Home Forums Explore Subjects Wearable Art Jewelry Artisans and Wearable Art Artists please post your introductions?

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 945 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #448140
    DonnaBee
    Default

        Thank you again for welcoming us in this forum, should we each do an intro and tell a bit about ourselves and how we are involved in the Jewelry/Wearable Arts?

        Have you had classes? Self taught? Hobbyist or professional? How many years?

        I promise I will post mine when I get back, I have to go do the school pick-up thing. :rolleyes:

        See ya in a bit! :D

        #490096
        Shirley C.
        Default

            since i’ve been such a thread hog, i guess i should introduce myself. BLUSH!

            in 1996, while employed in the corporate world as a software developer, one of my co-workers sent out an email to a bunch of the “girls” asking if anyone would be interested in learning how to make earrings with beads. i signed up. little did i know it would become an addiction, my passion, and eventually the way i’m now trying to make a living. that was the only “class” i’ve taken in jewelry-making. no wait – i’ve done a couple of chain making workshops with my buddy tom colson, a wonderful teacher here in the SF bay area.

            i started making my own glass beads in january of 2000, but i still love making jewelry. i’ve had several people ask me if i teach jewelry making, so i’m in the process of developing a couple of workshops.

            Shirley Cook ~ Jumping Jack Glass

            Jumping Jack Glass... and Peanut too! / My Blog / My Main Etsy Shop
            #490359

            Well, I guess since I instigated all this, I should be next in line. :p

            Never having taken any jewelry classes at all, I actually am a graphic designer. I decided over the past summer to try my hand with some of the materials you get at your local craft store, made a few bracelets and necklaces, and before I knew it, I had enough interest in buying pieces that I decided to jump into a few craft fairs. However, I grew sleepy with the monotony of stringing beads, and I wear strictly silver, so I decided to see if I could expand in that direction. I stumbled onto wire working and have been addicted ever since.

            I have a website that is almost in it’s final stages but gets plenty of attention nonetheless, so I think it’s a good sign. Then, if all that wasn’t enough, I found WC! and then the glass arts forum, and I’ve been in a sad state ever since then. When I realized some of those gorgeous beads were being eBay’d, my wallet has been empty continuously ever since. :D

            Sooooooooooo..that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

            ~Danielle

            #490377
            Virginia L.
            Default

                Hello, I am Virginia L. I have designed and made Artistic Jewelry for 36 years…Gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, preciouse stones, etc. etc…I will post my “Princess of the Wind” I love to post her – she took more hours than you can immagine or I could calculate, and then when I figure out how to do it without starting all over, I will post my heart tutorial…So glad to feel like I have somewhere to post this…I am going to start the “Lady of the Dew” sometime soon, I will post on that as I go along…Welcome everyone to our new home…Lets participate the living daylights out of it, so they expand the thread – God Bless – Virginia L.

                My Glass Muse is really Pushy, and runs my life!!!!:wave:

                my ebay
                http://www.glassartists.org/Gal24027_Beloved_Lampwork_Beads_s_Gallery.asp

                #490216
                DonnaBee
                Default

                    Back from school, I will yak about myself a little now.

                    Currently, I am interested in “found object” jewelry. I have lurked and read here in Mixed Media, especially the wonderful Altered Books thread that artbabe21 started.

                    I love to read Somerset magazine, and the Lapidary Journal. I am always trying to think of ways to bring unusual objects together to make wearable art jewelry. Including digital art and collage.

                    I don’t have a big portfolio or anything yet, I have only been exploring this a few years, on my own, self taught. I try and learn all the jewelry techniques I can teach myself through magazines or the internet. (Wire wrapping, lampwork)

                    I make small lampwork beads, and I have made a couple hundred hundred “illusion” type necklaces, that have a single small lampwork focal and with coordinating mixed beads on beading wire. I sold these on ebay and locally. It’s still just a hobby to me and I am information gathering.

                    I am working on sterling bangles now, and trying to think of ways to be very unique, because that is fun to me. I think it is challenging to be both very unique and at the same time make a piece that is appealing to at least one other person to the point that they would spend money on it, and that “works”.

                    I am sort of free associating here… I also love vintage costume jewelry and draw inspiration from it. I have been involved with beading a few years, I am a stay home mom.

                    I don’t think I could ever do shows, I researched what’s involved, and it sounds overwhelming. I think maybe one day I could perhaps run a website and sell locally, perhaps one or two “open houses” per year, out of my home.

                    I would love to get formal education in jewelry design and construction, but I have a feeling I’m not going to choose that.

                    #490065

                    I will jump in here too.

                    I have been designing and making jewelry since 1987. I never set out to make jewelry and sell it but I was right out of college embarking on the lifestyle of the starving painter and I wanted a way to support myself that would have an immediate pay off. I majored in Painting in college but had taken a lot of ceramics classes too so deiced to develop my own line of ceramic based jewelry. I started by making beads with colored clay bodies and then moved on to treating the surface of the clay objects with raku glaze techniques. I also carved and cast found objects in clay to make the faces, that became the focus of my line. I marketed my Jewelry in small speciality boutiques and then found my way into resale galleries.

                    I make all the clay piece by hand which include beads and sculpted , molded pieces. I add to that silver, glass and what ever else i think works..lol

                    I have also been designing and making handbags since about 1990. I always include my handmade beads and sculptural pieces into my final designs.

                    I am currently teaching Art( and various other subjects..lol) in a BD/ED high school and doing my jewelry/handbag designing on the side. I have recently collaborated with a painter friend of mine and we are creating a line of jewelry together. I have included a pic of our new work so you can take a look.

                    ~sue ellen

                    Jewelry [/URL]

                    Painting and Drawing[/URL]

                    Ebay
                    #490182
                    DrPam
                    Default

                        Hi, I’m Pam. :) I am fairly new to the art jewelry world. I found jewelry craft through lampwork (gotta make something with all those beads!!), but so far I think my jewelry design inspiration is exceeding my lampwork inspiration. Right now, my jewelry skills are limited to stringing, wire-work, and peyote/seed-bead-weaving, but a friend just came back from a jewelry fabrication class and she is going to show me some simple soldering that I hope will help me expand my repertoire. I am curious about wax casting and other metal-working, so I hope to see tutorials cropping up!

                        I look forward to chit-chatting here with other adornment artists…

                        -Pam
                        http://www.pamarama.com

                        #490100
                        mistymade
                        Default

                            Howdy, my name is Misty I have been working with metals for a little over 2 years. I took my first metalsmithing class in January 2002 and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.

                            I am currently attending a jewelry technology program. Next semester I will be taking my first level bench exam so I will be an entry level bench jeweler. I’m really not too interested in the title, but our jewelry club pays for the test so I may as well go for it.

                            In the jewelry technology program I have learned how to pour ingots, roll out ring stock, size and reshank rings, set stones (cab set, flat set, flush set, channel set, and prong set) carve wax models, cast, and make molds. In the metalsmithing classes that I took, I learned how to saw, solder, hammer, polish, and set cabs. The metalsmithing class was more artistic and design oriented where the jewelry tech program is way more technical.

                            I mostly work with silver, but I have worked a lot with brass and copper. I have dabbled some with gold, but it is soooo darn expensive these days. My favorite part of the whole process is carving. I LOVE to carve. I love to hammer and shape the metal as well. And casting….ohhhhhh I LOVE to cast! At this time I spend most of my time making rings and pendants. I would like to eventually work more on sculptural things.

                            Please forgive me for going on and on and on…:D…I’m just so excited to have another home away from home!:D

                            I also want to say…

                            Virginia, I absolutley LOVE “Princess of the Wind”! She is gorgeous!!! I can’t wait to see the next one! And please show us the work in progress!!!

                            Donna, I would love to see you pursue an education in jewelry design and fabrication! You would be a wonderful jeweler, all of your work is beautiful!

                            Sue Ellen, your necklaces are gorgeous! I love wire wrapping, but I can never motivate myself to do it.

                            #490095
                            JavaGirlBT
                            Default

                                I’m Ellen. I live in NH. I came to lampworking through beading, I guess. I particularly like bead crochet and I was quite prolific at it for a while. Now all I want to do is melt glass, but I do occasionally string a crochet piece. I can do regular stringing, loomwork and other stitches but I prefer bead crochet because it works up so fast! I can do a bracelet in a couple hours. I’m an instant gratification kind of gal, I guess. Here are some pictures of some pieces I have done.

                                [FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Ellen Beads are gypsies: glittering, magical, and primitive hitchhikers. You slow down to take a look, and they attach themselves to your soul.
                                -Carolyn Manzi, Bead Power
                                LabyrinthBeads on ebay
                                #490217
                                DonnaBee
                                Default

                                    Donna, I would love to see you pursue an education in jewelry design and fabrication! You would be a wonderful jeweler, all of your work is beautiful!

                                    I was so not fishing for such comments, but that just made me so happy that you would say this to me, Misty! Perhaps I am more interested in it than I want to dare to believe… :eek: Well, if I do at some point, then it’s your fault. :D Seriously though, thanks. That meant a lot.

                                    #490233
                                    earthenwood
                                    Default

                                        Hello there!
                                        My name is Melanie and I make Porcelain beads, jewelry with my beads, and decorative stoneware tile. I am a full time artist, along with my husband, who is a freelance sci-fi fantasy illustrator. The main aspect of my business is the making and selling of porcelain beads through bead shows, art fairs, catalog, and website. I sell wholesale and retail. I make jewelry with my beads for a few galleries and a couple of art fairs thoughout the year. Usually my jewelry designs are fairly simple and production like, showcasing my porcelain beads as simply as possible. I do some more elaborate jewelry designs to show at the bead shows, as examples of how my beads can be used.

                                        I hope to see some of the ceramic bead and jewelry makers here in this forum! There are a number of us, and I am finding new ones everyday! (Hello, Sue Ellen…nice to meet you!) Perhaps we can do a ceramic jewelry show & tell!

                                        Thank you everyone for the kind welcome!

                                        #490378
                                        Virginia L.
                                        Default

                                            Hello there!
                                            My name is Melanie and I make Porcelain beads, jewelry with my beads, and decorative stoneware tile. I am a full time artist, along with my husband, who is a freelance sci-fi fantasy illustrator. The main aspect of my business is the making and selling of porcelain beads through bead shows, art fairs, catalog, and website. I sell wholesale and retail. I make jewelry with my beads for a few galleries and a couple of art fairs thoughout the year. Usually my jewelry designs are fairly simple and production like, showcasing my porcelain beads as simply as possible. I do some more elaborate jewelry designs to show at the bead shows, as examples of how my beads can be used.

                                            I hope to see some of the ceramic bead and jewelry makers here in this forum! There are a number of us, and I am finding new ones everyday! (Hello, Sue Ellen…nice to meet you!) Perhaps we can do a ceramic jewelry show & tell!

                                            Thank you everyone for the kind welcome!

                                            LOVE the faces, your work is very beautiful…Faces is my favorite thing to do..I am gonna try to do faces in glass eventually, but I have gotten some clay to do beads and faces and flowers is what interests me – thanks for sharing, I am going to go check out your web pages – God Bless – Virginia L.

                                            My Glass Muse is really Pushy, and runs my life!!!!:wave:

                                            my ebay
                                            http://www.glassartists.org/Gal24027_Beloved_Lampwork_Beads_s_Gallery.asp

                                            #490122
                                            DesertDreamer
                                            Default

                                                My turn for a smile & wave, I guess! My name is Karen Kreider and I’m from the ‘burbs of Phoenix. I’m currently madly in love with hot glass, but I’ve been making jewelry (now using my own beads) since I was in high school. I’m also a recovering (sometimes) fiberholic. In the past many years I’ve done weaving (anything from fine silk scarves to colonial-style coverlets), knitting, and I still do some handspinning and dyeing. My dream is to create some pieces using handspun/dyed silk yarns with my beads for sculptural-type necklaces. My big concern is durability, though, since body oils affect silks. Any thoughts/ideas/possible collaborations welcome!

                                                Oh! I’m also juuuust getting into silversmithing. I can do some basic cold work, my soldering is pathetic (yeah, I know, practice practice practice) but I’m having fun!

                                                Karen (K) Sherwood

                                                #490162
                                                McDuck
                                                Default

                                                    Hello Everyone! I am sooo happy we have been incorporated into Mixed Media/Alternative Marterials/Other Media!! :clap: It is great to have a home. Donna, Shirley, Danielle, Misty, Virginia, Sue Ellen, Ellen, Melanie and Karen!! you are all so very talented and I am honored to be here with you. I hope we can all grow within our art even further. The below is from my website…I am at work and had to cut and paste fast here!

                                                    My name is Mary Poineal of McDuck Creations. All of my jewelry is hand crafted and in most cases one of a kind pieces designed with a special person in mind, although there are pieces I can reproduce exactly if the need arises. I have created jewelry for over 8 years. I use Sterling Silver, 14kt Gold, 14ktgf, Copper, silk, lampwork, ceramic, porcelin beads created by myself and once in a while another artist, authentic gemstones, minerals, pearls and other fine materials which are all hand picked for their beauty. I silversmith and will be adding my silver design as time allows.

                                                    I look forward to meeting more designers and growing! These are a few of the items I have made, not including any of my silversmithing! Misty you are so talented and I cant wait until one day when I learn to cast too! Might have to make a trip to Tulsa!! I would love to collaborate with others too.
                                                    Mary…errrr…McDuck

                                                    #490424
                                                    ringslingin
                                                    Default

                                                        Where do I begin? I suppose I’ll start with how I got bit by the jewelry bug. A few years ago, I broke an earring that was a special gift to me. I knew if I took it to a jewelry repair place, it would have been expensive, so I decided to figure out how to fix it myself. During my search on the internet, I found scads of folks making their own jewelry with what SEEMED to be inexpensive tools and supplies. HA! Off to Wal-Mart I went for supplies…

                                                        That sure didn’t last long. Now I’ve spent oodles of money on supplies and tools for jewelry making, I’d rather wire wrap/maille than sleep or eat… I often forget to pay myself when I sell one of my pieces because I want new wire/rings/beads/pliers. It’s a serious addiction. But I LOVE it.

                                                        I’ve gone from beading to wire wrapping, back to beading and back to wire wrapping again. I briefly tried Wire Sculpture, and now I’m concentrating mostly in chain maille. I’m getting ready to incorporate a lot of my chain maille with some of the fantastic glass art beads I’ve seen on this forum.

                                                        More about Me…

                                                        I’m married with children, living in Southern Cali. We’re a military family, so we move around a LOT. I’ve lived in Virginia, Georgia, and Cali, so far. Not wanting to leave Cali any time soon, although I used to be a bonafied east coaster. That’s about it!

                                                        Thanks for having us jewelry folks here!!!!

                                                        Denise

                                                      Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 945 total)
                                                      • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.