COSTUME COSTUME II

I sure do love the boxes I got at SCRAP (Scrounger's Center for Reusable Art Parts) last week. It is a fabulous place that was started as a nonprofit in 1976 during our country's last financial crisis to provide art supplies to school teachers. It is still much needed, is going strong, and is my source for all paper and packaging for my work. Below these little beauties are filled with my pieces for the COSTUME COSTUME II show that opened at Sienna Gallery 07.02.2011. More on the show below...



COSTUME COSTUME is a collection of work made by emerging contemporary art jewelers. It is an exploration of costume jewelry as subject; jewelry about jewelry. I am very excited to be part of the show, curated by everyone's favorite upcycler Arthur Hash, and sponsored by Erin Gardener's The Opulent Project.
The first version of this show was presented at this year's SOFA NY by Sienna Gallery, and I highly encourage a tour of their photobooth, which is available on their facebook page and is linked here.


The show is an exciting opportunity for me, and we all do thrive with a deadline, don't we? I explored the cameo as iconic (costume) jewelry memorabilia, and was thinking a lot about the empty nostalgia that costume jewelry can evoke for me. My cameos were paper blanks, empty of any actual faces or remembrances, and included ribbons and bows as decorative elements. You can see on flickr that I am very enamored of my ribbon at the moment! The show is up at the gallery in Lenox, MA with selected pieces available online through 08.25.2011.

how to drive a nail

My friend who sent this to me described it as

This is just one page picked at random of an amazing kid's shop notebook from who knows when.

I think you will enjoy it.

Eye Candy IV

Lucky enough to have some gorgeous days here in Seattle at the SNAG conference. I was just drooling over the work of Lucy Sarneel from Amsterdam, which was for some reason in the back corner of the Vendor Room.

It is quite lovely, and all the work shown here is made of zinc sheet with additions of textiles and wood. I never would have seen it, so thanks to Julia Harrison for the tip. It is very worth a walk to the back of the room (opposite wall from the student work display) for a gander if you are here.

details II

Klaus Burgel in Belgium

Here's what's new with one of my favorite jewelers, New York artist Klaus Burgel. I am ridiculously lucky to have spent time in the studio with him, let alone have a wedding ring made by him.

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Check out images of the lovely exhibition at Sophie Lachaert Gallery in Belgium right here.


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getting ready

reclaimed gold awaiting mini-melt

OREGON COLLEGE OF ART & CRAFT
Go For Gold: Start to Finish
Feb 5 - 6
9a - 4p

Go For Gold

I am in the studio today getting organized for my upcoming workshop at the Oregon College of Art & Craft. It takes place from 9-4 on Feb 5-6th, and I am thrilled.

So thrilled that I am inside next to my sun-filled window, instead of out in this gorgeous and sunny spring day here in Oakland. We have had a chilly winter for us Californians, and I am glad to be in jeans and a t-shirt inside the studio, for once...not that I am not used to soldering and filing in a scarf, hat, and vest, trust me!




The class will be one of my favorites to teach, which is incorporating small-scale gold refining and green studio practices into jewelry work. My students will be a mix of community and college metalsmiths, and I look forward to seeing what gets produced. Gold is really just amazing to work with, and I can't wait to turn my own pile of scrap and unused jewelry into something wearable and new. I try to make myself a gold band each time I teach the class, so here is to another!