I <3 Copper Lust

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

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~

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~

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 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~

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

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

Art Clay Silver or PMC carved jewelry creations

I thought I'd post some of my mid 2007 Art Clay Silver creations. I had a lot of fun with these. Best of all, I fired them right on my Gas Stovetop on top of a Metal Mesh piece used for soldering. The First Ruby Sun Rays with art clay Gold paint accent. The 2nd is my personal piece winged skull with Loveliest Labradorite fire drop on cord. I loved this piece so much I made a Cold Cast mold of it for future creations. The last is my personal Thumb ring. Carved when dry & the actual piece was created with older reconstituded from dry old ACS. This one was a DOOZY to create with set sapphire stone eyes. For one, you are not supposed to do rings or other 3D type creations attempting to fire on the stove top. They are supposed to be done in a kiln so that they can be protected with the fabric center. One of the horns came off at some point & though I tried to slip it back on & hold it in place, eventually, I had to torch it to the piece. As well, when dried & carving/sanding, the piece broke in 4 places, thus disrupting the design carved around the band (which would have been a lot nicer if it hadn't broken). But I like a challange.

Soon to come: I will be creating custom carved design pendant frames & other bezel frames in Art Clay Silver / PMC & also sterling torched frame & bezel pieces for setting my Altered Art Collage work for jewelry. Can't wait.

~X~