Paper Jewelry Love

Elsa Mora

I love paper and use it often as part of my artistic process, cutting and folding maquettes to help me visualize a piece before I begin fabricating it. My love of paper also keeps me looking for interesting paperwork in the form of jewelry. My friend Lisa who is really good at finding super-cool stuff on the internet sent me a link to the work of Elsa Mora and her incredible cut and folded paper ring (top image)...I've also added a few examples of more amazing jewelry made with paper:

Lydia Hirte

Laura Wood

Saloukee

Frucci Design

Tia Kramer

Nel Linssen

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Do You Know About My Wedding Rings?

Betsy and Scott-the first set I made back in 2002

The other day I was reviewing all the images on my Facebook Fan page and discovered that my wedding rings were not among the over 1400 images I've posted. I just added them there now. I don't make a lot of wedding rings, maybe three or four sets a year with the occasional trifecta of bride and groom bands and the engagement ring, but I really enjoy making them when I do get an opportunity. I know I've said this before and I'll say it again: Making wedding and engagement rings is a challenging and rewarding process and a big responsibility because they are such significant and personal pieces of jewelry. I find such joy in the process, though, and it always feels pretty special.

Amy and Glen
a more traditional style and my favorite image of a set I made

Melissa
made for my friend and still my hands-down favorite design

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New Studio

I moved into a new studio space at 7 Ton Letterpress Collective in Asheville. 7 Ton includes my friends Beth Schaible, Ele Annand, Kelly Kelbel, and Bridget Elmer, all letterpress printmakers. My goal is to eventually have my own studio because I prefer working alone, but at this point in my transition into "real" life I know affording my own space is impossible. In the meantime I get to share a great studio with some wonderful people and look forward to making my work alongside them. Right now I have some of my things here--the hand tools I took to Belgium, my torch, my bench while the majority of my tools are still in storage. I'm moving all of that and all my apartment stuff in early November. I really can't wait to get settled in!

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Hot Under the Collar Revisited

I was looking through my photos the other day and realized I never posted these: a few images from jurying "Hot Under the Collar" with Bob Ebendorf. The image at the top shows us with pictures of the final pieces. We printed them so we could see how they worked together as a group side by side. It was hard to tell how the would look together just by looking at pictures on a screen. The prints proved to be a very helpful tool. I have also posted some pictures of the green chairs in the room--I loved them! Again, jurying this show was a great experience. It was fantastic to work with Bob and Liz Steiner, the organizer. It was a fascinating challenge to choose only 30 pieces from a rather large pool of about 400. I do hope I get to jury a show again.

Thanks for reading.

Guest Star #101...My Belgian Jeweler Friends

Hilde Van Belleghem

I left Belgium a month ago and thinking back I remember the many wonderful Belgian/Beigium-based jewelers I met during my stay. Here's a recap to say thanks to them for their friendship and support. I've included links for as many artists as I could and I do hope you'll take a further look.

Jonathan Hens

Marta Miguel Martínez-Soria

Nathalie Perneel

Barbara Deriemaeker

Lotte De Mey

Jorge Manilla

Linda Savineau

Ria Lins

Nina Airopetova 

Hervée Darmont

Carine Van Lamdeghem

Karen Vanmol

Arnaud Sprimont

Nevin Arig

Patricia Van den Berghe

Cynthia Jacobs

Thanks for reading.

More of What's Next

I am fortunate to have several shows in the works for the coming months and for 2013. During the holidays I will have work at Light Art + Design in a dedicated metals show. I will also have earrings at an earrings show at J. Cotter Gallery.

twisted wire necklace by Raissa Bump

I am very pleased to say I will have a two-person show with my good friend, Raissa Bump, at Gallery Lulo next September. We have been emailing back and forth a little about the show, but have no firm ideas yet.

Finally, my brooch, "Bruised, Once Broken" will travel to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock next August as part of a traveling Rapheal Prize Exhibition.

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So What's Next?

I will travel to Virginia Commonwealth University to take part in a symposium on November 15 and 16. The Handcrafted Entrepreneurship Symposium will include a panel discussion and lectures by all the participating artists. The artists are Daniel Michalik, Heather Mae Rickson, and Alex Hibbitt. I really love doing stuff like this. I love being able to shed some light on what can be and often is a very scary thing: trying to make it on your own as an artist. I will post more details as they arise. 

Later in February I will travel to Arizona again to present at the YUMA Symposium. I know I mentioned this before, but now I know will give a talk about my trip to Belgium and how it affected my work. The talk is called: "Observation/Translation: 90 Days in Belgium." You can see a full list of presenters here. 

Thanks for reading.

Drawing, Permanence, and Place

Back in May I participated in my first enameling exhibition at the Shemer Arts Center in Scotsdale, AZ. The show, "Heat Exchange" included the work of enamelists from around the world and was curated by Elizabeth Turrel, Beate Gegenwart, and Melissa Cameron. After the show ended in Arizona it traveled to Erfurt, Germany and then traveled again to Ravenstein, Netherlands where it is currently on view. Elizabeth sent me some photos of the show at both places and I have posted a few for you now. It's an incredibly gratifying thing to see one's work travel...

Kunstmuseen der Stadt Erfurt

 Helen Carnac

 a view of Erfurt

Museum Voor Vlakglas, Ravenstein

Thanks for reading.

And Then I Came Back...

the White Cliffs of Dover

I got back to the U.S. last week...I wasn't ready to come back, though. After such a incredible trip, who would? Anyway, I am eager to get back to the bench and excited about moving forward with my work and business, once I get a studio going. For now I'm answering apartment listings and making a variety of to-do lists. I've also posted all my remaining images from the trip on Facebook and Flickr but here are the highlights of the highlights:

My final days in Europe were lovely. I met up with my sweetheart in London and we headed to Herne Bay, Kent where he did a guest spot at Classic Ink Tattoo. I spent my hours wandering around the town and taking the double decker bus to nearby Canterbury. Canterbury hosts a little gem of a museum called the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge.  Its collection is divided into a number of categories, my favorites being: "Materials and Their Uses,""Cabinet if Curiosities," and "Colour and Camouflage." Materials and Their Uses includes displays of glass, ceramics, wood, metal, and this impressive dollhouse furniture case.

dollhouse furniture and accessories from the 18th and early 19th century

Later we traveled to Dover to see the White Cliffs (top picture) and then back to London for a few days. One of my favorite places in London was the Wellcome Collection, a museum that connects medicine with art and life. It includes an exhibition of objects that belonged to its founder, Henry Wellcome. "Medicine Man" is composed of all sorts of unusual things and oddities that relate to the body or health--Napolean's toothbrush,  prosthetic devices from the 1900s, a mummy. It's one of the most fascinating collections I have ever seen.

Thanks for reading.