2020: A (Surprisingly) Creative Year

December 31, 2020 1 Comment

Creatively speaking, this has been a very different year. Many of my creative friends have shared that the sense of concern and isolation has slowed their creative energy.

As much as I wanted to get to my own bench and work with wire, most of my creative energy kept going to my new love: quilting. I decided not to fight it. This year, even with everything going on, I started four quilts and finished two.

I’d love to celebrate with you in photos the various colorful projects I did do, rather than dwell on the untouched wire projects. Enjoy!

The Colorwash Quilt

This quilt style, Colorwash by Wanda Hanson, was a fun color challenge for me on so many levels — and I loved it. The technique is wild! First you lay out the squares to create a gradient like you see on the design board above. It requires using muddy colors I don’t usually like, but I love the overall effect of the colors washing together.

Once I liked the arrangement (you spend a lot of time tweaking, moving the squares until it is just right), the next step was to stack the colors in order and clip them together. The strategy is to sew the color squares together by rows with links of thread to connect them; the ultimate in chained piecing. This is as far as I’ve taken the project. Since the designer’s advice was to do it in one sitting, I am patiently waiting for a free afternoon.

The Christmas Quilt

I made this lap quilt for myself to feel more festive around my favorite time of year. Bonus? It has holiday puns like “fleece Navidad” and “jingle owl the way” because laughter is the best medicine. With the border added, this is nearly done — it just needs binding!

Quilt with dark green christmas trees, red presents with bows, and cute animals wearing santa hats

Susan’s Quilt

Now that this quilt is in her hands, I can finally share photos without spoiling the surprise! This quilt uses printed fabric featuring birds’ nests, eggs, and butterflies. In the middle are panels of complimentary-color, freeform “Melanie style” blocks.

A scrappy quilt

This one is still in the works; it’s made from pieces and scraps from another project that had colors I love. My creative question was: How tiny can you go before a piece of fabric becomes unusable? These triangle squares and piano key blocks are making me stretch my imagination!

Watercolor Stichin’ Therapy Quilt

This is my most recent project and might really be my favorite. Like the Colorwash quilt, the blocks feature color gradients. The Watercolor designs can be found in the artist’s generous tutorials on her inspiring blog, stitchintherapy.blogspot.com. The difference is that for this design I can choose colors I love (no need for the muddy ones), and these botanical prints are gorgeous.

There’s a system to making the blocks more efficiently too which involves sewing long, narrow strips together and then cutting them into sections.

Watercolor Quilt with floral botanical prints

There’s a bit of an art to deciding where to place the fabric in order to get that blended-together look. It’s especially challenging because a single print can contain light and dark elements. To test it, I used the black-and-white filter on my camera to see the gradient.

The creative bonus of 2020

With no live shows for artists or the bead community this year, I found myself connecting more with people online in a new way. It has been delightful to get to know some of the bead makers I’ve collected and highlight their online efforts and shows as well. Steph and Kerri’s online show inspired me. I got to chatting with Tammy Mercier — whose animal beads I love — and made a fun connection.

At shows, the focus is usually about seeing it all. This year, I’ve noticed that I’ve felt more in touch than I would be at a show — messaging back and forth with people, watching their work develop over the course of the year. Our common interests around art brings us together in this year of connecting electronically.

A surprisingly creative year

Between quilting and encouraging my creative friends, that’s where my energy has been, so that is where I went. It has been the kind of year where it’s better not to force things and instead follow the creative energy where it leads.

It’s not where I expected to go, but I’m really grateful this year has been so rich with connections, blessings, and color. I’m wishing you a serene holiday season and a bright new year!

Creativity while recuperating

June 30, 2020 Leave a Comment

It’s surprising how often we need two hands or a healthy shoulder to make art. We don’t realize it until something is out of commission.

Last month, I finally had a postponed elective surgery on my left shoulder, and I’m recuperating well. However, it’s curtailed everything from cooking and sound sleep to creating art. My work has come to a screeching halt.

Thankfully, while my shoulder mends, my imagination and creativity can still play. Somehow not being able has me thinking more than usual about what I would create if I could.

Lately, my mind has been returning to a project I was working on last fall—creating pendants with art glass (lampwork) animal beads. Some of the beads feature realistic heads and faces in beautiful detail like this Heron by artist Kerri Keffler that I’ve set in silver wire.

Others are playful, like these charming character beads by Catherine Steele.

Another of my current favorite beads are by artist Tammy Mercier. Her beads are stylized, realistic-looking animals that feature striking color combinations. The leopards below include silver and pink!

If I could use my shoulder, I’d be working on this series of sophisticated critter necklaces. In fact, I have a couple in the works that I need to pick up again once I regain the strength and dexterity in my left hand.

One of my Works in Progress (WiP) is this Lion bead by Kerri Keffler in a scrolled, embellished wire setting.

While I recover, I’m missing my wire. Creating beautiful jewelry with these stunning beads is one of my favorite activities. In the meantime, using my imagination is helping me feel excited about getting back to my bench. When I’m healed enough, I look forward to creating again!

All that glitters

November 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

Art glass pendants galore

As the holidays approach, I’m turning out lots of fun and colorful glass pendants using lampwork focal beads from some of my favorite glass artists.

From wise owls and cute pups to seasonal, wintry themes (I love the steaming cup of cocoa), I’m having a blast creating lots of swishes and scrolls to embellish these fun pieces.

The wire in these pendants is copper that’s coated in colored enamel. It comes in so many shades, so it’s easy to find the perfect match with specific hues in the glass beads.

The wonderful thing about pendants is their simplicity. You can wear them with nearly anything—from dressing up your jeans or adding a little pizzazz to your favorite turtle-neck dress.

I’ve been collecting lampwork beads by various talented artists for years, and it’s been so fun to revisit my favorites. I am always amazed by how much creativity, sparkle, and whimsy they bring to creating focal beads. I might have trouble letting go of a few of them!

With creative embellishments and colored wire to highlight each unique piece, each one becomes wearable art for everyday or the holidays!

I’ve created about 50 pendants in advance of the holiday season and will be displaying them at three different local art galleries. If you’re in the Fresno area, you’re invited to visit and take your favorites home with you!

Mixed Messages Art
1310 8th St., Sanger, CA
Wed-Sun 11am – 6pm
Circle Gallery – Madera County Arts Council
424 N. Gateway Drive, Madera, CA 93637
Tuesday-Friday 10am – 6pm
Chesterfield’s Antiques and Consignment
5092 North Blackstone Ave, Fresno CA
Wed-Sun 10am – 5pm

It’s an honor to have my work featured at these creative local galleries. If you need a little more sparkle in your life (or know someone who does), I hope you’ll come by!

Top of Their Glass: More of my favorite lampwork artists

June 13, 2018 Leave a Comment

Lampwork artists work magic with glass and extreme heat. Each bead is a tiny world that draws you in with its graceful, flowing lines. A second look reveals details you didn’t notice at first. It doesn’t take long to fall under the spell of this magical art form of molten glass and perfect timing.

When I hold an artist’s glass bead in my hand and inspect it under my magnifier, it reminds me of my days studying botany. The closer you look, the more you can see the heart and talent of the lampwork artists who create these tiny works of art.

Making jewelry with art glass

Often when I’m looking closely at a lampwork bead, I have a moment of clarity and inspiration: I know what I’m going to make with this! Almost as if the bead is showing me how to turn it into art. Sometimes I notice a subtle color in the background, a cluster of flowers, or waves in the glass as they twist and swirl that speak to me. I follow that. Almost always, you’ll see the lampwork themes echoed in the final piece I create.

More of my favorite lampwork glass artists

Continued from the feature in April, I’m delighted to share with you three more of my lampwork artists’ inspirations. I collect these creations for my art jewelry (and I sometimes have favorites I don’t want to let go of!). I love these artists’ creativity, sense of humor, and willingness to stretch outside of their usual genres and experiment.

Please enjoy this picture-filled post of their unique styles and the work they inspire in me!

Kathleen “Kayo” O’Connor

Every one of Kayo’s glass beads has character and personality. Her black cats are always making mischief or looking innocent. Her lampwork beads are fun to turn into pendants for colorful whimsey. Here are three of my pieces featuring her work.

Tammy Mercier

One of my favorite things about Tammy Mercier is that she’s not afraid to try something new. Her work is inspiring and diverse—from abstract to floral, and from realistic critters to heirloom pieces.

“Free-form horses are the most challenging,” she told me. “It’s hard to find a place for the hole. And because of the shape of the horse’s head and neck, I have to fight the entire time for it not to form a ball.” Not surprisingly, each of her whimsical, colorful beads take up to five hours to create.

Melanie’s necklace with Tammy’s work

This greyhound is one of Tammy’s beads, and I just love its character. From the lampwork bead design, I pulled in the rosy pink with pearls that show off this girl’s classy side.

Joy Munshower

As an experienced bronze sculptor and ceramicist, the level of detail in Joy’s lampwork wildlife beads is stunning. Her Etsy shop is like a walk through the jungle, a swim in the ocean, and a stroll through a pasture full of horses. I marvel at her ability to capture animals’ personalities—and even facial expressions—in glass.

Melanie’s wire art with Joy’s beads

I fell in love with one of Joy’s otters, which became the focal piece for my wire art sculpture, Same Ocean, New Tide. I entered it in the Madera Circle Gallery show, A New Journey. Notice how Joy’s flowing aqua waves surrounding this playful creature continue into my metal swirls and scrolls.

Another of Joy’s beads became Morning Song. This handsome rooster anchored one of my first entries in the Madera Art Council’s Celebrate Agriculture and the Arts Show in 2015. In wire, I imagined his call spiraling out to greet the morning.

Artists for artists

I love the interplay between these lampwork artists creations and my own. If you enjoy the art you see here, be sure to follow these talented artists’ social media accounts and say hi!

Buying art glass beads from across the world

December 22, 2017 Leave a Comment

It came a long way

Getting boxes in the mail is a common occurrence at my house, but a package from Lithuania is something special. Especially when there’s art inside.

And chocolate!

Being an avid lover of art glass beads, I frequent a number of lampwork artists pages on Facebook to find unique creations from all over the world.

With so many diverse styles in one place, I get lots of variety to put into my necklaces and art. Sometimes I see a treasure I just can’t pass up. And with a buy-it-now option, those handmade works of art just wing themselves to me. When I know one is coming, it’s exciting—like a present for myself.

However, when something comes all the way from eastern Europe, there’s no instant gratification. I can take weeks to arrive. Somehow this makes its arrival even more special.

My most recent treasure is this piece made by Viktorija Vait (Vilnius, Lithuania).

When I opened the envelope, I oohed and ahhed over the colors, the painted details, and the amount of skill it takes to create textured glass beads like this. The best part? I get to make it into a wearable necklace as a present for someone else to enjoy.

Turning lampwork beads into wearable art

First I matched it with a variety of beads and wire in shades of red.

Then I got to work (it gets a little messy as I experiment with different arrangements)!

Finally, it all came together in a finished piece!

More jewelry ahead

Just before I finished the red bird pendant, another package came in the mail from a bit nearer to home (Michigan) from another talented artist Molly Cooley. The eclipse and waves are just stunning!

I wonder what this gorgeous treasure will become!

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!

I didn’t get in to BeadDreams (but it’s okay)

July 18, 2016 Leave a Comment

BeadDreams excitement

The winners of the 2016 BeadDreams art show have recently been announced. Like the Olympics finals or the Golden Globes, BeadDreams is a big bead deal. Part of the Bead and Button Show, it’s sponsored by three national beading magazines. Instructors, artists, and bead aficionados attend from all over the world. If selected by the jury, artists exhibit their work among the top individuals in the field.

Even though I wasn’t juried in, it’s the first time in several years that I’ve made a submission to this show. It was exciting to participate this year—especially as I hit a new stride with my work.

Lessons learned from BeadDreams 2016

Looking back, the experience gave me some great insights.

Take everything with a grain of salt

A remarkably high level of art gets into this show, so being selected by the jury is an acknowledgement of one’s work. That said, art show juries always look for specific things. Even when your art is excellent, it might not be the jury’s taste. For me, it’s important to trust the quality of my work.

Go big

I’ve been working on a new freeform style that is more playful and expressive. The piece I submitted to Bead Dreams evolved organically from my collection of Gail Crosman Moore glass beads, Bali fine silver beads, and (of course) hand-turned springs.

Creating this piece was a really exciting process. It’s fun to use really high-end, very high quality art beads and not worry about how much it will cost at the end. My goal was to just create something over the top.

Want to see? Here it is:

BeadDreams submission 2016 BreastPlate for Ninson Silver Necklace

My submission: Breastplate for Ninsun

Ninsun was a Sumerian deity whose name literally translated is Lady Wild Cow. She was an earth goddess: the mother of Gilgamesh, a mythical Mesopotamian king and the divine power behind the qualities the herdsmen hoped for in their cows. This name is a partly a tongue-in-cheek reference to my having recently moved to a rural location, and how my art is intertwining with our life and livestock.

To balance the weight of this dramatic setting, beads are strategically placed at the back of the piece, creating a counter balance that falls gracefully down the wearer’s back. Simple, asymmetric links relate to the setting while allowing it to be the primary focus.

Pay attention to detail (but don’t obsess)

For a competition like this, jurors view the work blown up on a screen. I do everything in my power to make all my pieces work, but for BeadDreams, it really needs to stand the test of a microscope and critical viewing.

As I started working on my piece, I was thinking about something grand and dramatic that uses higher level skills and more materials. I wanted it to be perfect, but expecting this can create more stress. You can’t think too hard or focus on the fact that what you’re making is different from your usual work.

Let go

Waiting to hear was interesting. They said they would jury our pieces in about ten days. Then, without a lot of explanation, said they weren’t going to jury it for another month. I assumed technical difficulties and was pretty good about surrendering. However, as it got closer to the to the date, I kept wondering if it got in!

Be your own judge

Juries that receive as many submissions as BeadDreams can’t give specific critique of each entry. In general, they’re looking for quality construction, quality photographs, and the quality of the artistry.

When I received word that didn’t get in, I thought about those three factors. My work is quality, but I think I have room to work on photography. Photographing art jewelry isn’t a point-and-shoot project. It’s an art form in itself. For future submissions, I know I will approach this aspect differently.

BreastPlate for Ninson Silver Necklace – Melanie Schow

Look at the big picture

If this were a lesser show I might feel a little chagrined about not getting in, but as I look at the other artists who didn’t get in, I’m in outstanding company. There’s a lot of great stuff.

After submitting Ninsun to BeadDreams, I made a “baby sister” version with simpler components with a similar style. It has already sold from the Circle Gallery in Madera—along with the matching earrings. To me, this means my new free-form style is resonating with people. That’s exciting!

floral necklace - dimensional wirework setting 2-2016 (c) Melanie Schow

The “baby sister” to Ninsun — *sold*

Keep playing

At the moment, my goal is to keep exploring my new free-form theme and get more of my work out there. In the coming months, I’m hoping to jury in to Celebrate Agriculture with Art 2016 show and participate in a masterpiece show curated by Paul Parichan.

Stretching for BeadDreams was an exciting challenge. The way I see it, my job is to keep working at a high level and getting new work produced and out to new venues all the time. Besides, there’s always next year for more BeadDreams!