I've moved.

I recently launched a new website, which means that my blog has also moved.
I look forward to seeing you there.

Please update your bookmarks as this will be my last post here!

You can also purchase jewelry directly from my website, thingsofthisnature.com. So, don't forget to have a look around the new website.

Announcing: Hand-crafted Jewelry by Things of this Nature

The studio has been buzzing with creativity as I have been finishing up my first line of jewelry, which is now listed on ETSY, with more coming. Go have a look.

These pieces are such a natural extension of my work - as I am finally able to actually build these tiny little worlds of nature into something tangible and fully dimensional. Each one is completely hand-crafted. Tiny sculptures. 

There's something so personal about jewelry, and I know I love the idea of carrying these tiny treasures around my neck, and I hope you will too!

For now, I am offering pendants in 2 sizes. A small dime-sized one, and another about the size of a quarter.

The Month of May and now, summer

There's been lots going on since I was laid off earlier this spring. It's about time to catch up.

Some of it has been domestic in nature, such as painting rooms and doing small home improvement projects. Our home has plenty of those to tend to. I've also gotten much more serious about making jewelry. I bought a kiln and other tools and supplies. I am hoping that in the next 2 weeks I will be ready to launch and share all of it with you. I thought about sharing some works-in-progress, but decided a big ta-da would be fun.

Here's a few pictures from around and lately...

Lovely packing and cup from Eri, purchase at the Little Italy Art Fair

Yummy lemon caper dish from Saveur

Visual treasures at the Athenaeum Arts and Music Library

Painting I've been working on for a friend's album cover.

Puzzle time with my mother-in-law. Unexpectedly fun!

Old-fashioned Mail

I had the idea to send some postcards to friends across the miles, using some watercolor and ink which I would describe as my earliest 'style' I used to do in college. I cut up some watercolor paper scraps, which always makes a creative endeavor feel more informal then a fresh white sheet. What's the most fun with these is no sketching or planning - just ink and color and commit.

Day Trip: Borrego Springs Desert

Dust storms. Dry winds. Hot in the sun. Cool in the shadows. Barren. Low scrappy plants and cactus. Rocks. Hazy mountains in the distance. That's the desert. Always an impressive place.

Jewelry

 

About a month ago, I signed up for a jewelry class using metal clay to make the pieces you see above. It's my first attempt. The metal clay, in this case Bronze, is very easy to work with and the binding/filler particles burn off when you fire it in the kiln. Metal clay was invented in Japan about 10 years ago and they sell it in all varieties of metal. Of course, bronze is the least expensive by far with the cost of silver and gold being so high right now.

The left two ones that look like a seed pod and the one below it that's like a peach with leaves, I plan to either make into a pin/brooch or attach to a bobby pin. I think those are the most interesting to me but I love the others as well.

I ordered some more metal clay and it arrived in the mail today. You'll be seeing more of these from me soon!

Printmaking: Drypoint

First test proof. You can see areas where the line isn't deep enough for the ink.

Final print - all of the elements showing up nicely.

I took another printmaking class because I wanted to try drypoint. I carved straight into the plate with a needle tool and this method is called drypoint. It's very similar to what I did last time, but this round, I skipped the etch process, which eats into the plate.  It's a much more controlled outcome because what you carve is what you get. Of course there's still the variable of how much ink you use. After the plate is totally inked, you can wipe it off in very decisive ways depending what you're after. I feel satisifed that I got a print that I'm happy with. 

Incidentally, I used water soluble ink for this print, whereas the last round was done with oil-based ink.

I'm not sure I like my work as much in black and white. And I miss the hand quality that an actual painting has. So, hard to say if I will continue with this. Much fun to play with!