Indiana State Museum - November Artist in Residence

Happy Halloween!! I hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful fall weather.

Tomorrow is my first day at the Indiana State Museum as the November Artist in Residence. I will be doing a presentation the first four Saturdays from 11:00 - 1:00. I spent a few hours this morning setting up the display case and dropping off some peices for the gift shop. The museum is beautiful, and I'm looking forward to taking in all the sights while I'm there. If you are local, please stop by. I would enjoy seeing you! (Directions and schedule links below)

Tomorrow is also my birthday, and my mother and sister are meeting me downtown. After the presentation, we are going to lunch at a greek restaurant that is conveniently located next to a great bead store. Maybe a little shopping afterwards...... Have a great weekend!

Indiana State Museum

Schedule

Directions

Electroformed Focal Beads

I have been very busy working on leaf beads, and getting ready for the Indiana State Museum presentation this Saturday. The leaves are turning here in Indiana, and the fall colors are beautiful. I really hope to get some time behind the camera this weekend.

The finish on this leaf bead is very shiny, has hues of magenta, blues, purples and brown. It truly has the feel of fall foilage.

Here is one made to go in a viking knit or bangle bracelet. It is acutally pretty small...about the size of a quarter.

Thanks for looking!!

Viking Knit - Boro Bead Bracelet

The weekend was so busy, but I did manage to get together with a friend and do some viking knit. I've been dabbling in boro, mostly learning what not to do. I used a few of the trial boro beads in this bracelet. Everything on this is hand made, including the end caps and the electroformed acorn cap-bead caps.

New Bead

Thanks for looking!

Beads from the Weekend

Here are a few from yesterday. I torhced all day yesterday (Sunday), and do not yet have all the beads photographed. Today was my first day back to work after having ten days off. It was good to be back (no, really!!) as I missed all those I work with. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful place to work....not saying that staying home and melting glass full time would be hard to get use to!!!

(Note: These two are spoken for)
Thanks for looking, and have a great week!!

Electroformed Acorn Caps and Copper Viking Knit

As mentioned in my post below, I took a viking knit class yesterday, and this is what I made today. I chose to use copper with more electroformed acorn caps. Finding end caps for viking knit is harder than I thought it would be, so I decided to make my own out of copper tubing and acorn caps. (Plus I'm impatient and did not want to wait) As it turns out, I like how they match the bead caps, so it was worth the work. The patina on the copper shines with colors of gold, magenta and red. For my first attemp after class, I am pretty happy with the results. Back to the torch for me!!

Thanks for looking!

More Beads Fresh From The Cooker

Today was a great day!! I took a vicking knit class with my friend Robin Koza of Glass Diversions. She is a wonderful jewelry artist, and a fabulous teacher. Thanks Robin!

I'm on vacation this week. I spent the weekend visiting my father in Missouri, and the rest of the week will be spent torching and making jewelry for the Indiana State Museum show. Here are a few of the beads that I have finished this week.

Thanks so much for looking.

New Bracelet ~ More Acorn Bead Caps

Here is another bracelet using electroformed acorn caps for the bead caps. The acorn caps I used in this bracelet are scaled down quite a bit compared to the first bracelet posted below. They only average 11 mm...pretty small and delecate, and the texture is also very different. I have figured out an easy way to do ten caps in one bath, making it not as time consuming.

Thanks to my friends and neighbors for fighting the squirrels for the art of jewelry! I now have a variety of sizes and textures in the works. Thanks for looking!

FUN with Fall Organics - Electroformed Acorn Bead Caps

I have been making inventory for the State Museum show, and having FUN!!! Walking around my yard looking for leaves a few weeks ago, I started picking up acorns. We have HUGE oak trees and acorns are plentiful! I have been looking for unusal copper bead caps, with no luck, so I decided to make my own using the acorn caps. This copper bracelet has a focal bead using powdered frits, electroformed acorn bead caps and accent beads (fire opal, copper and trade beads).

There are more of these to come. I have focals in the works and bead caps in the cooker. Thanks for looking!

In The Mood For Fall

Here is a leaf bead that I just finished yesterday. I really like the texture of the leaf, and with how the patina matches the brown in the bead.

Thanks for looking!

Leaf Beads Fresh From The Cooker!

I have been spending most of my "bead" time preparing for the Muncie gallery, and now my efforts will be directed toward the Indiana State Museum. I have been working on leaf beads again. Although they take a lot of time, they are my favorite beads to make. The leaves are perfect right now....not so delicate, a little tougher, which makes for more texture when electroformed. I've been scouring the yard harvesting before they are gone....my neighbors probably think I'm crazy!

Thanks for looking, and have a wonderful week.

Muncie ArtWorks Gallery Reception & Art Walk

I am honored to be the featured artist this month at the Muncie Artworks Gallery. The reception was Thursday night, and it was my first time to visit Muncie and to really see the gallery and all of the beautiful work by the very talented artists. My congratulations to all the artists and gallery board members (Chic Velazco, Judy Bunner, Mary Carmichael, Anny Delk, Pat Garofolo, Jeanette Gilbert, Heidi Hale, Linda Norris-Morton, Jack Reynolds, Barb Swain, Carol Cheney, Beth Wentzeveryone, Dave Calvin and all involved) for creating such an impressive gallery, and affording the community of Muncie an art district of which to be proud.

The night was very exciting, very busy and a great success! It was the annual Muncie Art Walk, and the weather was perfect for such an event. The gallery provided snacks, drinks and a wonderful atmosphere. Music was provided by harpist Megan Upchurch, who played and sang beautifully through out the evening.

Thanks again to all that worked so hard to make this event possible, and much appreciation to the gallery board for this great opportunity!

Here are a few pictures (click image for larger view): The beautiful gallery, the festivities and speaking with the guests. What a wonderful night!