Flirty Gerty... Time passes along, remembered in song...

I would not be who I am today if it weren't for your artistic nurturing, understanding and unconditional love



For my Grandmother, Artistic Conjurer, Creative dreamer, Mother, Heart, Love.
Though we weren't with you in the end, I will forever be with you always & you will forever be in my heart, though I feel it breaking.




A song is floating on the ether, faint whispers & traces of Grandpa's horns swirl along misty vapors. Inviting you to follow... & with one final trumpet blow, you turn to look back one last time... but further ahead grandpa awaits with open hand. He leads you to a beautiful strawberry patch. The sun is bright & warms your face. You feel you must squint, mostly out of habit, because you fear the sun will make your eyes water. But slowly you relax your gaze & understand it no longer burns. Slowly you reach out for the biggest Strawberry you can find & bite into a juicy one. Grandpa laughs with you, as the juice drips from your lips & falls into the deep grass. You both smile.
The berries are ripe & sweet.

I love you both forever & always.
XOXOXOX
~phyll~

Vintage Dragon Necklace

When I found this Vintage Dragon, I had to get it... it seemed to be floating on a cloud. I wired it in Sterling with Eye Agates, black Obsidian & Onyx. With a Serpent S Hook, with the largest Eye Agate drop.
It ended up being a Crazy Chunky piece... & pretty weighty.
~X~

I <3 Copper Lust

The color of Copper is so yummy & warm, especially joined with Garnet.
~X~

Eyescream Jewelry Catalog LIVE

Eyescream Catalog LIVE

So after many many long hours, days... Finally, I have up 2 gallery sections on my website catalog. Though there are only 2 sections live. One of them is pretty large, the Altered Art Collage Jewelry gallery.
So please have a look. If there are any issues with any aspects to the site, I’d like to hear them.

thanks for looking & enjoy!

~X~

New Catalog sections almost finished...

It is taking me forever to build the new catalog... so far I am almost finished with the first Altered Art Collage Jewelry section. There will be MANY pages within the Altered Art Collage Jewelry section, as there are multiple sections with the AAC area & many pages within each selection. Phew... As well, the Bridal Collection will have about 2 pages (of classic Eyescream Jewelry mostly Pearl & Sterling Circlet & pendant designs) though the designs listed could also be customized in other stones & colors if inquired.
So I have a few more pages to type up descriptions, then onto creating the Paypal order buttons for each.
wish me luck.
~X~

New Site LIVE

Well, as of last night my new website is Finally LIVE. It took another full day of republishing it over & over to fix site bugs & such. There will still be some links that either lead nowhere or don't exist yet. Now the tedious task of rebuilding my catalog.
Thanks for everyones patience.
More to come & back to the grind...
~X~

Organizing, orders... & then...

I just spent the last few hours attempting to organize my work space, storage closets & shelves...
And even purchased some overly cutesy floral storage boxes & bins... they are a bit too arty farty fresh & fruity for me... but I am so tired of looking at cardboard & plastic as far as storage containers.
I still have a few + orders to finish up... & I truly want to see the light at the end of the tunnel with my new website building. The only problem is my less than 2 week deadline is approaching & I still don't have my catalog & a few other site pages even started yet.
How I wish there were some magical way to just point & click my work for sale online.
let me just side step & show my age a little....
Calgon take me away . . .
time for Guru energy drink, Strawberry shortcake rush, at least 2 more custom crown orders tonight & maybe even another page or 2 for my website... or maybe even *gasp* my Catalog Opening page *ungasp*
wish me luck.
~X~

Michael Demeng Anatomical Man Class

So Sunday March 2nd I headed out for a long awaited Michael Demeng Class in Berkeley.
It was an odd start for me. Missing my bus, missing my transfer train & then another bus. Arrived 15min. in, and took me a while to wake up & jump in the game.
(my creative time is normally around 11pm till daybreak)... so attempting to create at 10 in the morning was interesting. It wasn't until after lunch that I felt alive & really settled into creating... of course at that time the class was nearly over & ready for the overview.

Michael was friendly, funny & had some good advice for techniques in collaging my plastic Anatomy figure into a work of art.


My Horned Ancient Guardian of the key was unfinished... and though Mike had said the piece looked finished as it was. I continued to create after I got home. Then went out and had a fabulous Mexican meal with the hus (who had bought the class for me as a Valentines gift ).
Then back for Sweet Honey Mead wine & final creation.

I realized in adding extra chains & wired caging around the open chest area... it really changed the overall feel of the piece. Maybe even less emphasis on the Large Onyx horns. But in the end... it was what I wanted to do. So I stepped away from the work & let it be what it is.

(michael & I after class)

Technique/concepts & flow:

-Plastic Anatomical Figure... innards taken out. Face sliced down with dremel. NouVeau Stamp attached.
-hands drilled & chest ridge drilled for future wiring & chain attachments
-Wired feet down to base (base found object Heavy Brass almost like a gauge)
- Gold glass rays button with color wash over.
- Gold plastic bead trim frame body of the piece (drawing eye inward says 'michael' :)
-Horns: Carved Black Onyx wired into place
-Key & Skull attached to innard well
-coated in white dap kwik caulk for texture
-Painted over in varying effects: Carbon Black, Paynes Gray, Dioxane Purple blend/wash
-More colors included Permenant Bronze, Ant. Silver

Midnight at home design continuation included:
-painting accents of Bronze & wash over face & details of mask.
- more wash & darkened details on body, & accent glow hues inside chest well.
- Wired Darkened Brass with black glass teardrops around chest.
- Chain sweeps & tiny black glass heart with tiny accent Bronze painted heart hanging chest center.
- Long Chain sweeps & Waterfall of asymetrical chain drops & tears from hands.
- left over wire around base used to accent sweep for one side of drops. Drops sit inside coil.
- repaint over brass base with Bronze & dark wash accents.

*DONE*

any comments welcome. Sorry I did not get the name of the other students in class, so I do not have names next to pieces by others.
Luckily I got a ride home from 2 of my table/classmates Deborah & Daniel. I took a few pics of everyones pieces...Will post pics of others work.

~X~



All together now...


My horned Guardian before Final Wired cage & drops.
Love the pic with Mike in the background... Almost like mike is a giant next to all the collaged creatures.


Deborah's piece on the right, with the red lantern.




Daniels piece... trippy with Mikes hand moving beneath where one of the Horned men had no feet.


~

Good People

Today I was reminded that there are good, decent, smart & honest people in the world.
The world seems to be so full of negatives, and dishonesty & people that are self absorbed, that once in a while someone enters your life, if even for a split second... that touches you in such a way... to where you want to say.... "Yes, you understand, You Get It!" ...
whatever 'IT' is at that moment.

sometimes, even in it's smallest connection, you feel someone has your Artistic Back!

thanks to all of those Artists out there. Always speak the truth... & reach out to spread the truth when you can!

~X~

Pantheacon convention weekend

So this past weekend I vended a convention called Pantheacon, one of the west's biggest indoor pagan conventions. This is usually a most physically stressful time. Especially vending the show alone (set up & break down as well as daily selling). (pics to come later).

This year I tried something new, and didn't really focus on my big sellers (crowns, circlets, headdresses) & instead, allowed the focus to rest on my altered art resin jewelry creations & framed artwork (as well as other standard jewelry designs).

I am so lucky that my Resin image jewelry has been so well received. It makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside.

As well, I sold at least 2 larger framed prints, and a bunch of the smaller framed prints. (which was a bonus), and 11 Dark Muse cds.

Now to finish my current online orders & set forth to whip out my new website. I've only till March 22nd to get the new one to go live & lose the old one. Not sure if I'll have a catalog up, which is also very stressful. I just don't have the time to finish a website & Build a 1000 item catalog, like that on my current site. And all from scratch. (not including any of my new Altered art pieces).

I think I may just focus on getting the new Altered Art Resin jewels up first, then post a few of my best sellers to start.

wish me luck.

~X~

Sterling Rings Grouped together for show

Just for fun, here is a pic of a lot of ring designs... most dating back to 1992 styles... that are still repeated but with slightly varied creations. As well as some one of a kinds created for 2007. These are a mix of soldered with a jewelers torch, cast, and wired. From the simple to the ornate. And just a grouping of rings that I had created a while back & never did anything with the image. Wheee.... Clustery goodness & Fun times.
~X~

Lusting after Labradorite

So while looking around at older shots of some past pieces. I came across this old custom piece I created over a year ago. A Labradorite & Sterling Horned Moon Goddess Circlet Creation. I had forgotten about it.
It was a truly beautiful piece... as I hand chose the most Amazing Labradorites with such intense fire & flash.
~X~

Art in Blues

Just some paintings I've done...




'Blue Mermaid'
16x20
Acrylic on Canvas
(but much more interesting & color flow in person... & slightly blotchy in the pic).
This images has been a theme used often... but it is the first larger painting.
It started as a photograph that I took of myself. Later & in many incarnations, it became a digital art design, printed, painted, photographed, digital art in photoshop again, printed, painted... etc etc... until finally, it was hand drawn onto a medium/large canvas & painted.




'Muse in the Trees or Forest Nymph'
8.5x11" on Canvas Cloth
This first was a nude photo taken of myself in the woods (many years ago) though it has gone through many processes. Light digital print from actual photo. with added Medieval design borders printed onto canvas cloth. Then Hand painted with Acrylics.

Both works are self portraits.

thats all for now.

~X~

Finding your Jewelry or Art Niche'

{The following is from a letter I wrote to a lovely young woman who was inquiring any info from me, as she was writing her final for jewelry class on me & my business. I was flattered, though tired at the time that I wrote this... but thought it might be nice to share with others.}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First of all, you should do what you love! Too much time is wasted being stressed out in life & not following your dreams or ambitions. Most of this might be due to necessity. But if nothing is holding you back....

If you want to excel in Jewelry creation or any art form as a career and earn a living from your art, & if it is the type of art that you feel is a bit different than the norm (or not), then Find your niche' and Do it Well! Without a good niche (something that you feel might be a bit different in the market place) then you are just creating what everyone else is, hence you may not be filling a void that may well be needed somewhere (in whatever niche' or genre you choose).

(added: though it is nice to just be creating & fueling your art & following your dreams, if you wish to have your dream earn you enough money to not have to work for another, than you definately need to find your niche')

Though in the beginning, you may need to work for others or take on jobs, customs, or repairs & sometimes it may not be what you want to be doing. Look at every project or job as a new lesson to learn. Take everything in, you never know when you might need to apply it to a future project or experience.

For myself I find that although I create in many mediums from what I call Embellishment piecework, to torch work/soldering, or carving in ACS or PMC, Resin, photography etc... I always attempt to try something new. I strive to learn a new technique when I can. I pick up books for inspiration & tutorials, and even if I do not set out to follow a tutorial, I am still inspired by the process of individual techniques to produce something. The books can be anything from jewelry techniques, benchwork, Art Nouveau & art deco or wrought iron designwork books, arts & crafts zines, painting & photography, my sketching journals and so on. (and for my geekier side, I love it when they have some heirloom piece of jewelry on the antique roadshow, or going to some museum exhibit to see some old viking or egyptian jewels). Whatever inspires you!

When I feel I am becoming somewhat stagnant or repetitive (having created jewels for over 20 years in various forms, & having multiple orders over & over for some similar jewelry styles), I search out something new to tempt my eyes and hands. Without a steady flow of the new I don't know where I would be. It can be hard to challenge yourself if you do not sometimes place an interesting obstacle in your path.

So basically, be yourself! Find your Niche'! Do it well! Try something new! Inspire yourself & hopefully you can inspire others!!!

I wish you much luck in all your artistic endeavors!
~X~



__________________________________________


As a side note: There are always negatives (sorry not all roses)....
I wouldn't trade my work hours for anything. I am happy just to continue to create what I love & earn a living from my art. (being my own boss, way flexible hours, although It can be negative at times running your own business, especially dealing with the 'business' end of things versus the art, or dealing with unscrupulous people who wish to copy above & beyond flattering, and it is a LOT of work, but I still wouldn't want my life any differently).
As soon as you put your work out there & on the internet... there will always be others who copy you. It is a fact that some others can't seperate, inspiration & learning techniques... with exact duplication.
Karma has a way of coming back around. So be good to others as well as yourself!

New Website Ordering Buttons & Extras

I'm not sure yet, which one will be the one for the Buy it right now or add to cart function. Not sure if I should create a button that reads 'add to cart' instead. I just wanted to keep the wording simple so that it would fit into the little sun frame. I just don't know which word to choose, or if there is another word that would better be suited.

Add = makes me think of math, (not necessarily shopping?)
Order = makes me thing of something either religious or Order Rather than Chaos (But shopping?)
Buy = looks like I am demanding?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. So Please comment if you come across this. I really need some feedback.

Also, here are some other navigation style link images for the new site, along with some other site tidbits:



Above 'Info' is part of my new navigation links style image.



Above (although hard to see because of the size) is part of my new bar style frames throughout the site.

~X~

New Eyescream Jewelry Logo & Website concepts

So I am still plugging away at creating my site from scratch. I am really getting into learning a lot as I go along. I am just not so hip on the actual 'uploading my site to the host' & figuring out how to add the shopping cart feature. Making my head swim.

I may end up going with the paypal payment option & add buttons to the site. Which would mean opening up multiple windows for editing/transfering/copy & pasting my current item info for each new buy it button from paypal. phew. Not may favorite thing I can think of.

I still have SO many (literally hundreds & hundreds) of new items to edit pics & write new descriptions. Most likely my new site will be an intense shell of itself for a while as far as how many items in the catalog I have. Until I have time to keep adding more.

So for now, I will continue to get the base of the website created (without the catalog) & then switch to cleaning up the items pics & descriptions/cart concept later.

Here is my new Eyescream Jewelry banner/logo heading for my website that I just created. I was going for a sort of Medieval/Nouveau/Gothic Arty style idea. The White Eyeball/cone is hand drawn. Also, wanted it to be fresh & Pop!
And although may not be noticeable, the Cone is actually an eyeball turned to the side. This is an old design logo idea I had created about 15 years ago... & have FINALLY brought to light & worked on it.
I was also going for a subtle wrought Iron sign post idea... though I had wanted the Eyeball to sort of hang down from the long side arm of the sign post, but then changed it as it brought the image down too far & thus would have made it longer.

I am not sure how the new site design will be received... everything is always a work in progress & something to learn from. Back to the grind.

Any thoughts are welcome...

~X~

Eyescream Jewelry Customer Gallery Slideshow

I've just updated the Customer Gallery Slideshow... and although with the new style & look... there are no more color photos so you can't see the color of the pieces or the stones, But I love the new look anyway. Classic, looks like a silent film. Love the movement & the Black & white highlights. As well, you can actually read the script written for each & even the cute little scrolls under the words.

So here it is ~X~

Labradorite Sterling & Garnet Earrings

Because I love Labradorite & Garnets tobether. Here are a pair of updated designs from the gallery. Can't really see the beauty of the Faceted Garnet Teardrops as they sort of drop out in the shadows at the bottom.
These lovelies went straight away as a custom to a client. Had a moment to click a pic.
Love the flash & Fire in these.
~X~

New Resin Jewelry 'Gryphon with Key in a Gothic Arch' Brooch

New, Handpainted Gryphon holding key. Gunmetal Cameo Brooch. Artwork Resin Set.
~X~

Art photos of nature & Golden Gate Park (after the last lengthy post)

The Calm after the storm...
Photos I took in Golden Gate park last year.









~X~

Creating a New Website Woes & Woes & then Seeing the Light

Not really on the subject of Art. But I have been forced into having to create a website from scratch with barely any html knowledge (other than the basics). I've had the same online template based service for over 8 years & Eyescream Jewelry was created utelizing the service. I have sort of been trapped by them all this time because I've had no time to learn to create a site from scratch, had a nearly 1000 catalog items & multiple pages & just way too much to attempt to transfer.

Along with the fact that the service I was using is obsolete & my catalog could not be transfered.
Back in 2004 the company first was sold to another company & since then there haven't been any updates or changes to the service & nothing to feel like it was a smart decision to stay. In fact they took down our community boards because of all the complaining that took place. But never told us they were doing so.

So finally a few days ago (after I have spent every year doing research in my spare time & even starting up sites with other companies) but still not finding what I needed & not having the time to do it right. The company I am currently going through finally did it. They are going out of service as of March 31st. All of our sites will be closed. I have 2 months to create a site from scratch & have been so frustrated. (I've literally, even before finding this out) had been spending the last month searching for html / website editing software, programs, downloads, or purchases, companies who build online, & even private web designers. To no avail.

I am sure everyone who has been put into this predicament, knows my frustration & pain... probably worst than taxes, especially knowing that I am stuck & MUST do this within 2 months or fear losing my search engine rankings (which will no doubt happen anyway regardless). And or lose link exchanges, & possibly lose clients & or business.

I have downloaded so many html or wysiwyg softwares for trials it is ridiculous. I literally have about 20 of these or more on my hard drive. It's funny how they say their product is Easy & no HTML knowledge is needed to create a site... just drag & drop. Almost ALL are Template based driven. Templates are a Huge pain. As most you cannot create a site from scratch (ie: chosing your own background color, font colors etc). You mostly HAVE TO chose from one of their already created standard templates, & then are given very limited changes to colors per each template design.

Why could I not find an editor where I could choose my own background color. It seems so simple to me I could burst. In fact, when I think of creating a website, the VERY FIRST thing I look to do, is chose my background color, font colors & load a Company logo or banner at top or corner & then choose where I want my Navigation links to be placed (either across the top or down a side). I cannot tell you how silly it has been attempting to use the so called Easy editors & then searching for the area where any of these choices reside. Just make it simple. Make an icon or something & put it in the first spot.

Most of these editors also don't have much info for what each of their icons are for. I like to know what each is for, given hints at least. Why do I need this, or what this is for. What happens when you click or do this. phew!!!

I've been so wound up this last weekend, my husband was about to write off his Saturday night when we finally got to the local cafe, only to find they were closed by a few minutes (I had been waiting a coupla hours to go, but he was busy on a project)... and he realized I wasn't going to get the specialty Green tea drink I had been waiting for, & felt I desperately needed in order to calm down from my hours & hours of online torture. The last thing I said to him Sat. night... I just want to find something, ANYTHING that will make me feel I have a beacon of hope.

Sunday morning. I received a horrible call from my mother, my Grandmother had Conjuctive heart failure. She is still alive but not in a very good state. I couldn't go back to sleep & after only a coupla hours rest, I awoke & wrote a letter to myself about the state of negativity within family & how people harbor ill will toward one another & basically can't we all just get along. I called my grandmother, who has been suffering from Dementia as well. Not a coherent phone call. I told her I loved her very much. Hung up & had a good cry.

I spent the next few hours doing what I had been doing for many weeks, days, hours & downloaded more html editors. One by one I opened each up. (now I have a bad learning curve & fairly short desire to attempt to learn & or read 'Help' issues unless easily set up & easy to understand... but better at hands on with someone teaching me). I opened each & if I found that I struggled for more than 5 minutes in the beginning of each editor. I would close it & move on.

Something should draw my attention in it's ease of use to keep me occupied & creating & learning easily. I finally found it. After so many attempts I opening an editor called 'Site Spinner V2' by Virtual Mechanics. I could bypass the Template selector to customize my own site. After hours of creating a base layout for the site (which seemingly could have been this simple with any of these editors, though it was not)... I was still working with the program, multi tasking in my photoshop to create navigation image buttons & tweeking some other image elements for the new site, while ACTUALLY learning their program.

They have it set up pretty straight forward, Tutorials through each process, pop ups that come up now & then with tips on items chosen. Even the editor layout was slightly different than others & slightly more visually friendly. Overall I am learning so much. Now to figure out the cost on the editor. I was in luck, only $49. Though still a lot, & I haven't gotten through everything yet, there will be some snags I am sure. (though $49 for peace of mind = priceless). I researched 'Reviews' & their forums & it seems they have pretty descent customer service. The reviews for the most part were pretty incredible. Though a coupla cons came up. One being not a True editor as far as most complaining you cannot open up html pages created outside of the program or pull in your own templates created elsewhere. But I am in luck, this doesn't pertain to me. Some even complained it wasn't simple, couldn't understand the icons & weren't willing to read through. I swear, this is one of the easiest editors I've used. You have to know a little something for it to flow, but if you don't you can open the tutorials, read through (not too long) & learn so much. Others were not set up this way (having tutorials set up for each function).

So long story short, I felt I was at my whits end. My site may not be as functional in 2 months as it is now. It will remain a work in progress come April. But it will start to have it's own look. And a new facelift. I had already purchased a web host last week as well. Though I still have the daunting task of choosing a shopping cart & hand entering each item one by one. I think my catalog will be pretty small in comparison to what I already have. I am hoping for the best.
This post is so long, I'm sure no one will read it. But I really need to let out all this negativity surround html editors. I am so happy to have found one I love.

I must get back to tweeking my site. I'm actually having a little fun doing this & learning some new things.

wish me luck. Many good wishes for my grandmothers health. I love her dearly. She is the reason I got into crafts & jewelry making at all. She has been my biggest inspiration next to my grandfather.
~XOXO~

Skulls, Bones & Stones Oh My!

Rocks & Skulls & Bones oh my... These are some of my photos taken over a course of 10 years. The Bones with Candles is among my all time faves.

I found the Balancing stones on a beach one 4th of July.

The other odd large Rock with Various bits growing out of it, always looked like a face. I call it 'Witch Rock'.

An another fave Dark Waterfall, was taken at Stow Lake in Golden Gate park last year. The Foreground stones have a little bit of water running between them & are used as a path.
~X~

Because I Heart Strawberries!!!

So One night while vending, I picked up a carton of Strawberries for the night. And inside I found the Biggest Organic Strawberry I have ever personally seen & or owned (albeit brief). And Yes, This was a REAL STRAWBERRY & not digitally worked. It was so beautiful I took a few shots of it. And had to ham up for the camera, how could you now with such a large looking Strawberry Sandwhich.
These Pics I took last summer, but thought because it was so cold out, it made me feel somehow warmer.
Yum!!! Enjoy!!!

~X~

1st Art Show Dark Art Fest Sept. 2007

Before I drift off into the ether... I thought I'd round up some of my favorite paintings I did for my first Dark Arts showing at the DNA Lounge 'meat' club at the end of September 2007. It was only for one night. I had framed a bunch of my 8.5x11 pieces as well as some larger paintings (& actually sold 3 framed pieces that night, my first)... as well as showcasing my new Altered Art Jewelry to go along with the framed prints. (which I sold a bunch of, yea!)



The first is a Self Portrait 'Twig Mask in Pink' done in Acrylic. Also shown with detail.

The 2nd is one of my FAVES is the 'Serpent Twins', and yes, it is a bit naughty. The idea was bore out of another self portrait photo I took of myself in the mirror & then later turned into this Acrylic piece on paper. I love the shadows on this piece & had created this piece at the local Sketch Tuesday (most 3rd tuesdays of the month) at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco.



The third 'Red Skull' was a print of my digital art prints on one of my favorite types of printing paper 'canvas cloth'... luv it! Then I did all the intense dark design work with Acrylic Paint... and the Red I did in a Dark Burgandy Cherry Red CRIMSON acrylic. Though actually, this piece is so Dark in real life that a lot of the detail is more subtle.

I will post pics of the actual nights event once I clean them up.
~X~

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