Blog Archives

Artist Interview #6 – Meg Brown

2/26/2014

Wednesday is my day for featuring artists on my blog. I have a series of questions/prompts that I have offered, the artist is free to answer all, some, or make up their own questions or format.
If you would like to be featured here, send me an email and I will send you the list of questions/prompts.
Today's interview is with Meg Brown:

1. A little bit about your background, where did you grow up, where do you
live now, education, family, etc..
I grew up in San Francisco, Lake County (near Kelsey Creek) and Australia I am from a family of seven children. My mother was an artist that did watercolor, carving of wood and lettering, as well as being a home maker and amazing cook. My grandfather was a doctor and an artist. His medium was watercolor and some portrait oils. I now live in Davis, California helping care for my mother-in-law, Ruth, 97, who has severe dementia. My husband and my son do an amazing job being part of the care team. I am learning and trying to practice unconditional love.

2. What was your first work of art & how old were you?
I have very clear memories of sitting at my Kelsey Creek and molding things out of clay. I was around 5. I also have memories of drawings being put on the fridge in Australia. When I was 7, I drew a picture to a story by Dr. Seuss, and to think that I saw that on Mulberry Street. The teacher
entered it in a contest and I remember being on TV with my picture. I never have really felt I could draw. I use drawing to discover my feelings.

3. What did you do for fun as a teenager?
I was a teenager in the 60's... my school was 4 blocks from the Haight. The National Guard came my junior year because we were having riots at the school. I walked with about 1300 students to the Civic Center to request black history in the text books and in the library. Many students were going off to Vietnam. Ninety fellow students became pregnant my freshman year. There was no education about birth control. I ran for class President and by the end of my time there there was birth control information in all the PE classes, even though the Girls Dean was totally against it in the beginning.

Another minor victory was when I first
started at Poly, girls were sent home if their skirts were not below the knee. There was a kneeling test.... By my senior year we could wear shorts
(probably because our skirts were so short.) I was on a fencing team, Northern California Champs, volley ball team, basketball team, the first city girls track team, and I was a model.

I had 6 pairs of false eye lashes if you can imagine that. Most of the money from modeling went for clothes. I have 14 inches of leg above the knee before I couldn't call it a mini skirt. I also had jobs working in the lab and babysitting – that money was mostly saved to go to school. I was vice president of the school and created school events. We had Sly Stone come to perform.... I would run down to the beach during lunch for fun. I can remember taking balloons to the Haight for fun and handing them out during one lunch time.
Boys and dates were fun.
My goal was to go to Davis, so I took mostly AP Classes so my art was used making posters, decorating for dances. My mother let me use her wheel and kiln to do clay in her downstairs art room. I guess that started when I was about 13 and I would go to her art room to disappear and play with the clay.

4. What and when was your first job?
Baby sitting at 8 years old.

5. What was your first work that really pleased you as an artist?
Our sixth grade teacher was retiring and I was asked to paint her portrait. I loved doing that because I really admired and respected her. I was paid 10 cents a letter for lettering. I loved putting together graphic books for educators that were giving talks. I love making bowls for bowl parties. I made 250 cups (Raku) for the first Whole Earth Day at UCD and had an amazing toast with our class. It was wonderful transforming rooms for dances and events. We had happenings and they were amazing.

6. Who was the first artist to influence you?
My mother and my grandfather.

7. What art movements do you relate to?
The Impressionists

8. How has your work changed?
I am doing a lot of fiber arts right now. Natural dying, oxalis is starting to bloom and that makes lovely yellows, orange, greens. I am learning to weave. I have been spinning and I am learning Navajo spinning. I am also doing some creative spinning. I knit and create energy clothing, mostly shawltars. UCD Craft Center lets me work and teach there. I have been doing handbuilding using nature and form as a focus.

Drop Spindle

9. What things do you not like to do.
I don't like to clean up vomit.

10. Most significant project or accomplishment?
I don't think I have one. I enjoyed helping put together the art shows; Birth of a Spirit, Doors and Windows Opening, Chairs with a Voice and doing the Art and Garden Show. I have enjoyed doing Open Studios.
I loved helping start the homeschool program in Santa Cruz. I was able to
start a clay studio at Loma Prieta and at Small Schools. I don't think of my family as a project but they are really important to me.

11. What are your goals?
I have had goals most of my life. Get A's, get into school, do open studio, create a show, make pots, start a school, start a non-profit, write a grant, support and love my husband and children (which I continue to do) and now I am very day-to-day with caring for Ruth. Art has become my place of sanity. When Evelyn asked me to do this interview, I thought what am I doing???? What I do is day-to-day.... I have been in Davis doing elder
care for almost 6 years. So for now, I don't have a goal. I am looking forward to dying some wool, silk and cotton, spinning it and making a weaving. I have some pots made on an amazing gourd that are ready for glazing. I hope to have a pot luck dinner with friends when they are finished. I have a new clay that has mica sparkles. I am experimenting
with using it to burnish pots to make it go farther. I have a children's book wanting to come into the world. I am thinking of doing an edit on Pots from the Creek.

Throwing at Oak Hollow

12. What toys do you have?
Sarah just gave me some wind up toys from Spain. They remind me of my
mother. I am working on a doll house for Ruth. It is stacking boxes, covered in felt with felted furniture.
I think of my loom, wheels, carding machines, kiln as my toys...

13. What do you eat?
Veggies and protein are my focus right now. I have gained weight and that
is a problem for me. I am open to suggestions. The Happiness diet is my
favorite.

13. What are your favorite movies/tv shows?
Jon Stewart and the Daily Show, Stephen Colbert Report.

14. Do you believe in magic? Why or why not?
Yes, I do believe in magic, because I love illusion.

15. Should there be censorship?
I think there should be self-censorship. I am often glad when I keep my
mouth shut. I want to learn non-violent communication.

16. What advice would you give to others?
Listen to your inner being.

[email protected]

4 Comments

The Art of Decomposition

2/23/2014

2 Comments

Wikipedia: "Decomposition (or rotting) is the process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler forms of matter."

Poster Edges Filter

Charcoal Filter

Glass Filter

Still thinking about wabi-sabi... today's thought about one of the values of wabi-sabi is that nothing is permanent - EVERYTHING wears down. Everything eventually fades into oblivion. It's all susceptible to the effects of weathering and human treatment. Natural elements, sun, wind, rain, heat, cold, turn things to rust, stain, shrinking, fading, warping, etc. But even through this process of dematerialization they still have undiminished poise and strength of character – you can feel it.
(Concept based on Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, & Philosophers" by Leonard Koren.

Charcoal filter applied to the charcoal image 2 more times

Charcoal filter applied to the last image 2 more times

Charcoal filter applied to the last image 3 or 4 more times

Charcoal filter applied to the last image again 6 more times

My first real experience with this was in college, a long long time ago... The student center had just installed 4 new copy machines that could reduce images!!! (Yes, that's how long ago this was.) It was new and exciting. I had a series of copies of photo booth pictures that I played with on the copy machines. I shrunk them, of course, but I also photocopied an image, then photocopied the photocopy, and on and on. With each copy the image would break down, become simpler – but the essence was still there. It was a very interesting process. (I'll have to take some photos of the product that came out of that event... I do still have it... for a later posting)

So present day... I've started using the photos of some of my metal work, and cropping out unnecessary details. That in itself was very interesting. Then I started altering the details in PhotoShop. Then I took a filtered image and applied the filter repeatedly, just like I did with the photo copies in college. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. I'll have to get back to you on what I think is going on when I figure it out!

Any thoughts?

Poster edges filter

Glass filter

Poster Edges applied 3 more times

Poster Edges applied 4 more times

2 Comments

Gettin' Ready for the Next Fold Form Challenge

2/22/2014

4 Comments

MARCH'S CHALLENGE IS:
The opposite of the February challenge --
1. Something that has absolutely no function other than visual impact.
2. Have a significant fold form element

It is so freeing not to have to think about making it useful or salable. An opportunity to just be able to play and experiment; doesn't have to be pretty; doesn't have to be anything but what it is, just be present in the moment... oh oh... don't want to get too deep here...

Well, I went to the gym this morning, and I always take a book with me because those cardio things, like the stationary bike or elliptical are soooo boring. I don't have a book that I'm really into, so each time I go, I've been picking something different. The last one was 'Selling Sucks' which was pretty interesting, but I didn't want to really read anymore, so I grabbed an old one off of the shelf. It's called "Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, & Philosophers" by Leonard Koren. I usually find books like this a little pretentious or not really very informative or interesting, but this was different. A couple of things it has going for it is that it's only 88 pages, has lots of pictures, and the text is pretty big! I read the whole thing during my elliptical workout and part of the bicycling.

So much of what was in that book resonated with me. Just a quick example, he lists and describes the material qualities of Wabi-Sabi which are:

"The suggestion of natural process
Irregular
Intimate
Unpretentious
Earthy
Murky
Simple"

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, & Philosophers" by Leonard Koren. pgs 62-72

Of course this is the very very short version, and I have just begun to dip in and explore all of this. It's a direction I have been partly headed in and would really like to pursue and think about.
Anyone out there have any thoughts on this?

Here are some links to some of the photos from the book:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3 (This one isn't actually in the book, but I really liked it.)

4 Comments

Artist Interview #5 – Christine Mighion

2/19/2014

3 Comments

Ocean Jasper & Recycled 14k Gold Earrings

1. A little bit about your background, where did you grow up, where do you live now, education, family, etc…
I grew up in Northern Indiana, where I now live, and received a degree in dental hygiene from Indiana University. I really wanted to go to art school, but I was raised by a very strong mother who felt that I needed to pursue a more practical and stable career. However after college, I quickly realized that I didn’t have the passion for dentistry that my patients and employer deserved.

Like magic, I was presented with the opportunity to move to Hawaii, and what I thought would be sort of a break to get my head together that turned into six of the best and most difficult years of my life. I began working with adults with developmental disabilities shortly after moving there and just fell in love with the individuals and families I was serving. With a new but failing marriage, I returned to Indiana with a beautiful baby girl in tow and I’ve been here ever since. The funny thing is that I later remarried a dentist and we now have a family of two children and a french bulldog.

2. What was your first work of art & how old were you?
I have no idea how old I was, but I’m sure I was born with a crayon in one hand! Ironically, one of my first memories as a very young child was sitting on the floor watching one of the holiday parades in Hawaii on TV. I remember coloring multiple pictures of my interpretation of Hawaii and telling my mother that I thought we should move there.

Sapphire, Recycled 14k Gold and Oxidized Sterling Silver Necklace

3. What did you do for fun as a teenager?
It was pretty quiet where I lived, so like many teenage girls I spent a lot of time with my friends. If I wasn’t with them, I was on the phone with them or doing something creative in my room. Of course, I was self absorbed and in and out of “true love” throughout my high school years. Summers were fun though. We spent a lot of time going up to Lake Michigan during the day and roaming around Notre Dame at night when it was quiet.

4. What and when was your first job?
My first paid job was as an assistant to the owner of a driver’s education company when I was 17. I was in the class and he thought I was responsible, so I began helping grade papers and that turned into a short lived job for the summer.

5. What was your first work that really pleased you as an artist?
I drew a self portrait in college for one of my art classes that I was really proud of. I didn’t quite follow the “rules” given to us at the time and it had a finished but unfinished feel about it. The instructor asked to keep it and make a slide out of it for his class and I never went to pick up the piece once it was done.

This is my Secret Garden Ring that I felt was the first piece I was really happy with.

In jewelry, I created a ring about a year after taking my first metalsmithing course that I just loved. It had a lovely purple lepidolite stone and I had rolled a botanical print into the silver band. I added several gold accents and oxidized the entire piece. It was my first true labor of love.

*6/7 How did you go from dental hygiene to jewelry design?
I went back into dental hygiene when my daughter was very young and I wanted to spend more time with her. My mother’s plan for me wasn’t so bad after all, because at the time I was working 50 hours as a director for a non-profit, assisting persons with developmental disabilities and so stressed. I was able to cut my hours to 24 when I went back into dentistry and make more money than I was previously while spending time with my daughter. I also ended up meeting my now wonderful husband who worked in the office across the hall. I ended up breaking my tailbone during the delivery of our son and couldn’t sit for long periods of time on anything other than a donut for years. My husband was eager for me to come back in the office in some capacity, but he said he would wait until our son went school. I took a metalsmithing class at our local museum and was immediately hooked! Within six months of that first class, I was selling my jewelry at a local shop and my new goal was to make more money creating jewelry and doing something I truly loved than I ever could in dentistry. By the time my son went to kindergarten, I had done just that and my husband knew I would be miserable if I had to come back into the office. Now I’m just his consultant, I guess you could say.

8. How has your work changed?
When I began, I felt like I was struggling to fit this image of what I thought an artist should be. I wanted to make more complex pieces and I was very influenced by nature, botanical forms, and strong contrasts. I began to realize that although I liked the work I was producing, I didn’t find it something I could wear on a day to day basis. The more I played with gold, the more simplified my pieces became. I made jewelry I loved and would personally want to wear. I wanted the stone to be the focus and the gold to be a quiet compliment.

9. What things do you not like to do?
Repetitive work! Shortly after landing a few good wholesale accounts, I found out I didn’t enjoy making too many pieces more than a couple of times unless they were super easy. I didn’t feel the same love for each piece as I did creating something new, so I ended up closing my wholesale accounts in order to continue to enjoy my work.

10. Most significant project or accomplishment?
I think my most significant accomplishment lies in the philanthropy arm of my business. Although, I donate a portion of the profits from every piece of jewelry sold as a regular practice, it was amazing to partner with Lucky Magazine and raise nearly $10k for the Red Hook Initiative in Brooklyn, NY over just a couple of months with the sale of my Gentle Waves Ring Set. Writing that check to them truly felt like nothing else I have ever done and I knew it would help so many kids.

Gentle Waves Ring (this was the one in Lucky Mag for the Red Hook Initiative

11. What are your goals?
My goals now are much more simple than they used to be. Really, I just want to make work that I love and that feels very authentic to who I am in the moment. I want to continue to fabricate each piece of jewelry myself and connect with my customers directly. I want to continue to have freedom to travel, work when I want, and be mom once my children are home from school.

Long term, I’m hoping to move back to Hawaii or some place tropical and exotic where I can have a small studio and participate in hands on volunteer work geared towards protecting our marine environment.

12. What toys do you have?
Malibu wake boarding boat, stand up paddle board, and a kayak. Unfortunately, I tore both of my shoulders and can’t play with my toys. I can still scuba dive though and we have a new GoPro to play with on our next trip back to Maui.

13. What do you eat?
What don’t I eat should be the question! Homemade cappuccino and some sort of sweet treat daily. I eat mostly vegetarian as a preference, and a lot of Greek food since I’m married to a Greek. My diet is all over the place. Sometimes super clean and healthy, and then at other times it’s all comfort food.

Sapphire & Recycled 14k Gold Ring

13. A. What are your favorite movies/tv shows?
TV - Big Bang Theory, America Unearthed, Ancient Aliens, Long Island Medium, and HGTV’s Hawaii Life.
Movies - I rarely see a movie anymore because most of them are too stressful for me to handle. I did see and love The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I also like really bad old horror movies like The Blob. I love Monty Pythons movies as well, but I love movies and books that make you take an inventory of how you’re living your life such as I AM and Eat, Pray, Love.

14. Do you believe in magic?
Yes, and I practice it as well. I believe everyone can and does create their reality and I’ve manifested so many things I’ve dreamed of over the years. I’ve always been very sensitive to what others call “unseen energies” and as a child I was fascinated with life after death and mediumship. This curiosity and my sensitivity grew as an adult, and it continues to be a passion for me today. Currently, I’m in a year long apprenticeship for Contemporary Shamanism. How’s that for a surprise?

15. Should there be censorship?
No, but I do believe that children should grow up in a supportive and nurturing environment where they feel safe and loved. I think that the focus on violence in our programing and media is unhealthy at best.

16. What advice would you give to others?
Find your voice in all that you do. Be who you are and don’t be afraid to do things your way. Take risks. Explore life outside your boundaries and take time to be curious each day.

www.christinemighion.com
www.facebook.com/ChristineMighionJewelry
www.twitter.com/CMighionJewelry
www.pinterest.com/CMighionJewelry

My work can be seen in various national and international fashion and lifestyle magazines such as SELF, Lucky, Vogue, Parents, People StyleWatch, The Knot, and Shape.

3 Comments

Artist Interview #4 Aleksandra Micic

2/12/2014

3 Comments

For me art is a way of life. If I can’t sculpt, I’ll paint, if not that, then I’ll draw or write, if I don’t have neither a pen or a paper or anything my hands could use then I will sing, if my voice fails me, I will dance, if my legs won’t move, I will imagine it all.

There is art in every breath of the life I live: the way I wake up, get up, walk through the room around me; the way I smile at others… or frown; the way I cut my meal or scratch my nose, the way I rejoice or suffer….

Off To a Far Far Away...

Colors of Africa

When pain overwhelms the joy of my heart, there is always that spark of love for life and art of God that surrounds me that tell me “Inhale and keep going, you are alive.”

I was born in Belgrade, Serbia (ex Yugoslavia). Grew up mostly in Libya, partly in Canada (Toronto) and the rest in Serbia.

Bed of Roses

Baby Kiss

Been around, seen enough and learned that greed rules this world not love, lost a smile for a while, but decided not to be a part of it and let the world shape me, but be myself and thus shape the world around me.

Rules are just a guide, not a must if not reasonable. Other people's boundaries are not mine and vice versa. Love to forgive and give a second (third... tenth... x) chance to anyone who asks for it.

African Forest

Carving

I believe that anyone can change if one wants to. Hate lying and love the truth no matter how hard and cruel it may be in a moment. Love to love.

Those are all the things I try to teach my kids. They, with my husband are my greatest joy and comfort in life from God.

Shine Into My Heart

Roses of Africa

They inspire me to stay who I am. We feed on each other's love and have plenty to share with others.

micicarts.blogspot.com

Back in Time

Mini Embroidery Detail

Rose's Sonata

Mini Embroidery Centerpiece

Autumn Feathers

Living on Lavender

Precious as Life

Veins of Life

3 Comments

Fold-forming Challenge – Heistad Cup Light

2/8/2014

9 Comments

Unlit

I belong to a fold forming group on FaceBook called Foldforming Central, which has started up a monthly challenge. February's challenge was to create a fold form piece that was functional.
I like to use these challenges to make something that I've wanted to make for awhile but was never motivated enough to do on my own. I've wanted to make some kind of lighting for a couple of years now. I was a little intimidated by the wiring and how it was all going to fit together.

I decided to use the Heistad Cup fold for my light. This form started out with a 5" square of copper. After I unfolded it, I cut in-between the folds to make the leaf parts. I also enameled it by torch firings. I went and bought a light fixture, cord and a plug. Actually, I bought lots of those, because initially I thought that I would make about 4 or 5 of them! I did make about 4 forms, but learned a lot about what would work and what wouldn't. So in the end, one was plenty!

Lit

I wired the socket and then went on to wire the plug. I really had no idea what I was doing, which became apparent later. I screwed in the light bulb and then plugged her in. I couldn't believe it, it actually lit up! I thought I would try a different light bulb and when I plugged it in again, there was a big spark and a little bit of smoke. The outlet was a little black. I had to try it 2 more times just to make sure. I was now sure it wasn't going to work. When my husband came home he showed me how to do it. Apparently, the plugs I bought were 'quick connect' plugs and I hadn't need to strip the wires like I did. All I had to do was separate the 2 wires and leave them encased in the plastic and insert them in the plug. It was that simple. And it worked!

9 Comments

Etched

2/6/2014

2 Comments

I committed to making a piece for Santa Cruz Art Council's fundraiser, Hearts for the Arts, in January.

The piece had to be heart/love themed. I like to take these opportunities to create a piece of art that I've thought about for a long time, but just have not been motivated enough to do on my own. This is the piece I created. The title is:
you must be satisfied with just one glance
(dung seul regart vous doibt suffire)

The inspiration comes from the book Medieval Jewellery by Marian Campbell

I have a strong attraction to medieval jewelry, I like the regal and solid heavy feel, the marks of handcrafted work. Romance and courtly love inspired the decoration of medieval love jewelry. The word romance comes from the French 'roman' meaning a tale, and provided stories about lovers or heroes. A major theme was gift-giving, where men and women exchanged love tokens. Affection was commonly expressed with inscriptions, usually in Latin or French, particularly on rings and brooches.

Thought processes and sketches for the piece

This piece includes a medieval ring brooch patterned after the ring-brooches which commonly fastened tunics. It is stamped with the French words ‘dung seul regart vous doibt suffire’ and enameled by torch-firing. It is attached to a sheet of copper with the ee cummings poem ‘[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]’ etched into it with an aged patina. The brooch can be detached from the piece and worn on a loosely woven garment.

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

2 Comments

Artist Interview #3 – Sandra Wiley

2/5/2014

1 Comment

Wednesday is my day for featuring artists on my blog. I have a series of questions/prompts that I have offered, the artist is free to answer all, some, or make up their own questions.
If you would like to be featured here, send me an email and I will send you the list of questions/prompts.
Today's interview is with Sandra Wiley:

1. A little bit about your background, where did you grow up, where do you live now, education, family, etc...
I always say I grew up in Berkeley, but I spent my childhood in South Gate. South Gate is a city in LA County, in the South East corner...yeah, that corner. It's interesting that in South Gate you can rent a motel room by the hour. Growing up, I had no idea that this wasn't normal. I later found out that it's because of all the sex workers that worked there.

Well, when I was 17, I escaped from South Gate and attended UC Berkeley. I promptly got myself kicked out but stayed. After 22 years, and 8 colleges, I finally graduated with my BS in Community Health Education from San Jose State University. I live in the mountains behind Santa Cruz, I'm married, have two young children, and work as a health educator for the Santa Cruz Women's Health Center. In my free time, I work with wool, fibers, and recycled materials trying to make functional art.

2. What was your first work of art & how old were you?
I've always drawn or painted. I can't remember not doing so. I learned how to knit when I was 9 and crochet when I was 7. My mom always was doing something, making things, like hats made out of beer cans and Christmas wreaths made out of sandwich baggies. I grew up watching her and learning.

3. What did you do for fun as a teenager?
I was a pretty wholesome kid, until I went to college. So, we did things like toilet paper other kids houses and go to the movies. Sometimes we would cruise around Hollywood or go down to the beach. We did a lot of family stuff also.

4. What and when was your first job?
My first job was flipping burgers at a "Der Weinerschnitzel" when I was 16. It was right across the street from the High School.

5. What was your first work that really pleased you as an artist?
I guess that would be the first poncho I made when I was 7 years old. It was blue and white and I loved that thing.

Body parts

6. Who was the first artist to influence you?
My mom. Though she would never call herself an artist. My dad painted and we used to watch Bob Ross all the time; but my mom really influenced my work.

7. What art movements do you relate to?
I love folk art from all over the world. Just people, using resources that are available to them, making beautiful (often useful) pieces of art. I love that.

8. How has your work changed?
Ha! It has gotten better. I'm more confident and patient. I trust the process more and have discovered that my original intentions for whatever piece I am working on may not be what is born.

Mother and child

9. What things do you not like to do?
Sometimes I'll get repeat orders and then the pieces feel tedious. But, the beauty is that no two pieces are ever the same, so there is often the feeling of surprise, even when I think I'm doing the same thing.

Say 'Hi' to Big Red!

10. Most significant project or accomplishment?
I was pretty pleased with my sculpture of "Big Red". She was significant because she taught me to let go of my preconceptions and go with the flow.

11. What are your goals?
So many! Though I love my money job (it really is the best job ever!), I would really love to do art full time. I want to raise my own fiber animals (llamas, goats, rabbits, sheep) and grow my own veggies. I'd like to make my own cloth and maybe even have a little shop on my land to sell my wares. I'd also love to continue teaching in some capacity, maybe art classes or even childbirth preparation classes. I'm still young. One day, I may have it all figured out.

12. What toys do you have?
Last year I got a beautiful spinning wheel named Esther.

13. What do you eat?
What have you got??

13. A. What are your favorite movies/tv shows?
I don't have cable. But, I stream stuff all the time. It's been fun introducing my kids to my favorite movies from when I was a kid. Interesting how things have changed.

14. Do you believe in magic?
Yes, of course.

15. Should there be censorship?
No, but expression should not be forced upon those that don't want to hear it.

16. What advice would you give to others?
About what? Love? I say hold out for the right one. Work? No job is too small and try to get paid what you are worth. Art? Do what you love, someone else will love it too. Kids? Ya got me there!

Website: www.sandrawiley.weebly.com

1 Comment

Etsy Metal Blog Carnival – Romance!

2/3/2014

2 Comments

Valentine's Day is coming... how does romance figure into your work? What does it mean to you?

Inspired by the book "Medieval Jewelry" by Marian Campbell. I've always loved the clunky, solid look and feel of medieval jewelry. So when the theme romance came up I went to the chapter on 'Affection, Love and Marriage.'

This piece is patterned after the ring-brooches which commonly fastened tunics. It is pierced out of copper, formed by the process of chasing and repousse and then enameled by torch-firing.

These 3 brooches are part of a series on romance. Romance comes from the French 'roman' meaning a tale, and were stories about lovers or heroes and courtly love read by people of the court, and by townspeople, as well. A major theme was gift giving, where men and women exchanged love tokens. Affection was commonly expressed with inscriptions, usually in Latin or French, particularly on rings and brooches.

This brooch is made by forming heavy gauge copper wire and stamping it with the words 'pense de moy' or 'think of me.' Then it is enameled by torch-firing.

This brooch is made by forming heavy gauge copper wire and stamping it with the words 'mon cure avez' or 'you have my heart.' A fold form piece is soldered onto the side and the copper is given a heat patina.

See how other Etsy Metal members use romance as a theme:

Laney Clark silentgoddess
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