organized

Ok, here's a quick peek at the studio so far. Above is a shot of the photo area with props stored underneath the table and on the case next to the table. Books are now tidily stored on the many cases.

This is a shot of the length of the room, my jewelers bench peeking out on the left, the green case storing my favorite books across from my desk (along with dolls displayed on top). Note the clean tables! I hope it lasts, although my nature is to spread everything out so I can see all the components at once.

This is my toolkit which I take everywhere: matte tape for perserving little flowers/leaves, date stamper, Le Sport Sac pouch, various micron pens (absolutely necessary for my survival), mechanical pencil, ball of kneaded eraser, small water spray (for wetting watercolors), two water brushes, watercolors and magnifying lens. Its very light and doesn't take up much room in my bag, which is good, because i could get away with just my sketchbook and pens, but I feel rather incomplete with my tool kit.

Clear evidence that I am occasionally overwhelmed by obsessive compulsive behavior. I picked these beads out of several trays of loose strands, put them in tiny piles, then packed them into the tins. Then I arranged the whole lot by hue and chroma. I know I'm sick, but it only gets worse.

Four small boxes arranged by color. I do have some by stone, like labradorite. Of that variety there are a few boxes holding all the cuts and sizes.

Two larger boxes holding labradorite and a variety of pale rare beads, like snakeskin agate and Dutch opalecent rondelles. It took me about two weeks of just sorting beads before I got tired of it and stopped. I finished about 29 boxes with a few trays and one cigar box filled to the brim left to sort. I'll save that for later. I just finished sorting my paints and brushes and other art supplies, getting them ready for the warmer season ahead, which means working outdoors! I love taking my supplies outside and working, its nice to have the good light and birds all around.

It feels very satisfying to come upstairs and see everything ready to go. This time I really got down to business, dragging out everything in the supply room (which is across from the tall bookcase in the first pic) and then put it all back, in order. I think it will stay nice....hopefully.

owl munny

This is the first thing I made in my newly organized studio....Owl Munny! Andrew picked up the blank vinyl doll last time we were in Brooklyn and asked me to paint it for him. I traded him for one of his bird collages. It was nice to just paint something for fun, after all the strenuous organizing! I unpacked boxes that haven't seen the light of day in ten years! Of course, the whole process felt like a sort of therapy for other issues. Sometimes when I'm stressed out I clean, it just seems to help burn off steam and also a way for me to feel productive when I'd otherwise be incapable of creating. To me, art that's made when your heart isn't in it always seems forced, or else its a constant reminder of a hollow passage of time. I've learned I'd rather not have those reminders. So, after tediously separating thousands of beads into colorways and between light and dark (shades of red blending to pale pink) it felt really good to break the paints out (neatly, of course). The doll is about four inches high, with twisting arms and head and painted with acrylic paints. Its sealed with matte medium. I ordered several more from Chuckwa and am looking forward to painting more!

turn of events

The events of the past couple of days have left us surprised and a bit tired out. I had to remove my 'fighting back' post because it worked! We are now being taken seriously and there is no need to make the point. The response was huge. I thought a few people would send in a note...nope, my inbox is full. Its a good feeling, to know that there are so many folks that have our back.

I'm researching symbols that embody community, family and good intentions. As an artist who is completely entranced by symbolism, its often more time consuming to develop the perfect image to accompany an idea. I want to share how this experiance has affected us. How can I put into words how it feels to be small and then to see so many come to our aid? I can't, not really. So I will send out this token into the world, to remind us that we are not alone, or powerless.

unpleasantness

Ok, I debated with myself and with Greg about posting this, as it generally plunges me into a pit of fury, then depression when I think about the subject. We are being knocked off again. Our pieces are being molded and reproduced without our consent. We actually have the receipts from when they purchased the goods from us. Now, this in and of itself is not new or surprising, as it happens all the time, its just this time the person is in full knowledge. They know who we, know that this is our sole source of income and know that this will hurt us. Over the years I've kept these incidents quiet, since they are so unpleasant to think about.

But I lost it today when I opened my favorite beading magazine Stringing (I still love them. Its not their fault.) and found some of our work credited to the offending party. My heart lurched and my eyes stung as I stood there, feeling like I got slapped. I knew this company had over thirty of our designs reproduced- a customer in San Francisco had an 'incident' with the culprit (and I will love her always for it!) and phoned us immediately with the news of what this company had on the table - our work in other metals and seeming much smaller and not as detailed. We have a lawyer and she will undoubtedly flatten them with the law. But since our discovery, this company has stolen from FOUR other artist friends! So much of the line is composed of stolen designs.

This incident has left my family deflated and angry. We usually try to make a bunch of designs, to prove that WE don't have to steal and that our well of creativity is deep, but this time, we haven't made anything. I've found myself wondering if it wouldn't be smarter to focus on designing finished work, so its a little harder (and more expensive) for thieves to get. Or, buying land near the ocean and painting landscapes for tourists and living off the bounty from our garden. Alright, that is mostly fantasy, since my landscape capabilities aren't great. Its just these companies are taking the joy out of what we do. Its hard to make new work when you know that piece will be stolen. I feel like starting over, so this horrible feeling will go away. Anyway, I'm not sure if its a good idea to post this, since its so private and its going on right now, but I have to trust that sharing this bit of our struggle will somehow help. I'm also certain this company will continue to 'add' to their 'line' till they are stopped and want to warn artists to be on the lookout. So here is the main company guilty of copyright infringement:

Forever Silvers

If you are vending on the west coast and want more info on this person, email me. I also want to thank (again!) all the loyal customers that spoke up for us and helped us during this stressful time.

mini vacation

Hello! I've spent the last couple of weeks in a sort of mini vacation, while Greg and Andrew were in Tucson. I say 'vacation' because it was a break from routine. For starters, my best buddy Jessica came down for a visit (here she is with Azalea, surrounded by empty mugs of liquid truffles at the Chocolate Lounge). We've been friends since college and when we get together its always an adventure. We traveled south to Orlando for the International Doll Expo and had a great time admiring all the dolls. We called it research and developement since we've been planning to make the perfect doll since we met. I brought Max strapped to my chest and he was a hit - we kept getting stopped so folks could admire a 'real' doll!

When we got back to Asheville, I repainted this doll for Jessica, to spread the fun. Although its more like some crazy addiction...ask any doll collector.

One thing we like to do when we get together is cook. We made lots of delectable feasts, pictured here is a steak seared in butter, parmesan bacon risotto, broiled brussel sprouts and little peppadew peppers stuffed with cream cheese and crab. It was delicious.


I filled these capules made by Shannon Hill with miniature drawings, the tiniest polymer mushrooms and miniscule crystals, capped with pmc. A couple of artists that worked with Shannon are working to reproduce the capsules and we'll be carrying them as soon as we get a batch.

I liked this picture of Azalea and Max, she is so loving to him (can't you tell?). Well, Jessica went home Sunday and I was bummed for awhile, so I holed myself in my studio to continue sorting my stuff and tinting drawings in my sketchbook with watercolors. It was nice to fall back into a rhythm again. Greg and Andrew got home late Wednesday night, road weary and bearing gifts. The house is bustling with activity, a change from how quiet it is with just Azalea and Max.

cacoon

Isn't this painting of Max beautiful? My sister Sheila painted it. She captured his sweet sleeping face perfectly! Seeing this portrait really inspires me to finish organizing the studio (a job I started yesterday....) and get my paints out. Right now there are boxes of junk piled in the middle of the floor, pulled from dark closets and under dusty shelves. I love working in a beautiful space, with tools in easy reach, reference material close by and clutter at a minimum. Unfortunately, this blissful area lasts for a couple of weeks before it looks like a gang of kids ransacked it. My hope is that I get it in perfect order before my buddy Jessica arrives Friday. I have big plans for us and they don't include cleaning. Mostly, we make plans for projects and think of delicious food to make, then forget to eat, resulting in low blood sugar, forcing us to eat what's fast (crackers) then we start all over. Eventually we take a break from laughing to do something useful. I can't wait till she gets here.

All this space clearing has unearthed all manner of relics from my old life. I have a block of time after college that I spent floundering around, working too many jobs, aimless yet ambitious, trying to figure out if I was happy or not (which is a sure sign that one is not). I found ways to justify the importance of staring out the window for hours, watching sunlight move across the lawn. I think of this gray period and I'm hit with a mixture of relief and fear, thankful its over but afraid it could come back. I suppose that's the price of happiness, the knowledge that its brief, that it could be snatched away. I look at the portrait of my baby and think how fast they grow, too soon he will be grown with his own life. So I will gather another pile of remnants from the murky past, hoping I get it all this time.

new work

Hello! Here is a group shot of the new pieces that will debut in Tucson this spring! The owl and branches is a clasp Greg carved, along with the faceted bead and the rose with thorns pendant (a team effort- I did the text that reads 'life is a rose, beware the thorns' ). We were working in what seemed like synchronicity, carving side by side at the kitchen table, on nearly the same subject matter, pieces featuring owls and roses. It was a nice way to work, a little different from my usual hide in the studio with a book on tape method. We listenend to Food network, a channel we can all agree on and worked away, imagining the delicacies whipped up by the Iron Chefs. This year its been a little different, more relaxed. I like it.

This year I won't be attending Tucson again, since Max is too young and Azalea is in school. I'm disappointed, but maybe I'll go to IDEX (International Doll Expo) in Orlando next weekend. Its a long drive, over ten hours, but my mom can watch Max while my best buddy and I stare longingly at dolls all day long. Sounds like a good time to me! Not more fun than going to Tucson, but still exciting. Andrew and Greg will be leaving for the cross country journey next Wednesday. I can hardly believe its that time of year already. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with this latest batch of goods. I was thinking simple cut sunstones and shimmery andalucite rondelles would look nice with the rose blossom bead. The faceted nugget is one that could either look really amazing in shiny pewter, with all the planes to catch the light, or not so good. We will see next week! I can't wait to see what emerges.

baby bear

Look how sweet this baby is! He was being good at The Chocolate Lounge and letting his mama enjoy a maple and sea salt liquid truffle (a cup of super thick dark chocolate). We took him to get a check up and he's growing so fast, over 14 lbs already. I'm working hard and should have some pieces to show soon!

love never dies

A new polymer master destined for pewter pieces. I'm imagining this as a link, placed between faceted rubies, or myriad colors of nuggets for a festive quality. Lengths of drawn cable chain would look tough, but tempered with sweet pink tourmalines....I think the effect would be magical. The quote 'love never dies' seemed like a very apropriate thing to carve on the back, it felt right. I believe the sentiment, more now than ever. There are some bonds that never weaken, no matter how much time has passed. At this point in my life, I've only known a handful of people that have passed away. It seems like life is being generous to me, keeping my cup full of blessings.

I often think of my brother that disappeared 19 years ago and I still feel like if I saw him again, it would be like old times, as though nothing happened (after I knocked him on his ass for leaving for so long, without a word). Although now it seems like the chances of ever seeing him again grow slimmer and slimmer and that it would be easier to just let him diminish in my thoughts. I still hope, every day, that this will be the day that he walks back into our lives.

Sometimes its the simplest phrases, uncluttered and unadorned, that ring with the most truth. So, that's the idea behind this next series of pieces, heart shaped links with carved symbols, universal and to the point. The next one features a rose, with thorns, of course.

new inspiration

I love Mark Ryden. Dark and disturbing, his paintings resonate with brilliant color and Renaissance echoes. The Tree Show is a particularly good book, the plates are vibrant and the photos of the ornate frames being carved are amazing. I feel like carving frames again.

I'd never heard of Scott Musgrove and bought this book on the recomendation of Amazon. I like it. Its weird. His creatures are odd and characture- esque, with their stretched mouths and forlorn expressions. I like the good quality of the book, how the paper feels, not to mention how fun the paintings are! His pallette is right up my alley, lots of pink and green!

The illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli are dreamy and bright, like sweet confections. Azalea loved the pictures (she promptly asked me to make nearly every toy she spotted). I loved the style, sort of diffused and airy, yet the details tightly rendered.

I've been an admirer of Femke Hiemstra's paintings for awhile. I love how she tucks her jewel-like pictures into old tins and on beaten books. They are so small, so intricately detailed, so strange...I love them. So, I made out like a bandit, with my new stack of books. I feel my creative batteries getting charged every time I open one of them. I look at color a lot, but am drawn to the imagery, whimsical and surreal. Now I'm torn, should I paint or wire wrap? Well, both those will have to wait, I have to keep carving! The new pewter designs are slowly emerging, I have a new heart link with a dainty skull surrounded by swirls, a faceted bead that will (hopefully) look like silver pyrite and some tiny nugget charms that look like wax seals.