01.23.12
Wanted to share this Voodoo Candy necklace in its finished state. Detail above shows focal, clasp and some of the crazy beads.
In its entirety… very allsorts candy and licorice. This may not be everyone’s favorite colorway, but I’ve always loved the high contrast and the dark playful aspects of using lots of black with neon.
This view shows these strange natural black coral beads that are so scary and freaky.
Here’s a piece made/sold several years ago, a handknit cuff thing using neon potholder loops that were made into yarn. This is one of those pieces I miss and keep thinking I need to make another for myself.
Detail. Looks like a strange futuristic mutated sea creature.
And, one last picture of the first batch of Unstrung Hero beads, all grouped together before they come apart for use in jewelry. More beads to come soon… as Steph warned (and now you’ve been warned too): HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, Supplies, They Call It Work | 1 Comment »
01.21.12
Two more sets of beads hot outta the oven. This one looks like nasty neon weaponry.
Here’s a set with pink teef! Chomp chomp.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, Supplies, They Call It Work | 3 Comments »
01.21.12
For a week when I felt sluggish and unproductive, I’m surveying my labor and thinking… wha???? Well, nothing was finished, so maybe that’s why I felt sort of lacking. Incomplete. A bit on the edge (of my seat?). Anyway, it is a good thing I shlepped out to Hobby Lobby yesterday for supplies. Ice storm this morning and we are housebound. What else is there to do but experiment with MAKING BEADS! As the BF asked when he woke up and stumbled into the kitchen: Because there aren’t enough [beads] to buy?? Yep, I fired up the old oven at 7:30 a.m. and created the above set, which also includes a few non-handmade spacers. Personal message to the BF: Did you say PIE? I thought you said BEADS. Sorry.
The necklace above inspired the beads above. Dirty Neon Tooth. (great band name, eh?). Black beads with neon frit. Reason for yesterday’s supplies trip was actually to get black beading thread b/c I didn’t like what was happenin’ with the white in this necklace I’d started.
So, this is my new favorite thing, a necklace focal after Man Ray’s infamous Cadeau. From the Tate Modern (oh how I LOVE that freaking museum) web site:
By adding a row of nails, Man Ray transformed a household flat-iron into a new and potentially threatening object. The nails and burning metal suggest a violent eroticism at odds with the work’s title, the French word for ‘gift’. The original version, given to the composer Eric Satie, was lost but became well-known through Man Ray’s photograph of it. Although made at the height of Paris Dada Cadeau, like Man Ray’s other objects, anticipated the exposure of hidden desires found in subsequent Surrealist objects.
Sigh. This object had a massive effect on me when I was an art student. It just seemed SO right. Not to mention sums up my relationship to housework.
But you guys know I can bring the pretty. The glass beaded centerpiece above is probably from the 1930’s. I’m not sure, so if you know, share. I love the combination of the refined Frenchy beadwork with some rustic primitive tribals.
PS: Unstrung Heroes, a name for my new bead shop? As if I need something else to try to sell. Copyrighted, yo.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, Supplies, They Call It Work | 4 Comments »
01.18.12
Second game of Jack’s necklace in a whole other colorway. Maybe I like this one even better? I don’t know!
Many artisan beads along with lots of bits from my collection.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, They Call It Work | 3 Comments »
01.15.12
I’m reading Thomas Hardy (Far from the Madding Crowd) on my ipad (which no doubt is a bit weird) and was feeling very Victorian this morning… so here’s a little something in progress fresh off the bench–a dear distressed frame with buttons handsewn on vintage upholstery fabric. Not sure yet what the necklace part will look like, or if there might be additional things dangling from the lower eyelets. I’m planning to do some more of these with bits of salvaged embroidered hankies and such. What I’m happy with here is that the fabric isn’t under glass or resin or anything, which I felt would compromise the surface detail. Images also on flickr.
I’ve been wanting to share the above since last November when I completed this commissioned holiday gift for The Anthropologist’s wife.
This sweet pouch was designed and made to contain a very special object; a stone that The Anthropologist picked up in Darwin’s garden. Yes, that Darwin. Charles. When he first told me about the stone, I had envisioned wire-wrapping it. But when it was presented to me over lunch, I immediately knew that it had to be left free in order to be held in one’s hand for contemplation and meditative purposes.
Commissioned work is challenging because I want to satisfy a particular person, whilst remaining true to my creative vision. And in this case, I was thinking not just about The Anthropologist, but about his wife, who is a very creative, discerning woman. I wanted her to love the finished object as much as I knew she’d love her husband for thinking of such a thing. I am happy to report that the gift was a success.
Now back to Gabriel and Bathsheba.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, They Call It Work | No Comments »
01.13.12
Last night, Molly and I had our weekly girl’s night out for dinner at Chipotle, browsing about downtown, hang-time. In the car on the way home I asked her why she thought people buy and wear jewelry. Her answer: Expression.
Now, this is really interesting to me, and granted, she’s my daughter. But I asked her then if she thought there were any other reasons… and so we talked about status (bling) as well as attracting the opposite sex. Ultimately though, we both agreed, expression is king.
Jewelry-making for me has been another medium my art has taken. I’ve explored (and am still exploring) SO many mediums… photography, drawing, fiction-writing, stitchery. Fiction (10 years) and jewelry (another 10) have lasted the longest. I think, at heart I’m a storyteller.
So, what does the jewelry-maker, herself, wear? Above is a recent piece that I’ve never even so much as photographed b/c it went right into my jewelry box. I guess this is my glamuorpuss version of steampunk? It’s so very balanced and symmetrical; a tendency I have to fight to overcome, but which I also think serves me at times.
This is a really early piece, a reworked vintage rhinestone princess necklace. I’ve had many offers to buy this right off my neck, but this is a piece I really wear a lot. It looks so good with dress-up clothes, or just t-shirt/jeans. And it is NOT symmetrical! Yay! I’m not sure what the story is behind either of these pieces, and it doesn’t really matter, in fact I’m happy when it’s a bit obtuse. I just know they mean a lot to me. A version of bling, attraction/repulsion, questions about value and adornment and an I-dare-you-attitude that was not as prevalent then as it may be now. Those would be some of the themes.
I also wear thrifted vintage jewelry. Above are two favorites. The black beads are super heavy glass faceted, I’m guessing mid-20th century Czech. I bought this at the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market from this really oddball, charming old man. I actually think of him when I wear it… he seemed to be borderline insane and/or homeless and/or hoarding. I liked him a lot. The pink piece is also glass (older than the black necklace, maybe Japan), scored at a local thrift and I can’t really figure out the time period. The beadwork is truly unusual and gorgeous. These two necklaces are both choker length, which I love, and they look great layered. Rescuing old stuff has been and continues to be a lifetime mission. And it’s not about the environment to me, it’s about history. Who owned these? Where were they worn? It’s evocative and makes me feel connected to something both unknown and imagined.
I do, on rare occasion, purchase jewelry made by other people. Above and below are two pieces by Louis Waitt. I fell hard in love with both of these. It was as if they were made just for me, for no-one else, and if I didn’t have them I’d die. The ring above is a chunk of broken glass, smithed into a simple exaggerated pronged setting. This is my engagement ring. I am engaged to and betrothed to and in love with Art. Not a guy named Art. A practice of Art. A life of Art. A muse that I follow with the passion most follow a lover. It’s so corny, but this is a universal truth for me.
This piece, also by Waitt, is high-concept. Again, there is no way to say what it definitively means. It doesn’t matter, there is some feeling I get in my heart when I look at and wear this. An exuberant cow, riding along on his rusty three-wheeled cart. The wheels actually turn, so this is also a toy… it’s unbelievably playful, joyful, child-like. This cow is not on anyone’s plate. He’s wild and free and doing a happy dance!
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, Molly's Mom, They Call It Work | 188 Comments »
01.11.12
The game of jacks was a very big deal when I was in junior high school, back in the late 60’s.
10 metal jacks and a rubber ball, played on the smoothest floor available. A series of maneuvers appropriately titled: onesies, twosies, threesies, foursies, and so on. I was pretty good. A girl named Susie ruled.
I’m not really nostalgic for playing the game, but for the memory of the excitement and competitiveness it engendered. Very childish… yet also serious business. I think that’s what I wanted to capture and convey in this necklace.
Lots of Indonesian glass beads here in the most amazing subtle and not-so-subtle colors, with larger handcrafted clay beads, including the jack focal by a wonderful Belgian artist named Steph. The jacks were a creative collaboration between us and I happily have several more–along with lots of other Vlad the Bat’s Attic pieces to play with in the studio.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, Supplies, They Call It Work | 4 Comments »
01.08.12
I spent most of my making-time at the end of the week and this weekend on this necklace. The challenge for me here was in using a handcrafted focal bead (the lavish bird heart) that is so lovely and gorgeous in its own right. It would be easy to string something so pretty on a simple chain. And believe me, I gave that a bit of thought for the first month this object lived on the studio workbench! Knowing full well that was not what made me acquire it in the first place.
The focal instantly reminded me of time spent in New Orleans, and I knew that I wanted to surround it with a bit of sweetly dark elements in keeping with that voodoo ghostly theme. But honestly, I did not have a clue where to start. Or finish.
In art, there are often pieces that I hate tremendously during the making. The shabby-chic tendencies here were a little frustrating and twee. But that only served to push me to figure this out.
There is SO MUCH going on with this piece, I won’t bother trying to detail all the goodies involved. A few are: ancient German bisque doll arm/hand, very rusty key, India sari fiber, tribal glass beads, handcrafted toggle, a weird tusk shell in the most amazing shade and the above-pictured shell teeth that I am currently in love with.
Finally, I think it achieved the right vibe and I’m loving this necklace. Shabby and sweet, but a little dark and scary too. Which is what, in the end, I always seem to go for. Like a parade in the French Quarter, non?
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, They Call It Work | 7 Comments »
01.08.12
Decorated handbags are nothing new; wonderful examples of this crafty form of entertainment can be found dating way back, with a proliferation of such objects in the mid-20th century. The work of artisans like Enid Collins of Texas (think glittery bejeweled wooden boxes and woven bags circa 1960’s) is in fact highly collectible. Because there was a time when my thrifting was so intense and the availability of really cool retro bags was plentiful, I’ve amassed a nice little collection. And, at some point, I started using them as little art canvases. The bag above was purchased in Columbus a couple of years ago, decorated as-is with shells etc. What I love about this one is that the shell purses are always very summery, white basket weave, very Florida! I had never seen one in black velvet. I added a few things to the front of this bag to give it even more edge; can you guess which objects? I call this one Summer Gothic.
I sold a ton of these vintage car emblem bags many years ago, but a few of them had to remain in the personal collection. The bag above is from that period, and was recently out for a spin to a very fancy Boston wedding. I absolutely love carrying this red velvet one. The bag itself is not really vintage, more late-model faux vintage, but it’s somehow perfect.
Here is another I just could not let go of, mind you, I don’t even know what an “Electra” (the car) looks like… but I know that a girl named Electra would carry this bag and be wearing the MOST chic LBD with a string of pearls.
The girl carrying this one is super tall and model-thin, with a HUGE afro, gorgeous brown skin, and legs up to there. She’s on her way to the disco. Sometimes I’m that girl. In my dreams!
This crafty girl wears broken babydoll dresses, big platform shoes and striped mismatched tights. I love the lucite ice-cube clasp on this little velvet bag, and the german glass glitter star acquired a nice patina in about a week of air-exposure. Lovely vintage millinery also.
I’ll leave you with this morbid little number, a Victorian mourning bag complete with vintage “Portland Casket Co.” metal label. Memento mori, people!
These images are up on flickr in their larger sizes, and check out the “embroidery mine” section over there for a few more recent bags created my mad moi.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art | 2 Comments »
01.06.12
At 14 I almost ran away to join the circus. Not wanting to be too big for my britches, or cause my mother an untimely death (she would have been only 34 at the time) I opted instead to spend a lot of time at the State Fair with a handful of glamorous characters several years my senior. Hours spent wandering the chicken building for exotic feathers to tie in our hair, licking hot sugar from mini-donuts off our fingers, and screaming down the giant slide, which seemed it might go on forever, dumping us into another star-filled galaxy in the night sky, far away from parents and school and our utterly boring lives.
Quieter times were spent sitting by the door of the Fair Arts Building with a surrealist boy, discussing anarchism, the poetry of rockabilly music and plans to run away to San Francisco. Laughing until tears fell like mewling kittens from my shining eyes.
You think I’m making this up. Well, I have witnesses.
Two lovely boutinniere corsages designed for the so charmed relaunch. There will be more. Interested now? Please get in touch.
Subject: Blog, Modern Art, They Call It Work | No Comments »
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