It seems that the time I have spent from mid June until now – time in Clay camp, teaching classes, earning a paycheck… is time I havent been working in clay for myself. I arrive home 6 hours later, when you factor in prep and all that, and I dont want to go to the basement studio. So what do I do? BEAD!

This month I had to go for the Art Bead Scene challenge. Create a piece of jewelry, incorporating an artist’s bead, inspired by :

It seems like a lifetime ago when I was teaching this to 6th graders, we made our own twig brushes, we painted on large sheets of brown paper…I decided to make my own clay bead, which I finished with acrylic paint. I wanted my piece to be period specific; I used natural materials that, in theory, are of that era. Here’s what I wrote about the piece:

"What adorned the artist’s hand? Elaborate painting – created with consumate skill and devotion in the far recesses of caves…What ritual painted shadows on these rocks as a human hand endeavored to capture life with pigments of earth and ash? My bracelet is hers… natural elements of stone, clay and seed, strung on sinew, colors that echo the palette she used."

 …as in HINT jewelry. I found HINT jewelry and Beth Hemmila… I dont recall… a link from a blog I read to hers, I assume. My friends know I am addicted to beads and stones, although I always demure when they press me to sell my jewelry. Its the one art form I keep for myself – I say. There are so many jewelers out there – I say… But when I say HINT’s "Rabbit Run" charm I was smitten, had to have it. That was February. And I savored it, and thought about it… and made this:

I wanted to work with the Hare in the Moon, the full moon, the dark moon…its a more elaborate necklace than I usually make for myself. And I love it!

So I am happy to say I have been featured on Hint’s blog! It is so exciting to find a like minded soul, an artist whose language of symbols draws on all cultures, on nature, on archetypes… some one who speaks my language! Her work is exquisite! Intimate in scale, of course for jewelry, eloquently simple in style, and oh so evocative! Her blog is a treat, almost a meditation on a thought, symbol, concept embodied therein… Check it out – I could go on for hours…

May this be the begining of a long and inspiring friendship!

I really do like Clay Camp. Classes are two weeks each – Monday through Friday. I teach two sessions. Students handbuild, sculpt -teens even throw on the wheel…BUT

I am in the studio working and cleaning and prepping for 6 hours. Classes  – there are two – are 1.5 hours each. So when thats done, I head home for the dogs. And get woe-fully little creative work done. Somehow the clay studio in the basement doesnt call my name. I do look forward to getting back next week – I have a new series of images planned – images I will sculpt and cast in plaster. They will be new icons in my tiles.

Until then – its been beads, and resin. I ordered the kit for "Use the Muse" and its a great creative challenge. You must design a piece of jewelry using the "Muse" component, anything in the kit, and anything in your own stash. Now the "Muse" is a secret until entries are posted, but I can say its by Lillypilly Designs. I will post my entry here after the contest deadline…

So I have been working, and I have been earning the ever important paycheck…but I look forward to getting my real routine back!

Cloth: Fairies and pixies and trolls – Oh My! Created by artist Sarah Dressler. You can see a whole clan of her  creatures at her website.

Clay: My own tiles and shrines and altars. Including new work integrating more texture and pattern. And collage pieces…

We are having an Open House at Sarah’s new studio space: 106 N. Main St. in St. George’s DE. Please stop by – Saturday June 20th; from 10 am until 5 pm. Take a peak into our worlds, the way we see things!

As I rambled in my last post ( 2 in one day, really trying to make a habit) I never know if I have "followers" or even readers. That sentiment was echoed by KJ on her blog Silver Parrot. She is a jewelry designer, and is hosting a huge bead give away. Not only generating traffic, but doing a little spring cleaning of her bead stash. Good idea! Check it out, enter to win.

So I havent posted since the end of April. Sorry about that. Looking back since last time always causes me to question: Where have I been? What have I been doing since then? Then I become reflective, and end up not posting because there were many ideas and tidbits, but I lost them over the last month…

I read blogs daily. Drinking coffee, while the dogs are outside before I go to the studio. And I know what I like. I like pictures, I like insights into the artist’s process, inspiration. I like images of artwork in progress, new work, poems…I like pet stories – Gee I wonder why? I do not like overly personal rants especially not detailing personal medical problems, or relationship upheaval. Yes, its all out there for one to read. <shudder>

So I know what to do. But I dont do it. Excuse #1: I need a new camera. But I have a camera phone. No good. Excuse #2: Does anyone even read my blog? If you dont write it they cant read it! Excuse #3: I dont have the time… Whatever! You are a self employed artist! If you can play Chain RX on Facebook you can definitely post a blog entry…

So the wheel turns, and I am back at the computer, hoping to breathe a little life back into this blog…Let me know if you are out there…

I will admit – there are a plethora of quizzes out there. On Facebook, all over the internet, designed for entertainment (hopefully) and time-wasting (definitely). This one came from an artist aquaintance’s blog and I loved it…

What type of art am I? Will I be pottery – my main ingredient? Jewelry – my secret obsession? Painting – my love/hate relationship?

No.

You Are a Mosaic

You are worldly and cultured. You draw inspiration from many sources. You appreciate vivid colors and busy scenes, but you like a bit of order too. You believe that art should have many layers. It should be beautiful up close and from afar. The best art gets more interesting the longer you look at it.

Ah. I like that. And the irony… this Wednesday I will finish my first ‘real’ mosaic in a class I am team teaching. First students created and glazed tiles with me; hten my colleague took over for the actual mosaic work. Here’s my piece awaiting grout:

Mirror inside when its completed. Mosaic is much more satisfying with your own tiles!

Last Thursday I went to the beach. Yup, it was a rainy grey windy spring day, and I headed the hour and a half or so to Rehoboth Beach DE. I am absolutely enchanted witht the beach off season. I hoped the rain would pause for me to have a brief walk on the beach…

I got into town, and took care of chores first: I had to drop off new artwork for the Member’s GGallery at the Rehoboth Art League. (Great place. Check it out if you are in the area. Classes, too.)Then to the Avenue, and the ocean.

Yes, it stopped raining. And I walked on the beach. I had the entire expanse to myself. Cold, misty, greys and aquas. Mesmerizing. Air and water. Water and earth. (Beachcombing was disappointing. The sand sweeper machine had just driven through… Still found a few pebble treasures, though.)

Afterwards – stopped in to Bella Luna – a favorite boutique store on Rehoboth Ave. I was sorry to hear their sister store Tempus Fugit had closed, but they have a new one opening – Treehouse. Looking forward to it in the spring!

Re-plenish

1 a: to fill with persons or animals :  barchaic : to supply fully : c: to fill with inspiration or power : nourish2 a: to fill or build up again  b: to make good

"to fill with inspiration or power"

That’s what the renovations have done for my studio. A new space, the way I want it, plenty of work surfaces, inspiration on walls and shelves everywhere I look. I hope to be so powerful and inspired. January was all holiday hangover, and deconstruction (of the room). February was teaching, and more teaching – some good fun, some an energy drain! So March – although half gone as I write this – is ushering in a new period of excitement in my work, I feel back on track…

A glimpse into where I am half the time… ( when not in the ceramics studio…) This is the main table.

The second table – journaling, sketchbooks, watercolors… And the old battered, well-loved jewelry and metals table. Off to the right, I even have my bench pin from my college jewelry studio…How sweet it is!

Oh – and my constant companion…