’m most proud this year was my entry for Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts. Since orange groves line nearly every road in the San Joaquin Valley, this piece celebrates our local farms. Entitled “Central Valley Slice“, my necklace uses stunning slices of lemon and orange forged from glass, that somehow look juicy. If you’re interested, this piece is now for sale ($395).

It’s always good to pause to celebrate life’s accomplishments. I wish you a bright holiday season and a colorful new year!

The gift of artist allies

January 31, 2019 Leave a Comment

Because running an art business is challenging, having artist allies is essential.

Thanks to ongoing collaboration with Sanger’s local art gallery, Mixed Messages (and owner, Kathleen Mattox), I have had the opportunity to work with Kathleen and Paul Parichan on a regular basis. They are both talented artists in their own right, but they also believe in supporting other artists too.

Right before the holidays, Paul outdid himself.

When artists boost each other

He messaged me to ask, “How would you like to have your work in a museum gift shop?”

What artist says no to that kind of opportunity? I was so grateful! Many artists work for years to get their art into the right venues.

In our conversation, I learned that Paul has a long relationship with the Fresno Art Museum. Its gift shop was being re-opened after a long absence under new direction from Michelle Ellis Pracy. As Fresno Art Museums’s (FAM) Executive Director & Chief Curator, she is also an artist ally. Her focus in the gift shop is to promote local artists.

Michelle told me, “Bring us your big show stoppers.” This was music to my ears.

Bringing my show stoppers

As a working artist, you face a dilemma every time you create. Do you make items that will sell? Or do you produce more dramatic art that uses the wide range of skills you have honed through the years? It’s often a balance of both.

This means that while I sell lots of affordable art, I also have a swirling, glittering collection of fine art pieces made from the highest quality elements (silver wire and high-end artist’s glass beads, for example). I love making them, but they’re above the price point most people are thinking when they go to a craft show.

Michelle’s encouragement got me excited to rescue these treasures from storage. After hunting through my stash, I came up with eight “show stopper” art pieces.

Here’s a sneak peek at a few:

Monarch Duet necklace (c) 2016 Melanie Schow

Morning Song

I’m really excited to be at the Fresno Art Museum’s gift shop. Michelle curated it to include many talented local artists, and I’m honored to be shown with them and in that kind of company.

Sometimes making art can seem like a solitary endeavor, but thanks to Kathleen, Paul, and Michelle, I’m reminded of the importance of a supportive art community and artist allies.

See my work at the Fresno Art Museum gift shop

Want to support local artists too? The Fresno Art Museum is re-opening on February 2 with a brand-new art installation. The gift shop is full of over-the-top local art (including several more of mine not pictured above). If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll stop in to take a look!