Pearl Stories, No. 5

Claire MacDonald from Toronto, Canada sent me a teardrop-shaped pearl in the most beautiful pinky-peach color. It had a delicate gold bail attached, too, evidence that it was once part of something. The letter inside the package detailed how it had been an earring and half of a pair given to her by an aunt a few years ago on her birthday. She described how the earrings had quickly become favorites. She also mentioned how as a jeweler she doesn't wear much jewelry but when she does, she chooses pieces that have "sentimental value, or nostalgic meaning," points I can relate to. These earrings, worn almost daily, were special. She continued that one of the jump rings would come loose and she would temporarily loose one of the pearls from time to time. However, somehow, she would always find it, repair the earring, and wear the set once again. Unfortunately, the last time this happened, just a few weeks before I announced my Pearl Piece, she lost one of the pearls for good. When she read my post about collecting pearls from people everywhere, she "couldn't think of anything better than to send the lone remaining pearl to [me]." Now this single pearl is once again a part of something.

Read the other stories:

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

Thanks for reading.

It's Been 10 Years, Part 3

working on Bruised, Once Broken in my Penland studio

photo by Dana Moore

An important and unexpected part of the last ten years is my fascination with artist process. When I began my Penland residency in 2009 I planned to figure out the details of how and why I make my work. I remember writing in my sketchbook a list of all the ways I might try to figure some stuff out. It included daily drawing, reading about jewelry, writing about my work, and various hands-on, exploratory exercises. I'm not sure where this all came from but I feel like I composed the list by thinking about what I dreamed of doing in the studio and never had time for. Then I started to tackle my plan in a very deliberate way.

One winter in particular, I structured my day with a variety of tasks and followed a routine. I made one-hour pieces and did other time-based exercises. I read books on the history of jewelry and studied the work of contemporary jewelers. I thought about my work and I wrote it all down. I did the same round of activities nearly every day and by the end of the winter and I had tons of information at my finger tips. Then I realized I could use this information to my advantage. I was beginning to discover where my ideas were coming from and why, I understood the basic steps I took each time I made a new piece, and I knew what to do when I felt stuck.

Then process became my "thing." I wrote a memoir-style essay for a magazine about how I began to discover my process and lead Penland's Core Fellows through eight weeks of process during their core seminar. I went on to teach workshops at a number of places from Seattle, WA to Certaldo, Italy. In turn, I realized how much I love seeing how other artists work and truly enjoy helping people discover their own methods. Process has come to have its own identity in my work, too. It is often part of my concept as a ritual or some integral component that I choose to leave exposed.

Every artist has their own unique process, but I believe there are some universal basics. I share my personal experience as a way to guide others and I encourage my students to be open and to try everything. I also tell them some parts will be easy and some will be a struggle. I usually discover more about my own process every time I lead my 3D-sketching exercise or have my students make a list of 50 things that inspire them. I love digging deep and questioning and doing so only serves to make me better at what I do. Thinking back now, I am so excited about all of this and I know that what I found in the last ten years is just the beginning.

paper model for the piece

the completed piece

There are tons of pictures of process on my Flickr page and here are links to process images from I Live Here Now and In Between, my most recent work.

Thanks for reading.

Adding More Layers

oldest natural pearl, dated between 5547 and 5235 B.C.

Just a few images and links to some of my inspirations and sources as I work on my Pearl Piece... from ancient pearls to a Brancusi bronze to Pluto. 

"All art is autobiographical. The pearl is the oyster's autobiography." 

- Federico Fellini

Prometheus by Brancusi

Pearls by Shohei Shirai

Oolites or cave pearls, sedimentary rocks formed from ooids, 

spherical grains composed of concentric layers

Pluto

2,000 year-old natural pearl found on the north Kimberley coast of Western Australia

Thanks for reading.

Pearl Stories, No. 3

Virginia Hungate-Hawk sent me three faux pearl necklaces that she found amongst "all kinds of things one keeps but does not move away with." Her metalsmith mom had just turned her childhood room into a studio and Virginia had to sort through things she had left behind when she moved away years ago, things like ticket stubs and old jewelry. The change seemed bittersweet for Virginia. As she wrote in the note she included with her contribution, she had encouraged her mom to make the change, but it had caused her to realize one "never can really go home." This got me thinking about all the times I moved and all the things I left behind, got rid of, gave away, held on to, or put into storage. Objects mark time. They remind us of people and places and our attachment is personal and often rooted in emotion. I have a huge collection of jewelry and there are many, many pieces I haven't worn in years, but I choose to keep because they remind me of something or someone. As I thought about my jewelry, I remembered my own faux pearls including a bracelet I wore at my prom when I was 16. I know exactly where it is in my childhood home and I think I'll have my mom send it to me here in San Francisco. It needs to be a part of this piece. Virginia said she can't remember details of the necklaces she sent, but perhaps she wore one of the strands to her prom, too.

Read the other stories here and here.

Thanks for reading.

The Sea for My Birthday

May 1, 2014, 7:58pm

When I was in Iceland in 2014 I celebrated my 40th birthday, and for the entire month of May, my birthday month, I took a picture of the sea standing in the same exact spot. Every day I would walk to the rock wall across the street from SÍM where I was a resident artist. I would climb on top of one particular rock and place my foot in a groove that perfectly fit the side of my left combat boot. I used this groove as a tool to position myself in the same way for each photo, and it was a ritual: walking there, climbing on that one rock. placing my foot just so, looking out, taking a picture. I would also try to pause for a moment before and after taking the picture just to look.

I've been holding onto this series for over a year, thinking about it occasionally, and now that I'm without a studio, it's a great time to move forward. I'm trying to decide what to do with the images so I'm playing around with collaging them into a grid or a calendar-like composition. Another thought is to position them horizontally, side by side, in one long line or to create a book with one image per page. My friend, Brandon Dawley, who does all my graphic design, is helping me with the cropping, using his expert skills to get the horizon line perfectly centered in each image.

May 31, 2014, 9:21am

Thanks for reading.

Revisiting Older Thoughts: Drawing Iceland

Last year I described a drawing project I had begun in which I layered lines I saw in photographs of Iceland: the edge of a glacier, the curves of moss-covered rocks, the peak of a mountain. I worked steadily on the project for awhile and made a few pieces I really liked. Some drawings are made with several pieces of paper layered on top of one another, each with a single line drawn on it, while others combined several lines onto one sheet. I also liked experimenting with my photocopier or with effects in iPhoto to vary and degrade the line quality. However, the project was put on hold because I got caught up with other work and obligations. I would like to revisit the project now because drawing is something I can do without a studio and because something really nice is happening with these marks. And if anything, drawing these lines again is a way for me to stay connected with my home away from home and the memories tied to every photo I took. 

Sólheimajökull glacier tongue in south Iceland, taken in May, 2014

You can see more images on Flickr including some process pictures.

Thanks for reading.

24 Devoted Hours

my amazing class and all their work

Over the weekend I taught an artist process class at Pratt Fine Arts Center and it was a truly wonderful, rewarding, inspiring experience. The master class was three 8-hour days of thinking, writing, and making exercises devoted to the how and why of art making. On the first day we focused on ideas, followed by how students make their work on day two, and lastly on day three, we looked closely at challenges and blocks. 

We began each day with an exercise to get everyone thinking deeply about their work followed by a 3D "sketching" project using common materials. After lunch we took a walk to observe our surroundings and take pictures of the things we find interesting. Then I asked students to observe what they observed by studying the photos and jotting down quick notes. The afternoon was spent with another focused thinking/writing exercise and then independent work time. Students could use these hours to dive into a project of their own or try any number of process exercises I had suggested. I took this time to meet with each student for 15 minutes to talk about their work. By the end of day three everyone had lots of writing done and made lots of wonderful, exploratory pieces. My students worked so hard in those 24 hours and were so open and fun. I felt just as inspired as they were!

I also gave a lecture the first day to a big crowd. Throughout the course of the talk, I detailed my career, process, individual bodies of work, and travel. I always try to be conversational and enjoy making eye contact with as many people as possible. Everyone seemed really engaged as I spoke and there were great questions and comments at the end. 

detail of some of the fantastic student work

during my lecture

 

Julie tearing copier paper

Checha fitting a bracelet made of egg cartons 

talking about the "how" on day two

a brooch by Barbara

Satpreet sewing on cardboard 

Thanks to Pratt, Rebbecca Tomas, Jewelry/Metals Manager and instructor at Pratt, and my students for such an incredible weekend! I would also like to thank the National Endowment for the Arts, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and 4culture for helping to make the Master Series possible.

See more pictures on Flickr.

Thanks for reading.

Teaching and Lecturing Today

My Master Class,"Exploring a Process, Forming a Language," begins today at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA. For the next three days I will lead my students through a variety of making, thinking, and writing exercises to help them discover and define how and why they make their work. Also this evening at 6:30 I will give a lecture about my work and process. The lecture is also at Pratt and is free and open to the public.

Masters Series Class: Exploring a Process, Forming a Language

Pratt Fine Arts Center
1902 S Main Street
Seattle, WA 98144
206-328-2200
May 8, 9, 10 from 9:30-5:30 each day

Master Artist Lecture

Pratt Fine Arts Center
Painting and Drawing Studio (Yellow Building)
1902 S Main StreetSeattle, WA 98144 
206-328-2200
May 8 at 6:30

Thanks for reading.

5 Days in the Life of a Jeweler

reworking older work into new one-of-a-kind 

and limited edition pieces

A new Facebook challenge is surfacing called 5 Days in the Life of a Jeweler:

"If you get nominated, then once a day for 5 days running you post what it means to you, on a day-to-day level, to be a jeweler. Include a pic of your work if you like and each day you nominate a fellow jeweler to take part."

I was nominated by jeweler, UW alum, and friend, Michelle Jansuy.

What does it mean to me to be a jeweler? Every day is different. I spend on average half my day making work and half my day doing business. I make jewelry for my galleries, fill Etsy orders, make wedding rings and other custom jewelry, and create one-of-a-kind and conceptual work for exhibitions... I answer emails, blog and do other online marketing, prepare classes and lectures, create invoices, do my bookkeeping. I also try to sketch, write about my work, and pursue other creative projects. I don't do all of these things every day, but I often juggle many of them. I think this is typical for anyone in the field and anyone making art. The varied to-do list keeps things interesting, and challenging. It also keeps me on my toes and pretty much ready for anything. I love what I do, every bit of it.

This week I have a busier than usual schedule as I prepare to leave for 16 days but I want to participate. So, instead of five consecutive days, here are five recent images from my studio that illustrate the five-day challenge, all pictures of the making half of my life as a jeweler:

prepping production jewelry for my upcoming trunk show 

at Velouria in Seattle

making an 18K yellow gold wedding band

documenting contributions for the Pearl Piece 

for my solo exhibition at Sienna Patti Contemporary

painting a selection of Regal Graffiti in my new Iceland palette

Thanks so much to Michelle for nominating me and for the kind words she wrote about me and my work on her FB post. Please check out her gorgeous work!

Finally, my nomination... I'm going to choose only one person since I'm only posting on one day. I would like to nominate Paul Adie, my friend and fellow metalsmith from Scotland. His work is wonderful, too!

Thanks for reading.

Discovering the How and Why

I have two workshops coming up, one here in New York at Syracuse University and the other way on the other side of the U.S. at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA. I will teach process at both places, leading students through different exercises to get ideas flowing and to understand where they come from and why. I truly believe process is a tool just like the hammer or paintbrush. There are lots of ways to discover and define your process and the more you understand, the better equipped you will be to make your best work.

My class at Syracuse University is for the jewelry and metalsmithing department and happens on March 31. The workshop will happen during the day and later I will give a public lecture. The lecture is free and open to everyone and is also on March 31 at 6:30pm.

Then in May I fly to Seattle to teach a master class at Pratt Fine Arts Center. The class will focus on process, too, and is open to all artists, not just metalsmiths. In addition to process exercises and hands-on learning, I will also talk about how I use social media to share my process. Here's the description from the catalog:

"Every artist has his or her own way of generating ideas and making work; discovering these methods is a helpful tool for creating better work and for dealing with common daily challenges like starting a new piece, making aesthetic decisions, and overcoming creative blocks. In this workshop students will be introduced to a variety of ways to find ideas and understand how they make their work. Through hands-on and contemplative exploration with common materials, collecting visual inspiration, and simple writing exercises, students will consider their own individual artistic process. All exercises are based on Amy's unique experience defining her own process over the years. In addition, using Amy's experience sharing her process on social media through her blog and Facebook, students will begin to learn how to present their process in a public manner as they discover their own language for describing the why and how of what they create. Prerequisite: some Jewelry/Metals experience (or some experience in any media)"

The weekend class runs May 8, 9, and 10 from 9:30-5:30 each day.

I will also give a public lecture at Pratt and will post those details soon.

If you have any questions about the class at Pratt or the public lecture I will give at Syracuse University, please feel free to email me at atavern@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading.

February at SÍM

I'm very happy to be back at SÍM in Reykjavík. I'm in my "old" space with that spectacular view of the sea, and given the winter weather, it's even more variable than over the early summer when I was here last. I love working in this spot. I love watching the clouds roll in and listening to the waves crash against the break wall.

I'm working on two new pieces for my upcoming solo exhibition at Sienna Gallery as well as developing the overall concept for the show, writing my artist statement, planning logistics, and so on. However, I won't make either piece until I return to the U.S.; this is just the research/thinking/writing part of my process. In addition to this work, I'm also taking my long walks, working with new found objects, making small drawings with horse hair, creating more videos, and, of course, shooting many, many photographs.

image of my view when I started writing this post

desk detail

image still from a video made in Blönduós

 horse hair drawing in my sketchbook

my latest finds from a low tide walk along the sea

image of my view when I was done writing this post, 

after about 20 minutes

Thanks for reading.

Ends

This is the pile of ends I snipped with my tiny embroidery scissors as I created my black island. I like to give things like this a little bit of credit. Even though they are essentially cast-offs, they deserve a little recognition. They are an important part of the process, too.

Thanks for reading.

Textílsetur, Part 2

Since my arrival I've been working on a black version of my white Island of 14,264 Days. I'm using a similar process as before with a few changes and will be sewing my last knots on the new piece in the next few days. The piece is about darkness, the sadness and heaviness of life, the difficulties and challenges, the other half... I wanted to be here in Iceland in the winter in the dark to make this piece and the season and lack of light has proved very inspirational. I'm not ready to go into greater detail or show images right now... I want to keep this one to myself for a little while longer. However, I'm happy to share some of the things I've been listening to, looking at, and reading over the past month including a few podcasts about different kinds of darkness, some articles, a map, and a beautiful poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Seeing in the Dark on Radiolab

Dark Side of the Earth on Radiolab

The Secret History of Thoughts on Invisibilia

Jasper Johns: ‘Regrets belong to everybody, don’t they?’ 

by Julie L Belcove

Jorge Manilla: Oscure Sacrifices by Susan Cummins

a map of "what the world would look like if it were only made of islands." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

A Psalm of Life by Longfellow

Tell me not, in mournful numbers, 

        Life is but an empty dream! — 

    For the soul is dead that slumbers, 

        And things are not what they seem.

    Life is real !   Life is earnest! 

        And the grave is not its goal; 

    Dust thou art, to dust returnest, 

        Was not spoken of the soul.

    Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, 

        Is our destined end or way; 

    But to act, that each to-morrow 

        Find us farther than to-day.

    Art is long, and Time is fleeting, 

        And our hearts, though stout and brave, 

    Still, like muffled drums, are beating 

        Funeral marches to the grave.

    In the world's broad field of battle, 

        In the bivouac of Life, 

    Be not like dumb, driven cattle! 

        Be a hero in the strife!

    Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! 

        Let the dead Past bury its dead! 

    Act,— act in the living Present! 

        Heart within, and God o'erhead!

    Lives of great men all remind us 

        We can make our lives sublime, 

    And, departing, leave behind us 

        Footprints on the sands of time;

    Footprints, that perhaps another, 

        Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 

    A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 

        Seeing, shall take heart again.

    Let us, then, be up and doing, 

        With a heart for any fate; 

    Still achieving, still pursuing, 

        Learn to labor and to wait.

Thanks for reading.

Little Studio

Just a few images of my little studio at the residency, my first stitch on my new piece, and the view one afternoon last week... I feel pretty fortunate to be working in this space with this view. My work is going well. I work in one or two hour increments and take breaks in between to move my body and use my eyes in different ways. I usually take a walk at some point, do some reading, or work on my computer. I often work in silence, which feels luxurious, but sometimes I listen to music or podcasts. The days go by in a quiet way and I am enjoying every moment.

Thanks for reading.