Urban Institute of Contemporary Art

Did you get yours yet?

I did!

Tooly Tuesday ...or Sinusoidal Sunday...?

Right now I want to use this every day of the week.

Published!

Lark Books published another of my tutorials in their new 30-Minute Necklaces book.

It's a very good book, full of great projects for those of you just getting into jewelry making as well as those of you who have been making jewelry for years.

Paying attention to Kandinsky

My Wasilly Kandinsky-inspired brooch.

Enamel on copper, forged sterling & steel.

Mine, mine, mine!

Curling Willow Leaf Earrings

I so love the anticlastic curve.

So sensuous.

Curling Leaf Earrings

Ahhhhhhhh. These are mine.



But I have a couple more pairs for Krasl's Art Fair on the Bluff in the teacher's tent.
Hope to see you there!

Lemon Creek Wine & Art Fair

Oh boy, Oh boy!
My favorite show of the year to kick off the show season!

Friends, Family, Wine, Live Music and Art, what more could I ask for?

For more information go to Lemon Creek Winery

Hot Diggity!

This Friday, May 21, Chartreuse will be open for the “Hot Diggity Dog” kick-off event from 5-9 PM along Main St. in St. Joe. Please come and enjoy the kick-off festivities. Meet Margaret the artist who found all of the watches and created our entry the “Watch-Dog”.

Books.....

Made from up-cycled materials, my sketches done in metal to hold your sketches on paper.

Each is one of a kind.

Available directly from me or Chartreuse Art Co-operative in St Joseph Michigan.

Books.....

Made from up-cycled materials, my sketches done in metal to hold your sketches on paper.

Each is one of a kind.

Available directly from me or Chartreuse Art Co-operative in St Joseph Michigan.

Books....Pennies

Made from up-cycled materials, my sketches done in metal to hold your sketches on paper.

Each is one of a kind.

Each is refillable.

Available directly from me or Chartreuse Art Co-operative in St Joseph Michigan.

Just Beautiful

I found these seed pods dangling from a cottonwood tree, they are about 6" long. Who'd a guessed that those drifts of fluff would have such beautiful containers. Not me.

I wish I had the abilities right now to capture the feel of them in metal. It would have to be something articulated, the way they move is so slinky, maybe a chain with enameled pods. ugh too heavy...I'll have to think on it.

I admit it. I wore these in my lobes for a little while.

Books....Copper and Beach Pebbles

Made from up-cycled materials, my sketches done in metal to hold your sketches on paper.

Each is one of a kind.

Available directly from me or Chartreuse Art Co-operative in St Joseph Michigan.

30-Minute Earring Book is out!

Looking for some quick earring projects to try your hand at?

Lark chose a couple projects I submitted to them along with 58 other great quickies. There are several I want to make for myself...

Look for it at your local book seller.

Or any of those online book sellers.

A Trial Run

I'm always disappointed when I come to the end of a sketch book, I know that I will carry around TWO sketchbooks for months, flipping back and forth between them, looking for that one design I sketched last month or notes I wrote on that forging technique I was playing around with...when WAS that? Flip, flip, flip. I don't tear pages out, I did that once and LOST several brilliant pages. Brilliant I tell you. Who knows now, they are gone, gone, gone.

I decided to search for refillable sketchbooks, you know, open the binder take out the not so good ones, sort them, organize them, put in some fresh paper, and go. Needs to be 8.5x5.5" Yup, I'm particular about some things, not too big, not too small, juuuuuuuuust right, fits in my bag, on the tray in my car, doesn't crowd my workbench. AND it needed to look good. AND be sturdy. I didn't find any that fit.

So I made one. Covered it with metal sketches...And then I made another one. And another. And... And now I need to get pictures.

Or you could go to Chartreuse Arts Co-operative Gallery and see some first hand.

Kalamazoo Art Hop

I'll be showing and selling my work all day Friday, May 7 at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art.
Stop in and say hi, it's always good to see your smiling face and I'll show you some of my new work.

Time: 12:00pm - 7:00pm
Location:Kalamazoo Institute of Arts314 South Park StreetKalamazoo, MI 49007

Join us on Friday, May 7th for a special treat at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts!The KIA Gallery Shop will be hosting a Jewelry Showcase Featuring wonderful locally made jewelry from such artists as Meg Tang, Char Short, Georgia Newman, Ligita Samsons, Vicki Cook, Amy Culp and Bobbie Peters.
Remember, members get a discount on their purchases! Not a member? Click here to become one!

This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate a special Mom in your life by presenting her with a very unique gift, while at the same time, supporting the arts! What a great cause!
The galleries will be open and refreshments will be served! If you haven't seen it yet, now is a great opportunity to tour the 2010 West Michigan Area Show!
Grand Prize Winner, Michele Shelton will be on hand to discuss her piece, A Moment to Remember.
This event is free and open to the public.

Tooly Tuesday

I ordered my logo stamp a couple weeks ago and tried it out. These are my very first test pieces and I am very, very pleased!
Now all my jewelry will be signed!

When I was looking around for a custom stamp maker, a friend suggested I check out Tinker Tools at Etsy and what a fine job he did for me! He does pancake dies as well as custom stamps for a very reasonable price.

I'm wondering what I can get him to make up for me next...

Astrid Pendant in Silver

I finished the Astrid commission in silver.
You can check out the copper prototype here.
And the story behind it here.

This shot is dark but I like the way the front reflects and the shadows in between the layers.
It looked great on Ann, she wore it out of my studio.
Just like when you got new shoes.
"Can I put my old ones in the box and wear these home?!"
"Of course!"

Large Dapping Blocks

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

They are 2", 3", 4", 5" & 7". All maple.

Oh BOY!

Large Vise

I got my large vise all set up last week, it needed a handle and a friend came through for me with a fine one.
Thanks Matt!

Another friend brought me some angle iron so I can extend the jaws...Sweet!

It's getting to be time for me to live large!

Almost.

Living Large

Working large....

Requires LARGE tools.
Ridiculously sized shears are about 20" long, I have to clamp them in a vise to get the control I want...I like that.

Benton Harbor Art Hop-

Benton Harbor's Arts District is gonna' be hoppin' tonight!
Friday March 26, 2010
5-9pm

Come join us, the Benton Harbor Arts District, in the kickoff Art Hop of 2010.

Venues participating with local artists attending: BH Transformation Center on Main; Tabor Hill Tasting Room/Gallery; the Phoenix, the OutCenter, WaterStreet Glassworks, the Citadel Dance & Music Center, Brammall Supply, the Artists at 210 Water Street Studios, the Livery and BrunsonHill ArtHouse

End your evening at the Livery, Ideal Place or Pauly's

Nuts...?

Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts! I got SCREWS!!!

Can you believe how tiny they are?! When I took this shot I had no idea that little...stick(?)/crumb was at 10 o'clock...(WHAT is that?!) So look close now, see the nut on the penny? I know, I know, back up or put on your reading glasses. Notice that it is smaller than Abe's beard.

What EVER will I do with these?! Oh, I can't wait!

Pierced Bowls

Bowls for...

...jewelry...

...keys and rings...

...Bowls for your things.

Tribute to Astrid Fog

Ann is wearing it this week to check it for length and wear-ability.

Bowls, bowls, bowls

Stacks and stacks.



Different shapes and sizes.