On Personal Adornment....

This week, I met and chatted with two wonderful women where I'm planning my first class in my hometown. We were looking at some jewelry samples I had brought and each discussing the types of jewelry we wear.

It wasn't until recently that I, in fact, started wearing my own jewelry on a regular basis. Although I make jewelry and wear jewelry, I tend to find myself returning to favorite standards. It was really interesting to hear the types of jewelry these other two beautiful, yet different, women chose to wear, which had both similarities and disparities from my own choices.

How amazing in it that we live in a world where through our work we can connect on such a visceral level through a solid object to other people?

tiny shot of my journal where I'm recording my intentions for my work.

In the last several weeks, I've been making a conscious effort when I'm in my studio, quietly meditating, putting stamps to clay, hammer to metal, needle to thread, to ponder these very questions.

As I think about these things, I'm embracing this organic change that is coming not only to my design aesthetic but also my evolution as an artist.

The connection between maker and wearer is a strong one. What thoughts do you have on the subject? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments!

Also, don't forget to enter our giveaway for a beautiful ring from e5jewelry! You don't want to miss out! It's a gorgeous piece!

Growing through the tough places.

"One cannot create an art that speaks to men when one has nothing to say."
Andre Malraux


a tiny pot of herb seedlings in a pretty recycled tomato tin.

Hello, fellow Art Jewelry fans! I'm proud to be the newest member of Love My Art Jewelry! I look forward to sharing lots of information with you all and contributing to building a thriving art jewelry community! I look forward to hearing from you all! I will also be helping man Love My Art Jewelry's Twitter, so be sure to follow our tweets! You never know what will pop up there!

For the better part of the last two months, I've been going through a artistic rut. At first, I blamed it on what I like to refer to as "Craft Show Hangover"...wherein you prepare really hard for a large show and then once it's over, you just sort of don't know what to do with yourself. I felt burnt out and was experiencing the joy that I had previously experience with my beads and jewelry.

a bit of a work in progress journal page inspired by my seedlings...

As a mixed-media artist, I began to feel the pull to return to some of the types of work I have done in the past, namely painting, sketching, and book binding, as well as do a bit of gardening. It felt strange to return to things that have not been a staple of my creativity for some time, but I decided, after some thoughtful soul searching to go with my gut and see where this road would lead.

After several weeks of sifting through the flotsam and jetsam of my mind, I have begun to see creeping rhythms of patterns creeping back in.

new charm pendants in progress inspired by my herb garden...

The best part is that switching up my routine has informed new work, refreshed my spirit, and led to new discoveries!

How do you recharge your batteries when you're in a rut?

How do you work through difficult spots in your work and creativity?

guest post - cat kerr

“Begin”

When I first started selling my artwork on Ebay over 5 years ago I first asked myself… Am I crazy?... I then asked.... “Who in their right mind would buy what I make?”... Sigh... and no one did. And so I stopped and gave up. That is until one night I read the poem that changed my life. “The Journey” by Mary Oliver.  The first lines read “One day you finally knew what you had to do and began, even though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice.” …and that was it, I knew what I had to do. Sometimes it is not enough to know… sometimes you just have to begin. Or as in my case…begin, Again.

My name is Cat Kerr and I am a mixed media artist. I am on my Creative Journey and I feel huge amounts of gratitude to be able to do what I love everyday. I create with the intention of sharing a piece of myself. I assemble and I glue, I stitch and I paint my love into each and every corner, and with prayers behind it, I set it free.

“Free Bird” Assemblage

This year my creative journey took me down another road. It was a natural sort of transition for me to slip my love into jewelry. At age 13 I had a love for fashion design and fabric, at 20, it was paper and found objects, at 35, metal and wood… Today, it is the thrill of combining them all, creating unique, one of a kind mixed media jewelry.

“Playing with Felt” article in  Autumn 2011 Belle Armoire Jewelry

Created by using felt, wood, paper, and vintage rhinestones…

…and Soldered boxes with Filigree, filled with trinkets and ICE Resin…

or perhaps adding some texture with etching, helped along by the sweet guidance of Maire Dodd...

My creative journey is ongoing…I am still learning, I am still growing, I am still moving forward. But one thing I know for sure, there is no journey, unless you take the first step.

So begin and start creating.

editor's note:

you can follow cat here:

blog - www.inthelightofthemoon.blogspot.com

etsy shop for mixed media and altered art 

etsy shop for mixed media jewelry

in addition, cat was recently selected to be on susan lenart kazmer's ice resin creative team 2011 - 2012... congratulations cat! that is a huge honor... looking forward to seeing more of  your work...