Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Arts Festival

I've been busy making new earrings, bracelets and necklaces in preparation for the
in Media, PA this Saturday, September 27.
This will be the 12th annual festival sponsored by The Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA.
 
Original artwork, demos and live music....the makings for a great day.
If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by and say hello!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Recycle That Wire!

A few years ago, I got my hands on recycled copper wire....
purchased by the pound.
I've slowly been working my way though the stash and just finished the most recent reappropriation project.
 
I love that I can cut sections of this recycled material and make something like.....
this necklace.
 
I cut a variety of lengths which were then soldered and shaped to make a collection of rings.
The rings are joined with links that I made with 16 gauge wire.
All pieces were hammered to make the metal work hardened and to add surface texture.

Small bits of color were added with wire wrapped, faceted beads of aventurine. 

Thursday, September 4, 2014

And...Another Leaf Necklace

When I made a fold formed leaf necklace the other night, I opted for a simple chain.
The part of my brain that prefers unique chains with wire wrapped lovely elements, would describe that previous chain as spartan. 
I needed to answer the inner demand for an alternative with more texture.
Fresh off my workbench is this variation of my fold formed leaf necklace.
Again, different sized leaves were wire wrapped to a short section of chain which was wire wrapped to a hand forged copper ring.
This time, I textured the copper ring with one of my wonderful, old chisels.
The chain consists of wire wrapped smoky crystals, long heavy gauge links formed from recycled copper wire and small, textured copper links.
As with the first necklace,
this one also has a handmade clasp.
 
There...
now both sides of my brain feel satisfied.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Back to My Workbench

Preparations for hanging my paintings at Burlap & Bean pulled my attention away from the many jewelry projects on my workbench.
The paintings were hung yesterday morning
(with appreciated help from Wayne Art Center friends Mary Lu and Melanie....thank you!!)
and last night I was busy figuring out what to do with some of these fold formed leaves.
I developed this collection of leaves that were actually meant to be a metal interpretation of Koelreuteria seed pods.....
 as I figured out the size and shape for my pattern as well as the preferred hammer and hammer strikes.
I am completely satisfied that my original path ended up veering off in another direction because I am now very fond of these leaves.
 
With the approach of Fall, I wanted to capture the image of leaves fluttering to the ground and turn that image into a necklace.
Different sized leaves were wire wrapped on to a piece of chain which in turn was wire wrapped to a hand forged copper ring.
I wanted to focus to be on the leaves, so the chain was kept uncharacteristically (for me) simple...no gemstones, no beads, nada.
After all connections were made, the entire necklace was treated in a liver of sulfur bath and then cleaned with my favorite sanding block.
A handmade clasp keeps the back simple but elegant.
 
Ready for Fall.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Featured Artist

Lucky me!
 
After displaying and selling a selections of my paintings at
during May, 2013, I was invited to hang a new collection of work.
Burlap & Bean is an independent coffeehouse where Fair Trade beans are roasted on site.
They make the best cup of coffee in the region, and they have become an important part of the social fabric for the western suburbs of Philadelphia
The Burlap & Bean owners are great supporters of local and national musical talent with a busy calendar of events.
They also host Delco Story Slam, a monthly evening of storytelling.
And then there's the Artist of the Month program.
Each month, a local artist has the opportunity to display artwork for sale on the walls of this cozy, engaging coffeehouse.
I'm thankful that for September, my paintings will be a small part of the fabric of Burlap & Bean.
 
Want to stop by and enjoy the intoxicating aromas from the roaster?
Burlap & Bean
is located at
The Shops at Springton Pointe
204 South Newtown Street Road (Route 252)
Newtown Square, PA