New Art!

I finally made some jewelry just for me! I haven't worn earrings for a long time, because any metal makes my ears itch, from gold to niobium. I finally found some nylon ear wires on ebay which truly are hypoallergenic. I also seem to be having good luck with plain surgical stainless steel. So I'm wearing earrings again and loving it.
Did you know I worked at a bead store for about six months in my early 20s? I found one of the pair of earrings I made from that time, and reworked them.

I kept the black leaf beads, then added 3 vintage beads from a broken necklace that used to belong to my grandma. The yellow beads are an old plastic. The black and gold beads are a handmade glass bead, really beautiful. The best part- they are just for me. They are long, dramatic, beautiful and tickle my neck when I move.

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I've been doing lots of stuff in the studio. I don't know how, as I never seem to have enough time in there. I finished up another in my copper collage series. This one is called Driftless Wetlands Landscape and is about 12 x 12 inches at its max dimensions.

This is the 6th piece in the Driftless landscape collage series. They started off as collages of pieces, from my bits and pieces hanging in shop limbo. As they formed together, I felt that they represented the textures, colors, forms and feelings of the landscape that I live in.
These collage pieces are odd. First the bits are a challenging puzzle. I often wonder if they're too unrelated. I have to put elements together, almost blindly, then suddenly, the piece is appears right. It's complete.
You might recognize just this detail, from previous blog entries.

I've got one more of these collages sitting on my welding table, pieces waiting to come together. I already love it and can't wait until it's done to show you.

Here's another wallpiece, inspired of course from the bronze railing that I worked so long on.

It's horizontal and very long, maybe 3-1/2 feet long. To me it evokes the feeling of the water lilies floating on the Mississippi backwaters, so graceful yet still tough, never staying long, but always coming back. It could hang on a few small nails, but I also made these hooks for it to hang on.

With these kinds of linear pieces, the standard picture wire won't work. Although I prefer nails myself, nearly invisible when placed properly, I like to think of some other graceful options for hanging the piece.

After I perform my motherly chauffeur and chaperone duties this morning, I hope to be back forging in the studio this afternoon. It's finally cooling off a bit here.

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and back to my Pendant section on Etsy .
This pendant is still available. Don't miss it. It's the last one you'll see like this. I don't have any more of the tiny acorns and won't be making them any time soon.

Handforged Oak and ...
Knitsteel
$20.00

I added this steel oak leaf yesterday.

Wrought Iron Oak Le...
Knitsteel
$14.00

And what about some jewelry for the wall? You can tell that I come to Art Wallpieces with a jewelry background.



Oak Leaf Wall Pendant - Jewelry for your Wall$27.00

Grape Leaf Wallpiece - Jewelry for your Wall$30.00
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Two Oak Leaves - Art for your tabletop or wall$25.00