jewelry Archives - Solamente

Kathleen Mattox and Mixed Messages Art

March 13, 2020 2 Comments

I want to tell you about my artist friend and local-art partner in crime, Kathleen Mattox.

When my husband and I moved to Sanger, I was immediately drawn to her gallery, Mixed Messages Art—a cute brick building in the heart of downtown. Soon, she invited me to show my art jewelry there, and was introducing me to other local artists.

After a retiring from a career in education, Kathleen followed her dream to open this art space in Sanger, California. Mixed Messages Art is a gallery, studio, and website that reflects the variety of mixed media Kathleen uses in her art, including watercolor, paper collage with watercolor, other gel and texture mediums, and acrylic with paper collage.

More than that, the name is a hat tip to her “first career” as an elementary school educator teaching the alphabet and symbols which often appear in her work and acknowledge the power of language.

Mixed Messages carries local art and products that are small enough to fit into the petite gallery—all of them unique and different. Including my art jewelry, nine artists have their work for sale at Mixed Messages including Don Munshower’s art mobiles, two ceramic artists—Laura Fraedrich and Karen McQuown, two wire artists—Paul Parichan’s heavy-duty wire sculpture and Terrance McArthur’s colorful miniature characters, and Mary Lee Otto who makes lovely quilted baby items. Also featured are Basilwood Farm’s goat milk soap and Busy Bees Honey Farm’s local and infused honey.

As the only painter in the gallery, Kathleen’s work is bright, creative, and colorful. Featuring other other artists compliments her work and adds variety and spice to the Gallery.

One of the things I value most about Kathleen is the camaraderie we share. Getting together to brainstorm creative projects or resolve challenges when I get stuck. I think every artist needs a sounding board. When you live in a small community, collaborating with local artists makes such a difference. Kathleen is excellent at setting ambitious creative goals, so I recently sat down with her to talk about her art and goals for 2020.

What have you been creating lately?

Kathleen: I needed to create two paintings for a local show last October, but needed to complete them quickly. I decided to do them using palette knives which I have not used a lot before. In addition to the knives, I used squeeze bottles, texture, thick paint, and some glitter. I had so much fun! I’m going to do more in 2020. For Christmas, my mom gave me some nontraditional palette knives from Italy, and I just got some wood panels to try them out. I had wanted to do more with palette knives, but I didn’t know how much I would enjoy it.

What do you like about using palette knives?

Kathleen: They work great for florals. It causes you to work a lot looser and less detailed. Brushes have more control, with palette knives you’re creating the detail by pressing, pulling, or lifting.

Where are you showing your art this year?

Kathleen: I have a show coming in March in Fresno. The owner is a teacher of young children and connects with home schooling movement in her studio. I get to fill one and a half walls and plan to feature three abstract pieces. I’ll use them for inspiration pairing the paintings with new creations in fabric and calling the show “Re-Energized Through Improv.”

I’ve been sewing and quilting—so I have everything from pillows and table runners to coiled fiber and fabric bowls which all coordinate with the paintings. The great thing about fabric is that you can incorporate so much color and texture. I’m currently looking for far-out and non-traditional ways to hang the fabric pieces with the paintings.

What are your goals 2020?

Kathleen: In addition to everything else, one of my fun goals is to improve my artistic wardrobe. I like to look like an artist, so when I can add a piece or two that looks artsy I get excited. That’s one of the things your (Melanie’s) jewelry helps me do. What you’ve made for me is really me, colors and style.

My husband and I also train and show our Havanese dogs. It’s a breed that’s smart enough to make us think they’re really stupid. They’re sometimes a little bit ahead of us.

Overall, my goal is to keep learning, researching, and exploring. That kind of mindset is what keeps people young.

My new wire art class!

December 14, 2018 Leave a Comment

A new wire art class

For the first time in six years, I’m offering a new advanced wire art class! It will feature creative skills for working with wire including bending, embellishing, shaping, adding hanging elements, and balancing a piece. I’m very excited! Here’s the first of two samples, this one is in silver:

Designing a class is an art

Not surprisingly, the process of designing a class requires creativity too.

The name of the class is Meander. Being a lover of words, the first thing I did was look up the definition and make notes about the descriptive words. This set the tone as I wrote the class description and made a list of materials.

Artists who teach likely have two general strategies for preparing a class–a chicken and egg approach, if you will. The first way is to create a piece with a specific class in mind, taking careful notes along the way, step by step. The other approach is to create a finished piece and then think, “Hey! This would make a great class!” This is more challenging because you must reverse-engineer the creation process from memory so that students have clear instructions.

When I create art pieces, my primary focus is always to ask “is this sturdy and stable?” I hardly ever think about the order I did it in. Fortunately, for the Meander class, I did it the first way and have good notes.

New wire art skills and techniques

In the past, I’ve taught classes that feature a specific project that participants walk away with. I’m excited that this advanced class focuses exclusively on students pushing the limits of wire, embellishments, and balance. Instead of a carbon-copy, students develop their confidence in creating an original piece using the techniques discussed in the class.

Since I last taught a class, I have learned new skills from the art I’ve been making. Sometimes wire does unexpected things in the course of producing new work. I am eager to share these discoveries with students. One of the other departures in this class is the option of rhinestones – something sparkly – instead of my more usual pearls or beads (I’m more of a monochrome designer, but hey sparkles, what’s not to like?). We’ll be playing with curves where you can choose to add rhinestone chain (among other things!).

One of the signs of artistry is being able to develop your own design aesthetic and learn to trust your own sensibilities. This class will be an aesthetic challenge for participants to discover what’s pleasing to them. To answer that age-old question: “How do I know when I’m done?” For all these reasons, I can’t wait to teach the class in January!

Learn more about my newest wire art class!

Want to see a second sample piece in copper and read about the class? Visit Creative Castle’s websit e.

Opening a treasure chest

November 16, 2018 1 Comment

The other day, I opened a box of treasures and everything inside was my own work!

Like a lot of artists, I’m most productive when I have a deadline. Art shows in particular motivate me to think creatively and often put me into that flow state where I hardly know I’m creating—present, focused, and enjoying myself.

Working for that deadline, I don’t stop until I’m done. I don’t take photos. My other tasks fall off the radar. All my energy is focused on finishing my art pieces and delivering them in enough time for the show.

That’s why opening this box was such a surprise. As I marveled at its contents, I kept wondering, Did I make all this?

I did! Last year, I showed my work at a local gallery where the shows, deadlines, and new themes kept me hopping. When I requested last year’s pieces back, I opened the box and could hardly remember making it. So much fun stuff!

Best of all, this means I have extra goodies to bring to a holiday boutique this Sunday—along with new pieces too. If you happen to be in southern California and didn’t get the email invitation, please let me know!

Lampwork glass at the heart of my art

April 18, 2018 Leave a Comment

Lampwork glass and wire, together

Lampwork is the art of making glass beads in the fire of a lamp or torch. At the center of my wire art jewelry, often, are other artists.

I love working with wire. I love its challenges and the creativity that wire inspires in me. Although I’ve dabbled in other mediums, wire suits me best. But I also love the depth, color, and variety of lampwork focal pieces.

As I watched glass artists at their craft, I realized that no matter how gorgeous, I didn’t want to learn this craft just to have beautiful focal beads (plus fire—ack!). It is intricate, delicate work. So instead, I’ve become a connoisseur of lampwork and the artists who create using glass.

Borne of fire

Each lampwork bead has layers and layers of glass from rods and tiny shards that artists work in a flame. The flame makes the glass fluid; it melts as they work, so they have to keep the piece in motion to keep it from dripping to the floor. It’s mesmerizing to watch.

Some of my favorite lampwork artists

This month, some of my favorite talented lampwork artists are allowing me to feature them in this post, hard at work. Read on for a sneak peek into some of the art they’re creating right now.

Gail Crosman Moore

Gail’s studio is in Provincetown, MA and has won many awards for her glass art. She uses various types of glass and her use of materials continues to expand. Often her work features metal or fiber along with the glass.

Gail’s glass art in progress

Here are three of Gail’s recent works:

My necklace, Breastplate for Ninsun, features beads by Gail.

Molly Cooley

Molly’s studio, Windswept Tree Glass Art, is in Michigan. She told me, “My space is a complete mess…for some reason I can’t create if it’s clean!” (It looks colorful and gorgeous to me!)

Here are two of Molly’s recent works:

This is a holiday-themed necklace I made with one of her tree-themed pieces.

Viktorija Vait

A few months ago, we featured one of Viktorija’s peices. She’s located in Lithuania and many of her beads are mix of both glass and paint (Etsy).

With Viktorija’s lampwork red bird bead, I created this necklace:

The best part of buying art from different lampwork artists is the variety. There are so many styles—from humorous to artful and everything in between. If I made my own, I’d be much more limited to my style only.

In creating my own art, I love that I get to support other artists. Be sure to check out what these talented women are creating!

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!

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!