gallery February-March show

As it turned out, I got to Oxide with eight pieces (including one set), and I just got the notification that they took them all. If every one of them sells, my share will be about $215; I guess I still need to bump my prices higher. Some of these, especially the persian chain, are real bargains. Of course, if I worked in sterling, higher prices would be no problem. I missed the day, Dec 29, when it went down to $27, grrrr. I was running around trying to get my Jazzfest application pictures done, and didn’t get into town in time to get an order in. Of course silver was still under $30 for a few days after that. But I didn’t really have the money free, and by the time I did, it was getting on up. Resolve-- if it goes under $30 again, act!

After almost three weeks without word from the Festival Foundation, Chery e-mailed, and got a prompt message back apologizing that we hadn’t gotten postcards; we’re all in! Whee! Must make MORE STUFF.

Here’s what goes on display at Oxide for Gallery Night, February 4. I didn’t get the end-pieces done for the DNA lariat, so it turned into a 25” over-the-head endless chain. (Amy came on a last-minute-planned visit for the week, which was TOTALLY delightful, but did delay the making.) I threw in the dark-oxidized persian chain -- thought it could use another viewing, and the jury agreed. The most interesting piece is the copper-wrapped fossil ammonite, but my picture of it is very over-exposed, and much of the detail of the fossil is washed out in glare. A small photo of what it looked like before I wrapped it begins this entry.

new chains for Oxide

Several new copper chains have resulted from Chery’s request for one for Jean. I made an 18-gauge 5/32 Byzantine as a trial, and part of a wiggle chain with the same links. However, Chery liked best a several-inch section of 18-gauge 3/16 snake chain (half persian 4-in-1) that I think dated to my trials for Rhonda last spring. Anyway, I finished that one late on New Year’s night, except for the largish, easy-to-grasp S-hook clasp that I made the next day. I have already gotten some mileage out of it by posting on About and on YOJ.

I stopped the wiggle chain at bracelet length, and tried out a little three-loop finding that I think I can use (after soldering) to make a compound three-chain sampler bracelet. So for Oxide, so far, I have the copper Byzantine necklace, part of a three-strand bracelet, the unfinished jasper-and-bronze necklace, and two pairs of jingly scale earrings. If I order the sterling, I will make a graduated persian necklace, and some simple sculptural earrings. A pair of amethyst disc earrings should not take long. And a copper-wrapped ammonite needs making. That’s nine. Deadline is January 21.

And I must stop fudging the prices down, despite lack of confidence that people will pay more. If I have to pay Warren a submission fee, I have to get more return. Hope it works... If I say the Byzantine necklace took four hours (more, really), I have to get $32 plus the ring cost. If Oxide’s going to get 40%, then the math says I have to set the price up at $60, more or less. We’ll try $58.

Reminder - put a tag on pieces, or a card for earrings, so Warren can stick on a number ID for the jury.

Chery and Rhonda and I got our application for Jazzfest put together at last, and I got it to the Post Office Friday afternoon, Dec 30. The clerk said it would go directly to their box and be there Saturday. They promise and answer within two weeks. I sure hope it’s sooner! However, it's been a week now. I really want to know!

Eventually I chose these four images for the application. The table-display from DHS in December was pretty well mandated -- my previous Jazzfest was ages ago, and my pictures from Ponder this spring are nothing to write home about. My picture of beaded ornaments is brighter and more fun than the winter cardinal one, but the cardinal is certainly a more “finished” piece. As for the sculptural wire, I was undecided between the rings and hematite earrings and the oval Russian serpentine pendant, but Rhonda instantly voted for the earrings, and also for the silver leaves chainmaille necklace as more distinctive than the diamond-shaped dragonscale earrings.

new stuff for Oxide

Warren is trying to rejuvenate the jewelry case at Oxide with some new “funky, fresh, and artsy pieces.” So I broke out the anodized aluminum scales I have had for a while and not done much with. The assorted pack of 100 had enough for one or two five-petaled flowers in several colors, and a whole mess of black ones. So I made a necklace with a whole row of pendant scales, including the two red ones I got as asymmetric accents. Mostly just assembling, not major artistic fabrication. But it came out really pretty, I thought, and Warren liked it too. If I had had more time, I might have made the back of the strand byzantine weave. But I was pulling as close to an all-nighter as I am capable of these days, as it was, so it got a quick 2-in-2 chain.

The pendant, that I hung on the helm chain that I already had, involved more fiddling. The pattern for the 5-merous flowers is all very well, but I wanted to put 5 green sepals behind the five blue petals. I managed it, after considerable fussing. When I have more scales I have some ideas to make it work better, notably a sort of flat washer behind the whole thing to keep the sepals from flopping backwards.

Then I had a couple of flowers done pretty closely as the original directions, if not with the clunky machine-cut bright aluminum rings that came with the kit. There were only enough pink scales and silver scales for one flower each. But I thought, after I used pink jump rings on the silver one, that they would make an acceptable pair of earrings.






Warren has, in the past, rejected the rubber o-ring stretchable bracelets, but I think he is missing a bet here. So I entered two of them, and we’ll see what his jury decides. (Whoever they are.)

new starts

I had a flush of jewelry-making back in May of last year (but not quite in time for the Oxide summer show). Then when the heat moderated in September and I could work on the upstairs screen porch I made a number of things.

Amy’s visit and purchase of the zig-zag earrings from Oxide sparked her order of Christmas presents for Cathy and Janine. The DHS craft fair moved things along, and I also got my Etsy shop reactivated, and sold a bracelet! after just a day or two. Finally just after the new year I dipped back into CWJ, and found a new YOJ just starting up, so I took the plunge and joined in.

I’ve posted twice to YOJ so far, and I have an appointment with Warren Tuesday morning to show new work for the spring show. I have about two dozen pieces, which is probably more than he’ll want or have room for. So all the rest will go up on Etsy, where I have 28 items so far.

I’m excited, though actually, I have had very few actual sales yet. But enough to get me moving. Warren bought my 16-gauge chain in October and Amy got the earrings, Also the rectangular “earrings for Isabel” variation sold, I believe to the same customer who bought my “Verrakaien Pendant” at the DHS sale. Then that Etsy bracelet sale out of the blue, and Amy’s commissions, add up to a fair fall.

Onward!

neckpiece complete

Here's the completed neckpiece, hanging on a big cedar trunk behind the gallery. It was accepted for the April show, and will make its debut tomorrow night at Gallery Night, as well as being in the Artistically Denton: Celebrating Our Place show Saturday evening.

I'm quite pleased with it all except the lacing fastening the beads to the wire; I think I could have managed that better.











The "wood" piece is a cross-section of greenbrier root -- these look like outer space monsters or strange creatures from the deeps. It is almost impossible to dig them by hand; the big old ones are down deep. If a dozer has been through, they can be found on the surface. The piece is made with one from Red-bird Ridge in Argyle, but they also occur at Clear Creek.

Here is a close-up of the peyote-woven section.

back to beads

Recently (after my ornament-beading marathon) I have been spending a good deal of time making beaded pictures (sort of miniature tapestries). Before Christmas I did two, a peyote-stitch cardinal and a woven-on-the-frame abstract star.





















These two are currently at Oxide. They are in matching white made-in-China frames from Hobby Lobby, though I think I have figured out what I need to do to make more satisfactory frames myself. Here Alabaster gives some scale for them.






I am now making a heavy-gauge silver neckwire ornamented with a circular peyote-stitch wild violet adapted from a photo I took at Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center. I finished the beading last night; still have wire-bending, hammering, and fabricating to do. But at any rate I am pleased with the flower, after two false starts. I tried to do it in brick stitch, but finally had the sense to just quit and start over in peyote. MUCH more satisfactory.

forgotten valentines

Months and months ago, before I disappeared from cyberspace, I was working on some Valentine jewelry. Well, here is what I completed and took to Oxide. I think only one sold. The ear-threads have not been successful at all for me, though they make such an elegantly simple little minimalist ear decoration. Ah, well ... live and learn.

oxide gallery!

The owners of the Linwood-Alford florists are opening a gallery in half the store, specifically to showcase Denton artists. They held three "artist's calls" in August: one was invited to bring in up to three pieces to be photographed, following which their jury considered the photographs, and those they liked were asked to come in with a selection of work for the owners to choose from to put on consignment (40% fee).



I auditioned with the stretch "goth" choker and earrings, and the silver, turquoise, and red seed necklace that I made three years ago, that is stunning if not wholly practical. And they asked me back! So as of noon today they have twenty of my pieces - five necklaces, three pendants, three bracelets, eight pairs of earrings, and a ring. And my Etsy shop shelves are kind of bare, as 14 of the 20 had been for sale there.


The gallery opens October 1, with the big opening reception (artists requested please to show up!) the evening before. Well, who knows if they'll make a go of it; the florist's shop side looks kind of bare just now. But maybe that is because they have been concentrating on the gallery and have planned for a couple of slow cash flow months. Hope so, because I REALLY want this enterprise to be a success!

Department of "I remember when ... " — the florist's shop, then Linwood-Roberson, is across the street from where I lived from age 3-7. Its red and white sign, turning on top of its post, Linwood | Roberson - Florists - Linwood | Roberson - Florists - has been a landmark on Hickory for my whole life. I hope they make a go of this, not just for my benefit, but also for the continuity of this town that seems to be turning into all anonymous interchangeable chain stores.