Nancy Small's class pendant

    

 

     Nancy used an ad from the Better Homes and Garden magazine.  Instead of using the entire picture for inspiration, she used a view finder to block out unwanted areas and search for interesting design possibilites.   In the process of creating this piece, she discovered "hidden visuals" that she didn't realize were there.  An example was the positive shape she laid on her background, looked like an N (for Nancy.)  When finished with Black Max, the same N took on the look of an old time shoe. 

 

     This strong, bold design is just the beginning to designing more of your own pieces Nancy.  You did a wonderful job of "seeing" design possibilities.  

Donna Churchill's metal clay pendant

Here is Donna's visual thought process.  

The original image was a spiral staircase.

She did several drawings, searching for a design that "felt right" to her.  After choosing a design, she had to decide how she was going to bring her idea to life.  

The final piece, evolved even more as she worked on the design and allowed her sense of balance to add a trillion CZ on the left side.  

Great job Donna!

Designing Women

   I just got out of bed this afternoon at 3:16. (Too many late nights.  No not out drinking.... out PMCing.)   It has been a whirlwind weekend that was soooo much fun.  Several friends of mine from TN, came up this weekend to work in metal clay at my new studio.   I met them a year ago when we all came together from different areas to take a Level I Certification class in PMC.  There were five of us in that class and we all hit it off so well that we rented a cottage together and went back to class last June to take our Level 2 Certification and an enameling class.  We are going to come together again this spring to do the PMC retreat at Arrowmont.  

    Two 0f the girls wanted to learn about designing their own jewelry, instead of just following directions to make something someone else designed.   We discussed the elements and principles of design and a variety of techniques for use in generating ideas.  Then I gave them a list of assignments they could try out.  

   Time was short, but we burned the midnight oil and created several pieces of jewelry.  The major piece for both of them were pendants.   They both used magazine photos for design inspiration in their pieces.  

   Donna found a picture of a spiral staircase in a Smithsonian magazine for her inspiration and Nancy found hers in an advertisement for Charmin.  (It was the cute little puppies that drew her attention first.)  They drew up designs, tried variations on them and finalized their ideas with a drawing of what they wanted their piece to look like.  Most of this process was done well into the morning hours on Saturday morning.  After a couple hours of sleep (literally) we headed to the studio to bring their designs into being.  When we got home from the studio, it just kept on going as they learned how to make a Photopolymer plate.  Another late night ensued.  (I'm too old for this late night stuff..... but it sure was fun!)

    These designing women learned how to create a piece of metal clay jewelry from inception to completion.  In the words of Candace Olson "How divine!"

Commissions

     Commissions make me nervous.  I would much rather just make something and hope that someone would like it enough to buy it, but that isn't always feasible.  The last commission I did was a butterfly necklace for a friend of mine.  She has yet to see it.  I like it a lot and I hope she does too, but one never knows.  My friend knew what she wanted, so that made it easier.

     Sometimes the buyer thinks they don't really know what they want and I find that more difficult.  They probably still have something in their head.  Then it is my job to try to figure out what that is and hope for the best.  

Right now I am working on another commission, which is a good thing.  It is a piece for a former associate but she doesn't know it.  She will be receiving it as a gift.   In some ways, this is an easy commission and in some ways it is not.  Hopefully it will be exactly what the client wants and I will be able to breathe easier.   

Bead and Gem Show

   Today I went to my first ever Bead and Gem show.  It was okay, but not what I expected.  I  guess I expected great bargains and wholesale prices, but there were few of those.  There really weren't as many vendors as I expected either.  The very first thing I picked up was a $295 string of beads.   Gulp..... not in my price range.  There were also lots of finished jewelry pieces, but none that I considered anything different than the usual.  I browsed around for about and hour and a half and did manage to find some things; even though I couldn't find anything that I was looking for.  I spent $52  and got a variety of beads.  For some reason today I was in the mood for multi-colored strands of the small variety.  There were some "huge" beads, but that's not me.  I'm not usually a Swarovski crystal kind of gal either, but those were pretty impressive.  There was a whole wall of Swarovskis and they almost blinded me.  I never knew they sparkled like that.   But I guess when you hang hundreds of thousands of them together, that's how they look.  I did buy a 24" strand of multi-colored Swarovskis and my daughter and daughter in law will like these, some little butterfly Swarovskis.  Those were pretty decently priced.  

    Even though I probably won't go to another one, I did enjoy myself.  I rode to the show with a fellow artist from the Transit Gallery.  Gave us a chance to get to know each other better.  Now though, I've got to get busy, make more metal clay and use my new beads.  That shouldn't be too hard.

How to tell you're getting old

     My hubby had an eye appointment today as a follow up to an appointment he had five months ago.  He had a cataract that was being watched and even before today's appointment he had decided to have it removed.  Now, in my opinion, cataracts are something that old people develop.  Maybe that's not true, but that is how I see it.  The doctor agreed that yes it should be done, so he has surgery scheduled for Nov. 4th.   This post is not really about the cataract as a sign of aging though.   

   While he was in the doctor's chair, the assistant called him "honey" twice.  When people you don't know start to call you honey, dear or sweetie, you're old. 

     It gets even worse, the older you get.  They start hugging you.  (That happens to my Dad a lot!)

     Stay away from me and don't call me anything!  

I'll be dead by morning

Well, I started today to work on my "big butt".  Hubby and I went this morning to check out the fitness center at the YMCA.  We use to go there 20 years ago (when we were young and cute.  That was when I use to wear  little leotard type outfits with little tie shirts on top.  I had them in all colors.  They actually looked like bathing suits.  I'll post a picture from those days if I can find it. )  

 After we spent our hour there, we headed to the golf course and golfed nine holes.  (At least hubby golfed nine holes.  I sort of goofed nine holes.) 

 Then we barely made it back in time for me to pick up my daughter in law and we headed off to boot camp.  (That's right...... boot camp.)  We did circuits for two minutes each, marched for a few seconds, then ran around the gym to the next circuit.  If we couldn't do something we could march in place.  (I did more marching than most of the others.)  But I did it, with a very red face.  (Darn it gets hot in there.)  I didn't like all the mirrors in there though.  I had to look at myself jumping and bouncing more than I wanted to.  (Time for a sports bra!)  

Right now I don't feel too bad, but I know that I probably overdid it for the first day.   Either I won't be able to crawl out of bed tomorrow or I'll be dead by morning.  Pray for me please!

Being a critic

Every Friday is critique day on my metal clay forum.  Usually, one or two members step up and share a work with the rest of the forum for an old fashioned critique.  These critiques are really valid as the members who participate really lay it out there.   Even those who have written books or articles and are well respected in the field have taken a turn and opened themselves up.

It has been years (and I mean YEARS) since I sat in on a critique.  I was always nervous about them.  Some went well and some, not so well.  I was never very verbal at these critiques and sort of laid low; never asking for comments (which I now regret.)   Constructive criticism offers us other viewpoints about our work and helps us grow as artists.   

As an art educator, I had to evaluate the work of students.  I usually set the criteria for the assignment, which made it a little easier.    If it was independent work, I had the students write about what they were trying to accomplish with that particular piece.  This would help me to make a judgment about the work.  Evaluating the work was the one thing I did not like about teaching, but we had to give some sort of grade to satisfy the higher ups.   One of the main things I looked for was originality and going beyond the basics of the assignment.  Many of the students thought their work was original, but after thirty five years of teaching I saw lots of repeats.  I gave very few 100%.  I told them they needed to knock my socks off for a 100%.  (Actually I don't wear socks so that was hard to do!)  But there were some and I still remember them to this day.

Now I need to start putting myself out there for criticism.  One of these days I will get brave enough to do that on critique Friday.  Jewelry making is fairly new to me and I need to look at as much jewelry as I can and learn as much as I can through trial and error.   I need to grow and develop and knock somebody's socks off.  Critiques can help with that.  

This whole post came about because a friend of mine in Florida, asked for a critique of a website she is working on.  I applaud her for getting a website started, and I applaud her for asking other people's opinions.  I need to do the same.  

Jewelry forums

I've never been much for Internet forums...... until I discovered some jewelry forums. 

     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/metalclay is one of my favorites.  This forum is friendly and willing to share any kind of information available.  There are people on this forum who run metal clay companies, who write books and magazine articles and actually make a living selling their metal clay pieces.  It was through this forum that I found a Metal Clay guild to join, where I've made many new friends.  In July, when I went to the PMC Conference, I was able to meet many of the people that I've talked to on the forum and now I can put a face with a name.

     The other forum I like is http://www.doxallo.com/forum/   It is different from my other forum, as there is are a variety of jewelry artists on it.  There are beaders, metal smiths, polymer clay artists, and wire wrappers to name a few.  They are as friendly and willing to share as my other forum.  Some of the metal clay members are on this forum too.

     Check out this month's Art Jewelry Magazine.  Four of my forum members are in it.  Melissa Muir from Ohio, has an article on forging a hollow form.  I bought a necklace from her for my daughter.  Jennifer Smith-Righter is on both of my forums and her article is on constructing an arts and crafts necklace.  (I met Jennifer at the conference.)  Marie Cristine Knuff shows how to make a forged chain and Holly Gage (who is from Eastern Pa.) is on the back cover.  Her work is showcased in an ad for Fire Mountain Gems.  Holly was also the instigator of the cancer raffle at the PMC Conference.  

  Also, check out the newest Polymer Clay Cafe magazine as one of my guild members, Laura Tabakman, has an article in that magazine and her work is featured on the cover.  Another guild member, Donna Penoyer is also going to have an article in Art Jewelry magazine.  She is known as the "Whistle Lady" and her article will be about making PMC whistles.

    I'm hoping that hanging around with professionals will rub off on me.  I'll keep trying.  

    

Finished rings

Here are some pictures of a few by-pass rings I've made lately.  As I said in an earlier post they are  easy to make but more challenging to design.  I've also discovered that it is not a good idea to have the design protrude much beyond the ring band, as it is likely to catch and can distort the ring.  That wouldn't happen with a traditional ring that has a closed band.  I'm embarrassed to say that I caught mine on the toilet seat the other day and pulled it a little.  (I'm not going into detail, thank you!)  It wasn't much, and it easily pushed back into shape with my fingers. But I can see how it could be a problem.  Most of my designs for this ring from now on will be 

closer to the band.