Cows or no cows, creativity finds a way

October 23, 2018 4 Comments

At the risk of repeating myself, running a farm takes a lot of time. I’ve been pulled in so many directions this year that I’m not creating wire art as consistently as in 2017.

Here’s the amazing thing. When you’re creative, you almost can’t help but make things no matter what is going on. Whether a giant tree comes down on the power lines or a cow ends up in the neighbor’s pasture, creativity finds a way to keep flowing.

This post is a show-and-tell to share ways art is still finding a way into my life.

Creative outlet 1: Moodboard

I’ve been creating my own Project Runway. Design your Fall Collection, a class on Seamwork.com, helped me identify my personal style and inspired me to create a turtleneck dress. This is the 38-piece printable pattern I’m working from (invisible tape not included).

Although it’s been years since I sewed, the creative muscle memory from Home Ec in 7th grade is still there. Sitting in front of the machine, I know what I need to look at, where things go, and it’s like riding a bicycle. I love it!

Creative outlet 2: Beads

Just because my studio time is limited doesn’t mean I stop looking for new inspiration. My love for lampwork glass beads is unending. This recent arrival from Russia (by artist, Olga Vilnova) inspires me. Just look at the detail and colors!

Creative outlet 3: Shows

Ask any artist. Having a deadline to show your work is motivating. I was thrilled that my In the Doghouse piece was juried into the Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts event last month. While I was finishing that for the deadline, another piece was brewing. For now, it’s resting (that’s an important part of the creative process), but I love it.

My vision is of bees flying their curlicue path among the flowers and barbed wire around the farms where we live. It might become a display with a wearable art pendant, but since the “Ag Show” is here and gone, I’m thinking about next year’s Blossom Trail art events. Sneak peek! Here’s what it looks like so far.

Creative outlet 4: Quilting class

Invited by my dear creative friend and artist, Kathleen Mattox, I’m taking a quilting class and have already started on two pieces. The first is a baby animals quilt. Of course there’s a calf in it.

The other is a fun and colorful birdhouse quilt. Here it is, laid out in pieces on the kitchen counter (because where else would you put it?), ready to be sewn together.

Creative outlet 5: Knitting

At night while we relax in front of the television, I’m knitting with fibers I love for their texture, color, and variety. My hands are on the go! This lovely gradient shawl is one of my works in progress.

When you love color and texture, all the sparkly, colorful, and shiny things just work their way into your life. It’s fun to show you what I HAVE been up to creatively and see it all in one place. It’s a reminder that even as farm life happens around me, being creative is just who I am.

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.

Quirky cats as art jewelry inspiration

September 30, 2016 1 Comment

A lifetime of cats

Maybe I was destined to choose cats for my art jewelry. Ever since I named my first kitty Lilac Starlight when I was really little, unique cats have been parading through my life with tails held high.

Champ was an orange tabby from the apple farm who got increasingly nicked-up ears earning his street cred after we moved to California.
Bob came to us with a tail that didn’t work, but with the care of an attentive vet, regained full use to get into all kinds of mischief.
Young Mr. Puss became an annual fixture in our holiday card when he jumped into a photo his first year with us. Later years he did not volunteer and we had to hold him down for the photo moment with predictable flying fur.

Mr. Puss, Art Critic

In addition to their unique personalities, most of our cats have gone by two names. Upon their arrival to the ousehold, I’d come up with a moniker I liked. But as the cat grew on my husband, he’d christen it with a second name—the one that usually stuck. So CK became Bob. Bug became Mr. Puss. In any case, they never minded the extra attention.

Not exactly catless today

We have myriad dogs (our own and others’) underfoot and farm animals too, but I still love cats. My favorite thing about them is their independence, personality, and character.

Although our household is catless at the moment, I get my feline fix using the hilarious and quirky cat beads created by Kathleen O’Connor in my necklaces and pendants. Each of her characters are hilarious and unique. Like Professor Specs, for example.

And these two purr-fectly innocent (but probably mischievous) Halloween cats.

Can you see how the pink Wicked Witch cat below has a playfully square-kinked tail?

I mirror the same quirky angles in Kathleen’s art in my accent wirework and hand-forged links. And just look at those eyes! What personality!

Artistic inspiration

Kathleen is a talented artist and a great person. When I asked her how she makes these glass beads, she explained that she first lampworks the tab bead base, and then paints the scene with very fine ground glass. She sometimes fires the piece several times to add layers of color. It’s a complicated and unusual process because lampworkers usually finish a bead and then fire it once.

An exciting announcement

As of this month, my collection of necklaces and pendants featuring Kathleen O’Connor’s Scaredy Cats is on my brand new online shop. Even if there’s no Lilac Starlight, I hope you’ll take a look at all the fun, quirky cats in my life!