Award and Upcoming Event!

I just found out that I was awarded one of the 2nd place jurors awards for the Holiday Music and Art Festival at Mesa Art Center! The festival is an arts and crafts fair that I have been participating in for 4 years now. I'm so excited to have won this award! And, one of my very best friends, Victoria Altepeter also won a 2nd place award! She is currently living at Arrowmont in Tennessee as an artist in residence but will be returning to AZ for the festival. Here are the details, make sure to come check out our booths, and also all the other wonderful artists that will be there! I will be sharing my booth with Katie Poterala (one of our new first year metals grads at ASU) this year, here are images of some of her jewelry:Holiday Art & Music Festival
When:Dec 12 - Dec 13, 2009
Where:Mesa Arts Center
Start time:10:00am
End time:5:00pm
Ticket Price:Free!

ASU Metals Club Jewelry Sale!

The ASU Metals Club Jewelry Sale is this week! Tomorrow in front of the art building between 10 and 5, and Thursday on Hayden Lawn from 10-5. There is lots of great handmade metalwork and jewelry, great for holiday gift giving, or for keeping yourself!

See you there!!

Nick Cave at SMOCA

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a performance by Nick Cave at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Nick also came to ASU to talk about his career to students. He talked a lot about how he got to where he is now...basically giving students the advice to be fearless, trust in yourself and go with your instincts. Nick is currently a professor at the Art Institute of Chicago in the fashion department. I really like his work, I love all the found objects (big surprise), the color, and all the cultural references. I didn't necessarily like how he talked about his process and career...Im pretty sure I never want to get to the point where I have 10 assistants working for me, or to where my work leaves the studio the second it is completed. I dont think I ever want to be that detached (although I probably wont ever have to worry about getting to that point anyway!) I loved the scale of the work, and the sheer amount of it, so I guess it is necessary for him to have people working for him, but the way he talked about it just seemed like he wasn't completely involved in all the creative decision making. Anyway, the exhibition was great and if you ever get a chance to see his work in person I would highly recommend it. Here are some images of nicks work.

Mokume Brooch

This is a brooch I just finished using mokume gane that I made this semester in the patterned metals class I am taking. I know I promised a technical post about the process, but it will have to wait!
The materials are sterling silver, mokume gane of nickel and copper, pearls and silk. It measures about 1"5 round and about .5" high.I like the back the best.
(You can click on the images to get a larger view)

Studio Safety

...is really important. I got to wear this awful moonboot for over 2 weeks because I got too comfortable in the studio and decided it was okay to wear flip flops. One bad idea and a bracelet mandrel later, I had a really painful accident and crushed all the soft tissue in my ankle/foot. Moral of the story: Don't be stupid.

Creating a New Craft Culture

I've had intentions of doing a post about my trip to the American Craft Council Conference for weeks now, and have finally realized that I just don't have time (my thesis is 4 months away, every minute counts right now!) to write the quality of post I was hoping for. So, instead of telling you all about the conference, I will just tell you briefly my feelings on the event. If you want a great in depth run through of conference events head on over to Harriete Estel Bermans blog, she has done a great job posting on all of the conference ins and outs. Emiko Oye also wrote about the conference on her blog.
I am SO glad I had the opportunity to attend this years conference in Minneapolis (despite it being WAY past my cold temperature tolerance level!) I'm grateful to ACC for the scholarship they awarded me to attend the conference. Thank you!
The conference was SO packed full of lectures, each one so full of information I feel like I have months of research ahead of me, just to soak in and absorb all I saw and heard. My favorite talks were,

"Meat Fabrication", by owner of a local butcher store, Kristin Tombers of Clancy’s Meat & Fish

Natalie Chanin - “Marketplace and the Personal – A Story of Thread”

Faythe Levine - “A Handmade Nation”

and Garth Clark - "Palace and Cottage"

Overall the programing at the entire conference was great...I felt enriched after leaving, and a bit overwhelmed at the responsibility I felt to follow up on all I learned about. The only thing I wanted more of was lectures by makers. I would have liked to see/hear more talks by actual working artists about their work.
Something that came up A LOT at the conference was the tired, art vs. craft argument, as well as the issue (some) craftspeople have with DIYers. The question "Will DIYers be the downfall of craft?" came up repeatedly. Seriously??? Come ON! Honestly, I rolled my eyes every time these subjects came up because it seemed like such a waste of time to argue about these things, but it sure was a hot topic. I liked Garth Clarks response to those with that attitude, basically he said you should be embracing anyone that shares your values (craft, the handmade object, etc.) Yes, there is a lot of crap on Etsy, but there is also a lot of amazing work by established well known artists. He called ACC out on their elitist attitude and questioned their general attitude towards the indie craft culture. Basically he said, get over it. His talk was a little scary, but definitely the most memorable and probably the most meaningful. Anyway, I wish I had time to elaborate but I don't, so head on over to Harriete and Emikos blogs to hear what they had to say. ACC also posted lots of notes about each event at the conference on their website.
I had a great time and loved being able to share in the experience with friends!

Multiples

Grouping of pieces for the Multiples Exhibition at Heidi Lowe Gallery. Fresh off the bench.

Ring and brooch, sterling silver, copper, silk, pearlsBroochRings, sterling silver, copper, silk, pearlsring and earringsring ringearrings

4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition Catalog

Well, after lots of work, its finally done! The 4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition Catalog is now available. Full color and featuring every piece shown in the exhibition, this catalog is a must for any metalsmith! From student work to faculty pieces it is a great array of metal awesomeness. Get yours now!

Off to ACC in Minneapolis

I am leaving (really early) tomorrow morning to go to the American Craft Council Conference in Minneapolis. My friend Ellie and I got scholarships to attend and are super excited about the program lineup. The only thing I am not excited about is heading from 90-100 degree weather to highs of 48 degrees with chances of snow:( I had to borrow a coat from someone because they don't even sell things that warm here! We never need stuff like that in AZ! Anyway, it should be a really good time, but I still have tons to get done before I go so back to work for me... Hopefully I don't freeze to death before I get to hear Richard Sennett speak on Friday:)
Are any of you going to the conference?

4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition

The 4th Annual Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition this year was a great success! We received 84 pieces from 7 universities and it was an awesome display of what is going on in metals programs across the country. We had a great turnout at the opening and the show looked great. Check out my facebook album of images from the show.
I got to design the catalog again this year and it is pretty much finished...just in the final stages of editing and should be available on blurb before the end of the week. Here is a sneak peak at the cover and first page. Ill let you know when you can get your hands on one!Here are some quick peeks at the installation.I love doing this every year with the metals family here at ASU! Here we all are at the opening, (from left) Erik Bogner, Tedd McDonah, Becky McDonah, Samuel Troxell, Amanda Frazier, Katie Poterala, Lynette Andreasen. Good times!

Benefit Show

Thanks to all who came out to the Mesa 10x10 Benefit show and sale on Saturday. It was a great event and I think they were able to raise a lot of money for the cause! I got there early to make sure I could make my claim on the pieces I wanted to come home with. I came home with these two...
This one is by my professor Tedd McDonah.This one is by Polly Smith who runs some of the studios at Mesa Art Center.I really wanted this one by my professor Becky McDonah, but I wasn't quick enough! How awesome is this mosquito?! It should have been mine.... There are more great photos of this event over at the Cervini Haas Gallery Blog, check it out!Oh, and my piece also found a great home so I was happy about that!
Thanks again to those of you who attended the event!

"Read My Pins"

My husband just told me about this book called, "Read My Pins," by Madeleine Albright. There is an interesting interview with her about the book, click here for the NPR interview.
Amazon has this description for the book:

"Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

It would never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by calling her "an unparalleled serpent." Shortly thereafter, while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright pondered: What to wear? She decided to make a diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her method of communication was new, her message was as old as the American Revolution—Don't Tread on Me.

From that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic signature. International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes.

Part illustrated memoir, part social history, Read My Pins provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by Albright's five-year-old daughter. Read My Pins features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics, and the life of one of America's most accomplished and fascinating diplomats."

I totally just bought this book and can't WAIT to get it!

Collection

I'll do a full post on the Intercollegiate Metals Exhibition soon (it is an AWESOME show!!) but for now just wanted to quickly post some images of the piece I submitted to the show this year.

"Collection"

found silver spoons, silk thread, pearls

I had originally made that necklace I posted about a few days ago for the show, but after installation we decided we needed to fill more wall space so I had to finish this piece up. I think it needs about 50 more spoons:)

I am still working this piece out in my mind, but it makes reference to family collections, antique spoon collections, heirlooms, domestic objects passed from generation to generation etc. If you have any thoughts, critiques, commentary or criticism it is welcome.

Thanks for looking.

More images and larger size photos can be found here.

10x10

I finished my piece (barely in the nick of time!) for the 10x10 benefit show at Mesa Art Center. Its laser engraved wood, copper, sterling silver, embroidery and a pearl. The little circle piece comes off as a detachable brooch, so it can live on the wall when you aren't wearing it. I couldn't make something without somehow making it wearable!!:)

Here are some photos to get your mouth watering (haha, jk!) for the show! Make sure to come out and support a great cause. All the details for the show are at the bottom of this post.

On October 10, 2009, there will be a benefit show at the Mesa Art Center. At the show they will have 10"x10" works for show and sale by 110 Arizona Artists. Each piece will be for sale for $100.00. First come, first pick and doors open at 6pm. All proceeds will benefit the Mesa Contemporary Arts Exhibitions and educational programs.
-$10 entrance fee at the door
-refreshments
-cash bar
I would love to see you all there. I LOVE the Mesa Art Center and think it is a great organization/facility to support. Come buy cool art for a good cause!!

A new piece!

I can see this becoming a new series. I think. Maybe.

I tried a new clasp. It was fun...I like it a lot...it works really well:) I love how it totally disappears into the chain when its closed.

sterling silver, copper, silk, embroidery thread, pearls