Crazy Lace Agate Heart

When I first started writing this blog I took a close-up of this stone and posted it. I love unusual stones. Every stone is a miraculous work of art in it's own right. Most of the time I don't want to put anything around the stones. It takes time to think about different settings and what would be right for each stone. Sometimes I'll sketch out pages and pages of ideas before I make a decision about which setting. To me, the stone and the sketches are the start of a short journey. I only get to keep these small creations for a short time. The joy is seeing the finished piece find it's rightful owner.

Collaboration

I love it when artists collaborate on a piece of art. I was fortunate to have a portrait artist, Lynyia, bring a camera and a diamond ring into the store and ask about having a pendant made.

She brought me a copy of the wings off her logo and asked about putting it all together. I love a challenge, so of course I told her I would give it a try. You can see the logo design has many layers. Lynyia had already decided what the most important elements were and how it might look in 3D. That made my job easier.

I made the wings two-sided in fine silver, in case the pendant spun around. I wanted it to look just as good from the reverse side as it did from the front. Also, I wanted the vintage look on the wings, so I applied a patina of liver of sulphur with ammonia.

If you take a look at her portrait site, you will see why it tied in perfectly to her creations on her site, http://www.lynyia.com/

I hope to see more fun projects like this one!

Jewlery as Art vs. Craft

I have heard a few comments from a local arts commission and recently a museum auction, that views "jewelry" as a "craft" versus an "art". I will have to disagree on this generalization.

Wikipedia's descriptions:
A craft is a skill, especially involving practical arts. It may refer to a trade or particular art.

The term is often used to describe the family of artistic practices within the decorative arts that traditionally are defined by their relationship to functional or utilitarian products (such as sculptural forms in the vessel tradition) or by their use of such natural media as wood, clay, glass, textiles, and metal. Crafts practiced by independent artists working alone or in small groups are often referred to as studio craft. Studio craft includes studio pottery, metal work, weaving, wood turning and other forms of wood working, glass blowing, and glass art.

Folk art follows craft traditions, in contrast to fine art or "high art".

In contrast Wikipedia's description for "fine art"
"Fine art or the fine arts describes an art form developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery".[1]

Historically, the fine arts were limited to painting, sculpture, architecture and engraving.[2] Today, the fine arts commonly include visual and performing art forms, such as painting, sculpture, installation, Calligraphy, music, dance, theatre, architecture, photography and printmaking. However, in some institutes of learning or in museums fine art, and frequently the term fine arts (pl.) as well, are associated exclusively with the visual art forms."


I view "craft" as something you usually receive a kit or instructions to tell you how to do your "craft". Art I see as something that is created from nothing but an idea...you choose the media and decide how it all goes together and the emotion, message, design you are trying to convey. I am also thinking of other instances where painting or sculpture is considered in the fine arts, but not other medias. I think jewelry is sculpture on a smaller scale. I do not think that all jewelry is practical and there are definitely concepts behind the glass, metal, fiber, and wood art I have seen at galleries.

So, I ask for your thoughts on this discussion and wonder how to change this view by museums and art organizations? Just on my mind today.

Dragonfly Messenger

The other day I was walking out of the post office and this dragonfly was on the ground in front of me. I was amazed at the size and how perfect it was. I took this as a sign from this special messenger. I went back to my studio and started work on a new dragonfly pendant to honor this little creature. Now I just have to decide what color and shape of beads to put around this little beauty.

I hope you look today where you are walking and discover a little messenger of your own.

Happy Mother's Day to All the Mothers in the World

I look forward to Mother's Day as a time to give back a little something to my mom. Over the years, for her birthday or Mother's Day I have tried to give something very unique. I thought I would share a few of the items to also tell the story of what a unique individual she is. One year I created a Heart that opened up and it says inside "All you need is love." This was because she gave me her time, her love and her attention when I was healing from surgery a few years back.
Another year, she had seen a sculpture that she like by an artist named Robert Kerr. It was called a Woman in Bondage. I didn't like the idea of a woman in bondage, so I made a woman with wings who could fly away whenever she wanted to.
A few years back she wanted an animal totem necklace because of her affinity with animals. She has always taken in animals that someone else had cast aside. She has rescued several German Sheppards, parrots, cockatiels, stray cats and a few fish. I combined the fetishes with seraphinite because of it's angelic associations. And she is a true angel to almost everyone she meets.
So here's to all the special Moms out their and the daughters who love them.

Charm for Pet Owners

Someone recently lost their favorite pet and asked me to make a pendant for them. They also wanted to give similar pendants to the people at the clinic that helped them in their time of need. These types of gifts are definitely from the heart of the giver. I am blessed with the opportunity to co-create with the giver.

Christian Cross and Charms

This week my father is retiring from the ministry after more than 30 years. The vestry at his church asked me to make retirement gifts for my mother and father. I recommended making a reminder of their time at the church to take with them. So, I took photos of all the stained glass windows and designed jewelry and a plaque for a wooden cross to give them. It was nice to work on something that is so close to our hearts. I have always loved the hand-painted windows in the church. The church is researching the history of the windows and I hope to have this to share with others in the future. One of the windows is from Tiffany's.