Willful Abundance

I'm trying to resign myself to the fact that I simply have too much to do in a short span of time. My obsessive calendar and list making has reached new levels, and I may soon have a sketch book full of tiny tiles for the days and little thumbnails of my pieces while I try and win at this shell game I've made for myself.

December is a magical month where people will finally give you their money. I'm trying to make the most of this by participating in a local craft show--What a Load of Craft--that's not unlike the Renegade Craftfairs of other locations. It went well last year, so why not try again. And why not try another independent Holiday Sale? And why not participate in a local holiday trunk show at Modela?



So I'm trying to make about a dozen rings at a time.



And earrings...



And finish this commission that looks awfully slurmy and far from finished in this picture...



Oh yeah, and all those big pieces I need for my show in January at ACC!!!

So I'll just be breathing into a paper bag in my studio for the next few months.

Electroforming!

I've finally gotten a few of the electroformed pieces through the ringer, but I've got plenty more to go. I've changed my labeling method, and they're now fabricated so that they're just a little more substantial. I've also incorporated polymer components with resin on two of the brooches. I'm hoping to further combine all of my favorite surfaces in some work to come.

Parasiticus Fructus, electroformed and fabricated copper, polymer clay, resin, paint, ink

2.5" x 3.5" x 1.5"

Fructoma, electroformed and fabricated copper, polymer clay, resin, paint, ink

3" x 2" x 1"

Lutila, electroformed and fabricated copper, paint, ink

1 3/4" x 2" x 1"

Cross Pollination

That's my brooch on Lana Bragina! Since the trade article went up on Art Jewelry Forum there's been some buzz about the internet. It's now making a second appearance on Etsy under blog postings! I was able to include work from a lot of great people so take a look.






Also, new bits and pieces on my Etsy site.

Proof I'm Not Dead

In my disaster of a studio, wearing "Hairy Friend J" by Satomi Kawai.

I've been very lucky to receive a metaphorical life raft in the form of work for the last few weeks as a studio assistant for a good friend and seasonal resident of Iowa City. He's been saving me a little every summer in some way or another with odd jobs, and this year he arrived just in time as I'd hit a rough patch. I don't know about you, but sales have been slower than the molasses I make my swamp drink with in the morning.

With all of this business I've lost the thread of what I was doing for a little while so I'd like to
backtrack.


I've been very lucky to get to play with the electroformer at the University again. It was destroyed in the flood two years ago, just as I was graduating. I've started off with some small test pieces to experiment with the new wax mix and to get back into the motions of working that way.


Here they are ready to go.



And here's the first batch I've gotten back. I've already been zooming along with them in the little windows of time I've gotten, but bonafide bill-paying work has come first. At least my current "day job" involves hand sewing gratuitous amounts of hankies for my vagabond artist friend.

Effing and Jeffing

I've been mulling over a few strategies to try and tackle this delightful economy.

Some will be more time consuming and require more details once I've sorted them out for myself. But the most immediate change that might help people who want to buy work is Free Shipping on my Etsy site.

So I'm now doing Free Priority Shipping on all sales, whether you live in the US or the rest of the globe!

It's Here!

Not only did I receive this amazing neckpiece in my swap with Lana, she also wrapped it beautifully and added some tea and a nougat!

The whole swap process was very fun, and I plan to do it again soon. With the economy as crappy as it is, we should all at least have a little fun with the merchandise that sits around instead of letting it go nowhere. And how fun is it that two artists in separate countries can have a dialog online that leads to such a meaningful exchange?

Who Wants a Big Pink D-nut?

"Big Pink Dnut" (brooch) 2009, extruded foam, composite and epoxy resin, paint, nickel silver findings, 2.5" x 2.75" x 1"



I don't know if you've heard about We Swap, but it's a very new online community that allows makers to post work they'd like to trade with other makers. Two Etsy makers who go by JuliAni and Uloni who both live in Hamburg, Germany started the project.

After you submit a piece, you receive offers from other makers who send photos of a piece they think you might be interested in. Weigh your options carefully, and then decide who you want to swap with based on the piece you'd like to receive.

So...

Who wants a big, pink d-nut?