Benefit Show

Thanks to all who came out to the Mesa 10x10 Benefit show and sale on Saturday. It was a great event and I think they were able to raise a lot of money for the cause! I got there early to make sure I could make my claim on the pieces I wanted to come home with. I came home with these two...
This one is by my professor Tedd McDonah.This one is by Polly Smith who runs some of the studios at Mesa Art Center.I really wanted this one by my professor Becky McDonah, but I wasn't quick enough! How awesome is this mosquito?! It should have been mine.... There are more great photos of this event over at the Cervini Haas Gallery Blog, check it out!Oh, and my piece also found a great home so I was happy about that!
Thanks again to those of you who attended the event!

"Read My Pins"

My husband just told me about this book called, "Read My Pins," by Madeleine Albright. There is an interesting interview with her about the book, click here for the NPR interview.
Amazon has this description for the book:

"Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

It would never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by calling her "an unparalleled serpent." Shortly thereafter, while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright pondered: What to wear? She decided to make a diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her method of communication was new, her message was as old as the American Revolution—Don't Tread on Me.

From that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic signature. International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes.

Part illustrated memoir, part social history, Read My Pins provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by Albright's five-year-old daughter. Read My Pins features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics, and the life of one of America's most accomplished and fascinating diplomats."

I totally just bought this book and can't WAIT to get it!

Collection

I'll do a full post on the Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition soon (it is an AWESOME show!!) but for now just wanted to quickly post some images of the piece I submitted to the show this year.

"Collection"

found silver spoons, silk thread, pearls

I had originally made that necklace I posted about a few days ago for the show, but after installation we decided we needed to fill more wall space so I had to finish this piece up. I think it needs about 50 more spoons:)

I am still working this piece out in my mind, but it makes reference to family collections, antique spoon collections, heirlooms, domestic objects passed from generation to generation etc. If you have any thoughts, critiques, commentary or criticism it is welcome.

Thanks for looking.

More images and larger size photos can be found here.

10x10

I finished my piece (barely in the nick of time!) for the 10x10 benefit show at Mesa Art Center. Its laser engraved wood, copper, sterling silver, embroidery and a pearl. The little circle piece comes off as a detachable brooch, so it can live on the wall when you aren't wearing it. I couldn't make something without somehow making it wearable!!:)

Here are some photos to get your mouth watering (haha, jk!) for the show! Make sure to come out and support a great cause. All the details for the show are at the bottom of this post.

On October 10, 2009, there will be a benefit show at the Mesa Art Center. At the show they will have 10"x10" works for show and sale by 110 Arizona Artists. Each piece will be for sale for $100.00. First come, first pick and doors open at 6pm. All proceeds will benefit the Mesa Contemporary Arts Exhibitions and educational programs.
-$10 entrance fee at the door
-refreshments
-cash bar
I would love to see you all there. I LOVE the Mesa Art Center and think it is a great organization/facility to support. Come buy cool art for a good cause!!

A new piece!

I can see this becoming a new series. I think. Maybe.

I tried a new clasp. It was fun...I like it a lot...it works really well:) I love how it totally disappears into the chain when its closed.

sterling silver, copper, silk, embroidery thread, pearls

4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition

Its that time again! We here at ASU Metals are getting ready to host our 4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition.

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2009 Participating Institutions

Arizona State University

East Carolina University

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Long Beach City College

San Diego State University

University of Kansas
University of Wisconsin-Madison

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The exhibition will be held in Gallery 100 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

Show Dates: October 5-15, 2009

Opening Reception: October 5, 2009 - 7-9pm

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I am really excited about the show...there is a TON of really awesome work in it this year! Hopefully I will have the catalog finished sometime this week and it will be available for purchase soon! That way you all can enjoy the show even if you can't come see it!

Oh, and I got to design the postcard for this one too. I LOVE all the color in the images this year! Its going to be a great show!

10x10 Benefit Show

On October 10, 2009, there will be a benefit show at the Mesa Art Center. At the show they will have 10"x10" works for show and sale by 110 Arizona Artists. Each piece will be for sale for $100.00. First come, first pick and doors open at 6pm. All proceeds will benefit the Mesa Contemporary Arts Exhibitions and educational programs.

-$10 entrance fee at the door

-refreshments

-cash bar

I will be participating in this show and would love to see you all there. I LOVE the Mesa Art Center and think it is a great organization/facility to support. Hopefully I will finish my piece soon so I can post an image of it here.

Save the date! 10-10-09!!!

Sounds Like...

In case you ever wondered what my studio sounds like...if often sounds like this:

In which case the voice in my mind sounds like this:

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

:)

WHAT are you DOING?!!

Sometimes (okay, often) I wake up in the middle of the night, sit straight up in bed, turn on the light and start furiously scribbling something on the notepad I keep on my nightstand (for just such occasions). When this happens my husband will roll over and groggily grunt, "WHAT are you DOING?!!!!" The answer?? Sketching an idea! I've made the mistake too many times of thinking that I will remember the fabulous jewelry design that comes to me in my sleep in the morning. Do I ever remember in the morning? No. So, I have do draw it out right when I think of it, asleep or not. Often in the morning my sketches are almost entirely illegible (due to the fact that I am half asleep and drawing by the dim light of my cell phone) but usually I can glean something of what seemed like the best idea ever in the middle of the night (although often not so fabulous looking in the morning). Last night, there was this one...which I'm pretty excited about. And, since I have a deadline on Friday, this little epiphany may have come just in time (or a tad late). Lets hope it looks as good in real life as it did in my dreams last night! Oh, and isnt this little notepad awesome? Its called "Where rainbows come from" by nut and bee. They gave tons of really cute paper goods, check 'em out.

Craftsmanship

Just wanted to let you all know about an upcoming show that I will have 4 pieces in. The show is titled, "Craftsmanship" and is a juried exhibition of work by members of the group, Arizona Designer Craftsmen. The show was juried by fiber artist Carol Eckert.

Here are the details:

Show Dates: September 21st-October 2nd, 2009

Opening Reception: Monday, September 21st from 7-9

Awards will be announced during the opening reception at 8pm.

Location: Gallery 100, Tempe Center, Southeast corner of Mill and University, Tempe, AZ

More info here.

And, since my professor is the curator of the exhibition, I got to design the postcard and the poster, so enjoy!

Playing with Spoons

Not sure what will come of these, but I've been playing with some old antique spoons lately. Lots more to play with...

Makers Mark

Look what my mom bought me. Im so excited! I finally have my own custom stamp to sign my work with. Watch out...Im about to become a stamping fiend with this thing. Thanks mom! I love it, its soooo tiny, and look how nice it stamps my name (the little brass circle is about the size of a dime)!

Twenty Minutes Well Spent

What a great message...check it out if you haven't already (its not just for kids):

Patterned Metals

This semester I am taking a patterned metals class with Tedd McDonah (a piece of his mokume work pictured above). We are learning how to make mokume gane and Damascus steel. On Wednesday half the class fired their billets. My turn is next Wednesday. After I fire my billet I will do a more detailed post on the process and take you through the whole thing. For now, here are some teaser photos. Oh, and just in case you didn't know...100 degrees outside and a 2000 degree forge makes for one very hot night!!

The picture above is of the metal stacked in alternating layers in the torque plates ready for firing. We did billets in combos of copper, nickel silver, and brass.Putting the billet in the forge.Heating up the billet until bonding of the metals takes place. The metal sweat beads above are evidence that the layers have bonded. Removing the billet from the forge.Clamping in a vice to remove torque plates.The billet after being removed from the forge.Hot forging the billet down to a thinner gauge.

The billet after it has been hot forged. The next step will be to roll it down in the rolling mill to a workable size and then pattern it and roll it out even more. Stay tuned for a more thorough post on the process!

Crafthaus

This week I was chosen to be one of the featured artists on Crafthaus. If you are an artist of any type, you should be on crafthaus!! Its a great place to network and see other peoples artwork. The other featured artists this week were:Victoria AltepeterVirginia SchotchiePhillip MannNathan DubeStevie B.

Toni Mayner