in mourning

I had anticipated sharing photos and stories from the Gaviidae Market with you this week. But on Friday, while I was downtown at the market, I received word that my Grandpa had been hospitalized Thursday night because he couldn't keep food down. They discovered Friday that he had developed pneumonia in both lungs. After 98 long & healthy years, something told me that this time might be too much for him and a sense of distracted urgency overcame me. I traveled north to Duluth immediately after the Market on Friday night and was able to spend time with him on Saturday and Sunday along with the majority of my family. He recognized every family member that came to see him, despite slowly entering a state of "spotty-cloudiness" --- He passed away at 1:59am on Monday the 23rd of November. He went quickly and peacefully. I have never had to mourn the loss of someone I love, so this is all new territory for me. I am trying to ride the waves of emotions as best I can, allowing myself to feel the loss and the void while remembering and recognizing the legacy he leaves behind in his family of 4 children, 13 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren as well as our spouses and loved-ones. I will be spending the rest of the week with my family in Duluth - for the funeral, Thanksgiving, and the burrial.
I will not be at the Gaviidae Market this Friday the 27th, so if you were planning to come down to see me, please plan to come on Dec 4th, 11th or 18th instead. Thank you for your understanding.

GAVIIDAE MARKET

The first day of the GAVIIDAE MARKET is tomorrow. I will be near the fountain in the Gaviidae Common Mall on the street level from 10am-8pm (Friday) Stop by, I'd love to see you!

if it's hip its here

thanks to Gail in London, UK for sharing this:

Walker Jewelry Mart

Saturday was like a marathon day for me. I knew I'd be on my feet and talking to people from 10am til 10pm with 2 events going on. Usually before a marathon, I try to go to bed early to make sure I am well rested and ready to perform. That same line of logic can be applied to doing shows (perhaps it's required even more?) ... but I didn't follow my own advice this time. I was up until the wee hours (3am) packing everything up on Friday night. The multiple projects & products (tree, ornaments, artwork, jewelry) required more of me this time around.

The extra time and energy paid off. Despite some brain malfunctions with names, my lack of sleep did not stand in the way of me having a fantastic day at the Walker. I tweaked a couple things with my display this time and overall just felt good about the way things looked. Amy Torello and Alice Roche were both in town from Mexico and San Fransicso respectively - again this year for the Mart and it was really fun to catch-up with them. It was fun to see how their work had evolved over the year ... likewise to reflect on the evolution of my own.

My new work for the show consisted of the wool HIVE cuff bracelets, thicker WOOD_STRIPE bracelets (11&12 layers wide), a larger selection of BUNCH necklaces ... and some pieces in PURPLE acrylic! I had to do some searching to find the material, but I was happy with the color and people responded well to it, too. This BUNCH_POD necklace in purple with navy blue leather was a popular piece. A lot of people tried it on and one lucky woman (Robyn) went home with it. (It looked fantastic with her dark brown hair!) These photos from the show are the only images I have of it.

I want to thank everyone who came out to the Walker, who stopped by my table and who purchased from me. I had such a fun day talking with everyone and your support means so much! Thank you to my sister, Brit, for helping me set-up, for sitting with me for several hours ... and for looking SO good in those BUNCH earrings! Thank you to the Walker for being such gracious and generous hosts. I am so lucky!

Gallery360 window

After a full day at the Walker Art Center, I made my exhausted way to the opening at Gallery 360 where Barbara Gilhooly is in the main gallery and in the front window - opposite me. We customized one of our 7ft. tannenbaums by trimming it down (2 branches worth) to fit in the window of the gallery. (We also trimmed/adjusted the branches in order to accomplish the proper taper.) I think it turned out really well and that it looks fantastic in their window!

Merry did a really nice job dressing the tree. I was so plesantly surprised to see my name on the glass - somehow that makes it feel 100 times more legitimate. The gallery has a selection of red and white "ball"ornaments in 3 designs (stripe, flake in ball, concentric circles), small red solid balls, large and small flakes in white and transparent blue - and I will be adding 1-2 new colors to their stock in the coming week. (I will also be putting some in my shop in the coming week for those of you not in Minneapolis)

I also worked hard to make some new artwork pieces. I've been testing and mulling over several directions that I could go in, but this seemed the most logical first step -- an expansion on the pins/brooches I've been doing - for small wall hangings. They are 4.5 inches in diameter and made from layers of solid wood. I sand the end-grain edges so that the "frame" is a beautiful striped edge that is literally connected to the content of the piece. I think I'm happy with the way they turned out. They are still so fresh that I haven't really had a chance to absorb them ... larger scale that jewelry, but still very small scale when it comes to wall-art.

SFMOMA

My work is officially part of SFMOMA's jewelry offerings for the holiday season. Last week my friend John stopped by the store to snap some iphotos of my jewelry in the case and sent these 2 to me. I think it looks great and somehow seeing in pictures makes it more real for me. Today I discovered that they have included a selection of pieces on their website, as well -- making it 100% REAL. I am honored and excited - but must remind myself that this is just the first step. Now people must buy my work from them in order for it to be worth their while ... and to make my business a business. I sure do hope that San Francisco likes me this holiday season.....

This Friday and Saturday is their Member Only Sale - so, if you are in the Bay Area and are members of the museum -- make sure you stop by and check out my work!

chick pick

Minneapolis Picks included me in their Nov 6th selections today - number 1 under their "chick picks" They contacted me over a week ago, and after being sick for several days (yes, I do believe it could have been the swine flu -- knocked me OUT for over 24 hours) I've been playing catch-up all week (with my son home, too!) and nearly forgot to look for it today. But... there it is - pretty cute.

I'm entering a heads-down period (well, technically I'm also just leaving one) as I make my final preparations for the Jewelry Artist Mart at the Walker Art Center all day on Nov 14th ... AND ... for a holiday window display at Gallery 360 featuring on of our trees and a slew of my ornaments - the opening for the show is the night of Nov 14th -- a FULL day. Please cross your fingers for me, that I can stay healthy. In past years, I have worked myself like a dog until Christmas and then I spend the week until New Years being sick. I'm hoping it is a good sign that I've taken care of the sick-in-bed part already ... now if I could just get rid of the cough.

Local-to-Global 14 November 11-5

The current issue of the Walker Magazine has designated a full page to a jewelry collage for the upcoming Jewelry Artist Mart on November 14th that I will be taking part in. I am very honored to have two pieces featured in the spread again. The BUNCH necklace in black acrylic and olive leather and the WOOD_STRIPE bracelet in paduak and wenge woods. I love the feeling of the collection they featured. Very different feel from the local mart this May, but still the same high standards when it comes to quality of representation. (photo by Cameron Wittig)

For the record, it is 7pm on Halloween and I am sitting alone in my house with a bowl of candy, waiting for the neighbor kids to ring the door bell. Only the ticking of the clock and my keyboard are keeping me company. My son is out tricking and treating with my husband. while I am inside nursing a cup of hot tea due to cold-symptoms that came on yesteday. YUCK. I think I'll blame it on the rain....even if the sun did shine for a little bit today.

a vision

It was raining again this morning when I woke-up. I can't remember the last sunny day we've had. I came up from working in the basement around lunch time and the rain had momentarily turned to big, wet snow flakes. It was quite a sight. At this point, I think I'd rather have snow than constant rain mixed with cool temps. Anyway -- the snow inspired me to wear my favorite winter hat when I went out....and after nearly 2 days of getting used to the new pair of (kinda risky) glasses that I ordered online - it was the pairing of the two that solidified it for me = I LOVE my new glasses.

new work

As promised, I am sharing images of some of the new work that I showed at last weeks trunk show. I have a tendency to draw-out my design process - where I "live with" pieces before revealing them to others. I draw things out to the point that even after a new piece is made and shown to people, I need to see it in a photograph to really know how I feel about it. Probably just helps me step away from the work to see if from a more unbiased perspective - but this also is part of the reason why it takes me a while to post images on my blog. I have to feel ready - to be vulnerable.

That being said - I feel really good about these new pieces. I feel like I've been exaggerating my moves - taking them further, making them bigger, thicker ... more rich in material and statement, while also achieving a classier look - that hopefully has longevity. This first image is of a BUNCH_STONE necklace in paduak wood. And the WOOD_STRIPE bracelets in 11-wide versions below.

I've expanded the BUNCH necklace to the POD forms and I just can't get enough of this new Ivory color with the warm rusty-leather on the neck-band. The ivory BUNCH_POD earrings were the first to sell at the trunk show and the red pair wasn't far behind them! They are super fun, a bit heavier than my other earrings, but still lightweight in comparison to large metal earrings.

I made a smaller version of the BUNCH_POD earrings as wels as a smaller version of the DRAPE earrings (and the POD - not pictured)

And on a simpler note, these RAIN earrings also had a great response. Somehow they seem perfect for fall ... maybe that is simply because we have been having so much rain these days?!?