Dana Stenson Jewelry and Metalwork

Hello. I've been invited to post here as a guest, and I feel very honored to have been asked! It's always a challenge to describe one's work to a new audience, but at the same time I find it has a benefit in that it forces us to clarify to ourselves exactly what it is that we do. I recently updated my artist statement for one of the galleries that I am in and this is the result: "My work is inspired by natural and cultural history: creatures, landscape, human history and myth. I strive to make unique one-of-a-kind pieces using a wide range of traditional silversmithing techniques and unique fabrication details. My primary medium is sterling silver with natural stones and occasional found objects. Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish."

I think this sums it up well. I love a challenge. I love to create pieces that are multifaceted, involving layered narrative, multiple elements and techniques.  In the spring I received the exciting news that one of my pieces would be included in Lark Books publication "Showcase 500 Art Necklaces", which was released in July. The piece they chose to include is one of my all-time favorites.

Georgia Helen Griffith, a Locket.  Photo by John Dowling

Front and back views of the locket.

 

This locket is a portrait of my great-grandmother Georgia Helen Griffith.  The elements in the locket tell the story of her life as a missionary to Jamaica in 1890.  On the reverse of the locket is a map of the Caribbean. The piece includes etched copper, sterling, lost wax cast bones, antique compass and photograph, garnets, and sapphires.  The locket is entirely hand-fabricated.
What I love about metalwork is that it is impossible to get bored. There are endless skills to learn. There is always a technical or creative challenge to be found.  The piece below is a lost wax-cast cicada with hand-pierced articulated sterling silver wings.  This piece was inspired by childhood antics playing with my brother. We loved to collect the cicada shells (he still has a huge collection). The cicada is symbolic in many cultures. In China the cicada represents long-life. In France the cicada was traditionally given as a housewarming gift. This is a design I have reproduced a few times because my customers have been very fond of it. As an artist or designer, if you ever find yourself at a loss for inspiration, just pick something from your life: a person, a memory, a favorite thing, and challenge yourself to express it though your jewelry.  That has been the starting point for many of my favorite creations.

I studied in the Jewelry and Metalsmithing program at Syracuse University.  I have also taken courses through Munson Williams Proctor in Utica.  In May I studied wax carving for lost-wax casting with Kate Wolf at her studio in Portland, Maine.  For anyone interested in metalwork, I would recommend all of these.  Syracuse University has a comprehensive degree program.  If you're looking to learn just a few skills though, the program in Utica is quite good and very affordable.  Here is a peek at my studio.

I'd also like to invite you to keep up with my work by following my blog: www.dreamsinmetal.blogspot.com.

My work can be found in a few galleries as well as a handful of shows, all listed on the blog as well. Thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks MaryAnn for the invitation!  

Sterling silver bracelet with dendritic agate, fossil coral, fossil ammonite and trilobite

Back from Bead Fest

by Staci L. Smith

Since I did post after post about Genea and I doing Bead Fest, I thought I owed you a follow up.

 

There was so much work involved in making it happen.........but it all came together, and it was amazing.  We are now thoroughly exhausted.

 

Meeting and spending the weekend with Genea was awesome.  It got a blog all its own.  You can read about that here.

 It took us about 3 hours to go from empty spot to final set up.

 

 

We were still in awe of the fact that we were here, doing Bead Fest together when we took this pic.

 

 

 

 Here is Genea and Ricky at her booth

 

 

Here I am at mine

 

 

I am truly a people person, and so, being able to meet friends in person, customers, blog readers, and complete strangers, and talk beads and jewelry making, it was amazing. 

 

picture from the bead swap Diana P. does every August

 

 

It also got my juices flowing about teaching again.  I pulled out wire more then once to show people how to do things, I just love it.  Thinking of submitting to teach next year.

 

And I sold beads.  It felt so good, to sell my art, to be able to do what I love. 

picture by Diana P of Suburban Girl Studio

 

Speaking of beads, there was lots of trading that went on.  You can read about the stash I came home with here.

 

If you want the whole summary of the journey- beginning to end, with lots of pictures, click here.

 

Yes, there was so much to process, it took me three posts, and 4 days to get through it all.  I am still processing.

 

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged us through this process.  It was wonderful and Genea and I plan to do this again next year for sure!

 

 

 



Hoop Earrings Giveaway......

MaryAnn Carroll

It is time for a giveaway!

Today I will keep this short and easy. To win these beautiful hoop earrings in honor of our Hoops Boot Camp, you have a few choices.  

Please pick up to 3.

1. Head over and "like" us on FaceBook and then share our like page with a couple of your friends. Then, head on back and let us know that you did. If you already do, please share our "FaceBook Like Page" on your own timelines and with three of your friends.  Please keep entry comments on this post, as it gets too confusing to gather them from different social sites and I want to include everyone.

2. Write a post on your own blogs sharing this giveaway and come back to comment about it.

3. If you are not part of social networking, please stop by our LMAJ website and come back to let us know three things that you found of interest and why. Feel free to use the links on the website and cruise around to the various members shops, etc.Let us know what you found, like, etc.

4. Check out some of our tutorials and leave a comment regarding one that you like, might want to try and how that might add to your jewelry creating.

5. Leave a comment about why you love creating handmade with handmade or. If you do not create your own jewelry, tell us what you find special about the jewelry that is created with handmade.


So........ you can potentially enter up to three times!

The winner will be posted on the sidebar on Sunday, September 8th.

So, there you have it.... Leave your comments and you will be entered :o) Don't forget, I will need a way to contact you, so please be sure that you have left an email or that you are easy to find through blogger. Thanks!


Thank-you for supporting artists who create handmade with handmade, MaryAnn

When Sand Fibers Met Staci Louise

Over the last few years I have amassed a significant stash/collection/hoard of art beads, my own private art gallery.  As substantial as my investment (in time, money, space, and, yes, emotion) in these treasures is, I seldom have the chance to use them in my work, which consists mostly of "simple" peyote cuffs.

So when someone hands me an "excuse" for working with an art bead, I get almost giddy. That's what happened when Staci Louise asked me if I would be willing to create something with one of her donut beads in time for Bead Fest.  Willing? Nah...more like thrilled!  A chance to collaborate with a fellow donut fan and LMAJ member? Bring it on!

This super cool polymer clay creation arrived in my mailbox a few days later:

Now what?  The first thing, at least for me, is usually to find a color palette to work with. The minute I saw the piece I knew I would be looking to my stash of round seed beads rather than to the more uniform (delicate) cylinder delicas I work with most often.

The first colors I pulled out worked, but didn't excite me.

Getting over the need for "contrast," and exchanging the light "snow cloud" grey with a warm bronze, made me much happier.

Once I had my colors, I could start beading.  First was the bail, which I knew had to be substantial to stand up to the size and asymmetry of the focal.

And a substantial pendant seemed to demand a substantial rope.

I think Staci Louise and Carol Dean combined to create something that is a little bit rustic, a little bit elegant, and 100% unique.

Wouldn't you agree?

Be well and get collaborating!
Carol Dean Sharpe

A new skill and a new party place

MaryAnn Carroll

Karen had recently written a post on donating your work for a cause. My oldest son is in his last year of college for a degree in Psychology and also works full time at the CNY SPCA. It is a job that he found while taking a class that required him to do work in a kennel for part of his grade.  It was a job that fit like a glove and he hopes to be able to stay there even when he finishes up his education.

He called me a few weeks ago to tell me that my oldest grandchild, Lacey, was going to have the SPCA's first birthday party celebration. What a great idea! I immediately started to bombard his email with all kinds of shelter party ideas that I found online. One that I came across was giving out dog tags. That seemed right up my alley and something that I could donate. I got to work researching on youtube and came up with a few different ideas. I eliminated the idea of engraving. It seemed like I would need to get an expensive tool to do that any justice. Then the idea of etching popped in my head. I've always been interested in learning how to do that, so why not try?

There were a couple of problems though. While researching, I was on the train on the way home from Michigan and did not have any ferric acid hanging around at home.  I read that I could buy some at Radio Shack, but that did not turn out to be successful. I looked up some homemade options such as one part muriatic acid to two parts hydrogen peroxide and gave it a try. It worked, but I am not sure that the shelf life is all that great. I also learned that you DO NOT do this over your stainless steel sink. DUH!!!!! And, whenever using anything that have the words acid, fire, saw, cut, etc., proceed with caution!

After some experimenting with my grand kids names and trying to fit too many words on one tag, I felt like I was ready to make the 24 dog tags that I had set out to do.

I got my tags ready by cleaning them and  writing words on each one, mixed up the solutions, prepared my floating devices (styrofoam), got out the electrical tape to attach the tags to and started what ended up being a five hour job.

I did have my protection goggles and gloves, but the goggles were a bit frustrating because I could not see too well when I wanted to check the progress

I still need some practice, but for my first round, I thought these came out cute and did the trick.  The marker that I used as a resist was not the best. I also learned that keeping them suspended in the acid longer, in hopes of having the letters raise more, was not always the best way to go about this. The acid eats away at the copper and some of the metal discs became flimsy if I left them in too long. And, I am not sure that putting them in liver of sulfur is the way to go for dog tags either.

I will do this again, but I do think I will try it with ferric acid. The home remedy was okay, but the more I did, the longer it took for the etching to work.

Here are some pictures of my finished work.

And..... if you ever decide that you would like to spread the idea of adopting shelter animals, please share this post on your social network sites. Maybe some of the shelters in your area have never given this idea consideration. It was not only fun, but educational for the children and their parents as well. I even think that one parent who had never considered adopting walked away thinking that this is something that he might like to do.

My younger granddaughter Chloe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Lacey! I cannot believe you are already 6 years old.

As always, thank-you for supporting artists who create handmade with handmade,

MaryAnn

Feedback Addiction - The Curse of Facebook by Karen McGovern

Many, if not most of us, have a Facebook page.  Either a personal page, a business page, or both.  And, many of us are members or hosts of Facebook groups as well.  On one or more of these pages (if not all) we post photos of our work.  And then, if you are like me, you wait for likes and comments.  Anxiously.  Impatiently.  Okay, obsessively.  Facebook may be a wonderful, magical way to connect with people, but it is also addictive and sometimes counterproductive.  Not just because you can be sucked into a time void while scrolling away, suddenly realizing you've lost three hours in what felt like  15 minutes, but because it's easy to become dependent on the instant gratification of the microscopic thumbs-up icon.  "How many likes has the photo of my new necklace design gotten??  Only seven? Seriously?  What's wrong with it? I posted it almost EIGHT MINUTES AGO".  And then the death- spiral of self-doubt begins.  We are relieved and probably way too happy when a photo gets a ton of likes, totally bummed if a photo seems overlooked.  Facebook is many things, but it ain't always your friend, nor is it a real reflection of anything but the whim of the moment.

 

 All artists need feedback.  True, real-time feedback.  As painful as it may be at times, honest feedback helps us grow and evolve and become better artists.  Is a thumbs-up really feedback?  I think of it more like a virtual pat on the head.  Don't get me wrong, I am delighted when a lot of people like my works, it feels great.  I just don't base my entire artistic consciousness on whether or not something I create is a hit on Facebook.

For real feedback I turn to those artists, friends and clients that I have a relationship with, trust and admire.  Yes, we connect online, many times through Facebook.  What they have to say carries far more weight than just the thumb icon.

My point is that I think Facebook should be used as an entertaining tool.  Don't take it too seriously and use it wisely.  You can expand your client base, reach out to and connect with artists and yes, share photos of your work.  Just understand that there is a lot of  useless noise out there, and filter the meaningful dialogue as best you can.

Oh, and turn the damn thing off every once in a while...it's not going anywhere, but you can.

Speaking of going places, I want to wish all our artist friends attending BeadFest a fantastic weekend!  I hope you all sell a ton...I'm so jealous.  Please share pics of the show!

Finally, I close with my favorite tool at the moment.  I love to make cuffs and bangles, and have, up until now, only had a round bracelet mandrel.  Great for bangles, but not so good for cuffs if you want to create an oval profile, which I prefer for cuffs.  I end up spending a lot of time bending and shaping by hand to get the nice, even oval shape I want.  Well, enter the bracelet bender I got from Gotta Getta Deal on Etsy!  Best $15.00 I ever spent.  Secure the steel bender in a vise, then simply fit your metal into the slotted end and curve, remove, flip, and curve the other side!  Perfect oval, easy-peasy!

 

 Since getting it I've been making tons cuffs, most recently lightweight, stackable bangle cuffs I call "Quickies".  To make them I use heavy-gauge copper, brass or nickel silver wire (10 and 12 gauge).  Endless possibilities from there...texture, patina, embellish, you name it.  I've posted some pics on my Facebook page...hurry over and like them!!!

The bracelet bender at work, and a few of the

Quickie stack bangle cuffs I have made

Freeing foldforming

                                                                                                by Kelli Pope

Last post, I briefly touched on taking a stab at fold forming.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!   I'm hooked.   As much as I love copper, rich dark flame colored copper, I can't believe I didn't do this before.  And the hammering, is SO good for stress relief.  :o)

Creating something you believe to be beautiful from a torch, hammer and sheet of raw copper is just so freeing, and so very good for the creative soul. 

                                 ...........a fallen leaf..........

                         

some textured focals......

and some finished designs....

Can you tell I'm ready for Fall?   

Book Review: Recipe for Press by Amy Flurry

by Barbara Bechtel

In July, I traveled to Kansas City to help a friend produce a yearly indie craft show. Etsy, one of our sponsors, sent us a kit of free goodies to distribute to vendors and customers and among the free goodies was a copy of Recipe for Press by Amy Flurry.

If you've ever wanted to expand your handmade jewelry business and wondered how you can take it a level where your art is reaching the masses through exposure in large websites (i.e. Daily Candy, Refinery 29, Design Sponge) and the BIG magazines (think O!, Better Homes and Gardens, In Style, and the like), the author give insight on public relations for a small business perspective.

Geared towards entrepreneurs and makers, the author emphasizes keeping your publicity and public relations in house, even as your business grows and you may find yourself struggling to keep up with all of the different areas a growing business demands (paperwork, making, marketing, selling, etc)

I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I began to thumb through it as I personally seem to waffle from one end of the spectrum to the other when it comes to self-promotion. On one hand, you have to get your work out there for people to find, but I often shy away from those who are constantly pushing themselves as a brand or businesses who try to elevate and market to be or sell something as a "must-have"

I did take away lots of wonderful information from the book, regardless. It offers interviews with small businesses who have an effective publicity plan, such as makers and chefs.

Flurry discusses social media and how, rather than trying to do it all, i.e. Facebook, Blogging, Twitter, etc. ...to pick one and do it well, and cancel or remove yourself from the outlets that don't resonate with you! Seems simple, right? You mean you don't have to jump on the latest and greatest of EVERY new social media outlet?! Right On!

Another idea that I took away was rather than constantly trying to keep up with your press (in the case of jewelry makers, it could be submitting of tutorials or seasonal merchandise), keep files of ideas and products that are strictly for promotions that you can pull out and send in regularly to obtain new press. This becomes easier to be able to respond quicker to editors if they need ideas ASAP and if you have ideas constantly at the ready for sending out, you will become a trusted source if editors know they can count on you as a quick, informative, and reliable source.

All in all, it's a great primer for those who have no idea where to even start or what basic self promotion and publicity entails.

Love My Art Jewelry: Self-Taught...You Sure About That? By Karen McGov...

 We have two new posts today. Please make sure to check out both!
Love My Art Jewelry: Self-Taught...You Sure About That? By Karen McGov...: One of my favorite 'fridge magnets from Mincing Mockingbird . I have referred to myself as a self-taught artist/jewelry designer on...and http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/08/against-odds.html by Genea Crivello-Knable.

Against the Odds

by Genea C-K

Wow, isn't that quote so true?! It's been a crazy last couple of weeks still prepping for Bead Fest Philly. Do you ever have those times where it seems like the world is against you? No matter how hard you try there is a some bump in the road that you manage to trip over despite your best efforts. I have been having a string of those days. Here I am prepping for this milestone mark in my glass career. The one thing I have been dreaming about since I started making beads. "Making it". Getting into that HUGE bead show and making a mark for myself in the bead world.

I would say attending this big show is just as much as a triumph as our move to Portland, OR. Against the odds we did it. It was my biggest success story until now...BUT not without many troubles along the way.

 

 

 

Those that lampwork saw this photo and immediately knew what happened. I broke the bead release. If you look on the left and right side of the bead you will notice that that whitish/gray is missing and that I have 2 big blobs of clear acting as "bumpers" to keep my bead from sliding right off either end of the mandrel ! I managed to save this bead from disaster, but I wasn't so lucky for the beads that followed...

OH NO!
This gorgeous bead that ended up taking me way longer than normal has a split in the top layer of glass! I saw the split start while I was working the bead and tried to "heal" the glass by re-melting it. I thought I had fixed it, but as you can see I was unsuccessful.

While creating this bead I literally "BROKE THE MOLD"! OMG you have got to be KIDDING ME?! Oh did I mention that this bead also managed not to make it?! *sigh*

When I inspected my beads from the last days work I found another crack only in the top layer of glass! You have GOT to be KIDDING ME! Not only did this bead split, but the other 4 out of 5 focals I was desperately trying to create cracked. So what the heck happened?!
Since the bead didn't split all the way through the layers this leads me to believe it's an "incompatibility crack". This means that 2 of my rods "didn't get along". So either my coe(coefficient of expansion) was different. How do we remedy that problem? SCRAP ALL OF THE GLASS I USED. UGH! I hate to waste all of those rods especially when this is just about how much I have left...

I was in town treasure hunting at "The Bins"(Goodwill outlet) with my mom and sister hoping to find some awesome new clothes for my Bead Fest outfits. The weather was absolutely GORGEOUS with cool temps and a nice breeze. I decided to stay in town and do my studio day on Saturday instead of Monday. Sweet a few days ahead of schedule! Then no more waiting a few more days stressing til I can get into the studio!
I sit down to work, and begin cleaning my glass. My mandrels are all dipped and my headpin wires are all wired up. I go to pull out my tools and realize my tool for my urchin beads is AT THE APARTMENT. UGH!

My last studio day's plan was to re-make the XL "Ocean Urchin Focals" I lost the other day! Now what? This was a bulk of what "had" to get made today? Well luckily for me I had more than one urchin tool so I had to use the other tool instead the urchin impression raised instead of indented like my other focals.

So after that dilemma I created 4 XL focals with new rods instead of my problematic bunch from the last session. The beads seemed to be working out great! *HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF*

Now onto the last task, making the "Bright Earth" Pod headpin sets. Almost done and smooth sailing now, right?! WRONG....
 

The glass I use for these sets is really soft. If the glass is too hot when I make the pods it pulls all of it instead of just the tip of glass making that wonderful pod point. So as you can see I was having an awful time finishing up the headpins. Oh and not to mention that my glass was running out at an alarming speed.

So you get desperate. As you can see I stuck many little "shorts" together to milk every last bit of glass out of my remaining rods.
I had wrapped my headpins wires too long too so to get more stability winding glass on my headpins I had wrap an extra wrap of wire at the top to stabilize them .

I FINALLY finished only a "short" (ha ha) 5 hours later.

 

The last kiln load program was set and I was finally DONE. Making beads! *Whew*

Check out this baby! I had some more bead release break on me that last session too, but against the odds I did it!

The "Bright Earth" pods turned out awesome! Thank God! Success!
I spent yesterday packing up and inventorying my beads.




Bags of beads getting inventoried on the computer.

Totes to load up with show stuff.

My empty display.

Jewelry to price and inventory.

 One full drawer of inventoried beads.

 Side view of the drawer full of beads to show scale.

So that brings us to today. I was so tired from inventorying beads that I decided to do my blog post this morning, BUT the internet is DOWN! #$%^&^%! So here I am posting from my phone and computer and transferring thing s through drop box to my cell phone where Staci is kind enough to post this blog for you all to read. (so if its wonky, that is why)

It's rough, but you know what? I am DOING THIS! I was MEANT TO DO THIS! THINGS WILL WORK OUT! This will only make my huge show success that much better of a story!

So if you are going to the show come see Staci and me at booth 371. Come give us hugs, and celebrate our big show with us. For those of you that don't get to attend, write us a post on Facebook.
We LOVE YOU ALL and it is because of YOU that we get to do THIS!
"I never said it would be easy. I just said it would be WORTH IT!"
xo Genea