Almost spring

Spring fever, Im happy to see the magnolia tulip tree returned to flower this year. Lion box etching off to the plater, and a trip to Durham to see Lyle Lovett. The bull city in the tobacco district is very nostalgic , DPAC is nice. Our seats were way up in the balcony. But, we actually bumped right into and said hello to Lyle before the performance as he was out photographing the downtown buildings and billboards.

Happy St Patricks Day!

Treescapes & Woodstock

Exploring ideas and images for new work.
This is a bracelet I made in 1997, I had to rebuild the links after so many years of wear. Its always nice to know someone has been enjoying your jewelry.
Daylight savings time, 70's all week.Woodstock catnapping in the sunshine.

Happy 50th Birthday Barbie

What girl didn't have a Barbie!

Pet portrait, Babies and Bracelets

Ive been a little behind in blogging, so here's whats been going on. George finished his pet painting commission. It is so sweet and furry. I love this totem piece of yard art that was in Mary Ann Scherrs' backyard. She so generously had our workshop class over to her house for the etching portion of our class. Another Pullen Art Center baby was born. JoAnna Moody had her baby girl Claira True. Hope to go see her next week. This "baby in the pod" painting by Eliza Kiser hangs in the Art Center Lobby. We have had a baby a year for the past 3 years, so begins another generation. It has been a warm and lately windy february, all our vegetation have been confused. Out my jewelry studio I watch as all the gumballs fall in my yard. I love the winter treescapes, but I am getting weary of all the gumball raking. there seems to be no end in sight. My new kitchen peninsula ie. countertop is fantastic it really opens up that space and allows for a whole new choppng and food prep area. As soon as I decide on my kitchen color I will photograph facing the other direction. Several days of February were consumed with the unexpected death of Whitney Houston it has been hard to get all her songs out of my head. She was pretty fantastic. And, in all my years of jewelry making, this past weekend was my first for making a cuff bracelet. Ive known Mary Ann Scherr for years but this was the first time I had been in one of her classes . She is pretty amazing. An absolutely dedicated teacher and inspiration. She covered pattern making of the human body for necklaces, shared some of her design tricks and theories and we each made on of her signature etched cuff bracelet. I hope to get back to more frequent postings. I also hope to be getting settled into a more regular schedule, for all my things I do. Spring is just around the corner.

So many ways to say Happy Valentines Day!

Collection from friends :)

Saturday

Visited Devins' chicken coop he has been tending to. The chickens were big, and fluffy, one of them likes to be hand fed. The hens produce eggs which Devin delivers to customers. It was nice to have a day to just hang out.
Meanwhile winter has blown in with a cool blast it actually feels like February.
























Earring challenge reception was a success. Moving forward, making rings and bracelets for awhile now.

As much as I would love to be sitting by the fire on this chilly night. Our rooms are full of dust and clutter as we are doing a renovation on our kitchen, small job big mess but in the end it will be nice.

Reception tonight

The Earring Challenge 2011

For the past year, Julie Brooks, Megan Clark, Suzanne Krill, Lillian Jones and Betty McKim have challenged themselves to create a pair of earrings every week. The 2011 Earring Challenge exhibit showcases the 260 pairs of earrings and the design development process that evolved from this commitment. The exhibition will be on display at the Pullen Arts Center from January 15^th – February 28^th with a reception on Thursday, February 9^th, from 6 – 8pm.

Brooks attended NCSU in Raleigh, NC for 3 years studying zoology before deciding to explore her passion for the arts. This moved her to Greenville, NC where she graduated in 2002 with a BFA in Metal Design from ECU. After 3 years of working for Atlanta based enamelist Ricky Frank as a bench jeweler, she attended graduate school and received an MFA in Artisanry, with a concentration in Jewelry/Metal design, from UMASS Dartmouth in 2008. Currently, Brooks is a studio artist creating one of a kind sculpture and jewelry. She also teaches beginning to advanced metalsmithing courses and has exhibited nationally. Her work can be seen in the books: 1000 Rings, 500 Wedding Rings, The Art of Enameling, and upcoming this year Humor in Craft.

McKim uses predominantly silver interlaced with accents of gold and colorful gemstones. The surfaces are oxidized, satin finished and, or high polished. Each piece is hand fabricated combining various metalsmithing techniques. She particularly enjoys the process of making a series of parts and then composing them in a harmonious way, sometimes injecting an oddity or dissimilar point of interest.

Clark grew up in Durham, North Carolina where she became interested in visual arts at an early age. This interest led her to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2001 where she pursued a degree in Metals and Jewelry. After graduating in 2005, Clark relocated to Raleigh, NC, where she began her career as a jewelry artist and craftsman. Since 2009, Clark has been working independently on her own designs and participating in art shows and exhibitions along the East Coast. She has developed a unique style that is both contemporary and timeless.

Krill came to jewelry primarily from a printmaking background, with an interest in printmaking techniques on clay, some of which she uses on the metal in her jewelry. She has been making jewelry for about 7 years. Krill has taken advantage of numerous classes and workshops taught by jewelry artists well known in the field which were offered both at Pullen Art Center and the Craft Center at NC State . She has also attended some sessions at Penland School of Crafts in Penland North Carolina.

Jones received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, followed by a two year scholarship in metals at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. She also earned a Masters Degree in Industrial Design at North Carolina State University. She has almost 40 years experience as a jewelry maker, enamelist and illustrator.

Happy 28th Anniversary George

Block Gallery & Earring Challenge Reception

Block Gallery has been hosting some impressive shows over the years. The space is very open, with a huge curved staircase, the gallery is the lobby/entry of the Raleigh Municipal Building so the art work is enjoyed and viewed by a group of people that might not otherwise seek out to view art. Currently Keith Norval has a collection of his animal painting in the gallery as part of a group show.The round bird painting was my favorite. Anna and Keiths' daughter Ingrid had a great time. She quite enjoyed running around the circular opening of the stairwell upstairs. Then took a rest on the cool speckled floor. Both Keith and Anna teach classes at Pullen and have studios at Artspace. Their art work can be seen all throughout the triangle.
We are pushing hard to get people to come to our Earring Show reception. February 9th 6-8. lots of earrings and just in time for Valentines Day. Winter has been slow coming in North Carolina this year. Makes it more enjoyable for getting out. So come join us next Thursday if you can.