Coming full circle...

Last weekend I had the pleasure to attend the ArtBLISS retreat for the fourth time! (Four of four - I haven't missed one...) The weekend for me is a chance to replenish, renew, and feel reinvigorated. I try to select classes that will challenge me and inform my body of work. This year I was taking "Three Ring Circus" with Richard Salley and Jessica Jordan; two of the three days of ring classes if not all three. I have worked with Richard before; having met him over 10 years ago at The Shepherdess in San Diego. (Any chance I could get, actually...) and I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica online and recently, briefly, at Beadfest. I knew the weekend was going to be great - but ... 

Spinner band textured and soldered. Day 1. 

I have a tendency to drop into conversation that I studied metal smithing in art school. It was one of my areas of concentration. Like I am name dropping someone famous... while I feel that was crucial to my development as a designer, to creating my sense of self as an artist... I haven't soldered since. Yes, you read that right. 

Bezel soldering demo. Richard in motion. Day 3. 

Why not? When I learned, torches were attached to large tanks, chained to the tables in the studio. Propane. Oxy-acetalyne. I learned all the basics, and love sawing to this day. But the large tank set up wasn't applicable, or acceptable to apartment living after college. And now, 20+ years later, the technology has changed so, making the tools readily available and safe for the home studio. Where to begin? What to buy? Add to that a love of cold connections, the challenges inherent in problem solving the right way to attach and integrate pieces together. Sans glue, of course. Glue is a four letter word. So I can explain away the absence of soldering in my life. 

Enameled focal, bezel, sterling ring shank. Day 3. 

Needless to say this weekend was all about the soldering.

Bezel soldered. Ready to design and saw. Day 3. 

Test fit of enamel. Tube setting in place. Day 3. 

Day 3. Final pieces. 

The classes were a huge success. Student left with 2-3 spinner rings Friday. They were all diverse, and proudly worn. Sunday was triumphant as well - new friendships formed, assistance lent as needed... and the magic happened. Rings adorned dirty fingers, pendants planned for future necklaces.

Top row right - purple and green ring by AJE teammate Melissa Meman

I felt excited, exuberant, giddy even. I was rejoicing - strong word, I know - at being at the torch again. Becoming comfortable with this or that, remembering and accessing long filed away information. It wasn't until the ride home that it hit me even harder. (The ride home is always bittersweet and a bit sad. After a weekend of camaraderie and creating it can be deflating to head home to the mundane. Knowing you won't see these friends in person for a while...)

I got a little emotional, I will admit - to have back what I had thought was gone. Maybe it was not  gone, but not currently accessible. This may not make sense to everyone - if you recently learned _____  ( you fill in the blank ) skill and enjoy practicing it and continuing to learn - that is very different from reawakening a passion. My classmates were happy with their class, their acquired knowledge, the experience, and their pieces. SO was I - but it was deeper than that. It felt like a part of me that I had lost was returned.

But - enough philosophy! I have an order to place, and pieces to sketch... its an interesting journey. As I pick up seed beads to do a bead embroidery piece I am ordering solder and CZ's. Wishing you all a day with joyful contrasts and rejuvenation!

Jenny

www.jdaviesreazor.com

ArtBLISS!!

Cindy Wimmer (author of the new book, The Missing Link) and Jeanette Blix (owner of Fundametals) are the co-creators of ArtBLISS, a weekend retreat in Sterling, VA.  ArtBLISS was created four years ago to provide three days of fun, jewelry-related classes to all of us arty-types!  I had the pleasure of attending the first, second, and fourth (this) years.

Art Jewelry Elements was represented at ArtBLISS this year by Melissa Meman!!!! Karen Totten, Jenny Davies-Reazor, Diana Ptaszynski and me!

 Diana

Jenny

 Me

I took two classes this year: Thin Gauge Sheet Metal Workshop by Stacie Florer; and Worlds of Color Polymer Clay by Christine Damm. Stacie is a delight as a teacher, and Christine is so enthusiastic about polymer it's catching!  I had a lot of fun - I have not really worked in metal before like this, and don't do much with polymer either.  I wanted to expand my horizons!

Here is a photo of a pendant I made in Stacie's class - I LOVE it!  I learned to cut, form and rivet thin gauge sheet metal!

And these are earring pendants I made, but they are not patinaed or tumbled yet.  I am still deciding if I want to add rivets to the bottom to dangle some beads (I'm thinking yes) so I have to wait to get my little riveting gadget in the mail!  And rivets...  Did I mention ArtBLISS makes you buy MORE things than you already have?

There are finished beads I made in Christine's class - again, I LOVE them!  I had so much fun with polymer clay.

And here are beads that are in the process of being completed.  I need to order some oil crayons to use on them (there's that BUY more stuff again!!!!).

On Saturday night we had a vendor night, and got to sell (and trade) some of our beads to the attendees of the workshop.

I highly recommend you check out ArtBLISS next year - it will be their 5 year anniversary and I hear they want to plan some really special things! 

Charm Swaps

Charm swaps - they make up a particular niche in the jewelry world.  From the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

NICHE

1

a :  a recess in a wall especially for a statue

b :  something (as a sheltered or private space) that resembles a recess in a wall

2

a :  a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted <finally found her niche>

b :  a habitat supplying the factors necessary for the existence of an organism or species

c :  the ecological role of an organism in a community especially in regard to food consumption

d :  a specialized market

 

I've been a part of many charm swaps, particularly our own Jennifer Cameron's Charm Swap to benefit Beads of Courage, as well as charms swaps with ArtBLISS, Ornamentea, and a charm swap group I belong to on yahoo.  

 

This first photo is from the Ornamentea Charm Swap.  Cynthia does a charm swap every year - you send six, and get six.  She has a party, and if you can't make it to the party (since they're in Raleigh) you pay for postage, and she puts the package together for you and mails it! I've done it for two years in a row now and it's always fun to open the package and see what everyone made!

This next photo is from a Seafoam Blue/Green swap I did with a Yahoo Groups swap.  In this group, there's a hostess who coordinates the theme and the swap.  You make the charms in the appropriate number, send them in with money for postate, and the hostess distributes the charms back.  This is a nice group because you can pick and choose which types of swaps you are interested in, and they aren't all limited to jewelry or beads. 

We also do charm swaps at the ArtBLISS workshops in September, in Virginia.  This is fun, because we get together at a pizza lunch, someone usually makes a really nice bag to put the charms in, then chaos ensues as everyone drops their charms in the various bags.  This is the charm I made the first year I attended, the theme was leaves.

This is a group photo of the charms made the second year - the theme was Bliss.  Unfortunately I didn't attend the third year, so I don't know of the theme.  This year there's a swap and there's no particular theme.  And I will be there and make a group collage of the charms I make and receive!

You may have read the post by Jennifer Cameron - she is hosting a charm swap this year to benefit Beads of Courage.  This is the second year her swap will benefit that organization.  Last year the theme was FUN!  This year the theme is LOVE.  You make 11 charms - 10 to swap and 1 to auction.  She lists all the charms separately on eBay and all proceeds of the auctions go to Beads of Courage!  Even though registration for the swap is closed, you can still participate by donating a charm in that theme for the auction! Or, you can bid on the charms when the auction becomes available!

 

I enjoy participating swaps because 1. I love seeing what other artists make and 2. getting those packages in the mail is so much fun!  There's so much creativity out there, and charms are a nice little way to express it!

SO, do you participate in charm swaps?  What do you like about them?  What other "niche" swaps do you participate in, in the jewelry world - earring swaps (a la Diane Ptaszynski) or ornament swaps (a la Sally Russick)? 

Playing witih Polymer

Two years ago, I took a polymer class at ArtBLISS with Christine Damm - it was so much fun and I really enjoyed it a lot. Obviously I didn't have enough time because I came home and promptly put the supplies away and never took them out again... ****pouty face**** Here's a couple photos of what I made - the purpose was to make a stacked pendant; the first photo shows the pieces I actually managed to color in class with alcohol inks. The second and third photos show the ones I made in class, but never added any color to at this point.

Recently, I purchased a tutorial to spur me on to get the polymer back out again. While I didn't get any further along the path in terms of coloring, I did make these components and still have to finish them.

I did get a few spare minutes recently to play with some more clay. I used blue and fuschia clay first, then used the bronze colored polymer clay to make the heart. I actually LOVE the heart so much, I'm not sure if I should add any paint to it or not. I was thinking of adding a gold color, then wiping most of it off so that it would just be in the indented portions of the heart. Of course, I really need to bake these first!

I really like learning new mediums and I am taking another polymer bead class with Christine Damm in September at ArtBLISS making actual round beads. I'm excited, I really like Christine's work. So, what new mediums have you been playing with lately? Do you love it or not? Would it make you leave your current medium or have you found you enjoy sticking with one?

Feelin' the Bliss...

I  attended 2 classes at ArtBliss Workshops several weeks ago.  I have been meaning to blog about it, so I thought I would do so here, for my 1st blog on AJE, as a sort of introduction!  I'm Melissa Meman, by the way.  I create art jewelry and components with an emphasis these days on metals and wire. I am very happy and honored to have been chosen to join the group and look forward to having a lot of fun!!

Via SweetBeadStudio.com

For those who don't know, ArtBliss was founded by Cindy Wimmer and Jeanette Blix in Northern, Virginia.  From their website..." workshops that encompass jewelry design and mixed media from internationally renowned instructors. ArtBliss brings in the Dream Teams of creative coaches and motivators in a warm, relaxing, and collaborative environment. Join us and open the door to creative discovery and inspiration!" Wow!  You had me at hello :)

This was my 3rd year to attend and as usual, it was a blast!  My 2 classes were with Stacie Florer, and were both centered around metalwork..Ranch Hand Earrings and Heavy Metal Beads.  Stacie was a very generous and patient teacher and I left both classes with lots of new information swimming in my head, just waiting to be utilized in future work.

Photo by Cindy Wimmer; me, LeAnn Weih, Michelle Timms

Here are a few things I have made so far with some of that knowledge...a couple were completed in class, others needed to be tweaked at home!

One of the best things about the workshops, was running into jewelry-making friends, old and new!  It is always fun to see Cindy and Jeanette every year, as well as the "regulars"...you know who you are, Jen Judd, Sally Russick, Carol Myers, Bette Brody, Lori Anderson, Sandi Volpe!  It was oh, so fun to meet other folks that I have only emailed, blogged and Facebooked (is that a word?) with!  Patti Vanderblomen and LeAnn Weih, for example!  And Stacie Florer...I have known Stacie online for several years, but had never met her in person.  Meeting someone in person and putting a voice with a face and words that you see online is the best!  I told her, now when I read her blog, I will be able to hear her voice in my head!!!

One of our other newbies here at AJE, Jenny Davies-Reazor, was there and I happily attended a trunk show that she had going on in her room on Saturday night!  Here is a look at some very sweet goodies I took home with me!

Just made for Earrings Everyday

Another special event that happens every year is the charm swap...interested attendees sign up to make art charms and swap with each other...this year, the theme was "Fall into Bliss".  I created fold-formed copper leaves with Czech glass flower dangles.

Photo by Cindy Wimmer...left to right: Jenny Davies-Reazor, Sally Russick, Patti Vanderblomen, yours truly,  Beth , Anne Savage - looking at their goodies! Beautiful handpainted bags by Dawn Gallop, the swap organizer!

ArtBliss usually offers a smaller grouping of Spring classes as well...I have been blessed to be able to take classes with Stephanie Lee and Richard Salley there...can't wait to see what they will offer in 2013!  If you live in the DC suburbs (or not!) you should definitely check it out!

How about you?  Have you taken any cool classes lately?