Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Mention and an Event




I love hearing comments about my work.  Since I sell mostly in stores (and a few select craft shows) I don't often get to hear comments.   I've been doing more to "get out there" in the beading world.  I've got a few project in the works for some challenges and I've been attempting to participate in the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge.  I got a mention this month and this is what it said:

Blending the work of different bead artists might seem daunting, but not to this talented designer! Inspired Adornments brought out the best in all three with the movement of the flowers, the softness of the fabric and the whimsical flower and butterfly beads keep your eye moving over this beautiful necklace. 
Since I am a self-taught jewelry designer, I had no idea that combining bead artists was daunting!   It proves to me once again that I always do better work when I can break rules.

"stay between the lines, the lines are your friends"  NOT!
So pleased to be mentioned!  It keeps me enthused about my craft.

Speaking of enthused,  Friday and Saturday is my last show of the season.  The Uptown Village Market  is at the Expo Arts Center in Bixby Knolls.  This event is one that I coordinated with 3 others.  it is a first-time event and we SOLD OUT of booths.  There are going to be over 65 artists there with some pretty fantastic hand-made items.  I couldn't be more excited about it!  So, if you're local, stop by.  Here's the schedule:
I'm looking forward to getting back to some serious jewelry making after this is all over.  The ideas are literally swarming in my head like a bunch of angry bees!

Until next time!

Lisa

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Pictures from Patchwork Culver City

I finally made it a poin3t to take some pics from the show I did last Sunday - the wonderful and amazing Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts show.  This was the first time the show was held at the re-purposed Helm's Bakery complex in Culver City.  We were indoors, which was a treat.  

We also were allowed to to set up the day before - another big treat!  

I grouped my pieces into 2 categories.  Inspired by Nature, Inspired by Vintage and Inspired by Gothic.  It seemed to work well and add some cohesiveness to my work.  


Inspired by Vintage







Inspired by Gothic




 Inspired by Nature



A last minute addition was the "Charm Bar".  I offered up a variety of charms and 2 different lengths of ball chain and invited people to create their own charm collage.  It was a big hit.







The whole booth

Earring Displays


It was a great show!  The last Patchwork for the season is right after Thanksgiving followed by the Uptown Village Market on December 2nd and 3rd.  I hope I'm still smiling after 2 more shows!



Friday, November 11, 2011

Art Bead Scene November Challenge

I've been trying to do the Art Bead Scene Blog's Monthly Challenge each month (and managing about every other month).  The challenge is to create a piece inspired by a piece of art using at least one art bead.  This month, I used the beads of 3 different artists.  Here's information about this month's challenge:



Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni
by Marie Spartali Stillman (1844-1927)
Watercolour, gouache and gum arabic, 30.9in × 24.1 in.

About the Art
Given to the Walker Art Gallery on behalf of subscribers, by Harold Rathbone.
The woman is a character from the Italian poet Dante. She was described as a heartless lady dressed in green. In her hand she holds a crystal bowl reflecting the figures of Love and Dante.
This type of painting, a half length femme fatale in Renaissance costume, was initiated by Rossetti and imitated by many others. The artist of this picture knew Rossetti. She modelled for one of the handmaidens in Rossetti's painting 'Dante's Dream' (Walker Art Gallery).

About the Artist
Marie Spartali was born in Middlesex in 1843, daughter of Michael Spartali, import-export merchant and sometime Greek consul in London, and by birth and acquaintance like Maria Zambaco (mistress of Edward Burne-Jones) a member of the cultured Greek community in London whose doyen was Constantine Ionides. From 1864-70 she trained under Ford Madox Brown, alongside his daughters Catherine and Lucy.
She was a noted 'stunner' (the Pre-Raphaelite slang for a good-looking woman) and sat for Rossetti and Burne-Jones as well as the photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. In 1871 she married against her family's wish the American journalist and amateur artist W.J. Stillman; they had three children, one of whom died in infancy. Owing to her husband's work as a newspaper correspondent the family settled in Florence in 1878, and then Rome until 1898. Despite prolonged residences abroad, Spartali became a regular contributor to Grosvenor Gallery from 1877 until 1887, and its sucessor - the New Gallery - as well as at various venues in eastern USA.
Her sustained output proves her professionalism, but little of her work seems to have sold. Her favoured subjects were literary-historical figure groups and decorative female heads preferred by patrons; landsapes and flower pieces are equally representative though less distinctive. Many of her works draw on Italian literary themes, especially Dante and Boccaccio as well as depicting Italian landscape.
Her daughter Euphrosyne (Effie) became an artist, as did her step-daughter Lisa Stillman; her son Michael was an architect and settled in America, where retrospective shows were held in 1908 and 1982.
She died in Britain in 1927.
Monthly Challenge

Challenge Color Palette


The Prizes:
A winner will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on December 1st.

Our sponsors this month are Hint Jewelry and Mary Harding Jewelry.

Anything connected to the PreRaphaelites is right up my alley!  I was an Art History major in college and the PreRaphs were always a favorite topic.  I still devour every book, show, and film about this period of time (no matter how much artistic license is taken).

My piece:


About the piece:

November ABS Challenge.  Enameled Bud Pendant - Jade Scott, Enameled Butterfly - Gardanne Beads, Polymer Clay Flowers - Too Aquarius with Czech Glass Flowers, Dupioni Silk Ribbon, Indonesian glass beads, antique brass chain, Tourmaline and Chrisocolla.

The arch of flowers and the fabric of the subject's dress inspired this piece.  The Chrysocolla looks like the round stone the subject is holding in her hand and the dipioni silk ribbon reminds me of her shimmering dress.  While there is no butterfly in the original painting, it was not difficult for me to imagine one fluttering around her head.

Let's see if I can make it 2 months in a row for the ABS Challenge.

Lisa


Thursday, November 10, 2011

Show Season!

Its Show Season for me and I've been super busy making new pieces.  The first of 3 Patchwork Indie Arts and Craft Festivals was last weekend.  Despite the rain in the morning (and the fact that I ended up being in puddle all day) it was a great show.  Patchwork Culver City is this Sunday.  We are going to be INDOORS at the Helms Bakery Building.  I'm really looking forward to this show.  This will be the first LA show for Patchwork and for me!  

The next 2 shows are Patchwork Santa Ana on November 27th and the Uptown Village Market on December 2nd and 3rd.  I'm part of the coordinating team for the Uptown Village Market and I'm having a blast making this event happen.  It has been a while since I've coordinated a big event, but the skills didn't take too long to revive themselves.  

I'm trying to take photos of all of my new pieces.  I've been working with some new materials and collecting (and using) a lot of art beads along with the vintage beads I collect.  Here's a small sample of some of my new pieces.

This bracelet features a lovely clay focal bead by Humblebeads.


This piece features a sweet rabbit by Tree Wing Studio and some clay beads by Humblebeads, 

 These stunning blown glass flowers are by Serena Smith.

 Purple beads by Humblebeads and some leaves hand painted by me.
 Humblebeads made the green swirl clay beads features here.
 More Serena Smith lampwork.

 Blown glass flowers by Mermaid Glass



Enamel leaves by Gardanne Beads, ceramic squares by TooAquarius and blown glass beads.

My style has been evolving.  I'm still influenced by vintage jewels but the theme of Nature is what has been captivating me lately.  Most of my new work has a definite nature theme.  I guess this old punk rocker has an earthy side buried under all of the black velvet!

More to come, I promise.

Lisa