The Precious Tree

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the Christmas tree. My husband asked me yesterday if I had enough ornaments to trim a 6 foot tree, and I said, "yes." That's because most of them are put away. We have a small tree sitting on top of a box in the corner of our loft living room. Still, I love it. I love decorating it ~ a lot of the ornaments are handmade; I love looking at it; I love the lights. This year I'll even love undecorating it because I have Winter Hearts to put on it, and will keep it up a few more months as a Winter Tree (see previous article about hearts, if interested.)

Have a Heart

For about 15 years, it has been part of my holiday tradition to have quilted hearts. I have a bunch for fall, and another bunch for winter. I put them in bowls, tuck them into nooks and crannies, and at Christmas, hang them on my tree. The heart is so symbolic ~ it speaks of love, comfort, home. And every year when I take my Christmas decorations down, I have this kind of sad feeling, because now my house will not be dressed up any more, and it will be grey and blah. I have been wanting to make winter hearts for years, but the lack of a sewing machine kept me from doing it. To take an hour to do something I could do in 5 minutes on a sewing machine just put me off. This year I didn't care. I have been making oodles of Winter hearts ... to celebrate Winter ... blue and white, white on white, different sizes. And this year when I take my Christmas decorations down I will have Winter hearts to put around. In fact, I'm going to leave my tree up and put Winter hearts on our Winter Tree ! I've included some pictures of my Christmas hearts and my Winter hearts for those who want to see them.

Glorious Fall

I welcome the Fall with a heart full of gladness. It's my favorite time of the year, perhaps because I was born in early November. (And I am a double Scorpio, if that has anything to do with it.) When the Fall comes, my energy gets stronger, colors seem more intense, I have creative bursts. But I have to be a bit careful or I burn out quickly. One thing I love about the Fall is the transformation of the landscape from Summer to Autumn and all the changes in the trees and grasses. I love the many hues of yellow, red, orange and purple (yes purple) that slowly appear, until the world is ablaze in color. That is the inspiration for my latest colored pencil drawing, "Glorious Fall." I hope you like it.

My Precious Bunny

I belong to a group on Etsy called the ACEO Group (for definition of ACEO, see earlier article). Every month there is a challenge put out by a member, sometimes there are several challenges issued. There is no deadline on when a person can submit an image, so, for example, someone may submit in October a challenge that was given in August. One recent challenge tugged at my heartstrings. It was "Favorite Toy." When I was a little girl I had a small bunny. It was just flat, stuffed a bit, but not three-dimensional the way bunnies are today. And I adored it. I carried it with me everywhere. I have a vivid memory of my mother bringing my bunny to me in the hospital, and how, once I had it, I felt safer, and better too. This ACEO is an homage to my bunny. It is a collage made up of rice paper, fabric, stampings and newspaper. I hope you like my humble little bunny.

Primal Echo ~ Coming Home

My heart and spirit always seem to be leaning in the direction of ancient echoes, calling from the past, and primal echoes, that whisper in my heart. This focus on bringing the past to the present and the inner to the outer has been with me since my first painting as a teenager. I work, sometimes struggle, to make the unseen visible. I do this, both through my visual art and my jewelry. And if I breathe into the depths from where these echoes emanate, it helps lesson the very real physical pain of my Fibromyalgia. I have always believed in the transformational power of art, in whatever form.

This necklace, "Primal Echo," came into being first through the spiral pendant. Spirals are universal symbols of transformation and the dance of life, and have always featured prevalently in my art and jewelry. The faceted Rhodonite and the Apache Sage Jasper seemed to go perfectly with the faux brass spiral pendant. The faceted Taureg (African) Silver beads, which I love, pick up the colors in the pendant and, again, seem to speak from the past. This little bit of a song from my repertoire seems to sum what I am saying up:
Listen in the Cave of your Heart,
the Silence echoes your name.
Do you answer the call
to come Home again.

Up and Away ~ Transformations

I have been undergoing a transformation recently, as I move away from making jewelry to making visual art again. When I moved from New Mexico to Massachusetts, my studio was smaller; I opened an Etsy shop, and it made more sense to focus on my jewelry. But my heart has always been with visual art, with what can be explored, shown, transformed. Additionally, though many people seem to like, even love my jewelry, I'm not selling. I can't, because of my health, do art fairs or belong to cooperatives, which were the major sources of selling my jewelry in the past. And I'm just not making the sales in my Etsy shop. On the other hand, the moment I listed my small drawings, they were snatched up.

Don't get me wrong. I have never made visual art with the primary intention of selling. For me it has always been a voyage of discovery and personal transformation. But it sure doesn't hurt when someone likes my art enough to buy it. This new direction means a re-do of my studio area, putting my jewelry making supplies, which are all over the place at the moment, away and re-establishing my area as more of an art making center.

So far I've been working in the small format ACEO (Art Cards Editions and Originals), which is 3.5 " x 2.5 ". It's been a great way for me to stick my toe in the water again. And because the format is small, it doesn't take quite so long to build up all those transparent layers I love to build with my colored pencils. My most recent, "Up and Away," was done as a "challenge" for one of the art forums I belong to online. To me, it's also a metaphor ~ what will I recover and discover as I take up my art journey once again?

A Wonderful Team of Artists

The Melange group is a mixed media team of artists who sell on Etsy. It's a small, but very close knit group of members who share art, tips and techniques, products, concerns and anything else that has to do with making and promoting members' art. Please visit the team shop on Etsy and check out Favorite Sellers to see a list of all of team members' shops.
http://www.etsy.com/people/melangeteametsy

Every month, Indira, a member of the group makes a wonderful video, including music, that shows pictures of Melange members art. Here is a link to the most recent video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/igovindan#p/a/u/0/dgTIoBZYbvg

I hope you like it and will use the first link to learn about the Melange artists.

Please note: the mixed media collage above is by member Maureen Tillman.

Amy ~ A Free Spirit ~ The Joy of Belly Dancing

My daughter Amy has many talents. She is an incredible jewelry maker (insert Flickr link), she works a day job with a green architectural firm, and most recently she has taken up belly dancing. She likens the feeling she gets with the feeling she had as a little girl spinning around in her twirly skirts. But like many of us, as Amy grew up, she was very conscious of the way she looked. As an antidote, she says: "In many ways I was fearless - I expressed myself through my clothing and makeup in ways that made my parents cringe - not because I was wearing something too short or too low-cut, but because I wore things that they knew would get me teased at best and potentially picked on and beat up at worst." (Note: she looked a lot like Cyndi Lauper.)

That phase being past, Amy went on living her many faceted life and grew to a beautiful young woman who could put a look together in a way that I have always envied. Then she discovered belly dancing. Says Amy, " Belly dancing from the very beginning freed something deep within me. At moments, while watching myself in the studio mirror, I lost that judgment of myself...and saw something deeper in my reflection: my body as a vessel for my being (soul, consciousness...) and an outlet of expression of self-love, beauty (within and without), joy and grace."

Being too self-conscious as a young woman to dance in front of anyone, because of the freedom belly dancing gave her, recently, at a wedding she danced "without fear," I danced without thought of how people thought I looked, whether I was being perceived as "fat" or "attractive" or "stupid looking. I danced without fear. It was wonderful. Plus I get to play dress up!"

Transition in Time

Even though it is only mid-August, there is a hint of fall in the air, and some of the trees have already started changing color here in New England. I had to make a transitional necklace, something between summer and fall, and here it is, "Seaside Autumn." The components are Freshwater Pearls, Moss Agate rondelles, Goldstone, and brushed gold Vermeil accent beads. Let me know what you think. To see this and other jewelry visit my Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

I made another "Wave" bracelet ~ this time in copper. I really like this design and am considering making a necklace. What do you think? Aside from that, I had my class with Penny this morning, and finished up a necklace with a spiral pendant that I made myself. We also LOSed (Liver of Sulphur) it, which gives it a slightly tarnished, antiquey look. I'll put a picture of that one up later.

Playing with Waves

I have been working with wire for some time now, learning about bending and twisting, making curves and knots. It's a wonderful medium to explore, and I'm very grateful to my instructor, Penny Cox, for sharing her wealth of knowledge. My most recent creation is this simple bracelet, made up of double "s" shapes. To me it looks like ocean waves. What do you think?

Meet Jennifer of Mewes Mountain Arts

Raised in Osmond, Nebraska, Jennifer, of Mewes Mountain Arts now lives just outside Denver Colorado, with what her hubbie and she like to regard as their own private mountain. Jennifer has had an interesting path. Earning a BFA degree early on showed her what it was like to be a "starving artist," so she eventually went back to school and got a BS in Information Technology, which she had already showed a great interest for.

Jennifer, eager to show where much of her inspiration comes from states: "just behind our house is OUR self-proclaimed Mewes Mountain. The beauty out here and the love of Jesus Christ are the inspiration for the start of Mewes Mountain Arts and Crafts. I'm excited to see what God has in store for this adventure so stay tuned!"

Jennifer has done painting, pottery, scrapbooking and photography, but her beadwork is what keeps her going now. Several of her creations are above, and you can learn and see more by stopping by her Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MewesMountainArts?ref=top_trail or by visiting her blog: http://mewesmountainartsandcrafts.blogspot.com/

Meet Connie Cooper of Saorsa Studio of Beads

Connie Cooper of Saorsa Studio of Beads, lives in Plantersville, Texas, where she enjoys her passion of beading. She makes her own glass beads and also uses micro macrame with her beadwork. As she stated, "Macrame is my meditation." In working with glass, her favorite is what she calls "Organics" because she loves " watching the reactions and the innumerable ways the glass will behave."

All of Connie's work is OOAK (One of a Kind), and she wants each person who buys a piece of her work to feel "as if they have something special and uniquely theirs." Her friend, Lauri Watson, got her started with beading, and recently she was accepted in to the Self Representing Artist Jewelry Designer (SRAJD) . Connie thanks SRAJD for "promoting those of us who create and design jewelry as well).

Be sure to visit her website and her Etsy store:
website: http://saorsastudios.com/
Etsy ~ Saorsa Studio of Beads: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SaorsaStudios?ref=seller_info

Working With Wire

A few months ago I started taking classes in wire work with a wonderful artist, Penny Cox. Penny is a jeweler who makes the most incredible jewelry ~ each one is a work of art. The fact that she agreed to give me private lessons really made my day (and month and year). Eventually, I will do a feature on Penny.

For now I want to say that through all the ups and downs of bending, curling and twisting wire, I have come to love it. So far our work has been with copper wire, which is the cheapest to learn with, but I can't wait to get my hands on some silver (soon....). I did wrapped loops till I thought my eyes were going to fall out, and then I did spirals ~ oh, they were fun, and so pretty. Now I have just finished my very first necklace where the beads are connected only with wire, rather than Beadalon or Soft Flex. I thought it looked warbly, but I have gotten so many lovely comments after posting pictures in some of the forums I belong to that I decided to share "Santa Fe Afternoon" with you too.

Featured Artist Teresa Rusk

Teresa loves making her one-of-a-kind jewelry creations, and loves using all kinds of materials, especially wire. Teresa, who lives in Hillsboro, North Carolina, believes "that all women should be able to enjoy nice things and not have to spend a fortune to do so!" In her Etsy shop, she offers good quality items at an affordable price: http://www.etsy.com/shop/trusk4u?ref=top
Teresa is married, with two grown children and two dogs. Despite all that to keep her busy, she finds time to fill her Etsy shop and her Handmade Artists Forum (HAF) shop with a plethora of necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Her work is diverse, made from a variety of materials, from semi-precious stones, to glass, to wire. Visit Teresa's HAF shop: http://handmadeartistsshop.com/trusk4u.html


Teresa's stated mission is "to provide a wide variety of quality, limited edition jewelry products for women at affordable prices." In addition to the items mentioned above she also creates custom pieces for weddings and other occasions. And, as if that weren't enough, she is getting ready to open her own real world store in Mebane, North Carolina. You can follow news about her shop on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HollyhocksLLC ... and don't forget to check out her blog for more tidbits: http://www.trusk4u.blogspot.com/

A Concise History of Beads

For a brief and terrific history of beads and beading, visit LTD Beads' blog to see what Joan has written. It's fascinating. The beaded glove is circa 1200, photo by Michael Manas, courtesy of Wikipedia. Here is the link: http://www.ltdbeads.com/history.html

The Goddess Revisited

In the 1970's, along with a resurgence of a new women's movement, came an interest in the Goddess, and there was a surge of books, articles and studies of many of the goddesses throughout history. There was an interest in attributes of the goddess, location, jurisdiction, etc., and of course, lots of different kinds of art. "The Goddess Protects" doesn't come under any of these categories, except that she is a very earthy goddess and I have designated that she protects. What does she protect? She protects the wearer; she protects all things earthy ~ vegetation, animals, soil, etc. She is also more primal, being made of Bone, Turquoise and Copper. The Bone also places her not only in the present, but in the past as well.

Meet Carmen Trueheart, Beader and Animal Lover

Carmen, who lives in Saint Augustine, Florida, first began working with beads in her early days as a "hippie" in Richmond, Virginia. She started out stringing beads, then began to collect all kinds of beads, including vintage beads, and continued to nurture her interest by taking classes in Silversmithing and Precious Metal Clay (PMC). She even earned a PMC certification, which allows her to teach this method of making beautiful sterling silver beads. Carmen says that "To be able to create through art, to experiment , succeed and fail, and learn through creativity, that has always been a desire." Visit both her Etsy sites and see her wonderful work:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/baublezptoa
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bananamiranda

Carmen also loves animals and donates "a portion of all of my sales to Best Friends Sanctuary." She shares stories and pictures of her beloved pets, along with pictures of her jewelry on her blog: http://mooaanysays.blogspot.com/

Meet Larissa of Reef Botanicals

Larissa is a member of the Handmade Artists Forum: http://handmadeartistsshop.com/ Along with her husband, Eric, she created Reef Botanicals ~ Handcrafted Soap and Other Indulgences. Independently, they both, as children were incredibly creative, working with knitting, photography, candle making, henna artistry and more. They didn't realize until after they were married that they loved to make things "from scratch." Hence was born an awesome creative team.


Their shop carries handmade soap lip balm, items for hair care, scrubs, a men's line, and ready-to-go gift baskets. Their soaps use only the best natural ingredients, in order to "give you a luxurious bath experience." They are user friendly, even to people who have allergies. Stop by their website, "Reef Botanicals" and find out more about the wonderful, useful, indulgent items they make: http://reefbotanicals.com/catalog/index.php Or pay a visit to their blog: http://www.reefbotanicals.blogspot.com/

Even today, Larissa carries forward the multi-creativity she expressed as a child. She first became a lawyer and a licensed face painter, and did both at the same time. (And yes, she continues to do both!) In becoming becoming what she calls "a soaper," along with herhusband Eric, she went back to her roots. Together they worked out recipes, stired the molten soap in the crock pots, trying to keep it from foaming all over the kitchen, and ransacked cabinets to see what they could put into their latest recipes. She's decided that "we're mad scientists!"

Vessel of Light

My newest ACEO (Artist Cards Editions and Originals) is "Vessel of Light ~ Shamans Rise." This is based on imagery and beliefs that I have held for over twenty years. Ancient traditions hold that shamans travel to find healing, knowledge, or other gifts, which they bring back for an individual or for their community as a whole. If anyone is interested in learning more about shamanism, please check out Michael Harner's Foundation for Shamanic Studies: http://www.shamanism.org/
(If you are interested in knowing more about ACEOs, scroll down to previous article.)

Meet Holly of Tuscan Road Designs

Holly is an amazing jewelry artist who sells her unique and diverse jewelry through her Etsy shop, Tuscan Road Designs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/tuscanroad Whether it is a necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings, her eye for the beautiful is exemplified in every piece. She refers to her beautiful work as "an eclectic mix of mod and vintage," utilizing components such as semi precious gemstones, crystals and beautiful Lampwork beads made by herself and her son. She doesn't follow trends; she wants to set them by being consistently inspired, always keeping her eyes open for "that unique and beautiful bead or idea to incorporate into my designs."

Holly is inspired by nature, Old World icons, the world around her, nature, and architecture. Her incredible work began with a trip to Tuscany, Italy, where she visited the glass and bead factories on the island. And she was hooked. Returning home, she promptly took a class in making Lampwork beads, which she incorporates into her lovely jewelry pieces.

As if creating all that wonder jewelry weren't enough, she and her son Tanner take in baby Owls to rehabilitate for return to the wild. She describes the wonder of these little creatures, including the many different kinds of sounds they make. But you have to see it to believe it, so pay a visit to her blog: http://tuscanroad.blogspot.com/

Mystic Mountains Necklace

This necklace, "Mystic Mountains," was inspired by my practice of shamanism. During some of my shamanic (visionary) journeys, I went to a place in the sky where, off in the distance, there were beautiful, gem-like mountains. When I saw the faceted Rainbow Flourite, the stones looked so much like these beautiful healing mountains, that I had to make the necklace. The other components are Amethyst, Sterling Silver Accent Beads and lots of Bali (handmade) Sterling Silver spacers. If you are interested in learning more about shamanism, visit Michael Harner's site: http://www.shamanism.org/

If you are interested in this or other similar items, please visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

My Visual Art ... ACEOs

In addition to being a jewelry maker, I am a visual artist. After training with a BFA in painting from Virginia Commonwealth University my work has been shown in galleries throughout the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, Virginia, New York, Oregon, Idaho and New Mexico.

Currently I am working with what I thought was a new format called ACEO. ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. They are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches. Artists trade them, sell them, make prints and make and sell the prints. For more information on the history of ACEOs, visit Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACEO

I am working on a collection of four ACEOs; the theme is creation and the origin of the four sacred elements: fire, water, earth and air. These elements have been a recurring theme in the majority of my visual painting, drawing and mixed media art. They each have associations such as for fire: birth, illumination, power, and more. They are done in colored pencil. I will continue to share this collection as I work on it and welcome all comments.

Featured Artist Robin Hartman

Robin Hartman (aka Helen Puck) is an artist jeweler par excellence. She is also a mother with two toddlers and a part-time college English professor. Says the artist, "I've been involved in crafts ever since my tiny little looped balloons around a clothespin and called it a doll. Now, she makes everything from lovely cameo earrings to cross stitched pendant necklaces, from delicate origami paper (set in clear epoxy) pendant necklaces to lovely wire wrapped earrings and pendants. To see her work, visit her Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/helenapuck
Robin also makes adorable wire wrapped bird' nests, which you can see on her blog, along with other creations: http://snipsansnails.blogspot.com/

Dream Again Jewelry by Stephanie

Stephanie walked into her first bead store at the age of twenty and never looked back. Overcome by the sheer number and types of beads in the shops, she bought a few things ~ some African Trade Beads, leather, and clasps, and she was hooked. She's been making one of a kind, handmade jewelry ever since, and is completely self-taught.

Growing up in the country in a small town in California, she was surrounded by creatures, domesticated and wild, from chickens to wild turkeys, from dogs to coyotes. The family business was grapes, and says Stephanie, "we had lots and lots of grapes." Being the firstborn in her family, she admits to being spoiled by her mother and attributes this to the beginning of her love for "pretty things."

Stephanie's original creations are made with with pliers and wire, chain, beads, and stones. When inspiration strikes, she starts dreaming up new ideas, which she turns into reality. She also does custom work and says, " I want to make your dreams a reality." To enjoy Stephanie's work, visit her Etsy store, "Dream Again Jewelry": http://www.etsy.com/shop/DreamAgainJewelry

Primal Garden

For most of my life I have been interested in primal and indigenous cultures and spirituality. This has led me to study shamanism as well as extended study of the Navaho culture, and of ethnomusicology. This love has taken root in my visual art, in my performance art and in my jewelry. As a performance artist, I have led participatory ceremonies related to a variety of issues including ecology and self awareness. This newest necklace, "Primal Garden," is an expression of this deep interest. The pendant has a very primal feel to me and, like the other Sterling Silver elements, was handmade by the Hill Tribe in Thailand. The Turquoise seemed to naturally fit, and the bronze Freshwater Pearls are an earthy element to the design, which is assemytrical.

The pendant, being the focal point, draws you into the garden, and the other components invite you to explore. To see this and my other jewelry, visit my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

Meet Japanese Artist Kazumi

This week's featured artist is Kazumi, a versatile Japanese based artist. She does everything from age old sock monkeys to wedding message boards. I especially like her whimsical drawings. Her sock monkeys have been sold around the world, and she has t-shirts and other items that go with them. To see her sock monkeys: http://sockyworld.com/
In her Etsy shop, Kazumi welcomes visitors to "East Meets West" designs. Everything she does is handmade, but, for her fabric pieces, with fabrics from around the world. To visit K & K Crafts and Designs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sockysworld

Sandi's Handmade Art

Sandi, of IKnitQuiltSew, expresses her passion through her knitting and quilting. Her items are handmade, one of a kind blankets, booties, bears, etc. According to Sandi, " I truly love what I do... whether it's knitting that perfect pair of booties or hand-quilting my latest creation, it's a labor of love." Some of Sandi's designs were handed down from her great grandmother to her grandmother, and then to her "before color TV was invented." Sandi is an artist with fabric and yarn as her media. To see more of Sandi's wonderful work visit her Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/iKnitQuiltSew

Sonata

This is my latest, "Sonata." The Botswana stone beads are combined with Mother of Pearl and "Crystal Copper" Swarovski crystal beads. I wanted the look of the metal without actually using Copper, and the think the crystals did the trick. They also add a bit of a shimmer. As a whole, the necklace reminded me of a lovely melody, hence the title. I have now used up all my Botswana Agate beads, and I guess I will have to buy some more because I have come to love this stone. To see this and other items, visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

Featured Artist ~ Haffina

Haffina is a busy mother of five who lives and creates her wonderful polymer clay beads in Australia. Haffina's creations include beads, pendants, toggle clasps, and more. In addition, the artist also makes jewelry, using her own beads, and creates fantasy creatures, such as dragons. According to Haffina, "Polymer clay fascinates me, it is so versatile, and I want to show others just some of the possibilities." To see more of her work, visit her Artfire Gallery: http://www.artfire.com/users/beadsbyhaffina

Sante Fe Tequilla

I was a bit homesick for the southwest when I made this one. I recall sitting at a small, streetside cafe, sipping Margaritas and watching the passing people as well as the rolling mountains in the distance. Turquoise is always a good bet when thinking southwestern, but I was surprised at how much I liked combining it with the Serpentine. And, of course, a spiral (pendant) is almost always a must have, to add that sense of mystery. To see this and my other jewelry work, visit my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

"Girlie's Bling" by Joanne

Joanne, under the Etsy shop name, "Girlie's Bling & Things," showcases her wonderful jewelry. she also loves to do other types of crafts, including painting, jewelry, to macrame and a bit of woodwork. Her jewelry work runs the gamut from necklace sets, to earrings to keychains, and everything is made with love and a fine attention to detail. The diversity of her work is incredible, but most of it has a feeling of light and openness. To see her work visit her Etsy page:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/joanne79

Seaside Dawn


As spring moves along, thoughts turn to summer and beaches, sea and sun. "Seaside Dawn" reflects the colors of the sea in the Montana Agate rondelles, while the Freshwater Pearls evoke the dawn. In between each pearl is a 24K Gold Vermeil "Daisy" spacer, adding a bit of shimmer. I haven't been to the beach yet, but I plan to visit Plum Island (MA) soon. Dogs are allowed to run free on the beach there, and it's a great chance for me and David to be near the ocean and my wonderful dog, Pepper, to run free and mix with other dogs.

To see more of my jewelry, visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn

Nala is the Featured Artist of the Month

Nala is a self taught crafter who is a member of the Handmade Artist's Forum (HAF). (For more information about HAF, scroll down to article). Her jewelry is featured on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jewelrybynala and on nin.com: http://jewelrybynala.ning.com/
She likes to make jewelry that is "dark and mysterious" as well as jewelry which is light. All of her work shows her incredible attention to detail and to color and composition. She is a jewelry maker par excellence. To view her work: http://www.etsy.com/listing/46040706/leaf-pendant-necklace

Dreaming of the Desert


My newest necklace, "Desert Dream," harkens to my six year sojourn in Silver City, New Mexico. For a year I lived in the requisite adobe, actually up in the mountains in Pinos Altos, an old mining town. Silver City itself was a copper mining town, though the industry had shut down. Artists began to move in and a vital and diverse artist community developed. There were about fifty-five galleries in and/or close to Silver City. It was an artist's dream. I was affiliated with a number of galleries while I was there, showing both my mixed media art work and my jewelry.

The sand colored stone in "Desert Dream" is Magnesite. The fine veins of dark brown are very much like horsehair pottery, which was becoming very popular throughout the southwest. And of course, a necklace inspired by my past in Silver City wouldn't be complete without Turquoise and Copper. The Copper beads are vintage, and I love the little bumps on them. They add texture to the design. My "artists residence" in New Mexico continues to inspire me today.

To see more of my work, visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Raedawn