Sharing the love – my resin workshop

April 18, 20112 Comments

I love the resin. ( I use ICE resin by Susan Lenart Kazmer. I have tried others, and I do like ICE the best.) I love the clarity after it has cured. I love the silky, slightly sexy texture. I like what it does to antique paper. I like embedding things into it. I like its strength. And I haven’t even tried casting it or coloring it…

Last Thursday I taught a resin workshop at my Art Studio. It was an interesting mix of people: potters, beaders, a porcelain pendant maker, a photographer…all willing to give it a go. I don’t think any one had ever done resin prior to class, although many knew of it, and were intrigued.

my demo

I did not realize Marsha was taking this picture – I had started the demo, and if you have ever met me you know I talk with my hands…Quickly it would seem.

Patience

I was making a point on being patient. And posing, for the camera…

student work1

The students started with closed bezels. ( I really like the Patera findings from Nunn Design.) We had National Geographic magazines, decorative origami paper, and the like – but the vintage postage stamps may have been the best! Such clear, colorful images at just the right scale.

student work 2

student work 3

student work 4

The last picture shows you a few of our open back bezels. I love the transparency of resined paper when it is not sealed. Charms, shells, micro beads – a plethora of inclusions, including a dear departed canine best friend’s teeth. We had one or two leaks on the open bezels, but the resin all came out perfectly! Some of the women were showing off their creations in the ceramics studio today. I was so proud! We are already talking about having another session in the fall. Join us if you can!

Pearls in a pod…Beadfest, and BTW

April 14, 20112 Comments

Pearls pod bracelet

Pearls in pod slices. With a ceramic focal, made by… me. Gee – who would have guessed? That was on my bead table for the weekly Bead Table Wednesday Flickr group. Then it was on my wrist after that.

OK – lets get to the eye candy…Last Friday – I took a day off, a field trip, and a business trip all rolled into one. Marsha (of Marsha Neal Studios) and I headed to Beadfest outside Philly. My furry kids were in daycare, as where Marsha’s flesh and blood children…I had a budget. (Please dont ask how THAT went. )

As soon as we arrived we saw Barbara Lewis doing a great demo – enameled beads. Its magic, and fire, and instant gratification!

Barbara Lewis

Thriiled to run into Shelby of SunDown Bead Designs, a friend from last years ArtBliss retreat! Chatted a bit about the DE Etsy street team, and them commenced the shopping. (Her blog entry on Beadfest is here.)

Shelby and me.

It is overwhelming. The vast amounts of gorgeousness, the gemstones, the one of a kind artisan beads, imports, cabochons…sigh. Bounty! Treasure!

Table of teasures at Bead Dreams of New York.

Joanne Z

Joanne Zekowski – friendly, funny, and incredibly creative. Her glass beads are both new and unique, yet ancient and mysterious!

Joan MIller owls

Porcelain owls by Joan Miller. Even as a ceramics person, I am amazed by what this woman can accomplish in the medium!

And in my hands, and on my work table: Briolettes and drops for earrings.

loot 1

loot 2

Green Girl Studio. ( That is where I lost control of said budget.)

Riverstone Bead Co. – drilled pebbles.

Joanne Zekowski glass beads

Loot 3

Labradorite, moonstone and garnet were the only things I actually had on my “Need” list… ( Aren’t they always on that list, Jenny?)

loot 4

loot 5

Small stamps in lowercase! Thank you PJ Tools! And I didnt have to pay an arm for the set! Since you do need both arms if you are stamping the metal…

Alright, I better get to work. The Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival is in early June. See you there?

A to Z: E is for Eclectic

April 12, 2011Leave a comment

1: selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles

: composed of elements drawn from various sources;

Greek eklektikos, from eklegein to select, from ex- out +legein to gatherFirst Known Use: 1683

Synonyms: assorted, miscellaneous, heterogeneous kitchen-sink, magpie, mixed, motley,patchwork, piebald, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied

Its a word I like. Eclectic. There is an artistic air there, a little bit left of center, not the norm. And I really like the synonyms: Magpie, motley… When I was in college, studying art and education, I was already taking a more diverse path than many of my fellow art students. While they were concentrating on mastery in one medium… ( not to get philosophical, but do we ever achieve mastery? Then what else would there be to do, if not grow, learn and evolve…) I was developing proficiency in many mediums. (My words, not the college’s.) I was headed to the classroom – what better breadth of knowledge than a plethora of skills and experiences? Yet being such a Jack-of-all-trades was frowned upon. It was implied that I lacked the requisite focus or skills needed to make it “out there”. The jester, in his bells and motley tunic often juggling many balls – the artist, working in different materials, tending to many projects at once. I like the Jack of all trades metaphor, and while I continue to strive to be a master… I think I am making progress.

( My booth set-up for Artsfest 2010)

This entry was going to be “D is for dilemna” but it is resolved now, and “Eclectic” is a better fit. I recently applied to one of my regular festivals, in the fall, in a city where we used to live. The entry categories, always a dilemma at festival time…Am I a ceramics artist? No. That brings to mind functional wares when seen in the event program. And I am definitely NOT a potter. (No offense meant. I just am not into function.) So I write in “Mixed Media” if it isnt already a listed category. I have tiles to bring, shrines, maybe clay, maybe in tins or boxes. Could bring collages… Then there are the pendants. Clay really is the unifying element in my work. When you see my booth all set up, decaorated, ready for business – clay is 90% of my offeriengs. Many pieces are not purely clay, but incorporate found objects, mini books, collages – hence the Mixed Media moniker. My pendants are clay. They are partnered in motif with my tiles. I work in symbolic images and icons – would you like to wear that raven? Or hang it in your house?

This show tightened up their guidelines. Unless you are juried into the jewelry category, you may NOT bring any jewelry. I emailed for clarification. And sat with the dilemma for a while. Do I take only tiles and shrines? Or do I apply for jewelry? If I apply for jewelry, the competition is stiff, but I could possible have an opportunity to take earrings, stamped metal, resin, some of my new work. Here is the deal-maker: If accepted for jewelry I CAN bring tiles and shrines as well. (But not the other way around) SO I went for it. And as I write this I haven’t heard back yet if I am accepted. Please think good thoughts for me, lets put the idea out there in the universe – the first show I ever did will also be the show at which I debut my jewelry officially. There is a karmic balance to that, don’t you think?

I have made a wish. Here’s wishing you well, also!

Bead Table Wednesday…

April 6, 2011Leave a comment

(I was procrastinating doing a blog entry because I am behind on my A to Z entries. Well, that’s silly. I am so far off the original schedule! I will do them, I will, but not today.)

Today is Wednesday – Bead Table Wednesday – a Flickr group devoted to whats currently on your table, in all it’s mess – or glory. First – the overview. I have a dozen or so vintage mix-matched saucers, often stacked up with the equally vintage muffin tins. There is a tray of finished work, awaiting photos and Etsy. There are seed pod slices/beads on my sketchbook, I think they are headed to a bracelet, myself.

BTW overview

Next, a detail of a saucer. I have been experimenting with enameled components on brass mixed media lockets. I haven’t done any collages inside yet. To the left are resin samples for the class I am teaching next week.

mixed media saucer

Here is a piece I am falling in love with. I have half a dozen or so of these brass book lockets. This one has the word “Fate” tube riveted on, and a key – stitched on with linen thread. (Sorry it is so dark…)

Book of fate

And last – but not least – a quartet of “Mojo” necklaces. These are a bit collage-like, a bit gypsy, a bit eclectic. I love them! They will be finished with copper chain – since the pendant has enough going on in it already… (From top left: Gypsy Spirit, Weave enchantments, Fae Maid, and Sea Siren)

Mojo necklaces

And let me leave you with a glimpse of the work in progress from the ceramic studio:

Labyrinth detail

More on that later! Perhaps my new Wednesday’s will be “Work-in-progress” Wednesdays… Hmm. I like the sound of that…

Spinning into gold…

March 31, 2011Leave a comment

Golden Book dress

In the fairy tales, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother arrives to magically create a dress. Sometimes it is the spirit of her deceased mother watching over her, and magically gifting the girl with exquisite attire. Other retellings have the creatures of the woodland, to whom Cinderella was kind, working magic and serving as her tailors and stylists.

This is no fairy tale. It is a dress made from Golden books. Yes, those Golden books you read when you were young. With the gold floral spine. The Pokey Little Puppy. The Little Red Hen. Anything Richard Scary…

This dress is the work of Ryan Novelline, a Boston designer. I find it all amazing….

golden book dress 1

golden book dress 2

Golden bodice

And yes – the bodice is made of little strips of gold – from the spines of the books. Spinning straw into gold, Rumplestiltskin? No, spinning tales into cloth…

Spring is bringing many new things…

March 28, 20114 Comments

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

spring daffodils

Today was such a day. The daffodils are teased with the chill wind. The dogs are sunbathing, recharging their solar cells. And I was in the studio…. I try to do a seasonal newsletter, yet I find myself liking the weekly blog entries better. So please feel free to follow this blog, if you are interested in updates and musings, and work in progress. But on to the news of the season…

The Spring season was ushered in by the magical wonderful Mythic Faire. Held in Baltimore, this is the little sister show to the autumn extravaganza that is FaerieCon. The weekend is a medley of talks, panels, music, artwork, and meeting and chatting with creative people. It was great to see old friends and make new! More on Mythic Faire can be had here: Mythic Faire website and my blog entry…

Immediately after returning from the Realm, as Mythic Faire is often called… I had to get back into the studio! I had a new exhibit going up in days at the Music School of Delaware. My dear friend and talented artist Betsy Mortenson and I are revisiting our ImagoDea – Envisioning the Feminine Divine show with new work. The show is open now, and will remain up until May 20th. Our opening reception is in tandem with one of the schools concert series – Music : Ritual and Healing – held on Sunday April 3rd. If you are in the area and interested please stop by! More information at their website. They are located at 4101 Washington St in Wilmington DE.

ImagoDea postcard

A sneak peak into some of the new collages, you ask? ok – here is a teaser. This is from the series of 9 small collages – The Muses, as I was still working on them.

Muses in progress

But there is clay on my hands as well as paper fibers and glue! I am trying to achieve balance between areas of my life – arent we all? So time spent in the clay studio and ever increasingly in the jewelry studio rounds out my days. I have a fantastic new mold awaiting clay – from a detailed original carving – a split tailed mermaid, a sexy one at that! Cant wait to have a batch of tiles to glaze… I will post pictures as soon as I have some…

I also have new shrine tiles. I made the empty shrines, cast them, and from the mold can make multiples. Each one is different, but related. I like this new way of working in a series, yet still creating one of a kind pieces.

rough shrine tiles

Here they are very rough, straight from the mold. And after adding elements and glazing…

shrine tiles

Working in a series this way is how I do my ceramic pendants, and it seemed the next logical evolution to work on tiles this way as well. I have been working in the jewelry studio quite a bit lately, and may have news about my jewelry offerings in the future… For now I leave you with a few pictures of new work. (Some of which will soon be making its way to my Etsy shop, naturally…)

pendants

Along with the clay, I have been working in resin and in metals. Getting reacquainted with some of the skills I learned in metal smithing classes as an under grad!

resin

mojo talisman

So here is hoping spring finds you healthy and happy! And may it be a productive, creative and fruitful season!

Upcoming events:

I am teaching two workshops at through The Art Studio. Mixed Media Jewelry: Collage in Resin in resin will be held Thursday April 14th from 6-9pm. We will create small collages, inset into bezels and seal them with resin. It is simpler than it seems and highly addictive!

The second workshop is a ceramics workshop – Creating a Floral Mirror Frame. We will work in clay one week, and glaze the next. Students will design and sculpt a floral ceramic tile, which will become the mirror’s frame.

Information on my classes can be found at the Art Studio website, or by calling 302-995-7661 – if you are interested!

My next festival/art show of the year is in June – seems like so far away as I write this! The Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival is near and dear to my heart, as I was a jewelry instructor there for two summers. The day long music festival is a regional tradition, and draws great musical talent, as well as a stellar arts festival. Please do check it out, and see the line-up at their website.

A to Z: D is for destination… ( and delay – apparently)

March 11, 20112 Comments

: the purpose for which something is destined

: an act of appointing, setting aside for a purpose, or predetermining

: a place to which one is journeying or to which something is sent <kept their destination secret>

: a place worthy of travel or an extended visit —often used attributively

“Destination” really seems like a normal mundane word at first. A word we use frequently, and know very clearly its meaning. But look deeper, if you will. Destiny. Fate. Journeys. Travel. Those words are more intriguing, alive with possibility. And so this entry comes to you from my destination, a place I find well worth traveling to… The Mythic Faire.

I like my life. Quite a lot in fact. I work doing what I love, I have amazing family and friends far away, and friends close by. House, pets… But twice a year, I have a chance to leave the mundane world behind and enter the Realm. FaerieCon and RenCon – The Mythic Faire create a world out of time. a place of magic and creativity and mystery and lore. You have heard me talk on them before. I find them soul refreshing.When you find yourself surrounded by hundreds of kindred spirits for a weekend – the energy is phenomenal! Talking of art, music, myth, magic, lore, legend… all the things that inspire me and fuel my artwork.

It begins today. It nice to have found my tribe.

March 22nd – And it was a great weekend… albeit over a week ago! It was a whirlwind, and wonderful. Let me finally wrap this up with a few high points of my weekend:

Siren, songstress, petite pixie of a bard – SJ Tucker. Got to hear part of her set Friday night, and finally got to meet her and chat in person. The new cd “Mischief” is amazing, naturally.

My friend Dawn of Cucina Aurora. (Sorry you cant see my ears in that picture…) Great to see her again, and catch up…

Raven Grimassi and Stephanie Taylor. It was lovely to meet them, and yes, that is John Matthews peeking out in the background…

But I would say, as always the most inspirational is meeting and talking with fellow artists. Although my medium is so very different from theirs, I have found amazing kindred spirits!

Please take a look, and enjoy!

Brigid Ashwood: winged things and improbable machines

Jane Star Weils: Faery, fantasy, myth and magick

Stephanie Lostimolo:

Kenia Craft: The art of Kathryn Elizabeth Noska

Kimberly Coffman – Goblin Bazaar

**Please note: all images copyright of the artist. **

A to Z: Clay

March 4, 2011Leave a comment

1. a : an earthy material that is plastic when moist but hard when fired, that is composed mainly of fine particles of hydrous aluminum silicates and other minerals, and that is used for brick, tile, and pottery; specifically : soil composed chiefly of this material having particles less than a specified sizeb : earth, mud

a : a substance that resembles clay in plasticity and is used for modeling b : the human body as distinguished from the spirit c : fundamental nature or character

Its no secret that i love clay. In 2nd grade I made a clay squirrel, sitting up looking perky. I was proud; Mrs Foster the ancient art teacher said something negative to crush me. She was one of those teachers, striving to squelch all creativity with rules and insults. She even tried in vain to make me color in tiny neat circles. Others did and were praised. I did not.

Al2O3 2SiO2 2H2O. Although I had to memorize that in college – the chemical formula for clay – I had to look it up today. Alumina. Silica. Oxygen. Water. Magic.

In hindsight I wish I had taken more than one semester of Ceramics in college. There were many incredibly powerful insights learned that semester. Regis Brodie, my instructor, is a gifted teacher, artist, and inspired man. I had my first primal elemental Raku experience. I was introduced to “Form follows Function” – and also ” When life hands you lemons… make lemonade.” I was introduced to the wheel – we didnt fall in love. But coils are a near omnipotent method of construction… And after a semester I returned to oils and metals – leaving Earth behind for a while…

I took some snapshots around the studio this week. Clay in its myriad incarnations…

Orangutan and panda hanging out. ( From my students, as are the pots below.)

Vinita – throwing.

My new shrine tiles awaiting interior elements…

A shrine of mine. Celadon? Yangahara? Ohata? Cant decide on glazes… It will have text on copper at the bottom where the holes are.

Gazing down from the top shelf…

Pieces waiting to be fired. Their dusty exteriors divulge no secrets. They will emerge transformed.

I love the transformation of clay. It begins so malleable, plastic, flexible. It can be molded and modeled, sculpted and shaped. It stiffens – carving, attaching… After firing – well I like this quote – “If clay is heated to a sufficiently high temperature as in a pottery kiln, it is chemically transformed into a new substance. The principle difference between this new substance and the original clay is that the water portion of the clay molecules have been driven off leaving a compound of Silica and Alumina. This new substance is monolithic; the individual particles are fused and will longer dissociate into a plastic mud when wet.”

Monolithic. I like that. To me clay is all the elements in harmony. Of the Earth and water, tempered by air and fire, imbued with the spirit of the creator. A harmonious balance. Off to the studio…

Here be dragons…

March 1, 20113 Comments

Welsh dragon

Happy St David’s Day!

St. David is the patron saint of Wales, also known as Dewi Sant. The holiday marks his death – which was in 589. Recognized as a holiday in the 18th century – it seems to me to be more about celebrating Welsh nationalism than the dearly departed Dewi Sant. Especially since the Welsh were subjugated to English rule in what, 1282? The holiday is often marked by the wearing of the national emblems, or the national costume.

daffodils leeks

And a parade, I love a parade…

St Davids Day in Cardiff

I for one, am wearing my treasured 20+ year old Welsh T-shirt. It is alot more comfortable than the traditional Welsh costume… I did however, purchase my tee from a vendor in the shadow of Caernarfon Castle, in Caernarfon Wales. It was 10 pm, the sun was setting, and I was a 20 year old art student on holiday from London… Looks a little worse for wear, I know…

PC Caernarvon

( And just for trivia’s sake… “Here be dragons” is a phrase used to denote dangerous or unexplored territories, in imitation of the medieval practice of putting sea serpents and other mythological creatures in blank areas of maps.Thanks Wiki. )

BTW and The Sketchbook Challenge

February 24, 2011Leave a comment

I was listening to a podcast recently, and I am sorry to not give credit, but I forget which one… ( Craftypod? Craftcast? Art and Soul Radio? ) But the artist was musing on electronic social networking. For an artist working in solitude in the studio, chat groups, discussion boards and the like are a great way to combat the alone-ness. Sharing ideas, posting pictures, discussing materials and techniques all feed and fuel the creative machine. I do a bit of this. Facebook is my social network of choice, I dont tweet often… but I love Flickr. And this year I have become involved in 2 Flickr groups that I find highly satisfying, keeping me linked to my colleagues, and seeing what else is going on out there…

The first is BTW – Bead Table Wednesday. Created by Heather Powers of Humblebeads, it is a peek into your space, on your table, that day. No tidying, no glam shots, just “What are you working on today? ” Over a hundred members, crafters, professionals, glass, polymer, wire, clay… a diverse group. Here is my BTW shot this week: ( Yup, a day late. )

BTW waiting for resin

Miscellaneous pieces waiting for resin. The lockets are almost done – The outsides have elements added, the insides were resined with items, and the inside cover has vintage dictionary text, the last element. The deep open bezels – I won them at Art Bliss last Sept. I have found shells that fit inside…

This picture is tough to see, I know. Some of the stamped copper components have been antiqued and not polished, making them dark and moody. These pieces will all be pendants with gemstones and charms, ready for RenConII: THe Mythic Faire in a few weeks.

copper components

The other group, I found in January, a wee bit late. Called the Sketchbook Challenge – its so simple it is brilliant… A group of collage and mixed media artists decided to create a group. Each month a theme is posted, work in your sketchbook as inspired by that theme, and share your pages via the Flickr group. Each month there are posts by the host artists, and a give away of materials from the sponsors. And it is free. For me it is the perfect mix of incentive and relaxed schedule, of freedom, personal interpretation, and community. Again – it is a group ranging from novices to professionals, with support not competition. A few years ago I was working on an artist’s journal – and by that I mean a journal of art, collage, doodles, paintings not my normal journal of reference notes, planning sketched, project ideas, article snippets… That artist’s journal – I was doing a 2 page spread weekly, and it was a very rewarding experience. When it ended I attempted another, but the spark was gone. I think the Sketchbook challenge is rekindling that spark nicely…

February’s theme was “Opposites”. I was thinking large/small and one/many.

Feb sketchbook FEB detail

Is is refreshing to just play. To not wonder if this will turn into an idea worth pursuing, just to make marks and use materials, and play. It actually makes my art work time more productive…

Jenny Davies-Reazor

artist, teacher

Category: Uncategorized