like ripples in a pond

mary jane dodd

small metal pieces - 2014 mjd

we live in a troubled world

we live in a beautiful world

we live in a world where each one of us makes a difference. 

some people do it quietly

some people forcefully

but all do it courageously. 

find your way.

we notice the light most 

when it's dark.

we notice peace most

when there is chaos and unrest.

but each should be constant

however else the conditions might be. 

simple things can carry great impact. 

i try to hone my pieces so that messages 

are clearly stated

and the wearer will feel 'more' for having them.

i have this hope that my physical act of making marks in metal

sends the message out into the ether

like a chant in hammer strikes.

the new addition of scallops 

represents the way things can radiate - 

all those good things we can choose to put

out into the world. 

the shining sterling orbs

are physical representations 

of light and self realization.

peace, love, kindness, compassion, grace

coupled with accountability

abstract in nature,

but ever so real 

and ever so needed now. 

-----------------------------------

the recipients of the 2014 nobel peace prize were announced yesterday - 

one is the youngest ever. you can read about them and be inspired here. 

and might i share these words with you

they come from a young holocaust victim - etty hillesm

ultimately we have just one moral duty:

to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves,

more and more peace,

and to reflect it towards others,

and the more peace there is in us,

the more peace there will be in our troubled world.

Use Your Words By Karen McGovern

“Nestled in the loving embrace of flame-warmed copper, colored to transport you to the misty Aegean Sea, a droplet of Byzantine Amethyst glows with mulberry fire…. “  BLARF.

Writing descriptions for jewelry designs is hard.  And sometimes ridiculous.  Those of us with online shops know how mind-numbing it can be to come up with readable, detailed yet interesting descriptions for our designs that are also enticing enough to COMPELL the reader to hit the ADD TO CART button.
 

Books have been written on the subject.  You can find online seminars about it.  You can also find HILARIOUS examples of over the top, worthy for romance cover illustration descriptions on just about any selling platform.  I will not link to any here, because I know how hard it is to write what is essentially a sales pitch to describe the work, and I know how easy it can be to slip from imaginative text to absolute drivel.  I look back at some of my descriptions used early in my selling career and I am painfully reminded of the episodes of Seinfeld that featured the J Peterman catalogue.  Remember the Urban Sombrero?????

Anyway, there is romance and emotion associated with jewelry.  It’s personal, often given as a declaration of love or intention.  It’s passionate and yes, dramatic.  BUT, that doesn’t mean that every description needs to be a verbal teleportation to nirvana via a pair of drop earrings—or a hat.

"Devastating brim" made me squirt milk out of my nose...okay, it was wine, but whatever. LOL

Here’s my take—First, I flesh out a simple description that answers questions the reader will have.  What is it made of?  What kind of metals?  What are the gemstones (real names, please, no references to unicorn tears or sunsets on Jupiter), and is the design treated or sealed with anything?  THEN, embellish.  Tell a little story if you want about your inspiration in making the design.  If you are a raging freak for turquoise, say so.  If you found the gem or inspiration on a special trip or visit to the world’s funkiest flea market, mention that.  If you wrote a poem inspired by the piece, include it.  Bottom line, I believe that our clients enjoy—and appreciate—connecting with us on a personal level.  Getting a glimpse of who we are, how we think, what inspires us—that’s not just a selling point, it’s authentically SHARING, which is what we do every time we create, right???  Use your own voice.  If it sounds stilted or forced to you--it is.  Mary Jane Dodd is the MASTER of using her voice freely in her listings.  She writes gorgeous poetry and verse to go with her designs and I have been left breathless on more than one occasion.  She is amazing.  And singular.  As in, I would never try to do that in a million years.  As in, I am green with envy.  Sigh.  She's great, and just like what she writes, her works are so---HER.  You know her work on sight, instantly.  I just bought my first design from her, and the description reads in part:

"'earth is what we all have in common.' wendell berry
pearls for the sea
honey calcite for the sun
stones for the earth
and leaves, stitched in silk

this talisman started with the double sided stitched pouch - i wanted you to be able to keep that which you treasure close to your heart. or perhaps that which you need on any given day - a word, a stone, a picture. our needs change.

my stitch work is inspired by nature and mandalas
mandalas are symbolic of the universe and our relation to infinity
nature representing growth and the full cycle of life.

we walk the earth for a short time - to do so unawakened is tragic.
both for yourself and for all others.
you have gifts to share"

LOVELY!!! And bear in mind, not every design we create is epic.  It’s perfectly okay for a description to read something like:  “Copper patina disc earrings created with hand forged sterling silver ear wires.”  THE END.

The design photograph takes front and center stage anyway.  If your layout and images rock, the rest is icing on the cake, but you might as well make the cake as tasty as you can, right?  Just not tooth-decay, nausea inducing sickly-sweet cake.  More like a really good flourless chocolate cake....mmmmmm....cake.  Wait, what were we talking about?
 

Beautiful homeless Free People

Catalogues that jump to mind skating the razor’s edge of inspiring vs CRAP are Free People and Sundance Catalogue.  I love both.  Visually they are stunning and drool-worthy (I basically hand my paycheck over to Free People at least once a month).  Occasionally the text and images are just….too much.  I know they are representing a quasi-fantasy lifestyle (who are we kidding--it's total fantasy), but it can be a bit overwhelming.  My husband refers to the Free People catalogue as the “rich homeless people catalogue”.  While it’s perfectly okay to make fun here, I certainly don’t want someone feeling the same way about how I present my works. That would really bug me, because I am not like that.  I try to be authentic in how I present and write about what I create.

But that is my opinion.  I don’t live in a dream world of diffused lighting and I don’t wear artfully distressed leather boots with my flowing silk maxi dress (I prefer be-dazzled Keds with my formal wear).  That being said, we are all offering a feeling along with our work--that's what art does.  Art imparts attitude and emotion.  I want what I offer to be real.  I want my clients to feel like they “get” what I am trying to say with the design, and hear my "voice" in their head.  It’s very subjective, and different for each and every artist/designer.

How do you convey your intent in the text associated with your work?  Are you a story-teller or a bare-bones “just the facts” lister?  What gets your attention as a buyer?  Short and sweet or chapter and verse?  I’d love to hear your opinions….

capturing stillness

mary jane dodd

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

at first

we seem to catch moments 

of stillness

the way we did 

fireflies

as children.

seeing their flashing light,

we would run carefully

up to them

trying to catch them 

ever so gently 

in cupped hands.

exciting and unique moments,

we feel like 

it must have been the place

or time

that brought it into being

for us.

and so we return 

to that place or time

to find it again. 

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

awareness

trickles in 

as we contemplate

how to return to to this place

of tranquility.

we begin to notice 

that stillness 

is not about

external circumstances

or

perfect states of being,

nor 

are they required to be 

present first for 

stillness to exist.

as our moments accumulate,

they grow closer and closer

together.

in the gathering awareness,

we come to realize

that moments of quietude

are always within our grasp.

fragile strength talisman/be still - mjd 2014

we hold the key 

to make them manifest.

and with that knowledge, 

we walk in light. 

cold connections - alexander calder

mary jane dodd

alexander calder - stabile

yesterday and today are about inspiration - 

susan lenart kazmer's book not only inspires, but teaches. 

today i wanted to share a side of one of the great masters of art that some of you may not have known about. many of you may recognize alexander calder for his sculpture - huge mobiles and stabiles that are perfectly balanced... often massive metal works that float seemingly effortlessly in the air, set in motion by only a slight breeze. 

this amazing man also made jewelry - and with his very large tools i might add.

i took some pictures from another of my favorite books, calder jewelry, to show you how he used cold connections in his work. 

alexander calder 

rivets

alexander calder

wire loops

alexander calder

tabs

alexander calder

paddle ended wire

cold connections aren't what you use because you don't know how to solder. this method isn't 'less' to soldering, it's just different. 

it's a choice. 

a choice that adds much to the overall design, a choice that will challenge you to be certain that your technical and aesthetic considerations have been thought out well. 

do you want these connections to take center stage? because they certainly can

or do you want them to be what they are? a way of connecting, providing structure, movement and a subtle design influence.

i am really excited about this challenge. 

like most of you, i have to allow things to percolate for a bit before sitting down to make. whenever i would submit to art bead scene's monthly challenge i inevitably would get my entry in on the last day. simply because ideas had to move around in my brain, get filtered and distilled.

mjd - 2010 calder challenge

enjoy your weekend - here in the midatlantic, foliage is peaking. 

life is good, yes?

loose ends

mary jane dodd

mjd - 2013

my work is driven by thoughts and feelings.

i came upon some words of rumi that resounded richly -

'the wound is the place where the Light enters you.'

mjd - 2013

where the Light enters, 

it heals and intensifies.

this results in a need

for its release

so as to share it with others.

mjd - 2013

loose ends 

can have purpose.

mjd - 2013

they are like a hand extended

or a rope thrown to a drowning person.

available and willing 

to anyone who needs them.

creating ties where none existed before.

stand in wonder

mary jane dodd

praying mantis wings that were respectfully collected

'he who can no longer pause to wonder 
and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead;

his eyes are closed.

- albert einstein

these delicate wings belong to those of the praying mantis - a creature i have been strongly drawn to since i was a child.  my daughter and i found one that had been stepped on and was still living - we wrapped it up and put it in a quiet place.

some small rodents (i am guessing) ate the body and left the wings... and so now i have them... and i am grateful for this reminder of strength and fragility, of the cycle of life... of the fact that, somehow, this creature ended up in a place where i was... 

small bronzes by daniel fleming

these beauties grace my home... 

fortunate enough to have lived near to manhattan my whole life, to have aunts who lived in the city and who had me visit, i was brought to art museums at a young age... always knowing to never touch the sculpture - though the metal and its surface called to me - i admired from a close distance... with my camera i would try to catch light on texture, in shadows and fractures... 

daniel makes small bronzes - 

daniel makes it possible for me to do what i was never able to do - to run my fingers over the surface of the bronze, to hold it for however long i choose,

to admire his work not from a distance, but as up close and personal as i can be... 

he cannot know what this means to me - 

there is a reverence for these little figures as they stand with me at the bench... 

they bring me joy

and return me to wonder... 

yet another way to love -

mary jane dodd

'...with intention' 2012

it is relatively common knowledge (i think) that i love using ice resin in my work in different ways... 

while designing this piece, i became concerned about the stability of the tablet... at the moment it is on tightly, but what if the fiber wears or stretches?

i then remembered that ice resin can be used like a glue... 

it's true!

and so i went back, and 'glued' the tablet onto the metal plate... 

then i 'glued' leather into some end caps to hold them firmly and create a smooth look... 

i can now sell this piece confident in its durability - which is of great importance to me... 

give it a try!

** be on the look out for  a new question and answer feature... you submit questions and we will do our best to answer them or find you a source that can... 

in progress...

mary jane dodd

'...with intention' 2012

know your materials:

clay thai amulet... i have finally found these locally, i have such resistance to buying them online... if i am using them as authentic amulets, i do not want fakes in my work... 

tibetan double terminated quartz crystal that has a beautiful iridescence inside... not a herkimer diamond - they are double terminated quartz crystals as well, but are mined only around herkimer, ny, usa... i wanted the tibetan quartz here... 

red thread refers to a chinese proverb -

 'an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. the thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.'

gemstones are beautiful for color, but they are also believed to have metaphysical properties... you can enhance a piece by imbuing them with the power of certain stones... 

i have pages of text in sanskrit - it is beautiful to look at... but i won't use it in my resin work because i do not know what it says... i believe strongly that your choices affect the energy of a piece... 

what are some of the details that you find to be important?

and please stop by art saves curated by barbara lewis this week... today she features past posts from staci's and my blogs... 

i know that art has saved me over and over - how has it affected your life?

my love of resin

mary jane dodd

resin, specifically ice resin, allows me to make things that i couldn't otherwise... it allows me to use words on paper to create three dimensional pieces... 

because i know the knee jerk reaction of trying new things, i wanted to share with you how friendly resin can be to work with - and how rewarding... the official source of information is naturally the ice resin site... there you can find videos and lots of helpful information... 

i have an article in the current belle armoire jewelry on etching and resin... this ring is one of the samples...

the paddles can be used as simple accents or charms (i apologize, alice, i didn't mean to overwhelm... just wanted to show where you could 'go' with them...)

here is a simple breakdown of the process - it takes practice, it is messy, but don't give up! you can find more details in the article - it is too long to share here... 

form the wire of choice - copper, brass, steel, etc... i use a pencil for size and shape... 

do any hammering you might like, add patina, then polish... 

i place a heavy storage bag on piece of heavy cardboard to use for a work surface... make sure the plastic is taut... i then make sure that each and every paddle lays flat... if it doesn't, the resin runs out...

select the paper you want to use... cut shapes to fit your wire forms... 

with a disposable paint brush, apply the resin to the front and back of the paper... 

allow to cure for at least 24 hours... 

looking back, looking forward...

mary jane dodd

mary jane dodd - 'portals to awakening' triptych 2011

this post is a continuation of my last... 

i find it interesting when one is guided in a project by thoughts that have so permeated your being that you don't even realize it... until you are done... 

i am leaving 'nascent' behind as my focus word... it has served me well and, in fact, was a key part of the inspiration for these pieces... the pregnant forms... the word 'emerge' in the first form...  

i knew i needed to use a butterfly wing gifted to me by a friend... the word 'fly' from an antique dictionary... and at the last minute the fibers were calling - 

the resin is filled with air bubbles in the final piece - as if these thoughts, these desires come bubbling out as you open... 

but when i began to shoot the images, to take the close up pictures, i recognized that my new word was participating as well as someone else's -  

rumi... 

'we come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars like dust.'
(the first closed form with the spiral)


'you were born with potential
you were born with goodness and trust
you were born with ideals and dreams
you were born with greatness
you were born with wings
you are not meant for crawling, so don't.
you have wings, 
learn to use them and fly.'

(the final form)

and my word?

transcend... 

no matter what happens with the submission to the exhibition, i am well pleased with the lessons learned in craft and of self... 

does your work reflect back to you things you don't realize you hold?

wishing you all abundance of love, happiness and good health in the new year... and may you always find the balance in any situation... 

what will guide you?

mary jane dodd

i really loved barbara's post yesterday... the emphasis upon a focal point or two is incredibly important in life and art and business if one wants to keep growing...

when i began blogging i found that people chose words for the new year... and that really connected with me... i found the word 'nascent' to be particularly meaningful... so much so that i kept it for a couple of years...

it seems interesting that i am ending the year with a project where i am using the sentiment in a more fully
developed way...

if you look back at your work from the past year, do you notice patterns? do they reveal anything about you and your path?

this year i am ready for a new word...

i am ready for one that is positive and action filled... 

do you have yours?

december reflections

mary jane dodd

wishing you

and oh so much love... 

a contemplative time of year... 

the solstice has past and the season of joy and giving is upon us... 


the darkness seems to intensify introspection...

from one who has spent christmases (and other holidays) alone while the kids are with their dad - i extend light and love... 

if you don't have anyone to love in your reach, love from afar... 

or how about trying an exercise in self love... 


immersing yourself in whatever feeds your passion... 

start putting out into the universe the things you want in your life... 

this has easily been one of the most challenging years of my life - but when you stay open (and practice gratitude), the balance comes into play... and so i have also had one of the most love-filled and beautiful years... i have had people extend friendship to me in ways that leave me awestruck...

i am humbled... 

and thankful... 

and i wish for you love - it is the energy of life... 

live it, breathe it, share it, be it... 

on being a woman

mary jane dodd

i came into this world a female... 


for one reason or another, have you ever repressed something so deeply that it was almost forgotten?  i recently realized that identified with myself as a human... but not a woman... 


this integral part of me has been rising in my work... the balance that is all of us... it had been rising before i was conscious of it... and waited for a time when i was safer to explore it... 


complex and simple, strong and fragile, soft and tough, silly and witty, practical and imaginative, centered and kinetic, firm and yielding, always loving, on and on... 


i had made a simpler 'urban posey' before... but here i wanted to layer the petals, to use different papers and wire... to etch the metal... use softly colored silk... and have it move... 

resin paper has allowed me to speak softly, silk fiber to create a balance to metal... to demonstrate fragile strength... materials reflect intention... and allow you to wear your heart on your finger... 

what materials speak for you?