Earrings Old and New

Finally today I was able to finish up some earrings hanging out on my work table. First up is a new design, with a domed oval set into a flat frame. Called Nesting, these earrings depict a parent bird and a hungry nestling in the treetops.

This design is an extension of my favorite Meadowlark earrings, which incorporate that flat window frame with sculptural branches and birds. I've sold several pair of the Meadowlarks, each set one-of-a-kind with different birds and branch configurations. This is the design I choose to wear myself, day in and day out as I think it represents my personal imagery at its very best.

I'm trying to extend the concepts that I like the most about the Meadowlarks to make a larger collection of earrings, since I want to try approaching galleries about carrying my work. Meanwhile, both sets of earrings will be available in my Etsy shop, in case you're looking for a special gift for someone on your list (or yourself!).

SOFA Travel Art Project

This year, we stayed a bit longer at SOFA, which made more more time. More time to visit the show on three consecutive days, seeing different things each pass. More time for sleeping and eating incredible food such as tapas and a seven course tasting menu. More time for cruising the corridors at Blick (the store front version of Dick Blick) for art supplies. More time for writing in my journal about what I saw and for recording new ideas in my sketchbook. And more time for a travel art project.

When I recently ordered a new leather ottoman for my remodeled family room, I collected leather color samples. I started to toss them out, but some little voice in my head said that I would need them soon. Sure enough, I saw an adorable tiny book necklace in blogland and perused lots of examples on Etsy. Thus the idea to take supplies to make tiny books was born. Truthfully, I am still mourning a tiny book left behind on my last Italy trip.

I packed the leather samples, thread and needles, a stack of copy paper pages trimmed to 1” x 1.5”, and a selection of beads and cords for trimming. Sitting in my hotel room in the evenings, Julie and I cut leather covers, creased pages, formed pages into signatures, and then stitched them onto the leather bindings. Eventually, we decorated them in our own styles. I used a Coptic marker for my design, while Julie scratched hers into the surface. A few pearl beads and a wrap of faux leather cord served for a closure. Then we shopped at Navy Pier for cheap bead necklaces to hang them. I haven’t strung mine yet, and may not do so.

However, I am looking forward to some tiny entries.

Highlights of SOFA 2011, Part III

Big computer issues here in the Hallmark Studio – hardware damage on the disk right in the area where my e-mail program resides. If you are waiting for a response from me, I may have lost your message into the abyss or I may just not have dredged it back up yet. I’m learning lots about running “safe” mode. Thank goodness there is a computer wizard at my house, at least when he returns from his latest business trip.

Silke Knetsch & Christian Streit

Here are a last few impressions from SOFA before I move my writings on to other activities. Being that I love jewelry, I’m very attracted to the many galleries who exhibit jewelry at SOFA. Aaron Faber from New York City was in their usual booth with case after case of interesting adornment. Silke Knetsch and Christian Streit had some striking rings. I wasn’t familiar with their work, so I had a jaw-dropping time perusing their website.

Wendy McAllister

Wendy McAllister’s enamel jewelry at Charon Kranson Arts, also in New York City, was as compelling as always.

Jacklyn Davidson

They also had new work from Jacklyn Davidson, cuffs and collars made of blackened steel.

Artist needed

Other random work that really captivated me included this all-seeing ceramic owl. Unfortunately my photo of the artist’s name is unreadable. I’d love to give attribution if anyone recognizes this piece.

Eunmi Chun

There was entire menagerie of these small animals, constructed of cow gut and gold-plated hair! The artist is Eunmi Chun and they were shown by Ornamentum Gallery in Hudson, NY. I didn’t realize until I looked at the website that they were brooches, as they were all at least fist sized.

To get a better taste of SOFA Chicago 2011, check out the SOFAexpo Flickr stream.

Highlights from SOFA Chicago 2011, Part I

Flying to Chicago for SOFA, The International Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art, has become an annual pilgrimage for me. I look forward all year to a jolt of inspiration and a heavy dollop of introspection about my own direction. This year’s show felt quite reminiscent of last year’s, with lots of repeating artists represented and seemingly the exact same work appearing in at least one instance. My major impression was that the work was very similar but scaled back. There were far fewer enormous glass sculptures and overall the prices seemed commensurately lower. The red dot representation this year was also lower in my estimation.
Some of my favorite artists from last year’s show presented similar work this year. The adult-sized glass wings by Mathieu Grodet and Tanya Lyons, exhibited by Galerie Elena Lee in Montreal, shrank from last year to child-sized this year. Sometimes size matters, as these just didn’t carry the same sense of awe as those last year, and none sold that I saw, despite similarly scaled down pricing.
I wished I could lift the top off Janis Miltenberger’s exquisite lampworked birdcage, exhibited by Thomas R. Riley Galleries from Cleveland. I don’t think many people realize the level of detail in these pieces and that they come apart to allow viewing of the interior. They always make me want to pull out the borosilicate glass and work more sculpturally on the torch.
There were also artists that weren’t present last year, like the masterful Bertil Vallien. Hawk Galleries from Columbus presented a huge space filled with his incredible cast glass sentinels, heads and boats. Go to the gallery link to view the catalog from his current solo show.
Seeing his work promted me to press my friend that attends the show with me to bequeath her Vallien sculpture, won as a prize in an art quilt competition, to me in the event of her untimely passing before me, well her elder. Cast glass is another potential direction I debate exploring.
Emily Brock‘s wonderfully detailed glass dioramas were perfectly presented in a dark space with spotlights so that they seemingly floated. This piece, Telling Stories, combines kiln-formed, cast & lampworked glass. Habatat Galleries showed a room full of these as part of their immense glass exhibit.
More details coming soon.