Monday, August 30, 2010

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.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

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!"

Saturday, August 14, 2010

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:

Friday, August 6, 2010




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.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

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?


 

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