who are you?

mary jane dodd

leaf - mjd 2013

part of maturing as a crafts person is gaining insight into what resonates with you, 

into what aesthetic is most representative of your intentions. 

it takes a lot of experimentation,

patience

and an understanding of who you are 

and how you wish to connect with others. 

leaf - mjd 2013

finding a way of working with fibers that is consistent with how i worked with metals is something for which i am grateful.

i have been working with leaves for a good while now -

sheet metal

softly folded

and given heat patinas -

and was so pleased when i could translate them with threads. 

leaves - mjd 2013

it's not always about how clever you are,

but how true you are to yourself.

your way of processing,

of seeing the world

through your eyes

with your experiences

and with your hands

is a beautiful thing.

find a way to make the techniques you learn

and the materials you use

into a reflection of you.

that's what the world needs.

have you, will you

mary jane dodd

pick a word for the upcoming year?

by lolamonkey

by shimmercreek

by madebyaiza

nascent has been an important word for me - i chose it for 2 years in a row... 

i invite you to share your words with us here - on the 3rd, i will post the responses!

but do you consider light?

mary jane dodd

sun tunnels, utah - nancy holt

we know that there are elements of design - color, texture, shape - & principles - balance, unity, scale - (to name a few)... 

but do you consider the light? 

in your work itself?

in your photography?

everything you work with has qualities of translucency or opacity - explore them... the strength and solidness of metals and clay, the delicacy of gems, glass and resin...  you can find the balance... 

designing from the gut is a wonderful thing - your hands dance across different bits and bobs... but being aware of your choices and thinking about what they mean adds a dimension of intentionality to your work

and this can take it to another level completely - 

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?

when handmade is soulmade

mary jane dodd

yesterday staci posed the question 'why are you drawn to handmade jewelry?' ... it had me so tied up all day that i decided to answer in my post...

i am personally drawn to handmade/soulmade anything... where a person's imagination, energy and hands have traveled is where i want to be... we all have a voice - and are given different gifts by which to express ourselves... it isn't always easy to find the gifts - we may stumble around trying lots of things until we do... but once revealed, the authentic blossoms... 

'when we discover that the truth is already in us,

we are all at once our original selves.'

~ dogen

for me personally, my actual voice had been silenced for a rather long time... my work became  a safe place for expression, reflection... words became a key part of the designs... 

'words are the voice 

of the heart.'

~ confucius

a number of years ago i enjoyed integrating the work of multiple people into one design... i loved combining the energies into cohesive pieces... it was like collaborating with friends... and i still love that... but now, the goal is to make everything from beginning to end... the piece then reflects my voice completely - my hands have touched each component... i have made every decision... 

but why? because my soul is in each part - concentration, feelings, intentions (or not)... the finished pieces are testaments to my being alive - living, thinking, feeling... i will not, in fact can not, work if i am in a poor mood... i have to come around to it in peace or excitement... 

so welcome to the group, staci... 

and thank you for the thought provoking question ~