Hot copper warms me up!

Is it Russia? Is it Siberia? Oh, no! That's Alexandria, VA, on February 6. In D.C. metro area a snowstorm totals around 1.5 to 2 feet are common, with some places up to and past 30" or 36". Unbelievable! And I'm glad, that these severe days I'm warmed up with the stuff I received from from Artbeads.com.


For sure, Valentine’s Day beads and components can make happy any beadworker because of coming holiday, but copper elements did warm me up this weekend when I worked!

Don't wonder please, as a focal of my first copper necklace I used Copper Heart Toggle Clasp; and I added a mix of copper beads, bright and dark copper color seed beads, copper coins from oriental countries, jasper donuts and leopard skin jasper rounds, some other elements, and I'm done! Hot Copper Mix Necklace is ready.


Close-up of Hot Copper Mix Necklace.


The focal of my second necklace is a regular Copper Heart Shaped Leaf Pendant; Delica beads and teardrop beads with AB coating were a nice addition, they helped me create Copper Heart Leaf Necklace.


Close-up of Copper Heart Leaf Necklace.

when more looks like less

but helps you to express more... 


                                                                                                            mary jane dodd


take a feeling - like the infinite, the void, the source of all energy... how do you even begin to translate that? how does that vastness feel to you?


when i started to work with the shibuichi technique, at once it felt like i was on to my personal interpretation of it... there was an instant expansion in my thinking when i learned it... using energy - fire - to transform metal into a moving molten liquid... and then allowing it to assume its own beautiful surface texture... it feels very elemental and freeing when i do it... 

the ever changing present moment connects us to a time continuum... moments in time strung along a gossamer thread - delicate and yet strong... the power of one moment can exhilarate or devastate us... and yet it is part of our much larger life span... which is a small part of history's life span... but significant still...

learning how to patina was another huge step in being able to execute the concept... 


the inner workings ended up being heavily influenced by time i spent with my small children by the water... we would throw in different sized rocks and try to guess what each would sound like... 


and my spirit rattle was born::

the number of our moments is surely unknown to us - and are precious... staying present means you are participating fully and not just walking around on auto-pilot...

i posted this excerpt on my personal blog this week - it is very tied into the meaning of this ring and i wanted to share it here as well...


it is from 'the magic of findhorn' by paul hawken::

“The earth, once white and molten, represents a thought. It was a fire in the heavens, glowing as a sun, visited by the Deva of the Wind which came and blew across the surface, playing with the Fire Deva until all was mediated. The Deva of Water and Rain formed and collected in the skies and fell to earth.

Great clouds of steam issued forth from the surface, the skies were enlivened and heavy with its presence, and across the surface the Wind Deva began to cool, carve, and chisel away at the crust of the planet. It created pools and eddies, lakes and streams, and bigger bodies which we know as oceans.

With each successive change, a new Deva or impulse came forth until, like a procession, did the Earth receive the new hosts, each Deva bringing with it a variation of life ever present in the divine potential.

The Earth prepared itself to receive and serve the thought of a man and a woman. The Earth would be their temple and guardian; the heavens would be their guide and vision. Humans affirmed the link between the infinite spirit and the totality of matter. They related from the highest spiritual planes to the most concrete levels of form.

The Earth was for humanity to enshrine, to make holy, to blend their unique qualities and work as a family in cooperation with the Devas, the spiritual stewards of the planet.”

i am moved by ~

the colors of autumn... looking up through flame bright trees into crisp bright blue skies...

manifestations of fragile strength... delicate  hand dyed fibers wrapped around strong, life worn circles of copper... 

knowledge that is unearthed from within us when we put fear aside; if you open up, it will present itself...  

Introducing - Earth Walker

I'm so excited and frustrated all at the same time! I knew I was going to the bead store today and I'd be able to pick up the final color I needed to finish Earth Walker - the newest in my Elements series - and I didn't remember to pick up the clasp I need! *sigh* So it'll be a couple days before I can properly finish and photograph this piece, but here it is 99% done!

I used 6 different colors in this piece starting with Smoky Topaz, rootbeer, copper, Dark green, medium green, and light green! I really like how it turned out. This isn't the BEST picture, but since it's not finished I was just snapping something quick so I could post about it anyway :P It's going to be $80. 

If you want to see the other's in the series there are links to all of them in my Wind Dancer listing.

Thanks for looking!

Jewelry Art Awards 2007 of Jewelry Artist Magazine

source : Jewelry Artist

Jewelry Artist is pleased to announce the winners of our 2007 Jewelry Arts Awards. Entries for our sixth annual competition were judged by Todd Reed, a self-taught goldsmith and metalsmith who has been exploring the use of rough diamonds in his award-winning, signature jewelry since 1992; Robert Diamante, a professional photographer who has been photographing jewelry for the craft industry since 1993; and Thomas Mann, a jeweler committed to both the artistic and business sides of jewelry making, who has been active in the contemporary craft movement for more than 30 years.

Congratulations to the winners and our thanks to the judges and everyone who entered.

Jewelry Arts Awards 2007 Winners

Miscellaneous Jewelry

First Place: Daniel M. Nagy - Best of Competition
(also First Place, Miscellaneous Jewelry) Frutto di Mare

14K yellow and white gold 353.5g, 3pcs Tahitian pearls 9mm semi baroque, 2pcs 10.5 round AAA grade 86 pcs, 1.659 ct. brilliant cut diamonds. Wax carved and chased shells, hand cut handpiece, and engraved gemstone buttons. Original electronics only; workable inner part is rebuilt based on design and requirements. 200mm x 80mm x 70mm.
Photo: Arion Kudasz Gabor.

Miscellaneous Jewelry

First Place: Daniel M. Nagy, Frutto di Mare, above.
Second Place: Blue Moon, Marie Scarpa

Maria Scarpa, Second Place
Miscellaneous Jewelry
Blue Moon, 18K gold and platinum, hand fabricated pin/pendant; bezel-set 18mm 7.15ct abalone pearl center and 64 spires divided into 3 levels. Woven, invisibly soldered. Embellished with 28 round faceted 2.0mm pink sapphires, 4 round faceted 2.5mm yellow sapphires, eight round faceted 2.5mm blue sapphires, 4 round faceted 2.9mm blue sapphires, 16 round faceted 3.0mm teal green tourmalines, 4 round faceted 3.5mm teal green tourmalines. Hand fabricated and hand woven. 2.25".

Earrings

First Place (tied): Dream Catcher, Jeffrey Appling
First Place (tied): Whirlpool, Daniel M. Nagy

Jeffrey Appling, First Place (tied)
Earrings (above)
Dream Catcher, platinum chain, 18K yellow and white gold. Two half-moon diamonds, two 5-point-star diamonds, six natural yellow diamonds, 2mm square and round ruby, blue and yellow sapphire, spessartite, tsavorite, blue/green tourmaline, amethyst, two half-moon drusy onyx tablets. Cast manufacture, hand fabrication, bezel, tube, bead, and mock (bead) setting for cubes. 62mm x 26.5mm.
Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Daniel M. Nagy. First Place (tied)
Earrings
Whirlpool, 18K white gold, 15.5g. Tahitian pearl AAA, 10mm round 2pcs. Computer designed, wax printed, chased, hand finished. 120mm x 20mm x 20mm.
Photo: Daniel M. Nagy.

Rings

First Place: Pearl Protrusion, Jeffrey Appling
Second Place: Message, Daniel M. Nagy and Agnes Kertesz

Jeffrey Appling, First Place
Rings (above)
Pearl Protrusion, 950 platinum, 8.5mm faceted black cultured pearl and 8.5mm faceted white cultured pearl, tsavorite garnets and pink sapphires. Hand carved wax and of cast manufacture, bead-set small round gemstones and hand carved (artwork) along outside borders. 10.5mm x 20mm. Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Daniel M. Nagy & Agnes Kertesz, Second Place
Rings (above)
Message, 18K white gold 10.8g, Tahitian pearl AAA round 1pc 9.4mm, brilliant cut diamonds. 20mm x 15mm.

Bracelets

First Place: Salad Blues, Laura Parr
Second Place: Dragon of 4 Elements, Dmitriy Pavlov

Laura Parr, First Place
Bracelets (above)
Salad Blues, forged and riveted sterling silver sheet, wire, tube, copper sheet; ten 1.5 millimeter, tube-set and riveted sapphires; ink. 51mm x 82mm x 72mm.
Photo: Jeremy Addington.



Dmitriy Pavlov, Second Place
Bracelets (above)
Dragon of 4 Elements, pierced, bent, and engraved sterling silver. 51mm x 82mm x 72mm.
Photo: Galina Pavlova.

Pins & Brooches

First Place: Inception, Tricia Lachowiec
Second Place: Star, Wendy McAllister

Tricia Lachowiec, First Place
Pins/Brooches (above)
Inception, 18K gold on sterling silver, copper, enamel, diamond, steel. Chasing and repoussé, enameling. 23⁄4" x 1-5⁄8" x 3⁄4".
Photo: Dean Powell.
Wendy McAllister, Second Place
Pins/Brooches (above)
Star, sterling silver, acrylic, lenticular lens, 24K gold leaf, fabricated silver brooch, fabricated double pinstem back; found objects: candle bobeche and child’s ruler. 3.5".
Photo: Ralph Gabriner.

Pendants & Necklaces

First Place: Mary Darwall
Second Place (tied): Evolution, Jeffrey Appling
Second Place (tied): Fruit, Tricia Lachowiec

Mary Darwall, First Place
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Eleven turquoise cabochons, turquoise beads, freshwater pearls, glass seed beads, beading cloth, nylon thread, 49-strand wire, 14K closure, leather backing. Hand needle woven, bead appliqué, freeform peyote, branching stitches. 18".
Photo: John Yohman.
Jeffrey Appling, Second Place (tied)
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Evolution, 30.37ct drilled citrine intruded with malachite, coral, and lapis tubes, 3.66cts. Drilled-out citrine pavilion injected with gemstones, pendant area cast, and hand fabricated. 16", 30.5mm x 33mm.
Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Tricia Lachowiec, Second Place (tied)
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Fruit, oxidized sterling silver, electroformed copper, enamel, 14K gold, cognac diamonds, sapphires. Electroforming and enameling. 10" x 6-1⁄4" x 1-1⁄4".
Photo: Dean Powell.

source : Jewelry Artist