BARN STUDIO SALE

My whole life I've wanted a barn....actually I would love to live in a barn. Several years ago I had one built on my property. Over time it became a big storage container for all my tools and anything else I didn't have room for in my house. That was never my dream for such a wonderful space. So a couple of months ago the topic came up in my art group about having a studio sale out of the barn. The kind of thing where one could have it year after year on the same weekend and create a following. After a lot of organizing and a lot of work pulling it all together the sale will happen this weekend. A wonderful group of artists will be gathered at GreyBird Barn.

Many friends have helped make this possible... unexpected gravel shoveled into the ruts in my driveway...homemade cookies and lemonade for the duration of the sale...help with chainsawing up a bunch of logs that were in the way...and many hands helping make my property look presentable. Also, all the participating artists have contributed hugely...creating the postcard....making the sandwich boards...distributing flyers...etc. My heartfelt thanks to everyone.

If you are in the neighborhood stop by for some cookies and lemonade and a chance to see some exceptional art.

TOO FAR FROM WATER

TOO FAR FROM WATER is the second box that was created for the show entitled ROADS at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts on Bainbridge Island, WA. I'm pleased to say that this piece sold on the opening night to a significant collector of art in the area. It is a limited edition piece with a total of 25 in the edition.

The copper doors and nickel background are all photo-etched. The finial on this piece is a vintage level vial from Scotland. It symbolizes balance and water. The box itself is cherry with splined corners. The image of the boys in the sail wagon is from a turn of the century photo taken in a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. You can tell that it was a cold and damp day...I love the reflection of the wheels in the pavement...but not too cold for a little sailing adventure...even with no water.


The copper doors on the outside of this box depict a stylized wave pattern....the inside of the doors show day and night tide tables. This is the first box I have made with copper doors and I am very pleased with the result. I cut the sail wagon out and have it standing off the back wall by about 1/8th inch so that I could rig the mast with waxed linen cord.


Here is a detail of the etched nickel sail wagon. This box measures 12 3/4" tall by 9 1/2" wide with the doors shut (approximately 19 1/4" with the doors open) by 1 3/4" deep. You can click on any image to see it larger.

WALKING AGNES

Last Friday, March 6th, Bainbridge Arts and Crafts (Bainbridge Island, WA) had an opening for the group show titled ROADS. This box WALKING AGNES was part of that show along with two other boxes that I created.

WALKING AGNES is photo-etched from vintage imagery onto red brass, nickel and copper. The box is made of cherry and the ostrich leash is made of waxed linen. This box measures 11" H x 12" W x 1.75" D. Click on the box to see an enlargement.

I was particularly drawn to the tree lined dirt lane receding into the distance when I first saw it. I knew that this photograph would be perfect for the ROAD show. I added the woman and ostrich from other sources. They are etched in nickel and stand off the background. There seems to be some question as to who is walking who. The woman seems to be going in one direction and the ostrich in another. Actually, we don't even know which one is Agnes???

Over the next couple of weeks, I will post the other two boxes.

DAEDALUS ABBREVIATION

This image of DAEDALUS AS A BOY is one of my favorites. I have used this image as a piece of jewelry (a neckpiece that you can see in an earlier post) and will soon be using it in one of my narrative boxes. Last year I began making what I call abbreviations....these are smaller abbreviated versions of my larger boxes. This one is 4.5" x 6"x 1.25" and is photo-etched nickel. The frame work is cherry. The plate of nickel is held to the cherry using small round headed brass nails. It is made to be wall mounted.

I am drawn to images that depict flight....both personal and metaphorical...where wings are tried on for size and fit. The vintage image of this young boy, taken at the turn of the century just when man was beginning to challenge gravity, is a reminder of everything I love about flight...the magic...the courage...the freedom...the breaking of one's ties to the earth...the need to rise above it all. Daedalus, in mythology, was the father of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun.

TIME FLIES

Wow...I'm amazed at how quickly time passes these days. My intention was to just take a little break from the blog but the little break turned into several months. It doesn't take long to get out of the habit of doing something....such as posting. With a fresh year ahead of me I hope to re-find my habit and become a blogger once again. Thanks for your patience....don't give up on me.

A lot has happened in my art world....and in my personal world ....these last few months. For starters, I was accepted into 3 late summer and early fall shows. The SUN VALLEY ARTS FESTIVAL was the first. It was my very first time to show the boxes in the category of 3-D mixed media and I was surprised and thrilled to receive the award in that category. For me it is an affirmation that I am on the right track and that I have to just keep moving forward. My good friend, Helga Winter, also received an award in her category...Wood. We traveled to and from the show together and so it was wonderful getting to share our good fortunes with each other. Because we won our respective awards, we will both be invited back next year.

The next show was ART IN THE HIGH DESERT in Bend, OR. I was accepted in both 3-D mixed media and jewelry. This is a brand new show...beautifully organized...wonderful location...high quality art. I think we overwhelmed Bend with the quality of the show. Hopefully this next year the public will be more prepared for us.

Last, but certainly not least, was ART IN THE PEARL. This is such a great show and not an easy one to get accepted in. I applied in both jewelry and 3-D mixed media (boxes) and was accepted in 3-D mixed media only. I have applied for 12 years and have been accepted twice. This is a show you can never take for granted. I was fortunate to be approached by two different galleries... Beet Gallery in Portland and Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem. Both galleries and the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland are interested in representing my boxes. It's going to be a busy winter building inventory for these and other galleries and feeling prepared for summer shows.

I made a couple of unexpected trips back to Arkansas in October and December. In October I spent 2 weeks with my 89 year old father. He was in failing health and I am so pleased that we got to spend that quality time together. We didn't do a lot...4 days in the hospital....watched a lot of CNN and the weather channel (his favorite)....talked a lot about remember when...but it was all time spent that is so precious to me now. My dad passed away in December. It's odd having been on one side of the river with parents that hung the moon and now being on the other side of the river with none. I'm still processing a lot of my feelings about being an orphan. I'm sure some of that processing will show up in my artwork. It can't be helped If there is little distinction between one's art and one's life.

Since my last post there were many days spent with dear friends. Some are artists...some are cheerleaders for us artists...all are sweet to the core and so dear to my heart. I am wealthy beyond words when it comes to my friends.

It's going to be a good year. I'm feeling creative and inspired regardless of the slump in the economy. I'm excited about looking forward. My intention is to nurture the creative idea in my head....let it circle my heart and pass through my hands. If I can do that, all will be well.

OPENING AT KOBO

The opening for the group show, 3 ARTISTS, 3 WOMEN, 3 FRIENDS, was Saturday night June 21st at KOBO Gallery in Seattle. There was much visiting with old friends, lots of laughter and a general feeling of celebration. It also happened to be my birthday and we...Linda, Helga, Kristi and I... celebrated by eating dinner at Greenleaf...my favorite restaurant. My sweet friend, Kristi, took this picture of the three artists. That's me on the left, Helga Winter in the middle and Linda Jarvis on the right.

Not only was it the longest day of the year, summer solstice, but it was a long day. We arrived at KOBO early to set up and left late to catch the ferry back to Port Townsend. The evening light was absolutely beautiful looking back at the city from the ferry.

THREE ARTISTS...THREE WOMEN...THREE FRIENDS

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE

L I N D A J A R V I S

Studies in commercial art, design and illustration at the Burnley School of Professional Art in Seattle have provided me with a broad background in various disciplines and media. Working in mixed media and giving new life to reusable objects, has offered endless influence for exploration and experimentation for creative expression. My studio sits within wooded acreage on a hilltop in Chimacum, Washington where observations of the natural world and my own sense of wonder therein are ingredients for my inspirations in constructing sculptures and assemblages. Usually initiated by an image, thought or title idea, my work then evolves spontaneously unveiling a story or vignette often augmented by my illustrations and paintings of wildlife. My intent is to depict an aliveness, often times with humor, while balancing realism with fantasy.

S H A N E M I L L E R

From my studio in Port Townsend, WA, I create jewelry and narrative art boxes using a photo-etching technique. With the exception of a single etching workshop, I am self taught. For twelve years I was a sculptor and printmaker. My current body of work is an offspring of those two art forms. Each piece feels like a small sculpture and the etched surface is a direct product of printmaking. Pattern and texture become my palette more than color. I am also drawn to words and narrative and a good story. While choosing imagery for a piece of jewelry or one of my boxes, I have the privilege of beginning a story that someone else gets to finish. My jewelry might not be considered precious due to a lack of gems and gold but when a favorite piece is found at the back of the sock drawer three years lost, my hope is that the finder will feel as though they have discovered a treasure. The narrative art boxes, like the jewelry, are heirloom pieces made to be passed on through generations.

H E L G A W I N T E R

I hand turn unseasoned, salvaged, local Pacific Madrone (arbutus menziesii) on a wood lathe. Green Madrone, a wood that is unpredictable, is my favorite turning wood.
The drying process is delicate, referring to a sense of mystery, balance, the fragility of life and a sense of movement. I attempt to create objects that are pleasant to be with, invite to be touched, held and inquired. The process of my work is a self-discovery. The pieces are felt and become known to me only to be discovered anew through the beholder’s imagination that decides and investigates the function of the piece. Using dyes and patterns are inviting a closer look and investigation: Is it glass? Is it a gourd? Is it wood? What does the spheroid look like inside – is it smooth, rough, natural, dyed or even patterned – what creates the sound it makes? Vessel and spheroid, when given a new appearance, allow a quiet conversation to take place. Who am I really? How does my appearance, my attitude effect my inner being? Do they enhance the self or cover it up?Through these processes I strive to show the pureness of the wood – the essence of being.

GROUP SHOW ENDS

The group show STORIES MYTHS AND LEGENDS just ended at Childhood's End Gallery in Olympia, WA. It was a well attended show with a nice range of beautiful work. Here are some images of my work (from left to right): AFTER THE HONEYMOON, LONG NOSE GAR, TIME TRAVELER, REMEMBERING THE NIGHT GARDEN and WATCHING FOR SIGNS OF SPRING.




My good friends and art buddies Linda Jarvis and Helga Winter also participated in the show. These delightful mixed media house sculptures are an example of Linda's work and the turned bowl and spheroid is an example of Helga's work. I am delighted that the three of us will be exhibiting together at KOBO Gallery in Seattle on the 21st of this month. I will post more information about this in a few days.

CROW BRACELET

I am a long time admirer of crows. I love their blackness...the sharp glint in their eye...their social-ness...the way they walk when observed from behind...their raucous voice...and their unending curiosity.

Years ago when I made crows out of steel a man told me about how he had been befriended by a crow. They became such good pals that the man could go out in the yard and yell, "GEORGE", and George would come flying and sit on his shoulder. Ever since I have dreamed of being chosen by a crow. I can't imagine a greater honor.

Another man told me how he would buy bulk bologna and throw the slices frisbee style to the crows. Every day he would shorten the throw bringing the crows closer and closer. Eventually the crows came through his open door into the house to get their treats. I have seen a crow fly over my property carrying what appeared to be a piece of pizza...probably booty from somebody's picnic when they were caught unaware.

This crow bracelet is photo-etched sterling silver. It has five crows flying around the circumference and a pattern of checkerboard on the ends. It can be made to comfortable fit any size wrist.

MOTHER'S DAY

This heart pin with the Japanese wave pattern was just made for a customer who requested one for her daughter-in-law for Mother's Day. The daughter-in-law is new to the family and it's her first Mother's Day and it seemed to be the perfect gift. It is photo-etched sterling silver and has a little window cutout for looking deep within.

Making this heart pin for this young mother makes me think about my mom and all the Mother's Days that we shared. My mom lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas and worked as a florist in the family business. She began as a delivery girl at the age of 16 working for her mom. We lost her...our common denominator...last year on her birthday. She worked until the week she went into the hospital. That was a total of 71 years working with flowers. We should all be so lucky.

Mother's Day at the flower shop was always a wild time. It is one of the biggest single day holidays for flowers. Work didn't stop just because you had a baby or a toddler. Mom took us with her. I remember being really little and falling asleep somewhere in the shop while my mom and her sisters worked deep into the night and the early morning making corsages and bouquets for Mother's Day. When we were babies (I'm the middle of five) we slept and napped in gladiola boxes because that was the cleanest place in the shop. As I got older I was either delivering flowers or sitting beside mom wiring them. It was a great opportunity to talk and visit and hear stories of her childhood and of her mother.

Most things had to be delivered by early Sunday morning on Mother's Day so that the mom's could wear their flowers to church. In the South, and maybe everywhere, I don't really know, children whose mom was living wore a red rose to church and if your mom had passed, you wore a white rose. Every Mother's Day mom would make a comment about how we would have to wear a pale pink rose because she was so tired and exhausted from all the work...just barely alive. She said that her mother used to say the same thing.

So this Mother's Day I will be thinking about my mom. I will smell some flowers and remember some stories and be grateful for every minute I got to be with her. I am so lucky.

EVERYWHERE I LOOK

Lately it seems that everywhere I look I see some kind of interesting texture or pattern. They are all around us...ivy growing up a concrete wall...the butt end of round hay bales...the inside of a security envelope. The little voice inside my head is always asking, "would this etch". Thanks to the age of digital photography I can now easily capture snippets of texture. I keep these visual treasures in a digital file in my computer where they accumulate just waiting to be dragged into photoshop and messed with. I often troll through this file looking for just the right image or background for a narrative art box or a piece of jewelry. Not everything translates or is easily etched but more and more I am able to determine that before I totally trash a good piece of metal.


On Wednesday my friends and art buddies, Linda Jarvis and Helga Winter, went with me to Olympia, WA, to deliver our work to Childhood's End Gallery for the upcoming show, STORIES, MYTHS AND LEGENDS. One advantage of being slightly late in delivering is that we got to see a preview of the show. Many pieces by other artist were leaning against the walls just waiting to be hung or arranged on pedestals. The opening is tomorrow night and it will be fun to see how all the art work will be displayed.

On the way home we stopped in Tacoma to check out some galleries. While walking around we noticed these wonderful grates in the sidewalks. I'm sure there are many other patterns scattered throughout the city and it will take another trip to discover them all. I can hardly wait to see how these might show up in my work.

THE PRESENT MOMENT

This is the time of year when artists are getting their acceptance or rejection notices from art shows around the country. We offer up our money and our ego to be juried by our peers. We are either accepted or not based solely on the taste of a handful of strangers and on the quality of our images...not necessarily our work. When we are accepted we wonder how on earth we will get it all done ...meet the deadlines...find a balance...have a life...and get the grass mowed. When we are rejected we walk around repeating the rejection mantra...it's not personal...it's not personal.

I have three shows lined up for August and I find it interesting how NOT in the present moment I am. My eye is already on the goal...focused on the golden carrot right in front of my nose. I'm thinking about August...counting the days left between now and August...if I get up an hour earlier how many work days would I gain between now and August. I have so looked forward to spring and summer and now I find myself overlooking those glorious months and focusing on August.

So I'm writing this post as a reminder to myself to breathe deep and often...to notice how the light is changing...to take a few moments to watch the chickadee carry nesting material into the birdhouse just outside my window...to enjoy the company of dear friends when the opportunity is there...to soak up a little sun and collect some vitamin d...to trust that the work will get done...and to find contentment in the present moment.

STORIES, MYTHS AND LEGENDS

I'm working hard preparing for this group show. It's being a fun challenge coming up with narrative boxes that have a story, myth or legend embedded in their metal surface. I'm feeling like a writer without words. I'm challenged by how to tell the story without revealing too much...how to avoid making it trite...what is the hook...how to be a narrator instead of an illustrator. Sometimes I grumble through these challenges but in the end I know it is good for my spirit and my creative juices to get stretched. I'm pleased to be part of this show with my friends and fellow art sisters, Linda Jarvis and Helga Winter. I can hardly wait to see what delicious pieces they have created. Stay tuned for future postings to see some of my boxes.

LONG WALK HOME

I found this image of a man and his horse at a flea market. The original is tiny...just 1.5 x 2.75 inches...it is slightly tattered and cost me a whopping 70 cents. This little image is like gold to me because of all the questions it stirs. Who was this man...where had he been plowing...what was the name of his horse...who took the photograph...was it a long walk home?

The neckpiece I made from this image is photo-etched sterling silver with a copper roof. It hangs from a sterling silver snake chain and measures 1.25 inches wide x 2.5 inches tall and is just under .25 inches thick.


The back shows an etching of moon phases which, for me, not only represents the passage of time but also are symbolic of planting and crops. Perhaps, after a long day of plowing, the man and his horses walked home under a canopy of stars.


This is the original. I've owned it for several years and am still moved by the captured image after all this time.

AFTER THE HONEYMOON

AFTER THE HONEYMOON is the second box that I exhibited at the DOOR show at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts. This is from one of my favorite vintage images...I've used this image in different art mediums for years. It's classic...the great car...the problem with the great car...the honeymoon and love affair with the great car being tested...the wonderful angle of the leaning man, his arm and the hood. I can't help myself...I would love this image even if it weren't my dad on his honeymoon. It was a 1942 Chevy Coupe that hauled my newly married mom and dad to Sequoia National Park from Hot Springs, Arkansas for their honeymoon. They had car problems on their return trip just outside of Salt Lake City on the edge of the desert. I think my dad said that a belt broke and he had to replace it with the belt that held his pants up. My mom was the photographer...I think she did a great job capturing the ordeal. Click on this image to enlarge it.


The other layer of this box is about crows and counting them to divine the future. There is an old traditional rhyme...
ONE IS FOR BAD NEWS
TWO IS FOR MIRTH
THREE IS A WEDDING
FOUR IS A BIRTH
When the car door is opened, three surprised crows peer out...THREE IS A WEDDING.

The box is 12.75 inches wide by 8.5 inches tall by 2 inches deep. The back wall is photo-etched red brass and the car and crows are etched nickel. The door is hinged and really works. The box itself is cherry with an inlaid strip of flying crows in nickel. There is a thin layer of mica on all the windows of the car.


Here is the original photo that inspired this piece.

WATCHING FOR SIGNS OF SPRING

I can't remember a year when I've looked more forward to the arrival of spring. It's not that it has been a hard winter...it's been mild here in Port Townsend...it's more about the light and the sun and some signs of hope. At my house some of those signs include the early morning songs of birds...a pair of chickadees checking out one of my birdhouses...rough skinned newts migrating across the road toward the water...pussy willows about to burst open...and just a general lifting of the spirit.


Tonight at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts is the opening of a show called DOORS. I have two pieces in the exhibit...this one is titled WATCHING FOR SIGNS OF SPRING. It is 2 x 5.75 x 10.75 inches. The front of the house is photo-etched red brass and the back wall, door, roof and the vintage image of the woman is photo-etched nickel. The framework of the box is cherry. I was determined to make a house that was not a rectangle. It's been many years since I've taken geometry and figuring out all the angles and making tight joints was a real challenge. It's hard to tell in the photo but there is mica behind the window and just beyond that a small bird on a nest. The swallows on the inside of the door are a traditional symbol of spring and the hands on the outside of the door are symbols of welcoming. The woman is holding a large bouquet of spring flowers and represents that place within the heart that longs to dig in the dirt this time of year. You can tell by the original photo that she is someone who long loved flowers and birds and rough skinned newts and all the hope that comes with spring.

ALL ALONE STONE

Years ago I kayaked in the Queen Charlotte Islands for 17 days with a group of women. It was a time I will never forget...so pristine...magical...eagles as plentiful as sparrows...the deep throaty call of the ravens...black bears...the sweet company of women...reading nautical charts...eating like queens...and finally paddling around a point and seeing all that was left of a Haida village, the deteriorating totems left standing on the edge of the shoreline... watching us.

On one of the nautical charts was a little pinpoint size dot that represented an island called ALL ALONE STONE. I thought the words were magical and poetic and have never forgotten them over all these years. When it came time to create a box for a group show at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts that little island whispered to me.

This box is 6 inches by 6.5 inches and is made of cherry, photo-etched nickel and red brass, clear marbles, a vintage level vial and a single stone concretion. Concretions are one of my most favorite things on earth...I've collected many from beaches near my home in Port Townsend, WA. This concretion won the prize and gets to live in this box made especially to honor it.

THE POWER OF WORDS

I've been thinking a lot lately about words and the power they hold. They seem so simple...just a bunch of straight or squiggly lines strung together and yet they have the potential to break a heart or send it soaring....to bring us near or to scatter us like leaves in the wind...to squeeze a tear or to make us laugh uncontrollably. A spoken word, whether a shout or a whisper, can change the world. I keep a list of words that move me and sometimes I will come across one in my sketch book and be inspired to create a piece of art just because of that single word. For me, that is powerful.

Then there are names. I also keep a list of great names...one I might bestow upon a dog if I ever get one...or an inspired name for a boat, (I once saw a tug boat in Seattle named EARNEST, I just love that)...or a piece of property...or a business. I especially love titles of artwork and have a pet peeve with art named, "UNTITLED #37". I know that some of my artwork has sold because of it's title. The words were the initial hook...maybe they stirred a memory or maybe they acted as a bridge of common experience so that the viewer could relate to me on a heart level without really knowing me.

My friend, Daniella Woolf, is an encaustic artist and used to use "untitled" on her work. One of her paintings was of brightly colored randomly placed dots from small to large. She decided to title that piece, "WHEN MAMA SPILLED THE BUTTON JAR". At her next show there was practically a fight between customers over that painting. Many of us grew up with a mom and her button jar...we can relate.

My friend, Kim Morris is another example. She weaves beautiful rugs with exquisite color. One rug is named "PICKING PEARS". When you see the rug you are struck by the beauty of the craftsmanship and by the gorgeous color combinations but when you read the title you can actually smell pears ripening in the late summer sun. Another rug is titled, "PERSIMMONS IN A BLUE BOWL". You can just imagine.

Linda Jarvis, a mixed media assemblage artist, and I often bat titles back and forth over the telephone like we were playing badminton, always hopeful to find a great double entendre. We both know the value of a good title and we both get frustrated when our work has occasionally been displayed in a gallery setting without a title.

So I guess this post is just an encouragement to all of us to use our words. To speak and to write from the heart...to make our words be meaningful and memorable.

QUEEN OF HEARTS PIN

With tomorrow being Valentine's Day it just seemed right to post this pin. Does she look familiar? Yes, she is the Queen of Hearts found in a deck of playing cards. This image is from a vintage deck. She is believed by some to be a representation of Elizabeth of York...the Queen consort of King Henry Vll of England. But most people these days associate her with matters of the heart and romantic love.

In Slovenia, a proverb says that "St Valentine brings the keys of roots," so on February 14, plants and flowers start to grow. Valentine's Day has been celebrated as the day when the first works in the vineyards and the fields commence. It is also said that birds propose to each other or marry on that day. It has only recently been celebrated as the day of love.

So tomorrow don't be surprised to see pairs of birds sitting extra close to each other on the telephone wires or spring bulbs just starting to break through the ground. And about the romantic part....take a walk...hold a hand...let someone know that you think they are great. Have a sweet Valentine's day!!

This pin is photo-etched sterling silver and is just over 1.5 inches tall and just under 2 inches wide.

HOUSES THAT MEASURE UP

What's not to love about rulers and measuring devices...the little tick marks in perfect order and numbers from petite to bold. I have always loved beautiful steel Lufkin rules and the wooden folding variety with the warm patina that comes from much use. More and more these beautiful tools are being replaced with plastic or some lazer or digital nonsense. It's just wrong.

While these house pins are modeled after a measuring devise and can be mistaken for steel, they are actually photo-etched in sterling silver. Some of the roofs are sterling silver and some are copper. There is a small window on each house...the gateway to looking within. All the house pins are 1 inch wide and 1 7/8, 2 1/8 or 2 3/8 inches tall.

I just gave the #50 pin to a friend who turned 50 yesterday...oh, and she's a real estate agent.

THE TIME TRAVELER

THE TIME TRAVELER is ready for any and all adventures. With the world map behind him the universe is at his finger tips...well maybe his wing tips.

Over the last few posts I have been introducing THE TIME TRAVELER. Here is the completed box both inside and outside. It measures 12 inches wide (with the doors closed) by 14.25 inches tall. The framework is cherry and the metals are red brass and nickel with a vintage beveled protractor as a finial on top of the box.

I'm still working to perfect the photography of this box. It is tricky at best and I have struggled with my lighting equipment and bulbs burning out at critical times. As I get better photos I will replace these.

THE TIME TRAVELERS CHECK LIST

THE TIME TRAVELER keeps a list of specialized equipment...all the things necessary for his journey and for his safe return. He also has to be well versed in math and equations of all kinds and have extensive knowledge of worm holes out in the universe. Click on the images below to enlarge them.


These images are of the inside of the doors of THE TIME TRAVELER box. They are etched nickel. My tungsten bulb just blew ...the one I use for photography...so these images of the doors are from the transparencies that I use to etch the metal.

MODE OF TRANSPORTATION

Every time traveler worth his salt has a trusty mode of transportation. In this case it is a winged chair with Einstein's famous formula (E=mc2) and tempus fugit (time flies) etched on the back rests. It takes the knowledge of Einstein's formula to make time travel even feasible and it takes the hope and imagination of time flies to actually make the chair lift off. With any luck this time traveler will be off on a new adventure soon.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN...WHERE WE'RE GOING

This is the suitcase that belongs to THE TIME TRAVELER...there have been many destinations. Can you imagine witnessing pyramids being built in Egypt... being in India for the birth of Buddha....and on the way back to present time zipping into Seattle for the World's Fair. I think we can all relate to THE TIME TRAVELER. Who hasn't wished they could have one more conversation with someone from the past...just one more moment...to be able to ask one more question.

IT STARTS WITH AN IMAGE

Over the next several days the subject of my posts will be the anatomy of a box...well, not any box, but one of my boxes. I've talked about these narrative art boxes, schemed and dreamed about them for well over a year now. Of course I am influenced and find inspiration from the work of Joseph Cornell and, more recently, Mariko Kusumoto. Her box-like sculptures are Asian influenced and beautifully crafted and can be found at Mobilia Gallery in Massachusetts.

The idea of the box was my solution to being able to flesh out a story. I think I am a story teller at heart and while my jewelry has given me a canvas for storytelling, there is not always enough surface area to pull it off. With the ability to etch surfaces both inside and outside of the box, I now have plenty of room to tell the whole story, always being careful, of course, to leave some things for the imagination of the viewer.


For me it all begins with an image...although a word or a phrase is sometimes the trigger. I've mentioned in a past post how much I enjoy working with vintage imagery. There is something so visceral about those old images and the life led...a life I will never know anything about. I feel compelled somehow to create a life for them...to put their face back out into the world so they won't be forgotten.


The etching process that I do requires very high contrast images...a lot of vintage images just aren't. I spend quite a bit of photo shop time getting the images ready to etch. Many are faded or slightly out of focus and most are stilted in a way. The subject had to hold perfectly still for long periods of time in order to capture their image on film. To find a good vintage photo of a subject actually doing something is rare. I'm always looking for interesting hand positions and for how that can help my story along. I was lucky with the above image...with his right hand resting on the table (to steady himself for the photo) I have a perfect fist just waiting to hold something. In this case it will be a suitcase because this young man is THE TIME TRAVELER. Check back over the next several days and see his transformation and story evolve.

OAK LEAF BRACELET

I have always loved oak leaves... the shape...the varieties of shapes...a symbol of the strength and elegance of the tree they come from. Where I grew up in Arkansas the oak trees were on the property long before I existed and with any luck, will be there long after I am gone. Those trees held our forts and tree houses...were friends when we just needed to get away and have a quiet moment alone...and today shade the cemetery plot just down the road where some of my family rests. Those trees are as woven into my DNA as any other genetic material.

This bracelet is photo-etched, 16 gauge sterling silver and depicts oak leaves being blown in the wind. The Robert Frost quote says, "LISTEN! THE WIND IS RISING AND THE AIR IS WILD WITH LEAVES." It is 1 inch wide and can be made in any length to fit any wrist.

FISH MIGRATION

If you've been reading this blog at all I think it is probably clear that I really like fish. For years I collected fish pins (this was way before I even thought about being a jeweler.) I loved the fishes that Gabrielle Gould (a jeweler from Saint Augustine, FL) used to make. One was called RED HEADED BOTTOM FEEDER...with a name like that I couldn't resist. It was one of my favorite pins ever until I lost it. I still think about that little silver fish with it's red head and spiral wire for a back fin.

It took me a while to realize that I can make my own fish pins now. Over the next five days I will be posting a new fish each day. This is a migration of sorts of photo-etched sterling silver finned ones. I don't know where this migration is heading but I know I want to follow.


This checkerboard fish pin is 3 inches long and 1 inch tall.


This fish with scales is 3 inches long and 1 inch tall.


This little hatchet fish is 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches tall.


This fish with dots is 3 inches long and 1 inch tall.


And finally, this little fish with dashes is 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches tall.

ROBIN WITH NEST

I've been noticing some harbingers of spring even though it is mid January. Just yesterday I was telling a friend that the birds were singing up a storm just outside the window... and a few brave little souls were bathing in the puddles in my driveway... and a bit later I noticed a pair of chickadees checking out my birdhouse for occupancy...and there is a different quality in the light ...and I can just feel it in my bones. I welcome spring and will be on the lookout for the very first tender shoots of green to nose their way through the earth reminding me where the bulbs are planted. And that fresh, baby, tender green color that will soon halo all the bare branches...green...spring...I think it is no accident that these two words rhyme. They are each like long lost sisters finally reunited...arms encircling each other. I'm trying to be in the present moment but it is difficult not to be looking ahead. I can hardly wait!!!

This ROBIN PIN is photo-etched sterling silver that measures 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches high. The nest is oxidized copper wire. I often wear this robin pin on my jacket as a reminder to myself and others that spring is just around the corner!!

QUEEN OF HEARTS POD

For the last couple of days I've been stymied by technology. I've been trying to learn about my fancy digital camera beyond shooting in automatic mode. That means learning about white balance...bracketing...exposure compensation...the difference between matrix metering and spot metering...etc...etc....it's been enough to give me a headache. I've had to walk away from this project several times. It all started because I bought a light tent for shooting my work. Jewelry is so reflective and can be difficult to photograph. With a light tent the light source is dissipated so there are no reflections or hot spots. Today I've been dealing with the reflection of my camera lens showing as a perfectly round black circle right in the middle of the piece of jewelry. It's taken more than just a little photoshop to clean these images up but I am mostly pleased with the results.


This is the QUEEN OF HEARTS POD. It is photo-etched sterling silver...measures approximately 1 inch in diameter and 1/2 inches in depth...and hangs on an 18 inch sterling silver snake chain. The backside has a checkerboard pattern that mimics the bodice of her gown.

OAK LEAF POD

I am drawn to pods...mostly seed pods...with their hollow interior full of hope for the future.

This sterling silver pod is my stylized version of the seed pod. It is photo-etched and is approximately 1 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch in depth. The doorway into the pod is stitched part way closed with copper wire...reminding us to be patient and that in time, the gift inside will reveal itself. The pod hangs by an 18 inch snake chain. On the backside there is a textural pattern of dashes...this pattern was found on the inside of a security envelope. The oak leaf motif is in remembrance of my mom and of the tall wise oak trees that watch over our family home in Arkansas.