New Skill - Lampwork Glass Beads

 

 

I keep taking classes and workshops to enhance or update my jewelry making skills.  The latest course I took was in a totally new area - making beautiful beads, melting glass rods with a torch!  I took a week long class at William Holland School of Lapidary.  My friends in the Jewelry Artists Retreat (JAR) group turned me on to this great learning resource.

Lampwork beads may soon be my newest passion!

Check out more photos of my first beads on my Facebook photo album.

Classes, Workshops Galore!

I am on a fast-track to expand my metal fabrication skills.  If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed that I am like the energizer bunny - getting more and more techniques under my belt!  I am so thankful that I have so many local resources available to me!


This year I made a point to do fewer arts and crafts shows to focus on learning and to find out what technique or techniques are a good fit.  It's been a year and half since I took my first class in metal fabrication at Pullen Arts Center in Raleigh.

My first fabricated pendant

Back of pendant

My first pair of earrings

Since then I have learned:

• how to use of the torch, solder, sawing, filing, and bezel setting with Megan Clark at Pullen Arts
• how to use the hydraulic press to create dimensional forms with Betty McKim - made a locket with rivets
• how to embellishment metals with Kathryn Osgood - etching on brass to make embossing plates to transfer designs to metal and using keum boo to add a pop of gold to silver
• about various casting techniques (broom stick, water, rock salt, cuttlebone) from a group of wonderful women at the Jewelry Artists Retreat (JAR) @ Lake Gaston, NC
• how to flush set faceted stones, again with Megan Clark
• how to make rings with tim lazure - completed 2 rings that I really, really love
• how to add alternate colors on metal with Kathryn Osgood - including patinas and colored resin
• how to tube set a faceted stone and fold form copper at a spring mini-retreat in the NC mountains with Debora (member of JAR) and Kimberly
• how to chase & repousse on copper and silver with the Italian artist Davide Bigazzi, Menlo Park, CA
• how to fuse enameling to copper with Julie Brooks

Next week I will be at William Holland School of Lapidary to learn how to make lampwork glass beads.  It was actually my 3rd choice since my 1st (Silver II: Forging) and 2nd (Enameling) choices were at maximum!  Four other members of JAR will be there, too - we are going to have a blast!

Something Different!

I recently came across some very beautiful postage stamps from Japan - vintage circa "showa period" from 1926-1989.

Since paper doesn't play well with flames (no torches), slump glass tiles came to mind. This is completely outside my usual metal work jewelry but I wanted to preserve several of these as jewelry pieces. They are now listed in my Etsy jewelry shop as part of my Geisha series (a few have already been sold or spoken for).

So what do you think???

Rectangle Pendants

Square Pendants and Earrings

Durham Art Walk Holiday Market - Photos

Just wanted to share a few photos of the recent Durham Art Walk Holiday Market at the Durham Arts Council building, IBM rehearsal hall location.

And also to thank all those behind the scenes who helped put this event together, all the volunteers who helped with setup, breakdown, and "break reliefs"! And a special "Thank You" to our location coordinator, Arthur (The Azul Ocean)!

Amanda Davis of LaTeDaJewels

Nataliya Strumila of Colors of Russia

Amy Yeager of Amy's Creative Corner

Chris Wanyo of Chris Wanyo Photography

Caroline Sandlin of Caroline Sandlin Jewelry

Arthur Koch of The Azul Ocean

Macon Cathey Thornton of Tallulah Jewelry

Sara McCreary of No H Designs

Sandra Manheimer of Vintage Jewelry Encores

Yumi Okita of IRO

Didn't catch this vendor's name (she was sharing with Andrea Stephens of Scrapchique) or her cutey-pie pup - she was so well-behaved, no barking and sitting prettily in her bed!

Linda Searcy Jewelry Designs

My holiday booth setup - layering green fabric and red tablecloth onto white sheets and lace tablecloth.

Durham Art Walk Holiday Market / Durham / Nov 20-21, 2010

Save the dates!

If you are in the Durham area, come out and support your local artists! I will have my line of fine jewelry in metal and wire work. I will be located in the Durham Arts Council (DAC) building, IBM rehearsal hall (lower level), booth #2.

Saturday & Sunday, November 20-21, 2010

Saturday 10 AM-5 PM, Sunday 1-5 PM

The Durham Art Walk Holiday Market is a festive celebration of the arts held in downtown Durham each November, featuring the work of over 200 talented artists in four large downtown venues including the Durham Armory, the Durham Arts Council, Golden Belt and Vega Metals.

Like the Durham Art Walk Spring Market, this event aims to help revitalize downtown Durham by bringing thousands of art lovers for a weekend of art and exploration of all that Durham has to offer. Sip hot cider, enjoy holiday musical performances and great food and find creative, local, handmade gifts for everyone on your holiday list.

Holiday Market visitors can get their purchases gift wrapped by our local nonprofit creative reuse center, The Scrap Exchange. And don’t miss the Burt’s Bees Giving Trees at the Durham Arts Council. See the holiday trees made of recycled materials, donate to the arts and receive a Burt’s Bees ornament filled with artwork or Burt’s Bees products.

This event is free and open to the public. Rain or shine. Take the Bull City Connector on Saturday and on Sunday, free shuttle service is provided. For more information visit www.durhamartwalk.com or call 919-560-ARTS.

The Durham Art Walk is presented and produced by the Durham Arts Council in collaboration with MANY generous community sponsors.

Map & Directions

DAW Program Flyer

Fall Arts Fair @ Sertoma Art Center, Oct 2 - Photos

Oct 2 was a BEAUTIFUL day for the Fall Arts Fair at the Sertoma Arts Center and Shelley Lake in Raleigh!

Tables and chairs were provided to all vendors (indoors and outdoors), and tents for outdoors!

The FAIR provided lots of opportunities to buy pottery, paintings, jewelry, note / greeting cards, soaps and fiber arts.

Pottery demonstrations...

Jill and her sister of OrangeCatArt, prints, notecards, calendars ... - don'tcha love the orange tent?

Jill of LivnGoodJewelry, chainmaille jewelry

My booth setup ... indoors at the Sertoma Arts Centers.

Cheryl of Cheryl Weisz Pottery

Andry Crafts, Artisan Design for Special Occasions

Alice DeLisle, Ceramic Art

Kimberly Clark Riddell, watercolors, ornaments...

Megan Clark, jewelry designer (also a fabulous metalsmith instructor at Pullen Arts Center)

JMarc Designs, fused glass designs

Buckey of Syko Skittzoid Art

Susan's Garden, Pressed Flower Art (Gingko Girl series)

Leigh of AraLeigh Studios, Merit Badge Jewelry

My purchase of the day - Blue Pine Cones bowl from Cheryl Weisz Pottery!

September DDM Show - Photos

This was my 3rd show with Designers Downtown Market and will be the last one for me this year. I wanted to share a few photos of this event.

And how my booth setups have evolved from the 1st DDM show. This was the first time I set up fabrics for sale - I had fabrics in plastic storage bins on a single 6' table. I saw that it was difficult for customers to really see what was available with all items folded tightly in those boxes!

So I invested in several grid walls, shelving and baskets from A & B Fixtures. I was able to spread items around where people could touch, feel and unfold pieces of fabric to see all the fabulous colors and patterns.

And my jewelry setup has changed, again! Before I used empty boxes as risers to create height. But I found that when nature's elements (gusty wind, specifically) made an appearance, my displays ended up on the ground. Not good for the jewelry!

Now, my displays have more weight, have a neater look (since I used some of my fabrics to cover the pads in the display trays), and is easier to pack and unpack (items are pinned in each tray, is covered in bubble wrap and stacked in a single box).

I was able to visit a few vendors near me -2 sisters, Elisabeth Ashlie Jewelry and Kate of CardsbyK8

Christy of Hoot Creations - handmade jewelry

Jennifer of Sweet JAM Designs - jewelry, sewing, paper crafts, and crochet

Ashlee of Hepcat Roux's - funky jewelry, pet tees, cards, and gifts