curious....

today i was checking my etsy shop - and checked the section to see if anyone new said they 'hearted' my shop. um, nearly 50 people tagged my shop as a favorite on april 28th. 50 people on one day! and one necklace in particular has over 500 views more than any other item in the shop. now, i don't pretend to be a sleuth, but this hasn't happened before (at least not in my shop) and it leads me to believe that *something* must have happened on april 27th/28th - something to make that many people check-out my site. i didn't do anything (wish i had that power!) and i have been googling and trying everything i can think of to figure out what that might be, but i will admit that i remain clueless.... can anyone out there give me a clue? how is it that i couldn't know what it going on???????

walker shop - jewelry mart

this is the email that the walker has sent out to all of its members/interested parties regarding a local jewelry mart that they are having in just over 1 week. i will be there with a collection of goodies (and colors) not before seen at the walker. it should be fun! if you are in town, come on down and tell your friends!

Saturday, May 3 10 am - 3 pm Walker Skyline Room

Jewelry by nearly a dozen artists and designers will be on sale at the Walker Art Center Shop’s Local Jewelry Artist Mart. Meet Michelle Barlow, Karin Jacobson, Tia Salmela Keobounpheng, Ruth Mikos, Felicia Parsons, Danny Saathoff, Sarah Michaela Sitarz, Helen Wang, Brenda Weber, Maran Wolston, and others who will set up shop to display and sell their unique bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more. Gallery admission is free that day for Free First Saturday. Featured items at the Local Jewelry Artist Mart incorporate a wide variety of materials, including sterling silver, Argentium sterling silver, copper, and salvaged auto body metal; woods, including wenge, walnut, and reclaimed pieces; semi-precious and lab-grown stones; resin, acrylic, and glass; and recycled components from computers and typewriters. Walker members save 10% on all purchases.

my presentation at the ACC show in st. paul went smoothly. i'm starting to trust my instincts more and am proud of the fact that i prepared adequately for the event, without over-preparing. my natural tendancy to over-prepare has, in the past, left me feeling disappointed and often with an extra amount of product left over or too much time invested in an activity. in my life, i have always been the practical-sort who takes "special" days in stride, because - they are still just one day. that does not mean that i don't revel in the "special-ness" of the little things that lead to or make up big days. anyway - i have been trying to bring some of the practicality to my making and my work. i have been trying to balance what things MEAN.... a big show with big exposure and a big turnout, for example -- what does that mean for me? i suppose it is like anything - there are quantitative and qualitative values to everything. some things you can count and tally and then in other instances a connection that leads to something else and something else and something else over a period of time is of immeasuable value.

so anyway - a highlight from the show was seeing my name on such an official board at the show and some photos that my 2 1/2 year old son took of the event (on their way...) -- the turn out was low (but not out of line from what i expected) and it got me out, gave me an opportunity to talk, out loud, about my process, inspiration and the implications of technology in my work -- and that process alone, has already given back. (the earrings i made since the show ... and have been wearing for the past several days ... a product of getting my mind going...)

head down - preparations.....

i have been busy catching-up with architecture work and trying to find the appropriate balance between my making and my work/job and motherhood and taking care of myself. i suppose all women strive for this balance - it is an on-going process.

i've also been preparing for an artist demo/talk at the American Craft Council show in St. Paul this weekend. it is the only ACC show not on a coast, and while it is not as big as the one in Baltimore - i am quite honored to have been asked to take part in the show in my home-town's twin-city. For those of you in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area who plan to attend the show, please stop by for my presenation. i will be there on saturday - april 19th - from 3:00pm-4:00pm. wish me luck!

poor jewelry

this article at designboom is just one of many things that have been inspiring me lately. my days have been getting more and more busy: hosting baby showers and getting architecture work done, making a master-plan for house projects as well as making a similar-plan for marketing my jewelry. i'll touch more on that a little later. must go to sleep now. because sleep is so very important! good night.

ralph rapson

this past saturday, architect ralph rapson died at theage of 93. (martha has posted a lovely farewell to him here.) he was a legendary fixture in the architecture community, an inspiration to generations of architecture students, and has been celebrated by architects in minneapolis for years. he will be missed!

i met him several times as a student and at any number of architecture events since finishing school in 2000. it was always exciting to talk to him - almost like you were talking to celebrity (only he never acted that way.) ... it is hard to find words to explain the added "pride" that minnesotans feel because he lived here - almost like we could claim him as "ours" ....

in that vain, he was "mine" for a day back in 2003. while managing the old redlurered Thought/Design/Shop, i was lucky enough to co-currate a re-launch party and exhibit on the Rapson Rapid Rocker. i worked with andy balster and casey renner to design the space and currate the content & layout of the show. ralph made some special drawings of people sitting in the rocker that would accompany the chairs that were purchased at the show, but hadn't seen the (plan for) physical exhibit until the night of the event. he arrived early on that night and very thoughtfully walked through the exhibit - engaging and absorbing the story we told about the history of his chair. there was a great turn-out for the show - and i must say it felt good to be a part of celebrating and promoting him after being inspired by him for sveral years. (that show is certainly on my list of "cool things i've done in my life.")

........ i've found myself thinking about ralph a lot this week - thinking about the fact that he continued to go to his office to work right up until the very last day, just as he had hoped he would. he embodied an ideal that is found in the most creative of people - their work = their passion. he couldn't help but engage his work .... because it is what fufilled him. that is how i will remember him ... committed and in love with what he did. we were all lucky enough to observe and learn from it....