Art Spark Designer of the Week......

YAY!!!  No sooner do I post asking for our readers to participate in our Monthly Art Spark Challenge and in comes not ONE,

 but TWO designs by Staci Smith. 

Stacy,

Both of these pieces are gorgeous and thanks so much for being the first person to upload these fabulous designs for our Art Spark Challenge!!!

So.... that makes this is a double post day....  

Read further down if you would like to read the post from just a few hours prior to posting our

DESIGNER OF THE WEEK

Staci Smith

Staci's Etsy Components Shop

Staci's Etsy Jewelry Shop

Staci is offering a 25% off SALE in both of her shops until June 17th!  Stop by soon......

Ophelia

When I was young, I wasn't good at too many things, so I read, A LOT! I loved prose and poetry, Poe, shakespeare and Lewis Carrol, just to name a few.

So this months Art Bead Scene challenge is actually based on a painting "ophelia" from Shakespeare. You can read my blog here about it.

http://stacilouise.blogspot.com/2011/06/ophelia-june-art-bead-scene-challenge.html

I thought it appropriate for here too, since reading was what I was good at as a child, it was how I escaped. I became a part of the story, and felt like I had just lived a small adventure of my own, by the end of a book. I love the tragic beauty of poor Ophelia, and she really touches me. I hope this piece conveys that emotion.

Quoth the Raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -

Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -

Nameless here for evermore.

-Edgar Allen Poe

The focal is a hand drawn raven with a moon and stars, that is then elecro etched (I like to keep my studio green). I used gemstones and a handmade wire clasp, to make it into a chunky cuff bracelet, that no one could miss!

*ART SPARK* creative challenge for May.

by D'Arsie Manzella



On the Road Again

I'm packing. Putting all my belongings in boxes once again to travel the distance from South to North. Back to my homeland, the rolling hills and gorgeous lakes of Western New York. Each item is being wrapped and contained. As I go through the process I wish my possessions a safe journey- until we meet again.

Recently my grandfather passed away. Straight away after hearing of his death, I had a strong desire to create hand folded paper boxes. I didn't really know what I was doing when I started, it's not something I commonly do, but all other creative projects stopped and my quiet time was spent with these beautiful little boxes. I realize now that I was trying to contain my grief.

There are many ways that containers change or affect our lives. Notes arrive in bottles, boxes take us up into tall buildings, heaven wafts out from our morning coffee can. They contain surprises, treasures and mysteries. Sometimes they hold our hearts, sometimes our fears.

So I bring you, from beneath my stack of paper boxes, this month's *Art Spark* challenge. It's a little bit different and a whole lot of fun...

~May you always be inspired by the beauty of your experience~

~*~

*ART SPARK*challenge

Here's a challenge that we can all get fired up about! I'm saying "we" because we will be playing along. The first Monday of each month one of our members will present a challenge. The challenge is designed to not only get you thinking creatively, but also sharing your process and learning from each other.

The creative sparks will be flying all month. One or more entries will be chosen by the "challenge" artist to shine on our blog the next two subsequent Mondays. On the 4th Monday, the winning entry will be chosen and showcased on the Love My Art Jewelry blog for one month and the Love My Art Jewelry website for 1 year with links to your shops or blogs.

Can it get any hotter? You better believe it! These wonderful components were graciously donated by Staci Smith at Staci Louise Originals and will be awarded to the winner at the end of the challenge!

As will these fabulous pieces from Sue Kennedy of SueBeads!

Thank you so much ladies for your support.

We invite you to play along and try out our challenges. This month's challenge is......

~Create a piece of jewelry, art bead or component that illustrates the word 'CONTAIN'~

'Contain' as a verb is defined as: to include, hold
Synonyms include:accomodate, be composed of, comprehend, comprise, consist of, embody, embrace, encompass, have, have capacity for, hold, incorporate, involve, take in\

 

~Once you have your creation ready, here is what you do:

1. Take pictures of your creation and upload it to our flickr account.

2. Leave a description of your thought process while creating your jewelry or beads/components. We really want everyone to share their creative thinking so please make sure that you description is thorough.

3. Since we are a group promoting 'creating handmade with handmade', your jewelry consist of at least 75% handmade. This doesn't mean that you have to create everything that goes into your piece. You could use beads/components created by other artists. Please give credit to that artist in your description.

4. If your submission will be loose beads/components, it may include any medium that you prefer to make those in. These submissions would also require a description of your creative thought process.

5. Please only one submission piece per artist. Multiple views of the work are allowed and encouraged.

6. Have fun an come back often to check out the entries!

7. Links to our flickr site can be found on the blog sidebar.

designer(s) of the week

mary jane dodd

i noticed that we had only 2 so far for the month - and the fabulous contributions to the flickr group demanded more than one!

staci smith of stacilouise originals!

'she wore scarlet begonias' (tucked into her curls)

 ~the grateful dead

staci has an etsy shop for both finished work and components

and a website...

izzy winterhart of under a copper sky!

'have you ever seen the rain?'

~ creedence clearwater revival

you can see more of her work in her etsy shop...

and you will find this necklace listed there...

these ladies put a good deal of time and thought into their pieces... we are so grateful to have had such original and interpretive work submitted this month... being inspired by song, rather than an image left it wide open to see what you were feeling... 

thank you all so much!