Handmade Division Talk About Nov

What mentors/teachers would I like to study with?

Well unfortunately I am not big on names, I barely passed art history so...

Photo credit Keith Lo Blue

One name does come to mind in the area of finishing. I love finishing, it is where the piece comes to life in my opinion. One of the first things that I learned in school was that a good finish sells your piece.
So I am going to say that if I had the opportunity to take some classes and really learn some cool stuff, it would  be Keith Lo Blue.

If you check out his site you will see that he has pretty much rocked all of the finishing techniques from etching to weathering and distressing.

And there are classes to be had on his site!

Go ahead and check it out, you will be impressed!

Please check out what some other Handmade Division members are thinking on this topic!

Andes Cruz: http://andescruz.wordpress.com

Nancy Dale: http://nedbeads.blogpost.com

Tosca Teran: http://nanopod.wordpress.com

Rickson Jewellery: http://www.Ricksonart.blogspot.com
Beth Cyr: http://bCyrJewelry.blogspot.com
Lisa Hopkins Design: http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com
Sand Fibers: http://sandfibers.blogspot.com

Emily Watson http://nocoloratall.tumblr.com
Thomasin Durgin: http://metalriot.blogspot.com
WATTO Distinctive Metal Wear http://wattoonline.blogspot.com

Pink Crow Studio: http://pinkcrowstudio.typepad.com

Etsy Metal Blog Carnival Nov 2010

Blog Carnival is Etsy Metal's monthly group blog where several members get together and post on the same topic. It s a great way to check out different views and ideas of some talented artists. Check out the links down there... and meet some wonderful new people!

Am I a successful artist?
What is that? What is successful?

It can mean many many things, my ideas of being successful...

people appreciate what I am creating, creating something that is meaningful to me

for the first time in my life, people truly appreciate what I am doing

being able to make my own work hours

wearing jeans every single stinkin day

working harder when I need cash and slacking when I don't

Stickin it to the man

wrestling with my dog at 3am because I love him

being free in general

learning that self discipline takes on a whole new meaning

But wait, it's not that easy.

It is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

I still struggle with it daily.

It can be down right brutal.
It is a test to end all tests.

So am I successful?

Personally? Not yet, but I am on my way.
I can't see living with so much stress being a success, but it is getting better.

One of the hardest parts is being able to separate art from business. The way I do it, and I am still working on this, is to do just that. Separate it.
When I am working on art I block everything else out, shut the doors, turn off the phones, close the laptop, hide in my world.
When it's time to do business, I have to change personalities and become someone else.
I am still far from a successful business person but I learn every day.
So basically, I do not mix the two, they stay very separate.
I will know when I am successful because I will have someone handling all of my biz for me and I will just create.

The best thing that I have done for my shop is networking and marketing. Meet everyone I can and never cut anyone short.

Help everyone I can and in turn be helped.
You can be the best designer/artist out there but if people don't know you exist,

it just won't work ;)

Check out what some other very talented people are thinking on this same topic!

stacey http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
victoria takahashi / experimetal http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
2Roses http://jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
Jenny: http://ridgeschool.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Heather: http://www.twigsandheather.blogspot.com
Nina Gibson: http://www.ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/

This weeks work = Orbtastic!

Can you ever have too much Ocean Jasper? I think it's impossible!

I mean jeez, look at the orbs, so many colors and patterns to choose from!



Garnets are one of my "classic" favs :)



Blue Lace Agate has the coolest of blues and purples!



and Labradorite... let me count the ways!

Stay tuned for a shipment of insanely awesome Labradorite that is on the way!

Seriously I wet my pants when I saw the pics!!

Soon!

Handmade Division super cool topic o' the month extravaganza!

Well so you know, this month's topic is...

How did I get where I am now?

and
This

Is

My

Life.

Not really but here is a quick rundown...
I wanted to go to an art college and I don't really know why exactly I picked metals. I messed around with making my own necklaces and stuff before then, I had dabbled in several mediums at that time.. somehow metals just stuck.

So I went to Tyler School of Art(Temple) and dropped out after my junior year. I liked studio classes but hated academics so much that I left and went to work on a computer career(8 month course). It wasn't necessarily a bad choice. I mean I got a house out of it...

After about 12 years of off and on bench work(more off than on) I finally decided to get my art career started heh heh.
So here I am 2 years later doing it full time. I learned the basics in school and from there on out I am self taught.

And thats that!

Make sure to check out alllllll these cool artists and see what they thought about the topic this month!

Andes Cruz - http://andescruz.wordpress.com/

Tess Norberg - http://www.nova-designs.blogspot.com/

Jaime Pickering - http://bellabijoujewellery.blogspot.com

Nancy Dale - http://www.nedbeads.blogspot.com

Jewelry by Natsuko - http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/

Sand Fibers - http://sandfibers.blogspot.com

Alice Istanbul - http://istanbuldesigns.blogspot.com/

Thomasin Durgin - http://metalriot.blogspot.com

Susan Moloney - http://susarto.blogspot.com

Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com

emily watson- http://nocoloratall.tumblr.com/
Tosca Teran- http://www.nanopod.wordpress.com

Lisa Hopkins - http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com
Tamra Gentry - http://www.jewelrydesignchronicles.com/

JJ Papke- http://rosyrevolver.blogspot.com/

Alisa Miller- http://alisamiller.blogspot.com

Mary Spencer- http://www.wattoonline.blogspot.com/

Please become a fan of the Handmade Division Team on FaceBook.
Follow Handmade Division on twitter;
See the Handmade Division’s Flickr photo group: flickr photos
And of course follow the Handmade Division Team new blog!

Some new work from this week

Turquoise n Sunstone Pendant

Green Prehnite Ring

Chrysocolla, Malachite, Azurite Ring



From frost till thaw...

A nice mix...

I love to set cool stones. As of late, if it doesn't make me say wow, I won't even touch it. I can't express how important it is to make sure that you select only the "good ones" when choosing a stone for a piece. In my experience, while a wonderful stone will sell a piece, a boring/dull stone will make it sit and collect dust. Of course sometimes you need simple stones to go with certain designs.
Generally speaking… killer stones sell.
Here are some of my choices over the past few weeks!

Don't forget, custom orders are in full swing, bring em on!

Prehnite, Garnet, Starchild

Prehnite, Space Commander, Prehnite, Herkimer Diamond

Ocean Jasper, Chrysocolla, Prehinite, Herkimer Diamond, Quartz with black rutile

Spessartine Garnet