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?

"underwaterlove" Reception

Some assembled viewers.


I hope she's just scrutinizing my piece, and not angry.


Several of Beate Weiss' pieces. I can't tell in the image if the necklace is Tamara Grüner's.


My work as well as Tamara's.


Several of Beate's pieces.


Tamara's work, and a lovely reflection of Ute Klotzbücher!


And more of Tamara's work--I really love the round brooches she's doing.

I'm so glad Ute was able to take pictures of the reception for me. It was very nice to see images of the work together, and of the gathered masses.

"underwaterlove"

Lumen— (brooch) 2007, electroformed and fabricated copper, epoxy
resin, paint, ink, nickel silver, 2.5" x 2.5" x 2"



Lasche—(brooch) 2010, composite and epoxy resin, paint, nickel silver,
7" x 3.5" x 2.5"


Cordyceps—(brooch) 2009, fabricated copper, composite and epoxy resin,
paint, nickel silver, 4" x 9" x 3.5"


Druplus –-(brooch) 2010, fabricated copper, composite and epoxy resin,
paint, nickel silver, 5" x 4.5" x 2.5"


Bulbate Succulum—(brooch) 2010, fabricated copper, composite and
epoxy resin, polymer clay, paint, ink, nickel silver, 7" x 6" x 3"


Here are the larger pieces that headed off to "underwaterlove" last Thursday. I've also included some of the new rings I was doing as well as some of the smaller foam/resin brooches. Similar to what I did for my Swap pins, but a little more elaborate.

Very excited to hear how the show goes!