All News is Big News

Though some is bigger than others- If you have been to my Etsy Store lately, then you probably already know what the BIG NEWS is, but if not, well just see below.

Yep, my wife and I had our first child-a healthy, hungry baby boy named Jeremia. He was born on April 2, and has been the cause of many a sleepless night as of late. However, I wouldn’t trade him in on a mule (as my Mother is prone to saying), meaning I think he’s pretty great.

He’s already almost doubled his weight in 10 weeks, so I can just imagine what it’s going to be like trying to keep this kid fed during his teenage years.

As they say, eat, sleep, poop, that about sums him up at this point, though he will talk your ear off if he gets the chance.

But this isn’t all that has gone on, the spring shows went very well, and I’m currently getting ready for the next- Bele Chere. It’s a monster of a festival attracting about 350,000 people to the Asheville area of the NC mountains the last weekend in July. Seriously, it’s a great show, if you can find a way to go, get there. Good food, good music, good art, need I say more?

I’ve also been working on a lot of new paintings- here are two:

Treeline 2009 20 x 24 x 1.5

Trot II 2009 22 x 34 x 1.5

Click on either one to see more details about them in my Etsy Store. I’m also going to be listing -TOMORROW- all of the jewelry that I was posting about before Jeremia arrived. That includes: Virtue Adrift, The Evening Star, 250 Regrets, and others. So, be looking out for them- they may go fast!

Lastly, I still haven’t finished the website update, but I’m almost there- busy, busy, busy is my new middle name. Until next time… -M

A Walkthrough: Almost Finished

I'm nearing completion of this piece- it now has a name: "The Evening Star."

The first and second photos show the piece closed and open-

And here you can get a good detail view on the inside bottom and top-

I worked on the bottom much like the top, using black glass beads, and silver micro beads embedded under the resin, but I've also added very small pocket watch hands around the tintype. I also riveted a piece of weathered brass on top of the lid which I think looks much like the peephole windows on a (space) ship. In the last image, you can get a much better idea of how the micro beads are embedded. Next, its on to making the chain- I'm thinking of using these great black glass ring beads that I picked up this weekend at a flea market. We'll see.

-M

250 Regrets: An Update

No, no, not things that I woulda, shoulda, coulda have done- I'm talking about the other neckpiece that I was working on. I finally finished it- you can see the results below.

The chain is actually annealed stainless steel, and those are hand-formed antique clear glass beads that I think are a nice compliment to the pandant.

This puppy will hit my Etsy shop in the not too distant future (say about a week), I'm going to list about 10 or 12 pieces all at the same time (this piece included), that way there will at least be a little to look at. I'll let you know when everything is up- should be about the same time as the new website.

-M

A walkthrough part 3;

or progress, progress, progress; or resin is really fun stuff.

I'm continuing to move along with this piece at a pretty good pace (usually a good sign for me). The metal inner piece is now fastened over the man's face, and I've collaged "VOL. IV" inside behind the small lid (I just love old cotton press-type pages). Resin has been poured in the top half of the compact, and I don't know if you can tell, but I have embedded small silver microbeads across the surface, small black glass beads along the inside edge, and a carnival glass Art Deco gemstone near the man's eye. At certain angles, the microbeads catch the light just right and sparkle like small stars. I have also embedded a transparency of the orbit of the Earth over the man's face to further expand on the space, star, heavens theme.

Next, I started work on the bottom part; as you can see I've cut an opening into the lid, and I've collaged part of an old calendar and a tintype of a young lady into the bottom section.

Here is what that part will look like when in the bottom of the compact.

On the outside front of the case, I've riveted on a drawer pull ornament, and collaged an eye inside the opening. Around the ornament, I have added gold leaf to give some shine to the front of the piece, and I've started the "weathering" process on the whole of the outside.

Everything is continuing to come along nicely, by the next update, I should have the interior almost completely finished.

The beginnings of this piece can be found here.

The second part here.

-M

A walkthrough Part 2.

As you can see, some progress has been made-the photo of the man has been fastened in, and I have collaged thin paper over his eyes; I also decided to turn him at an angle as if he is gazing upwards (I'm beginning to think this piece might have something to do with the stars, space, or the heavens). The inner piece has not yet been fastened over him, but I wanted to give you an idea of what it will look like.

I haven't worked any on the inside bottom part yet, what you are seeing are where the rivets are connecting pieces for the chain and signature plate on the backside.

I do now have the outside (front and back) covered with paper. I chose this great 19th century German book paper that dates from around 1850. It has been working its way into a number of projects as of late.

The last photo for today is a better look at the back. I have attached the rings which will hold the chain, and I have attached the signature plate. It does feel odd signing a piece before I am finished with it, but when building these jewelry pieces, necessity often dictates that I have to sometimes create a piece with the steps out of order.

If you would like to catch this piece from its beginning you can start here.

-M

A walkthrough

I've started on this new piece (to go with the millions of others that are half-finished), and I thought it might be interesting to show to you how my thought process works as I'm making a new piece.

This is a vintage compact case from a local flea market which is about 3" in diameter, and a vintage cabinet card photo which has been cut to a round shape to fit on the upper inside panel of the case.

The other two parts fit into the compact in the upper and lower spaces, so the top piece will actually end up fitting over the photograph. As you can see, the outside of the compact is pretty rough, and I plan to cover it with some type of paper. As this will be a neck piece, I will also have to fashion some type of support on the back of the case that a chain can be fastened to. At this point, I haven't really thought any further ahead than the photograph of the man, and his placement in the case. I'll keep you updated as this piece progresses.

-M

Even More Pieces

So, I was scratching around today in boxes that I had packed away during the recent overhaul of the studio, and I found these 6 pieces of jewelry that I had forgotten about.

I made all of these last year, and for whatever reason, wasn’t satisfied with them, so I was going to give them the upgrades I felt they needed. Then, somehow I managed to stick them in a box and completely forget about them…genius. Adding these to the others that I’m working on currently, and I guess I’m up to about 30 pieces-most of which are necklaces. I still plan to have them all finished in a week or so, so at least I don’t have an excuse not to keep busy.

On a side note- the website is progressing nicely, and I think I’m still on schedule (see this post), so if you’d like to be notified when it goes live, be sure to join my email list here.

-M

Pieces, pieces, pieces

I've been a little busy (finally) the last couple of days working on some new pieces- most of these will end up as snazzy neck wear, but I'm working on some brooches as well. Currently I think there are about 12 pieces in the first batch, but I've got stuff scattered all around, so I'm not exactly sure. I also just purchased a couple of cool vintage compact cases that I hope to work on soon.

These are a little closer to being finished- actually the hand pieces is already done. I'll try to keep you up to date as I have them posted.

-M