rabidrabits

A New Year, A New Beginning

Getting through the holiday season was both fun and challenging.  Since the last post, I have put up three additional shows, and taken the last two weeks off to re-paint the gallery and studio, and open a new look for 2012. While talking with an artist, who shows in the Gallery, We discussed how vivid colors "pop" in paintings, when the back ground is strong.  So with this in mind, and drawing on my experience living in Mexico for 7 years, where color is the name of the game when painting your walls, I made a bold change, adding color to both walls and furniture.

In August of last year, we also made a change to my studio, moving it from an outside location, to a room ajoining the gallery, so that I could interract with visitors, and keep working!  The result is I get a lot more work done, and its a great set up for studio tours.  You can to to www.rabidrabitsgaleria.com to see the gallery blog.

I continue to add new designs to my hollow heart collection.  the latest....a tiny birdsnest, with three pearl eggs inside the heart with a shuttered window

I have found an interesting way to work with non-precious metals by etching and patina, and other mixed media touches.  here is frida Kahlo on the back of a pendant with an ancient chinese coin

The front is a silver heart with wings, with Frida's favorite saying.  I love making these, as each becomes a one of a kind story piece.

I love making boxes with treasure inside.  this one has a cuttlebone cast heart with a sapphire wrapped in 22K gold.  A 50th wedding anniversary gift.

When I can, I am taking workshops in ceramic sculpting techniques.  This is a sculpture of my bassett Hound, Sebastion (Seabass).  this is his favorite pose....sleeping.  next I will sculpt him begging for food.

This seems to be a labrador at peace.  I never know what is going to come out of the clay, so it is so fun to see the finished product.

the expression is in the jowles.  I think this is a memory of Marmaduke.  I loved that character growing up.  It made me want my own Marmaduke!  this one is loads easier to take care of

This is the only thing I have seen my cat do lately, so she makes a great model.  She keeps this pose for hours on end.

this happy robbin bounces with the slight movement of walking on the hard wood floors.  It helps that the house was built in 1905, so there is more bounce

This heart totem is the latest in my totem creations.  I have 2 more waiting to be fired, and I am contemplating a tiny stack of hearts...

to go along with my tiny stack of birds.  this piece stands about 6 inches tall, and is all about Love, as the quote is from Emily Dickinsons Poem, It's all I have to Bring Today.

 
I am reminded that it is time for dinner, so more later, when I have more fun art stuff to report.  I have been painting with some wonderful art friends who get together and paint once a week, so I will post some fun from that front.  I live in a great town for art and artists, as there is always a way to flex your creativity muscle!

Summer in the Studio

 
 
It is my first summer in this studio, and I am finding it a wee bit hot.  For this reason, I am planning on relocating my studio into the gallery, so that I can work in the studio while I interract with the visitors in the gallery. 

 
Two friends from Mexico dropped in on my in the past month, and brought with them their work, which I will be showing in the gallery, as well as gifts.  this is a beautiful parasol, that I had to leave behind in Mexico when it became damaged.  Knowing how much it meant to me as it was gift from a very good friend, My friends all got together, and recovered it in pictures and paint.  It is a wonderful piece of art, reminding me of my friendships, and of an area that I had spent 7 years of my life.

 
Allenda also brought me this piece, made by an artist in Tonala.  It is Diego, riding a bike wih Frida on the back.  in the basket in front, are rolled up paintings of Frida's, as well as paint brushes, and artists tools.  Now if I can just find a little bottle of tequila, they would be on the perfect ride!

 
I have been busy in the studio trying to come up with alternatives to silver and gold, which are continuing to go up on a daily basis.  here is a beautiful ancient coin from Japan.  (The origin might actually be from China).  I added a few antique brass bells, and a couple of crosses from my work.  this was a piece I designed and wore on a recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It is on a long piece of adjustable leather.  I plan to make a mold of the coin, and re-create it using Bronze Clay. 

 
Try as I may, I just cannot help but to use silver in my work.  here is panel bracelet, that is just plain fun.  usually my pieces tell a story, but the links in this piece were designed as I went. 

 

The saying on the back of the frog panel..."I had to kiss a lot of princes to find...The Perfect Frog".  (No reference to my husband.)  My thinking was...in the old tale of the princess who kissed a lot of frogs to find her prince...what if she then decided she preferred the frogs!

 

 
This bracelet was the product of a PMC silver clay class that I recently taught.  In this class we create panels for linking together for a bracelet.  It was a lot of fun, and I just love how this piece came out.

 
so much texture and pattern...

 
I casted a heart, using the process of cuttle-bone casting.  I then created a mold to be able to recreate this piece, as I loved the natural striations of the cuttle bone.  here it is, set in a ring, with a 1/4 karat diamond.  It is titled "Wild at Heart". 

 
I am going to create a series of sculptural rings, using the original sculptures I create out of cuttle bone castings and PMC.  here is the heart on a band, which reads "AMOR"

 
I sculpted a bee out of the silver PMC, and then created a mold where I have casted an 18K gold bee, using broken chains, and various gold pieces of jewelry, that I had stopped wearing.  I am now casting a these for clients, who send me their gold, to re-purpose into a bee, a bird, a cuttle bone heart.  why trade in your gold for a fraction of it's worth, especially if it keeps going up in value...DAILY. 

 
This is a 14K gold cuttlebone cast heart.  I added a couple of AAA Thailand sapphires on 22K gold to give it some sparkle.   I love the cuttlebone casting process, which allows you to have a one of a kind miniature sculpture, with the beautiful natural patterning from the cuttlebone on all sides of the pendant. 

May showers???

 
 
Finding balance is next on my agenda.  This is a difficult time to be a jewelry artist, as metals are at an all time high, and can increase more than 20% in a given week.  so, I have been taking a step back and designing jewelry from less expensive metals.  Brass, bronze, copper and found objects.   A friend recently told me how an artist needs to evolve....so in the coming months I hope that is just what I will do!  this is one of my few new pieces that keep to the gems and silver.  This is a nice long piece for the summer.

New for the holidays...

 It feels great to get back into the studio, and actually start creating art jewelry again.  The gallery is running smoothly, and I am preparing for the next Show, "In the Flame", which is set to open December 10th.  The current show, "Sacred Spaces", will run through December 7th...

Fine Silver cross with 24K gold patterning.  the message is A.M.O.R. on the ring, with 'HARMONY", on the back.  beautiful, smooth black tourmaline beads on sterling hammered wire make the front connecting chain.

 
This Iron Ore pendant is suspended from Turquoise and Pyrite Ammonite, set into Sterling, with a chain of Gaspeite. Opals and Turquoise.  One large irridescent Labradorite hangs from a ring.  These pieces remind me of Warrior Medalions.

 
A little bit of whimsy.  panels of patterned fine silver, embellished with 24K gold are set into sterling silver, and the bunny is nestled between two 18K gold panels that read "OH JOY".  The back of the piece reads "PASSION"!

fall is here...brrrrrr

 
The gallery is open, so I finally have the freedom to create again in my studio.  In between catching up on special orders, this piece begged to be made.  It features a fantastic Peruvian Opal drop, wrapped in silver and dropped from turquoise, ammonite and pyrite druisy on a chain of irridescent labrodorite disks, aqua marines and gem quality sun stone.  the form is an incredible antique dress form, an incredible find from a local flea market.  She has been named Uma...and has become a comon feature in my print ads......back to the studio

Valentines Show

In February I am doing two shows...one in Austin, Texas, and one in my own neighborhood on Saturday, February 13th from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. at Renaze Salon and Day Spa at 509 7th Street, Berthoud, CO.  the show is from 11 till 2 p.m.. you can check out my jewelry Gallery to see the latest pieces which will be at the shows!
 

New Creation

Rings, Rings and more rings are present in my work lately.  this piece represents Harmony, and has the words "HARMONY", "SERENITY","WISDOM", and "COURAGE" stamped into the rings.  the front closing clasp allows you to hook it on any of the rings, depending on the look you want....
 The stones are turquoise and Baroque Pearl.

Day of the Dead Show at JJ Wells

Definitely an interesting choice for a show where jewelry is sold, but it worked!  the table is adorned with miniature Papel Picados (tissue paper banners), and there are 4 Diva Katrinas dressed for the show. 

Presiding over the table is "Frida Diva", who hangs in her Altar, which is a tribute to Frida Kahlo.  A bottle of Herdura Tequila, a framed picture of Diego and a copy of the Communist Manifesto can be viewed when the box is opened.  Frida Diva can be removed and worn for special occassions!
 
 

Upcoming Show...

 

Meet "Catrina Diva".  She started as a piece of folk art picked up in Mexico, and she has become a "Diva" through the addition of a crystal bracelet, turquoise necklace, pink diamond ring, turqouise earrings, pearl anklet, and of course the art glass heart.  the message is "Viva La Diva", which is a take on Viva la Vida, Frida Kahlo's favorite saying.  the opposite side of the sterling pendant reminds you to "Enjoy the Journey".  The leather strap is adorned with Turqouise and vintage glass beads...she will debut at a trunk show at JJ Wells in Boulder on November 2nd....

 

The others waith patiently for their turn to become Divas....
 

 
 

Tigers Eye Pendant

The finished product.  tigers eye pendant with crystal and turquoise drops, on a 30" chain of the bracelet links in 10K gold, Peruvian Opals, Turquoise and sterling silver.