Stonehouse | Studio

A very special weekend

2011-10-20T09:41:00.015-04:00

Cynthia Toops

October 21 marks the opening of Terra Nova - Polymer Art at the Crossroads at the Racine Art Museum. Although several museums have polymer pieces in their collections, this is the first permanent collection of polymer art at a major museum. The collection has a companion book and will kick off with a weekend symposium. The polymer world owes a huge thank you to Elise Winters, whose vision and determination to have polymer acknowledged as an art form (and RAM's Bruce Pepich for recognizing it) has made this all possible. I wish I could be there, but I have shows to do. In a way, it is a fitting tribute - the fact that I can make a living creating with polymer attests to the power of this versatile medium!

Kathleen Dustin

Barbara Sperling

Melanie West

Bonnie Bishoff

Ford | Forlano

Elise Winters

Dan Cormier

The Stroppel Cane

2011-10-07T09:18:00.001-04:00

It's amazing how an exciting new technique can catch on fire among the polymer world. Ever since Polymer Clay Daily featured Alice Stroppel's new caning technique a couple of days ago, just about every polymerista the world over has tried it out.

And that includes me! Which is something, because caning is not my thing. But I do have a lot of old canes from my very early days, and I love to use up my scrap. So here goes:


Stroppel canes made from my old canes and scrap

The rather tribal/abstract result

JP Open Studios

2011-09-29T10:35:00.005-04:00

Every year, from September to December, Boston neighborhoods celebrate their artist communities by hosting Open Studio weekends. My absolute favorite is the Jamaica Plain event. It is held amidst colorful Victorian homes, along funky Centre Street, at the Sam Adams Brewery complex, shops and churches and the many private studios around the neighborhood. Since the event features over 200 artists, a handy dandy map is provided and they even have an iPhone app!

Eliot School

Jamaica Plain, or JP for short, is a vibrant, eclectic, and diverse neighborhood. Its tolerant atmosphere and bohemian feel has attracted hundreds of artists who have studios all over town. In addition, the Jamaica Plain Arts Council provides group space for artists who live outside the neighborhood. I usually set up on the lawn at the Eliot School, an arts and crafts school.

The Eliot lawn is a pleasant, tree lined space. This year my neighbors included, among others, regular show pals Vicky and james of of Fine Art Color Photography, Amy of Bumble Belly Designs and Carolina of Recycled Glass Jewelry . Kingsley Weihe of KW Pottery did a fabulous job as site coordinator - and I added another fab KW piece to my growing collection!

My growing collection of Kingsley Weihe vases


First Snow by Bumble Belly Designs

Cobbled Bike by Fine Art Color Photography

A musical interlude ...

And a happy customer wearing her new Stonehouse earrings!

Variations on a theme

2011-09-22T09:02:00.001-04:00

Variations on a theme are a time honored tradition in the Arts. Variations also mean less waste, because all the material is used. I even use the bits and pieces left over to make stud earrings that I sell for $5 at shows. I want everyone who likes my work to leave with something, even if only a simple pair of studs!.

Organics!

2011-05-17T10:20:00.007-04:00

Melanie Muir

Melanie West

Earlier this month I had a wonderful visit with good friends and fellow polymeristas Melanie Muir and Melanie West. It was great seeing the two Melanies again - we had last seen each other at Synergy II over a year ago. Both are masters at what they do - Melanie M's mokume technique is flawlessly executed and so evocative of her native Scottish landscape. And Melanie W's Bio series is in a league all its own. Complex and simple at the same time, and ever so tactile. Both artists are intensely organic in their work.

Dale Chihuly at the MFA

And speaking of organic, the Dale Chihuly exhibit at Boston's MFA has to take the cake. It is a jaw dropping series of large scale installations that defies the imagination. Colors, fluid alien-like forms, forests of glass. And did I mention colors?

idea2lifestyle on etsy.com

After all that inspirational overload, I just had to play. I've used mokume techniques off and on since I first started working with polymer, so I decided to try my hand at it again. The natural feel of mokume coordinates well with the soft, flowing, ethereal feel of current fashion trends.

"Sun and Shade" brooch

"Botanicals" window pendants

Snails and Slugs

2011-04-14T20:27:00.001-04:00

What do snails and yucky slugs have to do with polymer, you ask? My city garden fights a losing battle every year to said critters. I don't use pesticides, so I'm constantly on the lookout for natural controls. A few years back, I bought copper tape. Supposedly, it keeps out snails and slugs (something to do with positive/negative electrical charges). I never got around to using it and it's been sitting around ever since.

Well, as polymeristas the world over already know, those of us who work in polymer are constantly on the lookout for stuff to use in our work. Our medium is so new that it doesn't have a lot of established tools and materials. We use pasta machines to sheet and condition, medical tissue blades to slice, coffee stirrers to make holes. Not to mention knitting needles, tinfoil, packing peanuts, toilet paper rolls, sandpaper, screws and dirt.

So when I ran across that roll of thin copper tape while cleaning out my garden supplies, I did what comes naturally: I used it with polymer. I cut thin strips, rolled and fanned it to make a flower and added a brushed copper disc. I'll bet those snails and slugs are breathing a sigh of relief!

White on White

2011-04-08T07:56:00.005-04:00

While at CraftBoston last month, I was mesmerized by Kathleen Dustin's new piece "White Pollen". The piece, with its subtle tones and hints of gold leaf peeking out of the holes, is elegant, urban and so very chic. The use of white also brought to mind Dan Cormier's "White Necklace", a masterful study in texture from a couple of years back.

I've been doing a lot with color blocking lately - no subtle Skinner Blends for me these days! I've also been doing a lot with textural and satin finishes. Over the winter, I played with color and black, but now that the warmer weather is upon us I want to lighten things up a bit. Inspired by Kathleen and Dan, I've started to work on a new series of window pendants, adding pops of bright color to creamy white.

"Grids" in lime, red and blue

"Grafitti"

"Bumps" in red

While on the subject of inspiration, I'd also like to share some refreshingly candid comments by Austin Kleon on creativity, originality and living the artistic life.

CraftBoston!

2011-03-29T10:27:00.007-04:00

Last year I was thrilled to be asked to be an Invited Artist for the 2011 CraftBoston shows. I've done a ton of shows over the last five years, but never any of the high end ones. It seemed incredible (and still does) that I would ever be in the same show as Kathleen Dustin, Ford|Forlano, Bonnie Bishoff, Karin Noyes and Mary and Louann! It was also very gratifying to see polymer's strong showing at CraftBoston, topped off by Kathleen Dustin taking home the Best of Show award!

My CraftBoston 2011 booth. My home for 4 days!

Fortunately, I had lots of time to prepare. I thought long and hard about my display and decided to invest in ProPanels. They've turned out to be very useful at all my indoor shows. I took the full set to CraftBoston, but also use them in different combinations for other shows. They are modular, so they fit into any kind of space. The panels wiped out my display budget, so I made do with my folding tables, making new coverings out of a soft gray cotton. I opted to go rug-less to keep the look rather stark and industrial. I used gray chipboard on the panels as a backdrop for my work. Twine necklace busts, wood pushpins and baskets add an organic touch.

The show logistics were pretty much what I'm used to, just on a bigger scale. Load in and out was super smooth, with walkie talkie organizers keeping things moving. I had very nice neighbors, which is important since there's nothing worse than a cranky show neighbor. The crowds were steady all three days, Saturday being the busiest. Overall, I had a great show and hopefully will be accepted again next year!

My stuff waiting to be loaded into the car

View of aisle 200 during set-up

View of the main floor area right before the opening reception

Kathleen Dustin - Best of Show award winner!!

To wholesale or not to wholesale

2011-03-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

That is the question. And it's one I've struggled with for a while. For some, the decision is easy. They hate doing shows and love the ease of filling orders, shipping them off and checking off the to-do list. Conversely, there's the artist who thrives on shows and much prefers selling face to face.

I'm a show groupie, no question about it. As long as I can schlepp my stuff, carry 40lb weights and deal with the elements, I'll keep doing them. For me, the wholesale dilemma is strictly a price point issue. If you wholesale, your retail prices have to be consistent with those charged by the shops carrying your wares. Which means doubling your artisan direct price. But will increased prices put off show buyers? For me, the answer is yes. I do mostly juried indie shows where it's important to keep the average price points around $30 to $75, so raising all my prices is out of the question.

After much deliberation, I've decided to test the wholesale waters again. This time, I've created a limited wholesale line consisting of items that are cost/time efficient and where my retail price equals the suggested retail price for wholesale buyers. I'll leave the more complicated pieces and one of a kinds for my show customers.

Once the decision is made and your line designed, you have to put it out there. For starters, I've created a linesheet at trunkt.com, a beautiful site for handmade that aims to connect buyers and sellers.

A treasure trove of information!

2011-03-05T11:35:00.001-05:00

Maybe all you crafty folk out there already know about CraftStew.com, but I just happened to stumble across it. The polymer pages include a ton of links for techniques, projects, tutorials, info and all sorts of stuff. It's so nice to have all the info in one spot! Check them out - there are two pages on polymer here and here. While you're at it, take a look at all the other categories about things handmade!

Etsy Front Page

2011-02-02T09:41:00.007-05:00

It's a huge deal to make it to the Etsy home page - you are seen by literally millions of handmade aficionados all over the world. Occasionally one of my pieces makes it and it always results in tons of views and sales.

The FP, as Etsians call the home page, uses "treasuries" made by sellers and buyers. Hundreds of treasuries are made every day, so it's a big deal when Etsy admins pick yours to feature on the FP. I was lucky enough to have my Urban Chic treasury featured on the front page at 11pm ET on January 31!

Snow Day

2011-01-12T13:05:00.001-05:00

Massachusetts is closed today! Why not spend a snowy, lazy day browsing Etsy Treasuries? I'm in the one below and it's a perfect color match for a day like today!

Sumi-e

2011-01-02T11:27:00.002-05:00

Every winter I try to take a couple of workshops. I'm a big fan of workshops - I find them inspiring, energizing and, well, just plain fun. This year I've decided to try my hand at Japanese brushpainting, or sumi-e. I've signed up for an 8 week class at the CCAE with the amazing Jan Zaremba. I'm really looking forward to it and seeing how I can apply sumi-e techniques to my polymer work.

While on the subject of Japanese art, I found this inro page at the V&A museum website:

Inro's are small containers used to carry seals and herbs. These fabulous museum pieces are inspiring me to revisit inro making. I took a polymer clay inro construction class from Seth Savarick a couple of years ago, but haven't really had the time to pursue it much. Making inros in polymer is a long, painstaking process, but there is something very zen and calming about careful, laborious work.

Here are some boxes using inro construction techniques that I made after taking Seth's class. I'm itching to make more and decorate them with my soon to be learned sumi-e skills!

Treasury Time

2010-12-26T10:00:00.004-05:00

Etsy's new Treasury feature is so easy to use that there are literally thousands of treasury lists made by Etsy sellers and buyers every day. I can't think of a better way to feature the enormous variety of handmade and vintage items found on Etsy - the talent out there is impressive! So much so, that Etsy features a different Treasury every hour on its home page! I'm fortunate to be included in Treasuries on a regular basis and will pick one to feature every week or so.In this Treasury, I'm particularly taken by Evgene's nuno felted scarf!

Phew!

2010-12-13T10:41:00.002-05:00

Another show season over! But don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore doing shows and, after I catch my breath, will miss them terribly until my regular show season starts up again in May of next year.

To deal with show withdrawal, I plan to keep busy organizing and painting the studio, coming up with new designs and getting ready for CraftBoston in March (my first high end show!)

In the meantime, take advantage of my Etsy Holiday Sale. Just use coupon code holiday10 at check-out to receive a 15% discount on your entire order. Sale ends December 31, 2010.

Friday Worktable

2010-10-23T08:46:00.001-04:00

Friday has always been my favorite day of the week. When I was working in the corporate world, I liked Friday because it meant the weekend was just about here. Now that I work in my home studio, every day is a weekend, but I still like Friday because it's my jewelry assembly day. It's very satisfying to see an entire week of production sitting on my table waiting to become finished jewelry.

When I designed my studio, I created separate workstations for polymer work, metal work, assembly and office work. Here is a picture of my Friday polymer table. I've just finished the last pieces of the week that are now on their way to the oven.

After cleaning up my polymer table, I head across the room to my assembly table. It's a bit of a mess, but I'll organize it into piles before I start. I'll need to make earwires for all the earrings, make neckwires and assemble chains, drill holes in the window pendants and package everything up in time for my weekend shows!

On Saturday, if I don't have a show, I'll take pictures, then edit and resize so that they are ready to list in my Etsy shop the following week. I have a photo studio (I use that term generously) permanently set up in my basement - more on that in my next post.

Yucatan Inspiration

2010-10-09T08:05:00.001-04:00

Mexico always inspires me. Last year, I created my Maya series based on the vibrant colors of the Yucatan. But there are more subtle colors there as well - in the deep cenotes and caves that are all over the area. The Yucatan sits on a bed of limestone that is riddled with underground rivers and caverns. When shafts of sunlight hit the deep sinkholes (cenotes), you get an eerie combination of light and shadow, liquid aqua blues and muted browns. This fabulous photo of the Cuzamá cenote from We Visit Mexico on Facebook inspired a new piece.

The feared "Booth Shot"

2010-09-30T20:27:00.003-04:00

I cringe whenever a show application requires a booth shot. No matter how awesome your booth looks in real life, when you take a picture you always manage to include your neighbor's boxes and junk, parked cars, weird people walking by and all sorts of stuff one doesn't notice on market day. Case in point is a picture of my booth at the SoWa Open Market a couple of years back.

Last Sunday I was finally able to get a clean shot at the JP Open Studios. My friend and photographer extraordinare, Lucie Wicker, was showing right across the street and she kindly took some awesome booth shots for me.

I've streamlined my set-up quite a bit in the last couple of years. My hanging boards now have removable canvas covers that match my table coverings and I've added some awesomely organic twine necklace busts. I still go vertical as much as possible - I find it's the best way to showcase my work. And what are those crazy blue bags on each tent leg? Well, they are my very creative weights made out of re-usable plastic shopping bags filled with plastic bags full of pea gravel. Easy to carry and waterproof . And also pee-proof - a must at all my windy, doggie friendly shows (that's Plato eyeing my weights in the top left picture).

Metal Inspiration

2010-09-21T09:58:00.000-04:00

At a show last winter I set up next to Fran Kronstadt who makes the most wonderful belts. Her contemporary cast bronze buckles are a masterful balance of form, texture and detail. I was instantly smitten.

I ran into Fran again at a couple of shows this summer while I was mulling designs for my fall line of window pendants. The muted tones and warmth of oxidized metals has always intrigued me, so I took my cue from Fran's belt buckles and got to work combining polymer with a faux metal finish with real copper, brass and silver accents.

And, yes, I am a proud owner of a Fran Kronstadt belt!

Jury Duties

2010-08-26T19:44:00.009-04:00

Juried shows have been on my mind lately. First of all, because I've been busy filling out show applications right and left. And, secondly, to my great surprise, I've been asked to be an Invited Artist to the 2011 CraftBoston shows. My first reaction to the email was that they sent it to the wrong person. My second was doing a really happy dance and my third was relief that I wouldn't have to finish my CraftBoston JAS application!

Which brings me back to the topic of applying to a juried show. Having done a few in my time and having been a juror for several local art and craft shows and organizations, I can't emphasize enough the importance of good photos. If you can afford it, have some professionally done. But you can also take really good photos on your own. Take some time to read your camera manual. Research on the web - there some really good tips at TableTopStudio.com. If nothing else, at least:

- use the Manual setting on your camera
- turn off the flash
- turn on the Macro (for sharp close-ups)
- up the white balance so your pictures are slightly overexposed
- use 'center weighted metering' so you can choose where to focus
- set your camera to the biggest pixel size and the finest resolution
- invest in high quality daylight bulbs of at least 2100 lumens.
- Use a lightbox

If you use the correct settings and have good lighting, you shouldn't have to correct your pictures too much. You don't need invest in Photoshop - I use Picasa (free) to edit and organize all my photos. Pixel size and resolution is important. You want a nice big picture with good resolution, but you don't necesarily want to email or attach such a big file to an application. Resize to around 1000 pixels and 300 DPI. I use a neat freeware tool, fastone.org, to adjust size and resolution.

Once you have the pictures set, take some time to really think about your product descriptions and artist statement. Write several versions - what you send to CraftBoston will be very different than what you submit to Bazaar Bizarre!

Selecting the photos you submit to a jury is also tough. Some people think that you should submit a variety of items to show your artistic range. Personally, I think jurors prefer to see consistency in the work and a definitive voice.

Applying to shows has a learning curve. A good exercise is to register on JAS and Zapp. Load up some pictures, write some descriptions and get your portfolio started. You may never apply to the higher end shows that use these services, but the experience will sure help when filling out the application for your local juried art festival!

Lookbook!

2010-07-15T19:24:00.002-04:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More polymer

Pretty cool! I made a Word doc, saved it as a PDF then uploaded it to issuu.com. Easy!

It's hot out there!

2010-07-12T20:47:00.004-04:00

We've been having a bit of a heat wave in New England lately. Even though I grew up in the tropics, I really don't like the heat. I don't know if you can call hot, muggy weather inspiring, but it has prompted me to revisit my "Maya" work.

This piece is called "Cenote", named for the deep sinkholes with deep, icy clear water that you find all over the Yucatan. It is ink washed polymer with layers of analogous colors in greens and blues, finished with a reticulated silver accent.

A look at my work table

2010-06-25T12:46:00.006-04:00

A peek into my studio this week shows my work in progress. On this particular day I was quite productive - making mostly window pendants and a few pairs of earrings. I find it more efficient to work in batches, so I'll make the fronts one day, sand them and then spend the next day building the pieces.

In the first picture you can see some of my commonly used tools and custom mixed polymer colors. Polymer is mixed and conditioned using a pasta machine, which gives me nice even sheets to work with. And, yes, it is a very neat and tidy scene. I work best in an organized environment. Plus it's really easy to color contaminate polymer, so you've got to keep things clean!

One thing leads to another...

2010-03-29T09:13:00.008-04:00

I've been on a creative tear lately. Probably because at this time of year I have the luxury of time. During show season I'm in full production mode and really can't take the time to experiment. The winter months, though, are my play time in the studio.

I started experimenting with brooches, using a few more layers and textures than I normally do. That segued into a pendant design, since pendants seem to be my best sellers. Yes, there is that commercialism peeping through again. Art pieces are important, even essential, for creative fulfillment. But they don't pay the mortgage. I'm always looking for that balance between creativity and marketability.

My next step is to streamline the process without sacrificing craftsmanship. One of my strengths as a jewelry artist is that I'm good at engineering and problem solving. It takes persistence and logic and lots of prototypes. Plus a constant conversation between the left and right sides of my brain!

Synergy2 and my comfort zone

2010-03-04T18:31:00.010-05:00

Last week I was at Synergy2, a polymer conference held every two years in Baltimore. I must admit I got more out of it this time than two years ago, simply because I am more comfortable in my work and feel that I am in control of the material, instead of the other way around.

I always like the panel discussions best - and the challenge these wonderful artists throw out to us. Susan Lomuto of DailyArtMuse says it much better that I can - be sure to read her essay on polymer and its evolution as a medium.

My head is still spinning, but I've decided to spend more time working outside my comfort zone. That's hard to do because I make a living at this and it's so easy to fall into a rut - the 'as long as the work sells, keep making it' syndrome. But here goes...

Brooches are new for me and I know they don't sell well at my shows, but what the heck. I now understand why so many art jewelers make them - they're an awesome canvas!

Skinner Blend House

2010-02-02T07:50:00.005-05:00

When I saw this photo on Chromalab's blog, I just had to chuckle! Polymeristas everywhere will instantly recognize the Skinner Blend, a basic polymer clay technique that creates graduating blends on a pasta machine by combining two or more colors:

(house photo from ReadyMade magazine)

Mexico Inspiration

2010-01-29T10:19:00.009-05:00

When traveling back from my yearly Yucatan trip to Hacienda Xcanatun in Merida, I had a couple of hours to kill in that bastion of blatant commercialism that is the Cancun airport. I sought refuge in the one oasis of good taste and awesome style - the Pineda Covalin store. These two designers are inspired by their rich cultural heritage, drawing on the many textile and artistic traditions of their native Mexico. The photos below are modern takes on traditional indigenous designs of the Tehuana, Maya and Huichol people.

Looking back at 2009

2010-01-10T09:31:00.008-05:00

January is a time for reflection, so I thought I'd take a look back at what I accomplished work-wise during 2009. I keep an inventory for bookkeeping purposes, so it's pretty easy to tally my production. It's amazing what 6 to 8 hours a day in the studio four or five days a week can produce! And for every five pieces that make the grade, one goes into the reject jar....

Earrings: Almost 1,000 pairs. And since I make my own earwires, I used over 350 feet of silver wire!

Pendants on chain: 268

Neckwires and necklaces: 126

Yikes, I'd better get crackin' on making stuff for 2010! Happy New Year!

What I gave myself for Xmas

2010-01-02T09:40:00.008-05:00

It's really hard doing over 70 shows a year. Not because it's a heck of a lot of work making stuff, then schlepping stuff, then setting up and breaking down stuff. Not to mention dealing with the elements. It's hard because it is so difficult to restrain from buying half of what I see. At these shows I'm surrounded by truly awesome handmade goods made by wonderful, talented and sharing people (well, 99% of them are wonderful and/or talented). To that end, I kept telling myself all season that if I had a good year, I'd treat myself to a couple of my faves. I did have a good year and I did treat myself!

I've been coveting a SayaStudio bag for a long time. I just adore my beautiful (and practical) new bag in orange, blue and red leather and fabric. I'll take a photo sometime, but here's another one of Saya's bags to get your mouth watering.
The second present to myself is one of Chromalab's signature wall clocks. Can you tell I love orange? Tony and Alicia have the gift of color - their re-purposed furniture and accessories are all light and sunshine. My new clock is now up on my studio wall - time checks have never been so much fun!

Featured in Art Jewelry magazine!

2009-12-20T08:54:00.006-05:00

About 2 years ago I submitted a piece to the Gallery section of Art Jewelry magazine. It took a while, but here it is in the January '10 issue! And a nice big picture, too. My work has changed a bit since I submitted the photo, but it's still one of my favorite pieces.

Avoid the malls and shop handmade!

2009-12-07T09:18:00.002-05:00

Now in it's 6th season, this year's SoWa Holiday Market will feature 80 artists and designers from around New England. From the fashionably chic to the hip and cutting edge, shoppers are sure to find an original gift for everyone on their list. Expect to find an exceptional array of indie goods, including: handbags, jewelry, pottery, letterpress stationery, silk-screened t-shirts, baby clothes, re-purposed wool accessories and more! This handmade holiday spectacular will take place in SoWa's Cathedral High School Gym, located in Boston's trendy SoWa arts and media district. Within walking distance to Boston's best galleries, boutiques and international cuisine, the SoWa Holiday Market is at the center of one of Boston's most diverse and exciting neighborhoods!

Event information
When: Saturday & Sunday, December 12th & 13th / 10am - 6pm
Where: Cathedral HS Gymnasium, 74 Union Park Street, Boston MA 02118
Admission: $5.00 for adults, Children under 12 free

Phone: (800) 403-8305
Email: info@sowaholidaymarket.com

Boston Handmade returns to Downtown Crossing!

2009-11-25T08:35:00.003-05:00

Now in its 2nd season, the Boston Handmade holiday store returns to Boston's Downtown Crossing. Located on Wshington Street, right across from Macy's, it is chock full of fabulous and unique handmade gifts. Be sure to stop by - we open at 11am on November 27! And meet our artists and artisans at the opening reception on Saturday, November 28 from 5pm-8pm.

Boston Handmade at Downtown Crossing is located at 505 Washington St. and will be open Wed-Sun from 11am-7pm from November 27 until December 24.

2009-11-11T08:06:00.005-05:00

Don’t miss the 2nd annual Design Salon Holiday Sale, taking place at the Kingsley Montessori School in Boston’s Back Bay on November 21st from 10am until 5pm. The 19 exhibitors were cherry picked by “The Salon” jury from about 50 local salon members. “The Design Salon Holiday Sale is the best kept secret for holiday shoppers seeking unique and chic”, says design connoisseur Jill Shah of the South End. “It is an opportunity for Bostonians to rub elbows with the designers of crème de la crème.”

The Boston Design Salon was founded in 2007 by a small group of local female design professionals. At the first Salon gathering, there were about six women sharing a bottle of wine and their realization that there really could be a design community in Boston. “I just wanted to get to know more designers in my community. All types of designers: graphics, fashion, architecture, web. Knowing each other helps us to help ourselves,” says founder and ceramist Jill Rosenwald. Within a relatively short amount of time, membership has grown to over 200 women. Design Salon gatherings have become a cozy sharing of ideas, opinions and business discussions. Female industry experts, such as Boston Home Magazine Editor Rachel Levitt, Mariposa’s founder Livia Cowan, and Design*Sponge
founder Grace Bonney have been invited to speak to the group. “We have been able to grow our network while keeping an underground, hip edge to The Design Salon” says Jill Palese, fashion designer. “There are no dues involved,just talent and the desire to inspire and to become inspired.” The Salon Sale is open to the general public and 20% of all the proceeds will be donated to Kingsley Montessori School.

Winter Whites and Neutrals

2009-11-02T09:21:00.003-05:00

Now that my outdoor show schedule is over for the year, I've got to get going on listing new work in my online shops. I'll get these studies in neutrals up this week ...maybe.

Techniques include image transfers, mica shift and silkscreening combined with either satin finished or hammered/oxidized silver.

Tree ornaments with a twist

2009-10-18T19:02:00.007-04:00

We've always had a Xmas tradition in our family - only unusual ornaments are allowed on the tree! No Santas, Rudolphs, Frosty the Snowman or glittery snow scenes allowed. I guess this all started when we were kids in Mexico. I remember those early trees with with colorful straw garlands and repousee tin ornaments in bright colors and all sorts of shapes - roosters, tucans, parrots and even pigs. The ornament collection grew as we moved on to Panama, the Phillipines and Brazil. The Phillipine tree was the most unusual. Firs and pines were not imported, so our tree consisted of a bare tree branch painted white. Perhaps considered chic today, but weird when you're a ten year old kid.

So, when I decided to make a line of tree ornaments, I naturally looked to the non-traditional. My work this year has been heavily influenced by traditional Asian design elements, so what better subject than geishas and Chinese landscape scenes? I'll soon have a whole series of polymer clay ornaments with image transfers of bijinga (beautiful women) from ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) by printmaker and painter Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806). Stay tuned - they'll be listed in my 1000Markets shop soon!

New for Fall

2009-09-16T08:44:00.006-04:00

Not only do I have a bunch of new work for the fall and winter seasons, but I now have an absolutely incredible online shop in which to put it! 1000Markets recently revamped their site to make it even more beautiful and buyer friendly. They've done a fabulous job! Click on the picture to take a look at my shop and then go on to browse the rest of 1000Markets - I know you'll be impressed!

The Handmade Life

2009-08-27T07:06:00.004-04:00

Fellow Boston Handmade'r, Mimi Kirchner, has been featured on Etsy's Handmade Life! I absolutely adore Mimi's dolls and really enjoyed a peek into her process and inspiration! You can see more of her dolls in her Etsy shop. And be sure to follow her fantastic blog!

Outside the Box

2009-08-14T07:12:00.005-04:00

I'm artistically curious. I love to get a glimpse of the process behind the finished product, and one of the best ways to do that is to take a workshop. One of the first things I did when I left my corporate job a few years ago was to take a mixed media class at the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston. I had already discovered polymer at that point and had no intention of pursuing wood block printing, pen and ink drawing or mono printing, but I wanted to get my head around how it was done. Workshops also give me a healthy respect for fellow artists and crafstpeople - only when you try your own hand at something do you realize just how much talent, practice and vision is involved in the creative process.

I also take workshops in my medium of choice - polymer clay. I love watching the masters at work and I get something out of each and every class I take. Sometimes the class is an epiphany - Maggie Maggio's color class completely changed the way I approach my work. Usually, though, it's not so much the technique, but one or two details that influence and inspire me. From Kathleen Dustin I learned that there is rarely a mistake that can't be fixed. Louise Fischer Cozzi taught me to just relax and be joyful in my work, and Seth Savarick taught me the importance of flawless craftsmanship. I also love meeting fellow polymer aficionados at these classes. I met Melanie West at my first workshop and we have gone on to take several workshops together - she has helped me enormously in making the transition from hobbyist to artist.

The picture is of a Japanese style inro box that I learned how to make in Seth Savarick's class. Vessels are lots of fun and a pleasant break from jewelry. So think outside the box and have fun - take a class!

Persistence

2009-07-21T09:29:00.007-04:00

I was browsing the Etsy forums the other day and came upon a thread about how someone decided to try polymer clay, because, and I quote: "I thought, how hard could it be to roll out a couple of flat globs and cookie cutter out some circles and rubber stamp em and bake em, right? HOW HARD could that be?? Well, if someone can tell me how to get the polymer clay boogers off of my little plastic rolling pin and work surface and rubber stamp, I *might* be able to clean up and throw the stuff away! urg!!". It never fails to amaze me how some people think they can try something for the first time and be perfect at it. And, incredibly, how they think it's the medium's fault when it doesn't come out right!

All of which made me think about a trait that most dedicated artists and craftspeople have in common, and that is persistence. You hear about passion and creativity and vision, but it's the dedication to keep working at something until you get it right that sets them apart. Or conversely, being comfortable in going in another direction if that's where it takes you.

I'm sure glad I didn't "throw the stuff away!" after my first try! Here is a photo of some of my early, and very amateurish, attempts at polymer. And another of my humongous reject jar (it is 24 inches tall and it's almost full):

Because I'm a persistent person and dedicated to good craftsmanship, my work has progressed to where I feel I'm in control of the medium, instead of the other way around. But I still contribute regularly to that big reject jar in the corner of my studio!

New Work

2009-07-14T07:21:00.013-04:00

I've been having a busy summer! I have a hectic show schedule and during the week I try to keep up in the studio replacing inventory. I always set aside a few hours a week, though, to just play and experiment with new techniques and designs.

When I saw the fabulous jewel colors of Byzantia textile paints by Stewart Gill, I just had to have some! I'm just starting to play around with them, but so far so good. I see an elegant series of pieces in the works!

I made these pieces last week, took them to a couple of shows over the weekend and already sold three necklaces and some earrings! It's nice to get something right immediately - usually it's weeks of trial and error!

2nd Annual Boston Handmade Marketplace at Union Square in Somerville

2009-06-29T06:52:00.003-04:00

The Somerville Arts Council and Boston Handmade present an ArtsUnion Event: The Boston Handmade Marketplace. More than 25 artists, artisans, and craftspeople will be showing and selling handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, housewares, art, photography, toys, and sculpture in Union Square at the intersection of Washington, Prospect & Somerville Ave.) on July 11, 2009, 3-7pm, as part of the Somerville Arts Council ArtsUnion series.

Boston Handmade at the SoWa Open Market on June 14!

2009-06-05T07:44:00.002-04:00

The fabulous artists and artisans of Boston Handmade will be joining the other fabulous artists and artists at the SoWa Open Market on June 14. The Market has been awesome this year, don't miss it!

Coolidge Corner Arts Festival this Saturday!

2009-06-02T07:19:00.004-04:00

I'll be doing the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival this Saturday, June 6 from 10am-6pm. I'm really looking forward to it - it's a well known and tightly juried show with some of the best artists and artisans of the area.

Branding and Marketing

2009-05-14T08:56:00.004-04:00

I posted this a couple of months ago as part of a series of marketing articles for 1000Markets. With show season upon us, I thought it timely to review some of the basics of branding and marketing.

Before you jump into that complex maze we call 'marketing', take a step back and systematically look at your product and goals. All the marketing in the world won’t help if you have a product that lacks focus, quality and branding. This applies whether you are selling cars, corn flakes or art.

I worked at an ad agency for almost 20 years before becoming a full-time artist. Even though I ran an administrative department, I absorbed the basics by osmosis. After all, most ad people will tell you marketing is mostly common sense. Here are a few things to think about before you start actively marketing your product.

Product: Take a long hard look at your work. Is it ready to be sold, or still in the prototype stage? Have you achieved a high level of craftsmanship? Do you have focus? Or are you still finding your voice? Are you able to balance production work with creative work? If you dislike making something, but make it anyway because it sells, will you still want to be at it two years from now? Be comfortable with your product, but don’t get so comfortable that you lose your artistic vision. If you’re passionate about a style or technique that is not commercially viable, set aside time to work on it anyway. This will keep you fresh and challenged.

Niche and Demographic: In order to be successful, you need to know who buys your product. Sometimes it’s not the folks you thought you were targeting. I started out thinking I would sell to a young, hip crowd, but it turns out my demographic is the 30 plus stylish, professional woman. But I also have several styles that have universal appeal, which balances my collection nicely. Which brings up niche marketing. You need to decide whether you want to cater to a target audience or have a broader appeal. This is where a little market research comes in. Local shows are probably the best way to gauge customer reaction to your work. Ask for opinions. Talk to gallery and shop owners, an invaluable resource for understanding consumer mindsets and trends. Above all, keep an open mind and be objective. Easier said than done when it comes to our art, but necessary!

Branding: Okay, so you now have a viable product and know who you want to sell it to. The next step is branding yourself and your work. Branding is more than a logo and a color scheme. It defines how the public perceives your work. First impressions are usually lasting impressions, so it’s important to get this step right. If you have found your voice as an artist, you will have a recognizable aesthetic in your work and branding should be easy. If you flip flop from style to style, medium to medium, with no consistency, branding will be difficult. This is not to say you can’t have different mediums under one brand. You can if there is something that ties them together. For example, your work is organic and inspired by nature. Your jewelry, handbags and illustrations all have a common denominator and chances are, work well together. On the other hand, if you make opulent, jewel encrusted necklaces and toys for children, you’ll probably need to separate your brands.

Building your brand: Make sure your business name is universal enough to absorb future changes. For example, you are a photographer and call your shop XYZ Photography. Your photography leads you to experiment with digital collage, or you decide to sell your illustrations. Suddenly, your shop name is no longer indicative of your entire body of work. XYZ Designs would have been a better choice. Make sure your business name gives you future flexibility.

Decide on a consistent theme, color scheme and style for you logo, packaging, show displays and collateral (postcards, business cards, brochures, newsletters, etc). It has to fit with your work. I have a friend who makes wonderfully quirky jewelry out of vintage components. Her sales skyrocketed when she switched from solid color earring cards to ones made out of postcards of WWII pin-up girls. Extend your artistic vision to your packaging, displays and shop visuals. Again, if you have a recognizable voice, you will instinctively know what will work. Keep it simple and cost effective. Never allow packaging and displays to take the focus away from your work. I see this all the time in shop banners. If you have a knock ‘em dead banner, make sure your product photography is equally good!

Establishing a sound foundation will make marketing much easier. You are now ready to tackle the myriad of marketing opportunities available to artists today!

Tutorial Time

2009-05-06T10:12:00.009-04:00

I'm often asked if I teach classes on polymer clay. Teaching isn't really my thing, but I do think it's important to share information about my craft. Particularly in a relatively new medium like polymer clay. I own just about every book published about polymer and have taken workshops from polymer masters like Kathleen Dustin, SL Savarick, Louise Fisher Cozzi, Maggie Maggio, Dan Cormier and Judy Kuskin. Each class I take gives me a greater insight into the wonders of polymer and opens the way to further experimentation and inspiration.

Fortunately, the DIY revolution has given us an audience eager to try new crafts. PDF tutorials on just about every conceivable subject are available on Etsy, so I thought I'd publish one on how to make a polymer clay focal bead and pendant.

It took about 15 hours to set up, photograph and write. Each step was photographed numerous times, usually one handed or with a precariously balanced camera on a timer. Then came all the tweaking and re-writing. It seems that it was well worth the effort, though. It's selling very well on Etsy and several of my buyers already have work for sale using the technique!

Mother's Day at 1KM

2009-04-28T19:23:00.013-04:00

How cool is this????? I'm so honored to be featured - there are so many talented artisans and artists at 1000Markets!

Market Day

2009-04-20T08:34:00.005-04:00

New markets are popping up right and left over at 1KM these days! It's a really exciting time there with the official launch going on. The targeted co-op mailings with Amazon are bound to bring in many new customers!

I was recently invited to join the Passport market - my Maya Collection fits right in! Shopping by market is such a time saver. No more wading through thousands of disparate items. Plus it's really fun to browse through the more unusual ones, like the Day of the Dead market, the Steampunk market and the Just Hats market!

Don't look now, but the 80's are back....

2009-04-12T09:49:00.013-04:00

This past week I finally got around to reading my growing pile of fashion magazines and checking the web for current fashion trends. I used to love lolling about reading Vogue, but now it's like reading a trade journal. I do it at my desk, I take notes and I think about how my jewelry aesthetic will fit with current styles without compromising my creativity and voice. Sometimes it's easy - the bright colors popular this spring work beautifully with my new Maya Collection that incororates a technique I've been perfecting over the past year. But other trends, like voluminous harem pants, are ridiculous, so I'll just ignore them.

All of us in the artisan community should take high fashion with a grain of salt, though. Pay some attention to it, particularly if you make a living selling your work. But remember that our niche demographic is not a slave to fashion. These ladies appreciate innovative design and craftsmanship. They understand the significance of buying local, thinking green and buying quality as opposed to quantity. And they certainly don't want to wear the same thing as a million other women.

Even though I keep an eye on fashion, my real gauge for current trends is what I see at high end shows like CraftBoston. I'm glad to report that the overriding feel to the show this year was flowing, organic and highly tactile, as seen in the photo above. My jewelry would look fabulous with any of these gorgeous items! That tells me I'm doing something right.

Art Next Door

2009-04-07T09:09:00.004-04:00

My neighbor, Sophie Lowery, has some fabulous new work. I've watched her work evolve over the last couple of years and she's so found her voice. The landscapes of her native France capture the colors and clarity of light so typical of the area. She's also captured the essence of her adopted Charlestown - her paintings and cards of the Bunker Hill Monument are a huge local hit!

Her work is available on her website, her 1000Markets and Etsy shops and locally at the Joy of Old in Charlestown.

Market Day

2009-04-01T19:45:00.005-04:00

With the upcoming official launch of 1000Markets, I thought it might be nice to feature a market every week or so. For those of you unfamiliar with 1000Markets, it's a new shopping and community site for quality handcrafted items. What sets 1000Markets apart is the philosophy of the market. As CEO Matt Triffiro puts it: " I have always been fascinated by marketplaces – the real, human-scale marketplaces like the farmers’ markets you find across the U.S. or the street vendors in Marrakech – These markets are populated by people, not just "things." They are a kaleidoscope of human activity: entertainment, history, art, community, and, of course, commerce. These are profound and vibrant human institutions."

Today I explored "Come to Asheville". It's a group of immensely talented artists residing in Asheville, NC. After seeing the work, I have to put Asheville on my list of places to visit. What an artistic mecca!

Sunny and warm.....wait a minute, cold and snowy!

2009-03-09T19:24:00.011-04:00

Well, it is New England and, as they say, if you don't like the weather, wait a minute. The weekend was balmy and sunny, with temperatures in the low 60's. Today it was 32 and snowed all day. At the risk of overdoing the adages, will March be in like a lion, out like a lamb? I sure hope so.

To celebrate the craziness of March, here's a sunny new piece

and one that is all bare branches and snow and wintry.

Maya Collection

2009-03-05T08:48:00.003-05:00

I've been working on a new line lately, inspired by the vivid colors of the Yucatan. The azure blues of the ocean, the yellow/greens of the lush vegetation, the desaturated reds and oranges of old hacienda walls and the texture of Mayan artifacts all combine for a vibrant new collection.

My connection to Mexico is strong. I was born there, and my sister and brother-in-law own a historic hacienda hotel in Merida, Hacienda Xcanatun. I love ambling around the lush gardens soaking it all in. So very different from the cool light and softer hues of New England! I also use photos I take in Mexico as image transfers on polymer - the blue plumbago picture is one of my favorites!

Chica and Meche

2009-02-22T10:48:00.005-05:00

I recently contributed to a Boston Handmade post about pets hanging out in our studios. While looking for a photo, I came across early pictures of my kitties. They were so darned cute! They still are, but are now mature, stately 7 year olds. The mosaic shows them at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 13 weeks and 1 year. They're even bigger now, as you can see in the photo below. Maine Coons are a large breed and don't achieve their full growth until they're about five years old. Chica weighs in at close to 20lbs and my little one, Meche, at about 13lbs.

Studio Re-Do

2009-02-14T18:27:00.013-05:00

When I left my corporate job to be a studio artist a couple of years ago, I just threw a studio together. It was functional, but pretty ugly. And just kept getting uglier and uglier as I added plastic drawer things, boxes and general junk.

My Xmas present to myself was new studio furniture. Between Ikea and a propitious trash find, I now have exactly what I need for an awesome studio. It took me a couple of days to put it together (it takes a while to translate those Swedish pictures), but the effort was well worth it!

I left my studio layout the same, because it works well for me. I have four stations: a polymer worktable, a metalwork area, a jewelry assembly and finish area and an office workspace. Oh, the joy of not having to clear my polymer table to set up my metal stuff!

What about that lucky trash find? Well, it's my new metalsmithing table. I found it not more than 20 feet from my front door - it's a wood kitchen island that a neighbor left out with the trash. The funny thing is that I found it the day after I finished setting up my studio. Furniture karma...

I took some close-ups, too - of my polymer tools, color chart and color scales, my comfy chair(a must in every studio!) and a bunch of my new Maya collection earrings ready to be packaged.

Why am I making such a production about an attractive studio? First, because a nice environment makes my work better. And second, because my studio is in plain sight of my living room!

Just another reason why I'm loving 1000Markets!

2009-02-08T18:07:00.005-05:00

Matt, the guy behind 1000Markets.com posted the most wonderful photo of potter Rob Drexel and his baby on the site's Community page this week. Not only is Rob's work fabulous, but his shop is a delight. Kudos to 1000Markets for giving artists like Rob a place to showcase their work, life and inspiration in such a heartwarming way!

Goings on at Boston's MFA

2009-01-30T08:25:00.007-05:00

One of the joys of not doing weekly shows during my 'off season' are regular visits to the MFA. Every year I purchase a $75 membership that allows me unlimited visits, a couple of tickets to their special exhibits and a 10% discount in the museum shop. They also have a great film series, lectures, art classes and even events for artsy singles. Strapped for cash? No worries, admission to the MFA is free on Wednesdays from 4pm-9:45pm!

The MFA is known worldwide for its fabulous collection of Asian art. Right now they have a couple of exhibits featuring Kyoto, Boston's sister city: Visions of Kyoto and Celebrating Kyoto. And I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Shōwa exhibit, newly acquired artworks depicting the art deco period of 1930's, a time of sweeping modernization and westernization in Japan.

From Nudibranchs to BioBangles

2009-01-18T08:23:00.003-05:00

My good friend and polymer mentor, Melanie West, came down from Maine this week on her way to a polymer retreat in Jersey. She brought along her latest BioBangles - what a trip! These bold pieces are absolutely stunning. No wonder she was instantly accepted to the prestigious Philadelphia Museum of Art show on her first try! Melanie's blog is a great read as well, covering every conceivable topic from science to jaw dropping art.

1000 Markets

2008-12-29T19:31:00.006-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I love Etsy. But I've also been looking long and hard for an additional online selling venue. Something with the visual appeal and quality goods like those found on Trunkt.org. Trunkt is wonderful, but it is primarily geared towards the wholesale market.

I've opened and closed shops on a bunch of Etsy wannabes and was getting rather discouraged. Then I stumbled upon 1000 Markets and it blew me away. It's only a few months old and still in the beta stages, but it already has a clear mission, look and direction. I love their 'Markets' concept - I currently belong to Inspired by Nature, Luxe and Metalcraft . I also like the way they've incorporated a blog and comment wall into the shop.

The site is juried, which allows them to maintain the integrity of the site. And it's still new enough that you get e-mails directly from the owner. When I was accepted, I got a really nice personal e-mail from Matt complimenting my work. And he immediately featured one of my pieces on the Community page. What a nice way to welcome a new shop!

Take some time to browse 1000 Markets. I think that you too will be impressed by the array of talent and the quality of the work.

Boston Handmade Downtown - Grand Opening!!

2008-11-28T09:32:00.006-05:00

For the last two years I've been part of Boston Handmade , a group of Massachusetts Etsy sellers committed to creativity made by hand. When the city of Boston and owners of vacant storefronts in Downtown Crossing offered artist groups the opportunity to open retail shops and galleries during the height of the Xmas shopping season, we jumped at the chance.

It was ALOT of work. We couldn't have done it without the dedication, vision and unflagging energy of our fearless leader, Jessica Burko. Read the entire saga from raw space to grand opening here.

If you're in the Boston area, please plan to stop by. We are at 505 Washington Street, across from Macy's and Eddie Bauer. We're open 11am-7pm Thursday through Sunday from November 28 to December 28.

My Buttons in Stitch Magazine!

2008-11-17T09:05:00.007-05:00

I hate leftover polymer clay. It sits around, gets hard and crumbly and eventually is thrown away. Bad for the environment and the pocketbook. So I started mixing my clay remnants to create earthy, organic looking pebbles. I started with earrings, but they don't use up much scrap clay so I also started making buttons. My Faux Pebble buttons resemble polished river stones and textured beach pebbles.

Stitch magazine (a special publication from Quilting Arts) liked them so much they were selected for a handmade button feature in the Winter '08 edition!

New Work

2008-11-15T08:10:00.005-05:00

I've been spending a lot of time in the studio and at shows lately, so I've neglected my blog frightfully. Anyway, here's a new piece - nice and green for a dreary November day.

Boston Handmade at the SoWa Open Market!

2008-10-10T07:16:00.002-04:00

Many members of Boston Handmade are regulars at the South End Open Market - myself included. This Sunday will be special, though, with 26 of us setting up in our own special section. We look forward to seeing you there!

Playing when I should be working....

2008-08-31T10:23:00.008-04:00

I've got a very busy September coming up - multi-day shows every single weekend. So I really should be working on my inventory instead of fooling around at Big Huge Labs!

I took four photos and used the Mosaic Maker:

Then I Warholized it:

And a corny badge complete with bar code using the Badge Maker:

And a Jigsaw Puzzle:

Now I really have to get back to work....

More Etsy Front Pages....

2008-07-28T16:53:00.005-04:00

Being on the front page on a regular basis almost (but not quite) solves my "finding time to blog during show season" dilemma.... Here I am on the Front Page on July 28 and again on July 29.

Another Etsy Front Page

2008-07-17T07:43:00.009-04:00

I must admit I love being featured on Etsy's front page. Etsy is changing their front page every hour these days - which is good because it gives a lot of exposure to great work.

This one is particularly nice. No theme, just virtual window shopping by curator DuckDuckGooseStuff. If you feel like a little eye candy, visit the Etsy Treasuries and the Trunkt Showcases.

Beating a dead horse...

2008-06-23T20:08:00.004-04:00

Yeah, I know. But I'm on this flower/branch/leaf kick... note that I have a couple of happy horses in there (not beaten).

Garden Inspiration

2008-05-30T08:30:00.008-04:00

I love my little city garden and it's particularly lush this year. I can sit on my patio for hours just looking at it, then take it with me to my studio. I never stray very far from nature in my work, it's an endless source of inspiration.

Stretching a bit...

2008-05-15T11:52:00.007-04:00

The cool thing about polymer clay is that you can use it in so many ways. This weekend, at the South End Open Market, I'll be bringing my collections of polymer covered ice cream scoops, cheese and cake slicers and knitting needles. I'll also be listing them in my Etsy store next week, if I have any left!

New Work

2008-04-28T20:50:00.011-04:00

I'm taking a break from my illustrated transfers and have gone back to my landscape technique using metallic clays and alcohol inks. I love the organic, other-worldly feel to the pieces.

Faux Pebbles

2008-04-23T12:05:00.011-04:00

My jewelry tends to be chic and elegant, but I also have a line of down to earth, natural pieces. Yeah, I know that might be a contradiction in terms given that polymer is petroleum based, and like almost all artist materials, is not particularly eco-friendly. On the other hand, I don't drive and have never owned a car, I don't use plastic grocery bags or drink bottled water. I figure that I use a heck of of a lot less petroleum in a whole year of polymer work than the average person uses to fill their tank just one time!

I make my faux pebbles in a variety of natural colors, but tend to prefer the darker shades. The huge advantage of polymer pebbles over the real thing is that they don't weigh anything at all!

Zen time....

2008-04-17T10:13:00.005-04:00

I'm starting to get the hang of vessels! It's great fun and a relaxing break from jewelry making. Thanks to Seth Savarick for sharing his techniques - a must-take class for polymer clay aficionados.

And how about those photos? Thanks to
Melanie West for all her tips!

New Work April 1-15

2008-04-12T18:28:00.006-04:00

I'm experimenting with oxidized and textured bezels.

And a new earring design with handmade earwires.

Take a class. Be inspired.

2008-04-04T09:56:00.012-04:00

I recently took an awesome class on Japanese inro style containers from master polymer artist SL Savarick and was inspired to start making vessels out of polymer clay. I'm practicing on business card holders, but will soon attempt more complicated construction.

Another class that inspired me was the Boston Handmade knitting workshop. I learned to knit (if you can call my sorry attempt at a scarf knitting), but I also fell in love with Clover bamboo knitting needles. They look wonderful with the ends covered in polymer clay!

And now for something completely different....

2008-03-23T18:52:00.011-04:00

This morning I decided to take a break from polymer and list a few things in my Etsy supply shop. Since I'm on a life mission to de-clutter and get rid of stuff, I opened a destash shop on Etsy for my extra stones and findings. 'Destash' is Etsy speak for unloading excess supplies, in case you were wondering.

Problem is, I still love stones. But it's time to move on from my chunky look, so I've been trying to convince myself to unload them. Then it came to me - I use sterling neckwires for my polymer work, why not make up a series of simple, elegant neckwires using stones, silver and vermeil? And since I've found this fabulous sterling cable, what better time than right now? Plus I get to keep my lovely rocks.....

I'm very pleased with the way they came out. Simple, sophisticated and very well priced between $35 and $65. Coming soon to my Etsy shop!

Etsy's Front Page

2008-03-16T13:11:00.004-04:00

What a week! That I know of, I've been on Etsy's front page three times this past week. With over 106,000 shops on Etsy, it's not an easy task to make it to the front page. Front page items are selected by Etsy staff from the Treasuries, lookbooks created by Etsy members that include 15 images, usually with a theme. Oh, and you can't include your own work in your Treasury. It's wonderful browsing and really showcases the diverse talent on Etsy.

Thanks to fellow Boston Handmade pal,Amy Olson, for taking the screenshot for me.

New Work

2008-03-11T17:21:00.005-04:00

I've been busy the last few days making up more of my Japanese inspired pieces. They will be finished soon and listed in my Etsy shop by mid-March.

By Popular Demand....

2008-03-10T16:00:00.006-04:00

Folks are raving about my new sterling silver neckwires. I started assembling them myself because I've never found a commercial neckwire I really liked. What's particularly cool about them is the thin friction clasp which accommodates large hole beads and most pendant bails.

I thought I'd share them with fellow polymer artists and jewelers, so they are now for sale in my Etsy supply shop.

New Work

2008-03-05T09:32:00.004-05:00

I've been in an orange and yellow mood lately. Funny how I tend to work in certain colors. I don't really think about it - it just happens!

Just Jewelry

2008-02-25T13:10:00.003-05:00

Need a daily fix of awesome jewelry designs by independent artists? Check out Just Jewelry. This daily blog is a feast of beautiful, unusual and exciting designs. The photo above is a piece featured on Just Jewelry by fellow Massachusetts artist Angela Gerhardt. I love the organic and earthy feel of her work and her use of color is fantastic. Check out more of her work on her Trunkt portofolio.

Vacation Inspiration

2008-02-11T11:40:00.001-05:00

There's nothing like a trip to the Yucatan if you want to explore texture, light and contrast. As I ambled through the gardens of Hacienda Xcanatun taking pictures of the lush vegetation, I was struck by the play of the green tropical foliage against the rich reds and yellows typical of Yucatecan structures. When I got back to cold and wintry Boston, I made up a few pendants to try to capture the feeling.

The pendants are done with my illustrated transfer technique on polymer clay, using pictures cut out of home decor catalogs. I then colored and altered the images to capture the flavor of the Yucatan.

What Color Am I Today?

2008-01-20T09:51:00.001-05:00

I love color and I love choosing a project palette. I also love shortcuts! Here's a nifty website that picks out colors from a photograph and lays them out for you like paint chips! As a polymer artist who mixes all my own colors, it's a real time saver. Here I have a photo of a vegetable stand in Stresa, Italy with the corresponding color palette. Appropriately enough, I was in Stresa attending a color workshop! Check out Big Huge Labs and play! And don't miss all their other neat design tools while you're there!

Catalog Season

2008-01-06T07:59:00.000-05:00

January brings the arrival of countless catalogs to my mailbox. Ever since my Martha Stewart period when I was really into interior design, I've been on every home decorating mailing list. I've finally found a productive use for all those catalogs, instead of just glancing through them and tossing them into the recycle bin.

I've been fascinated by image transfers to polymer clay lately. Whereas many of my fellow polymer artists strive for the perfect transfer, I prefer the misses and near misses. Take this one, for example: Pottery Barn is trying to get me to buy the dresser, but my eye immediately went to the flower vase vignette. It's a clear, crisp photo in the catalog, but when transferred to polymer using my 'illustrated transfer' technique, it looks more like an impressionist painting (click on each image and you'll see what I mean!).

Thank you, Elise Winters!

2007-12-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

Finally! A comprehensive website on the origins, techniques and history of polymer clay. Elise Winters, in addition to her fabulous work, has gathered a distinguished group of polymer artists to contribute information and reminisce about polymer clay. A must read for the polymer aficionado and a great source of information for museum curators and gallery owners. Check out the Polymer Art Archive.

Photo of polymer cane bracelet by Sarah Shriver.

Yikes!!

2007-12-16T18:36:00.000-05:00

So we've had two major snowstorms so far - unusual in Boston because we really don't get that much snow (the ocean effect and all). So, I woke up to this:
I got to work and finished this piece, that kinda goes along with the weather:

Then I got sidetracked (a common occurrence with polymer clay addicts) and worked on these:

I think it's time for a visit to Mexico.....

Trunkt.org

2007-12-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Heard about Trunkt? It's a wonderful showcase of independent art and design. I'm honored to have been accepted into the very competitive jewelry category! Other Boston Handmade artists featured on Trunkt include J.Hill Design, Karalee Designs, and Paper Menagerie.

Trunkt.org is a very selective site and the jury parameters are strict. Even after being accepted, each and every photo uploaded has to be approved before it's published. Since it is not an e-commerce site, design and artistic merit are what counts. None of that monetary for profit stuff getting in the way!

Today's Projects

2007-11-15T09:56:00.000-05:00

Boston Handmade is starting a feature called Workspace Wednesdays where we take pictures of what's going on in our studios. Here's mine, but be sure to tune in to Boston Handmade's blog every Wednesday to see a wide variety of workspaces!

2007-11-06T10:14:00.000-05:00

Buy handmade this holiday season! Support your local artisans, artists and craftspeople. Support world artisan cooperatives and fair trade organizations. Take the Buy Handmade Pledge!

Día de los Muertos

2007-11-01T10:38:00.000-04:00

Today is November 1 and it is a joyous day in Mexico. Today is the day you honor dead family and friends by partying in the cementary - food, Day of the Dead bread and lots and lots of marigolds. There is nothing sad about this day! Since I don't have any yellow marigolds, here is a beautiful yellow rose that is still blooming in my Boston garden!

Boston Handmade

2007-10-25T19:53:00.001-04:00

One of the best things about leaving the corporate world to become a working artist is meeting and hanging out with like minded folks. A bunch of Etsy shops in metro Boston got together to form a kind of guild - we have a blog, do shows, get together for brainstorming, demos and general stitch and bitch sessions. We're all hip and funky and young (at least at heart!). Now all we need is a couple of crafty guys to join up!

Is it really late October?

2007-10-21T19:27:00.001-04:00

Originally uploaded by stonehousestudio

It's been so warm lately that I've been thinking about trees and flowers and nature. Because if we keep melting the polar icecaps, we may not have much of the real thing left. Think Green!

My Studio

2007-10-18T08:49:00.000-04:00

I believe that a workspace has a direct effect on your end product. Maybe it's all those years as a travel manager in an advertising agency where I had to juggle ten things at once, but, for me, organization is key. I simply cannot work in a topsy-turvy environment. Very un-artistic, I know. That doesn't mean my studio doesn't get messy, because it does. But the minute I can't find something, I stop what I'm doing and clean up. I also make a point of organizing and cleaning up at the end of the day. Keeping things tidy and in their place is an integral part of good craftsmanship.

My studio is a work in progress. It's not very stylish, but it's functional. I have four workstations, the first being my main table where I work on polymer and metal. It's a bare bones formica student desk - I use the pull-out keyboard tray for storage! Note the two pasta machines, glass and tile surfaces, baskets for on-going projects, a office organizer for veneer sheets and baking tiles, and a lazy susan and wire baskets to hold stuff and tools. On the wall, I have an inspiration board, more tools hanging on a bulletin board and a letter organizer where I keep my silkscreens, transfers and texture sheets. For metal work, I have a benchpin/anvil combination, another benchpin for drilling and a vise. Last, but not least, a task light and good, strong lamp.

My second workstation is for fabrication. I design and string on two beadboards and use multi-drawer hardware containers to store my findings. I sort my finished components in individual plastic bags, ready to be put together. I keep my tools in two pen holders and have a really good light with a magnifying glass. Those containers full of stuff are my polymer rejects....one of these days I'll throw them out!

The third is a general use area. This is where I polish my polymer work and organize and package my finished pieces. That funny looking thing with the metal rods with ball ends is a dapping block and punch set, used for rounding metal. The tall piece of wood is a bracelet mandrel. I don't have room for them on my main table, so I keep them here. I think they look very sculptural...

My fourth workstation is my business area. This is where I keep my laptop, phone, printer and filing cabinets. Only paperwork ever touches this area.

Finally, bookshelves and a couple of those nasty plastic drawer thingies for storage (my books are slowly finding other homes as I need more space). And, of course, a comfy chair, otherwise my muse simply doesn't show up!

The Amazing Skinner Blend

2007-09-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

Polymer clay has been around since the 1940's, developed for doll makers and sculptors. Then it was discovered by elementary school art teachers, who liked the fact that it was non-toxic, easy to work and cured in a regular oven - great for kids!

But leave it to an artist to find other uses for polymer. By the late 80's, Pier Voulkus, Donna Kato, Kathleen Dustin, Ford/Forlano among others, were experimenting and developing new techniques in this fascinating medium. These artists were drawn to polymer primarily because of color. Polymer colors maintain their integrity and mix beautifully. Then, in the mid 90's, Judith Skinner came along, and her color blending technique revolutionized the polymer clay world. It's amazing how something so simple can have such an impact!

Here's an example of a two color Skinner Blend. Two triangles, one of zinc yellow and one of metallic silver are folded, matching like color to like color. Then run through a pasta machine, which is used to condition and sheet the clay (image 1) The colors begin to blend, forming stripes (image 2) As you continue to run the blend through the pasta machine, you'll eventually end up a graduated color blend (image 3 and 4)
A three color Skinner Blend of red, blue and yellow will result in a blend of the original primaries plus all secondary colors - green, orange and violet. It's like creating a rainbow with a pasta machine!

Here's one of my necklaces using a zinc yellow and silver Skinner Blend, then silk screened with iridescent acrylic paint.

Daphne Farago Collection at the MFA

2007-08-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is currently exhibiting part of a vast collection of 20th century art jewelry donated by Daphne Farago. Comprising 150 pieces of contemporary jewelry by Alexander Calder, Robert Ebendorf, Mary Lee Hu, Sam Kramer, Man Ray, Pablo Picasso, Wendy Ramshaw, Art Smith, and others, it is truly a mind blowing experience - whether you're a jewelry aficionado or not!

Shown are the organic shapes of Art Smith, Jan Yager's disturbing urban landscapes, Alma Eikerman's sculptural forms and Robert Ebendorf's artful use of common materials.

Truly not to be missed! The Daphne Farago Collection is on view at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston until March of 2008. More info at MFA.ORG

More on Stresa...

2007-08-14T08:13:00.000-04:00

My good friend, clay buddy and fellow "Stresee", Melanie West, has a fantastic blog log and photos about Louise Fischer Cozzi's Stresa workshops. Check it out at Ravens Clay's Blog.

Both Melanie and Nadja are wonderful artists and technicians - see how they've taken Louise's technique and made it their own!

Color Smashing

2007-08-10T06:48:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a weeklong polymer workshop in Stresa, Italy. It's a lovely town on Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. A tad touristy at this time of year, but I've learned to tune out tourists (I guess that means I tune myself out, too!).

One of the main reasons I signed up for this rather expensive jaunt, was that Maggie Maggio, color guru of the polymer clay world, would be teaching. Maggie has "smashed" conventional color thinking and come up with new way of understanding color. Color has always been a struggle for me. I have an intuitive sense of color and work from the gut. This is great, but how many times have I mixed a color and had no idea how I got there, making duplication impossible. During Maggie's three day course, I finally grasped what color is about and how it works. You can read more about Maggie's color theory at MaggieMaggio.com and look for her upcoming book with fellow color expert, Lindly Haunani.

In a nutshell, Maggie has replaced red-yellow-blue (RYB) pigment primaries with the printing primaries of cyan-yellow-magenta (CYM). Instead of a traditional color wheel, Maggie uses a triangle with yellow at the top point, cyan blue on the left point and magenta on the right point. The bottom of the triangle consists of the Purple Line. The Purple Line, from left to right, starts at cyan blue, to blue violet, purple, red violet, violet red and ends at magenta red. In the center of the triangle you'll find, not grey/black as in traditional theory, but what Maggie calls Mud, a brown with grey tones. Now here is the first "aha" moment: ALL HUES (COLORS)ARE MIXED BY MIXING YELLOW WITH THE COLORS FOUND IN THE PURPLE LINE. Adding white creates a tint, adding black creates a shade. Maggie has divided her triangle into four color families: Rainbow, Rainbow Pastels, Earth and Earth Pastels. To create an Earth color, you simply add Mud to a Rainbow color! Second "aha" moment: USE MUD, NOT THE COMPLEMENTARY COLOR, TO DESATURATE OR TONE DOWN YOUR HUE.

In addition to hues and saturation, a color's value, from high to low, is important in understanding the "mood" of a color. Third "aha" moment: THINK OF YELLOW AS SUNSHINE AND BLUES/VIOLETS AS SHADOW. So a yellow will be brighter, or have a high value, compared to a purple, or low value.

So now we understand color and how to mix them, but how to we choose a palette? Maggie believes we have color preferences, but our "personal" palette does not dictate our "project palette". Fourth "aha" moment: JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOUR A "SUMMER", THAT DOESN'T MEAN THOSE ARE THE ONLY COLORS YOU CAN USE IN YOUR WORK.

Maggie has a unique exercise to come up with a project palette: Cut out a bunch of magazine landscape photos that speak to the mood and feel of your project. Arrange them into piles that "hang" together - not just by color, but by rhythm, lines, crispness and texture. Take one of the piles and make a collage. Then start mixing the colors found in your collage. You should have at least 8 colors plus mud: a yellow, a yellow green, an orange, a red orange, a fuschia, a violet, a cobalt, an emerald and mud. Desaturate colors by using mud to achieve earth tones. Use a combination of brights and desaturated in your project - this adds depth. You now have a complete palette even though you may not choose to use all eight colors in your project. At left you can see my collage with the polymer clay colors I mixed to match. I can't believe I actually mixed EXACTLY the color I wanted!!!!

Maggie does stress, though, that color sense is exactly that - a feel, a mood, a gut reaction. Color mixing just helps you get there quicker and be able to understand the how and the why.

More about creating polymer clay color scales in my next post!

Note to polymer artists who use Premo: Cyan is Premo's Cobalt Blue. Yellow is Premo's Zinc Yellow and Magenta is Premo's Fuschia.
To mix the colors in the Purple Line:
Cyan = package Cobalt
Blue violet = 1/2 cobalt with 1/2 fuschia
Purple = 1/4 cobalt with 3/4 fuschia or use package Purple
Red violet = 1/8 cobalt with 7/8 fuschia
Magenta = package Fuschia.

First Thursdays in Jamaica Plain

2007-06-03T19:18:00.001-04:00

Every first Thursday of the month, Jamaica Plain businesses along Centre and South Streets host an art walk event featuring area artists. This Thursday, June 7, will also feature some awesome craftspeople from the Etsy Boston street team. Mark your calendars for an eclectic artisistic experience!

5pm-8pm along Centre and South Streets. The Etsy artisans will be at the corner of Carolina and South. Take the T to Green St or the 39 bus.

EtsyBoston Group Show featuring:

Reclaimed to You - Collage art.

JHill Design - paper goods

Amy Olson Jewelry - jewelry

Mck254 - dolls

Stonehouse Studio - polymer art and jewelry

Ambient Design Jewels - jewelry & paper goods

Muchachak - handbags

ZestyB - jewelry & paper goods

Elizabeth Brennick - clothing & accessories

It's Show Time!!

2007-05-27T09:32:00.000-04:00

I love show season! And I say this even though I don't drive and have to lug all my show stuff in a taxi. Try fitting an EZ-up tent in the trunk of a Boston cab complete with snarling cab driver ... you're lucky if you come away with your life. Fortunately, I found Mohammed, a Somali cabby with a mini-van. He's a refugee from war-torn Somalia. He immediately took a liking to me because, not only did I recognize him as a Somali, but I knew a little about what was going on in his country. I just call him and he picks me up. It's like having a private limo!

Shows are quite exhausting. You show up really early and set-up, then have to break it all down at the end of the day. The tents usually have minds of their own. Then there's the wind and the rain. But on a good day, you're outside, interacting with other vendors and customers and basking in compliments (and sales, hopefully!). As a full time artist that easily spends days on end alone in my studio, it's really good for me to get out and connect with people.

I'm keeping it simple this year. Almost every Sunday I'll be at the South End Open Market at 540 Harrison Ave in Boston's South End. I'll be doing a couple of shows in Providence, hopefully one in Mashpee on the Cape and a couple in Charlestown. My website has my complete show schedule.

Stonehouse Studio Featured by Ruby Lane Creative Hands Newsletter

2007-05-12T17:30:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled to have been a featured artist on the Ruby Lane newsletter. Here's the article. Be sure to visit my Ruby Lane store !

"I've always liked working with my hands. I get an enormous amount of satisfaction creating something beautiful or functional out of basic materials – be it a necklace in polymer or a perfect drywall corner.

As a baby boomer, I grew up when artistic talent was not nurtured unless it was patently obvious. So I had my art epiphany later in life than most, but the urge to create is so powerful that I've left my corporate job to concentrate on my jewelry design and polymer art. Polymer clay is my current medium of choice. The depth, texture and versatility of this humble plastic constantly surprises me. I'm also on a mission: to educate my little corner of the world that polymer clay is not just for kids!

I describe my style as boldly organic. I'm inspired by the nuances in nature and subscribe to the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi – the beauty of things imperfect, modest and humble. To me, a warm jasper pebble is much more interesting than a cold, faceted diamond. I use large stones and lots of sterling silver and vermeil, but I always keep the design clean, sleek and sophisticated.

My polymer work also reflects this organic bent. I love color, and polymer clay is the perfect medium to play with color. It's also amazing in its ability to imitate. Most of the techniques in polymer clay have been borrowed from other mediums – caning (glass), mokume gane (metal), intarsia (wood working), batik and silk screening (textiles). Polymer clay is still in its infancy, but has experienced tremendous growth and innovation over the last few years. I tend to gravitate towards techniques suited to metallic clays: mica shift, mokume gane and translucent layering. I do my own metalwork, but the real star of the show is polymer clay. I've studied under various polymer clay masters and my work continues to evolve.

The name Stonehouse Studio came about after a visit to the Yucatan a few years ago. My sister, who owns a lovely restored hacienda-hotel in Merida, took me to a crystal store to purchase decorative pieces for the hotel spa. The minute I walked in and saw all the wonderful strands of stones, I was hooked. I started making jewelry that very same day. The name Stonehouse Studio is derived from the word Xcanatun, which means "tall stone house" in Maya and is a tribute to the place where I was first inspired to follow my bliss." May 2007 Ruby Lane Creative Hands

Etsy comes to Boston

2007-04-22T08:34:00.000-04:00

From the Team Etsy blog at http://www.Team.Etsy.com

Boston street team members have had enough of the winter doldrums and are breaking out for the spring crafting season.

The team met up and brainstormed ideas for collectively promoting Boston craft. ReclaimedToYou, who is helping to organize the team, says, “We had a great Etsy Boston meeting on a Saturday and came up with 2 shows to do as a group in the next few months.” They’re taking it to the next level and bringing it to the streets.

May 4th, Etsy Boston Show & Sale in the South End
Six Etsy Boston sellers will be showing their work in Boston’s South End neighborhood during the May First Friday gallery openings. Location: 35 Wareham Street, 2nd Floor, between Harrison and Albany. Time: 5-8pm. Etsy sellers showing at this event: amyolsonjewelry, ElizabethBrennick, mck254, ReclaimedToYou, StonehouseStudio, ZestyB. For more information please convo ReclaimedToYou.

June 7th, Etsy Boston Show & Sale in Jamaica Plain
Nine Etsy Boston sellers will be showing their work during the JP First Thursdays Art Stroll. Location: South Street Mall, on the corner of South Street and Carolina Avenue. Time: 6-8pm. Etsy sellers showing at this event: amyolsonjewelry, ElizabethBrennick, mck254, ReclaimedToYou, StonehouseStudio, ZestyB, JhillDesign, muchachak, creativelyanew. For more information please convo ReclaimedToYou.

CraftBoston Report

2007-04-07T18:47:00.000-04:00

I'm lucky to live in a great city like Boston that hosts all sorts of fabulous art and craft shows. CraftBoston is one of the premier fine craft shows of the country - right up there with Philadelphia, the Smithsonian and Baltimore. I was particularly eager to check it out this year because of the presence of several top polymer artists.

My friend and fellow polymer artist, Melanie West came to visit and we spent a whole day at the show.

Best of Show, in my opinion, was Ford/Forlano .
This teams continues to amaze me with their vision and their ability to re-invent themselves. It's interesting that when you break down their work by components, there is nothing very special about the polymer work or metalsmithing. But the sum supersedes the parts. Their organic, assymetrical designs are breathtaking.

I was also happy to finally see JM Syron and Bonnie Bishoff's marriage of polymer and wood furniture.
It's a beautiful combination and I'm surprised that more folks haven't tried it.

Elise Winter's jewelry, as expected, was very elegant and chic. She has a distinctive, immediately recognizable style and her booth was mobbed!

New faces, to me at least, were Karin Noyes with her incredibly intricate cane work (I really admire good cane work since I'm so lousy at it myself). .

Another up and coming polymer artist is Judy Dunn . She studied with Kathleen Dustin, and the techniques of translucent layering are hallmarks of her work.

I'm always humbled by the outstanding work at these shows - in all mediums. But it's also energizing and give me the motivation to keep plugging away!