Last week to save 35%

This is the last week to save 35% off. This is have a been my largest saving that I have offered. Use coupon code "springcleaning" at my etsy. Happy shopping!!

New Earrings with Quartz

These are a great pair of new earrings that I made. The bottom is a sterling silver bead that I made and gave a high mirrored polished. The top bead is a hammered quartz. They are hung ear wire that I formed to have a long back that can been seen while wearing them for a long elegant look. They are super comfortable to wear. They would be great with a pair jeans for with a little black dress. Perfect! I love making earrings that can easily go from day to night. That is what every girl needs.

Art All-State Question #2

The second question for Art All-State is
What artist(s) have influenced you?
I am again taking this question is a different direction. Lots of artists over the century's have given my great influence. But I would like to talk about who is the greatest influence in my life. And that person is my Grandfather. He is an amazing man. 97 years old and still going. He is a lover of jewelry and of life. He has forged his own path in life and that is what I am trying to do and what all should do. Not only did he show me that you can be who you are but you can forge your own path. With a little struggle and a lot of hard work you can do it. He has given me jewelry through out my life and he has giving me stones. When I first started taking jewelry classes he went on a trip to Maine to visit his brother and he brought me back a handful of stones from a local mine. It was amazing and they were beautiful, I think that was his way of giving approval. He is one of the best people I know. He is always giving and loving. He gives till he has nothing left to give, then gives more. He is free with knowledge and anything else that he has. He has always been on my side, even when everyone else was not. And that is way he is my greatest influence in life and in jewelry.

Art All State Question #1

In an ealier post I talked about haveing to get up and speak in front of some peers of mine in preperation for Art All State. They had giving us some questions they would like us to cover in our talk to these amazing high school students. Here is Question one:
What were you doing during your teenage years/your story or journey as a young artisit?

Well I am going to skip my teenage years and just go right into my journey as a young artist. I still consider myself a young artist, although I am sure that I am old to teenagers now. My journey took me down many different roads. I tried several mediums, photography was the first. I love it, but not enough to fill my soul. Then I found stained glass, I was getting closer, working with hands and making something, it was more filling but not quite there. Then I took my first metalwork/jewelry class. There it was, from the first moment. It was a weekend class, and I quickly became like an assistant to the teacher. I coundn't get enough. I needed more. I have not stopped since. I love it, it fills my soul and turned a light on in me I didn't even know had been off. I took classes at the Worcester Center for Craft and then entered into the Professional Craft Studies Program. I am centered when I am making. I am a craftsperson. Now I teach and I love passing on my passion to others.

New Pebbles and puddles

This necklace I finished earlier this week. I love it. I was so excited about it. It is the largest pebbles and puddle piece I have made yet. It has two 14K gold pieces in it, and the beads are quartz and prehnite. I wore it the other day and it was so comfortable to wear. I will be showing it at the Worcester Art Museum in June during the Art All-State Artists exhibition. I just love this piece, it will be a hard one for me to give up.
On other notes: Mothers Day is coming up!!!
and I am still have the Spring Cleaning sale on my etsy store. use code springcleaning to receive 35% off.
Also on some very exciting news Steve and I are getting married on the 5th of May!!!! Whahoo!!!

Speaking

Over the weekend I was at the Art All State artist orientation. It was great, for the most part. I loved getting together with other artists, talking and working. Very inspiring.
The part that I did not care for, was the speaking in front of the group. This is something that we all had in common for the most part. I was anxious to meet new people anyways, then having to get up in the front of the room and speak about my work was terrifying. If I had thought about it more in depth before I might have had notes to follow. I got up there and froze, my mind went blank. I felt so exposed, maybe it might have been better had I been sitting down. I don't know. But what I do know is that it will get easier each time. And to bring notes with me in case I freeze again and can not think. There was great questions they want us to cover in our talks. I will try to answer each one on the blog this week. I will make sure to practice my answers before I have to speak in front of all the students in June. I will be amazing this time ( or at least much better).

Art All State Orientation

Yesterday I was at the Worcester Art Museum for the Orientation for Art All State artist mentors. It was a lot of fun meeting and discussing art with a group of other artists. I am really looking forward to workshop. I also go a chance to walk around the museum and see what is new. I have not been to it in over a year. It was great to see what is new. The last time I was there the 20th Century gallery was closed. Yesterday it was open, it was great. I really enjoyed see the Louis Nevelson piece that they have. Have a couple of books of her work and have seen it on TV. I was unprepared for how I would react when I saw one in person. It is an amazing piece. I urge everyone to go and visit the museum.
I am very excited to see what the group of kids will come up with that I am mentoring. I am excited about what they will get out of the upcoming weekend and also what I will get out of it. I think that this is a great program and wish that I had been so focus on art when I was young, so I could have had the chance to be part of it then. I am honored to be part of it this year. It is the 25th year of the program.