Kissing Dog

Chain workshop samples on display at Em-mi Beads

2008-09-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

If the pix in the blog posts about the chainmaking workshops don't give you a good idea of what the chains you complete will look like, samples of all of them will be on display at Em-mi Beads in Clinton starting this week.

Stop in and visit this lovely bead shop -- I promise you will be thrilled! Kim Schweitzer, Dana Saylor, Karen Buttonschon and everyone involved with Em-mi are always happy to help and will be glad to show you the chain samples for these workshops. There will also be brochures for the Kirkland Art Center right there, so you can get more info and give the art center a call to sign up right away. Forgot your cell phone? That's OK, the art center is just a few doors down from Emmi, right on the village green in Clinton. An easy, pretty walk.

See, how could we make it easier for you to sign up for a chainmaking workshop, get a feel for what metalwork is all about, and come away with a great new piece of jewelry and a hot new resource for all of your bead buying needs!?

Making the Queen's Chain

2008-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Last but not least in the Saturday afternoon chainmaking workshop series is the Queen's chain, pictured at right. This chain will be offered on Saturday November 15, from 2 - 5 p.m.

When you sign up for this workshop, your materials and use of tools in the Kirkland studio are included. You will receive a kit of pre-cut and tumble-polished sterling silver jump rings and a clasp sufficient to make an 8" bracelet length of the chain. You will also receive written instructions and a handy chart to help you out if you want to make that chain again in the future.

Kirkland is currently taking registrations for these workshops, so give them a call at 853-8871 if you have any questions or want to sign up. These chains make a great treat for yourself, or a wonderful gift for that someone special on your holiday list!

Making Flat Chain Mail

2008-09-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

This picture is of Flat Chain mail, which I will be teaching in a workshop at Kirkland Art Center on Saturday afternoon, November 8, from 2 - 5 p.m.

This is part of my Saturday afternoon series of chainmaking workshops that I am offering at Kirkland this fall. See other blog entries to get a look at the other offerings, the Double Flower, the Byzantine and the Queen's chain.

When you sign up for one of these workshops, the cost of your workshop includes materials and use of tools in the jewelry studio at Kirkland. You will receive a kit of pre-cut and tumble-polished sterling silver rings and a clasp sufficient to make an 8" bracelet of the featured chain. You also receive written instructions to make that chain and a handy chart which will help you know what to buy in the future if you want to make the chain again.

Kirkland is currently taking registrations for the workshops, so give them a call at 853-8871 if you are interested. These chains make great holiday gifts, or are a good way to pamper yourself if you've been working entirely too hard and need a pretty boost!

Making the Byzantine Chain

2008-09-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

In the photo to the right, you see the Byzantine chain, sometimes known as the King's chain. I will be offering a workshop in making this chain as part of my Saturday afternoon chainmaking workshop series at Kirkland Art Center this fall. This chain will be offered on Saturday October 18, from 2 - 5 p.m.

Each workshop includes materials and instructions in the price. You will receive a kit of pre-cut and tumble-polished sterling silver rings sufficient to make an 8" bracelet length of the featured chain, and a clasp to finish it. Tools are made available for your use during the workshop and you also receive written instructions on how to make the chain and a handy chart which can help you know what kind of rings to order if you want to make the chain again in the future.

Kirkland Art Center is currently taking registrations for these workshops, so give them a call at 853-8871 if you are interested. Space is limited, so call soon!

Making the Double Flower Chain

2008-09-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

This fall, I will again offer the Saturday afternoon chainmaking workshops that proved so popular last year. The first one will be Making the Double Flower Chain, offered on Saturday October 4th, from 2 - 5 p.m. at the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton.

In each workshop, we will construct a bracelet length of the featured chain. When you sign up for one of the chain workshops, everything is included in the price. You will receive a kit of pre-cut and
tumble-polished sterling silver jump rings and a clasp for your bracelet, and tools are made available for your use during the class. Each kit provides enough material to make an 8 inch bracelet. You also receive written instructions for the chain and a chart that, if you want to make more chains in the future, will help you figure out what size jump ring you need to order for the gauge of wire you are using.

The picture to the right is the Double Flower chain. It is a classic chain pattern that looks complicated, but is actually quite easy to construct. You will be happy to wear it yourself, or, it makes a truly impressive gift. Never too early to start thinking of those holiday gift lists, right?

KAC is currently taking registrations for the chain workshops. Give them a call at 853-8871 to sign up. Hope to see you there!

Exciting New Class Coming Up!!

2008-08-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

I will be co-teaching a new class held at Mohawk Valley Community College this fall, with my two dear friends, Denise Sachs-Mishalanie of Whirled Peas Jewelry and Kim Schweitzer of Em-mi Beads in Clinton.

The class is called "In the Loop -- Making Jewelry using the Wrapped Loop Technique." In this class, you will learn how to use a very common jewelry technique, the wrapped loop, to make 3 projects. The wrapped loop is often used in making earrings or attaching pendants and/or charms to jewelry and those are just the kind of projects we will do in this class. You will leave the class with a beautiful pair of earrings, a focal bead pendant and a bracelet with many beautiful beads embellishing a leather cord. The retail value of these projects, if you purchased them from the artist outside of class is $250 - $300.

All of your materials are paid for with your class fee and include handmade lampworked glass beads from Denise, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver clasps, pins and earwires from Em-mi Beads. Tools will be made available for your use during class as well. The fee for the class is $160. A great way to make some beautiful jewelry for yourself or for gifts, at a substantial discount! Plus, you get to say, "I made this!"

The class is held Monday and Wednesday, October 6 and 15; and again Monday and Wednesday, November 10 and 12. Contact the Corporate and Community Education Office at MVCC at 792-5472 for more details and to sign up.

Hope to see you there!

The Bead that Climbed Mt. Rainier!

2008-08-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

When Hamilton's own Ellen Kraly and her son Jimmy recently climbed Mt. Rainier in Washington to raise money for the Fred C. Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, this Kissing Dog Designs bead went with them. As you have read in previous blog entries, I have designed a special collection, the Mt. Rainier collection, to honor Ellen's fund-raising efforts. Eighty percent of the proceeds of the sales from Mt. Rainier will go to The Hutchinson Center.

When Ellen left for Washington to make her climb, I asked her to take this handmade sterling bead with her. That is why the bead is on a clip, so that it could ride along on a pack or jacket zipper. The bead is made of sterling, printed with the support ribbon design found on the backs of the Mt. Rainier pendants, and has applied 24K gold decoration. It has been chemically darkened, to bring out the ribbons pattern.

I will soon be posting this bead on ebay, and the proceeds from the auction will also go to the Hutchinson Center. I will blog when the bead goes up for auction -- bid early and bid often for the best chance to own this little bead that climbed a big mountain for a good cause!!

Fall classes already taking registrations!

2008-08-11T06:50:00.000-07:00

Registration is already underway at both Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute and Kirkland Art Center for fall classes in jewelry and metals.

At Munson: call 797-8260 to register

New! Try It workshop: This 3 hour workshop allows students to try out a metals project and finish a piece of jewelry before committing to a full semester class. $25 includes the cost of materials.
Tuesday August 26, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Beginning Jewelry and Metal Arts - 2 sections
Tuesday September 2 through Tuesday December 9
1 - 4 p.m. AND 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

At Kirkland Art Center in Clinton: call 853-8871 to register

Beginning Metalsmithing for Jewelry -
10 weeks beginning Monday September 8, 6 - 9 p.m.

Intermediate Metalsmithing for Jewelry -
10 weeks beginning Wednesday September 10, 6 - 9 p.m.

Also at KAC this fall:

“Holiday Gifting” Chain Workshops

Be a Holiday star! Get your shopping done early and present your special recipients with something beautiful you made yourself; a sterling silver chain bracelet.

In each 3 hour workshop, you will receive materials to construct a bracelet length of the featured chain, information and instructions on how and where to order more wire if you’d like to continue chain-making, and a copy of the instructions for the featured chain. NO previous jewelry or metal working experience is required. Tools are provided for use during the workshop. Retail value of the pieces made is $100+.

Check with the KAC for cost per workshop, which will include materials.

Chain workshops, Fall 2008:

1. Christmas Gifting: Making the Double Flower chain October 4 2-5 p.m.

2. Christmas Gifting: Making the Byzantine chain October 18 2-5 p.m.

3. Christmas Gifting: Making Flat chain mail November 8 2-5 p.m.

4. Christmas Gifting: Making the Queen’s chain November 15 2-5 p.m.

I hope to see you in class!

Kissing Dog for the Cure

2008-08-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

I have recently introduced a new collection of jewelry, called the Mt. Rainier collection, to help a friend raise money for breast cancer research. The friend is Ellen Kraly, of Colgate University. On this August 13-15, Ellen and her son Jimmy will be climbing Mt. Rainier to raise funds for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. For more on Ellen and Jimmy's climb, see www.radiofreehamilton.com.

As a woman who lost her mother to breast cancer, I support Ellen and Jimmy's quest. As such, I have designed this special collection, the Mt. Rainier collection, which will be for sale at Evergreen Gallery, 11 Lebanon St., Hamilton NY. Eighty percent of the proceeds of the sales of this jewelry will go to Ellen's cause. The pendant shown is quite representative, and sells for $35. It is handmade of sterling and fine silver, with tiny glass beads in either pink or silver and tinted resin in pink in the center. On the back is embossed a design of the support ribbon for breast cancer, drawn especially for these pieces by Denise Sachs-Mishalanie of Whirled Peas Jewelry. The pieces hang on hand-dyed silks in varying shades of pink, and are adjustable with a silver slider bead.

If you can't get to Evergreen Gallery and you'd like to help support Ellen's cause by purchasing a piece from the Mt. Rainier collection, contact me at kissdog@twcny.rr.com.

Kissing Dog now has an Etsy shop

2008-08-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

Kissing Dog Designs now has an Etsy shop! I hope you will pay a visit. I've started out small, but have big plans for expansion. While you're at it, start out by visiting my website, www.kissingdog.com, to see the new layout and the new jewelry designs. You will be able to jump to the Etsy shop from live links on the website, or you can visit directly by going to www.kissingdogdesigns.etsy.com.

This will be my primary method of selling online from now on, but don't forget to visit the website regularly to see new work that may not be intended for Etsy sales.

Thanks, I'll be looking for you on Etsy.

Spring session classes beginning at Munson-Williams-Proctor

2007-12-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

Here are the details on my spring session classes at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute inUtica:

Beginning Jewelry and Metal Arts:

Tuesday, 1-4 p.m., January 15 through April 22
and
Tuesday, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m., January 15 through April 22
Tuition is $220 and lab fee is $60 for this 14 week class.

Call Munson's School of Art at 797-8260 to register. Registration is currently going on.

Winter/Spring sessions classes to begin at KAC

2007-12-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

Now that the holiday buzz is about to wrap up, I am thinking of my new session of classes about to begin! Here are the details:

Kirkland Art Center

Beginning Metalsmithing for Jewelry, Mondays 6 - 9 p.m., January 7 - March 10. This is now a 10 week class. Member fee is $127, non-member fee is $149. All students pay a $15 lab fee.

Intermediate Metalsmithing for Jewelry, Wednesdays 6 - 9 p.m., January 9 - March 12. Also 10 weeks, and same costs as above.

New! Independent Metals Studio, 4 week rolling sessions, beginning Monday, January 7, 1 - 4 p.m. This is open studio time for people who have taken Beginning Metalsmithing and want time to work on their own projects. Students must supply their own materials. I am available for consultation and assistance. A four week session is $67 for KAC members, $75 for non-members. A $20 lab fee covers expendable studio supplies such as saw blades, drill bits, chemicals, etc.

Chain bracelet workshops:

Making the Queen's Chain, Saturday, February 2, 2 - 5 p.m.

Making the Love Knot (double flower) Chain. Saturday, February 9, 2 - 5 p.m.

Making the Byzantine Chain, Saturday, March 8, 2-5 p.m.

Member fee $55, non-member fee $64 per workshop. Fees include enough sterling rings to make an 8" chain and a sterling clasp. Tools are provided. Perhaps you would like to bring your own magnification and additional lighting if you need these to help you work. We will have some additional small lights available.
Call Kirkland Art Center at 853-8871 to register for all classes and workshops, registration beginning January 2.

More Atomic '50s

2007-10-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

The time is fast approaching for the preview reception for my new Atomic '50s collection. If you haven't been given, or received an invitation in the mail, rest assured that if you are interested enough in my work to visit my website and/or read my blog, you are certainly invited!

The reception will be held on October 28, 2 - 4 p.m. at Evergreen Gallery on 11 Lebanon St. in Hamilton. We will have light refreshments to make your travels worthwhile. Wear your favorite '50s inspired outfit -- after all, it will go best with whatever jewelry you buy!

This necklace features the vintage Lucite cabochon that inspired the whole collection for me in the first place. I just love how midcentury modern it is. It absolutely screams its era, but still looks fresh to me. I set it in sterling & fine silver. The two adjoining elements are composed of sterling & fine silver, glass and tinted resin. All are hanging from a handmade sterling chain.

This is gonna look great with your button-up-the-back sweater and your penny loafers!

YOU are invited

2007-10-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

It's an event! And, YOU are invited!

There will be a preview reception of my new collection, "Atomic '50s" at Evergreen Gallery, 11 Lebanon St. in Hamilton on Sunday, October 28, 2 - 4 p.m. This blog entry is in case I don't get a chance to hand a personal invitation to everyone who might be interested. Come anyway, don't be shy!

Of course, the Atomic '50s collection will be featured, but don't forget that you will also get to see what a unique and fabulous shop Evergreen Gallery is. There is truly something for everyone there, with a price range to suit even my budget, and it all reflects the excellent taste of the gallery's owner, Lauri Tomberlin. You can buy cards, jewelry, decorative items for your home and even vintage clothing and accessories. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and possibly get some ideas for your holiday gift list as well.

Where else can you have so much fun? Hope to see you there and meanwhile, don't forget to duck and cover!

Midcentury Muse

2007-10-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

I recently began a series of work inspired by some vintage Lucite cabochons that just scream "midcentury modern." I am calling the collection "Atomic Fifties."

While lots of my work is inspired by and references the early mod period, it is a dirty little secret that I love midcentury modern, too. You know, the Fabulous Fifties?

This pendant is sterling silver, glass and tinted resin. It is strung with citrine, sterling silver and Czech glass beads and, though you can't see it in this pic, finished with chain.

Stay tuned for more Atomic Fifties. Meanwhile, duck and cover!

Chain workshops in Hamilton!

2007-09-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'd love to get a feel for how much interest there is in jewelry making classes right here in Hamilton. To that end, I am offering a couple of chain-making workshops this fall, to be held in the Community Room at the Colgate Bookstore.

November 3, Making the Byzantine Chain, 2 - 5 p.m.

December 1, Making the Foxtail Chain, 2 - 5 p.m.

Now for the details: Your fee of $45 per workshop gets you enough sterling silver rings to construct a bracelet length of the featured chain, plus a sterling silver clasp to finish with. You will also be provided with tools to use during the workshop. The rings are already cut and tumble-polished, so your bracelet is shiny and ready to wear when you walk away. See, I've thought of everything!

Interested? Remember, chains like this make a terrific, impressive gift!

If you'd like to sign up, call me at 315-691-6306, or email me at kissdog@twcny.rr.com.

Fee for the workshop is $45, which includes your materials and the use of tools. I can take checks or you can pay me through Paypal, but I can't take credit cards directly. What the heck, a Paypal account is free and lets you use your credit card through other merchants, too! I am limiting the class size to 10, so don't wait too long to sign up! Also, deadline for sign up is one week before the actual class runs, which gives me time to purchase materials and cut and polish your rings.

Can you believe it? Fall classes to begin!

2007-08-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable! But, fall classes are about to begin. Here is what is cooking for me:

Beginning Jewelry and Metalsmithing
Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica
Tuesday August 28 - Tuesday December 4
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
and
Tuesday August 28 - Tuesday December 4
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Registration begins August 7
Call: 315-797-8260

Beginning Metalsmithing for Jewelry
Kirkland Art Center, Clinton
Monday September 17 - Monday November 5
6 - 9 p.m.
Registration going on now
Call: 315-853-8871

Intermediate Metalworking for Jewelry
Kirkland Art Center, Clinton
Wednesday September 19 - Wednesday November 7
6 - 9 p.m.
Registration going on now
Call: 315-853-8871

Christmas Giving Chain Workshops
Kirkland Art Center, Clinton
Get your shopping done early and present your special recipients with something beautiful you made yourself: a sterling silver chain bracelet. In each workshop, you will receive materials to construct a bracelet length of the featured chain, information and instructions on how and where to order more wire to continue chain-making and instructions for the featured chain. NO METAL WORKING EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED.
** Making the Byzantine Chain - Saturday October 13
** Making the Foxtail Chain - Saturday October 20
** Making Flat Chain Mail - Saturday November 10
** Making the Double Flower Chain - Saturday November 17
All workshops run from 2 - 5 p.m. Workshop fee of $45 for members and $54 for non-members includes materials. Tools are available in the studio for student use.
Registration going on now.
Call: 315-853-8871

Basic Techniques for Beaded Jewelry
Oneida Madison BOCES, Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford
Thursday September 13 - Thursday November 29
7 - 9 p.m.
Call: 315-793-8696

As always, there will be a variety of basic beading classes and various project classes offered at Emmi Beads. Call 315-853-8760 or visit http://www.emmibeads.com/ for the schedule each month. But do yourself a favor, and actually visit the shop -- what a treat!

Hope to see you in class!

Clinton Art and Music Festival

2007-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

I will have a booth at the upcoming Clinton Art and Music Festival, held on August 25 this year in the village of Clinton. Artists will be set up from 10 until 5, but musical events go on much longer.

I am looking forward to a great day (hope the weather cooperates!) and I hope to see many of you there. I will have some show special prices and coupons for use on my website (get started on that Christmas shopping early!)

For more information on the Festival, visit: www.artandmusicfest.com.

After the Broken Heart #2

2007-07-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

It took me long enough, but here is the image of the second heart in the series I am calling "After the Broken Heart." Like the other two in the series, this one is constructed of sterling, anodized aluminum and 24K gold. It is constructed with spacer rivets of black anodized aluminum.
I said I would talk a little about the conception of this series, which began with a comment by my husband that he particularly liked a piece of similar construction that I had done on commission for someone. He thought a series of jewelry based on that piece would be a good idea.
As I began to work, virtually everything I had originally thought for the series changed. Only the fact that they would be hearts and that there would be three remained.
I did the last of the 3 first. I didn't know when I started that it would be the last, I knew when I saw it. The lotus is the sign of rebirth, and it seemed to me that was a pretty happy, healed heart. The first heart in the series is black and blue and the top of the heart is fractured, but the lotus is there, suggesting itself and its meaning, but in blue. The second heart is still black and blue, but the lotus is gold and both layers of the heart are complete, although it is closed. I think it is possible for our broken hearts to heal and to grow from the experience. So, the third heart is a bit larger, and the lotus is gold in both layers. I love the botanical piercing, suggesting the beauty and serenity of flowers and the amazing ability of plants to regenerate after a disaster. This is also the only one in the series without heavily textured surfaces, with a smooth, mirror finish.
This is perhaps not the most eloquent explanation of some of the thought process that went with making this series, but I hope it gives an idea of how artwork can change and morph as it progresses.
I have high hopes for the series, and will be submitting it for consideration for an exhibition at Munson-Williams-Proctor called "Made in Central New York." If any or all of the pieces are accepted, they will be in the exhibition next year, from April to July. If they are not accepted, they will go up for sale, probably around Christmas of this year.

Declare Your Independence

2007-07-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Must be the 4th of July spirit, but I have suddenly been inspired to post this entry declaring Summer 2007 to be the summer I strive to persuade you all to free yourselves of commercial jewelry. Fitting that I should begin my campaign today.

Summer is the time of festivals, notably arts and crafts festivals. Visit a few and discover the joys of handmade objects and the rare opportunity to get to meet and possibly to know, the person whose hands made your purchase. I'm not even talking about just jewelry, you can buy the greatest handmade things at summer festivals; and maybe you will then be inspired to hunt out the small stores and galleries, like Evergreen Gallery, right here in Hamilton, that carry merchandise which is handmade by local artisans.

So, standup everybody and let's pledge: I will no longer spend my hard-earned dollars on unimaginatively designed, cheaply made jewelry from a giant, faceless corporation that somehow feels the need to tell me how to spell a four letter word!

Declare your independence -- tell them to _iss off!

Me on Mohawk Valley Living

2007-07-01T06:47:00.001-07:00

Summer Classes about to begin

2007-06-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

A fresh summer season of classes is on its way (notice I decided to do this post in fresh summer green?)

I will be offering Beginning Metalsmithing for Jewelry at Kirkland Art Center beginning Monday July 9, from 6 - 9 p.m. Intermediate Metalsmithing for Jewelry will be offered at the KAC beginning on Wednesday, July 11, also from 6 - 9 p.m. Both classes will run 8 weeks. Call the Kirkland Art Center at 853-8871 to register.

I will be offering two classes at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in July, as well. Beginning Jewelry will be offered Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. beginning July 10. Jewelry Hot and Cold will be offered for 2 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, 1 - 4 p.m. beginning on July 17. Jewelry Hot and Cold is an intensive class in which students will practice and improve their soldering skills, and learn cold-connections as well, using both to design a piece of jewelry to complete during class. Call Munson at 797-0000 to register.

I also teach classes on bead jewelry at Emmi Beads in Clinton. Check their website, http://www.emmibeads.com/ for an updated schedule.

Hope to see you in class!

I'm on TV!

2007-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am about to become a star!

I was fortunate enough to be contacted by Mohawk Valley Living, the Sunday television show that highlights arts and events in the Mohawk Valley, to be featured on their show.

My segment airs on Sunday, July 1 on Utica's WKTV (channel 2) at 7:30 a.m. and 12:05 a.m. and also on the CW (channel 11) at 10 a.m. Yikes!

Visit their website at www.mohawkvalleyliving.com for more information.

After the Broken Heart #1

2007-06-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

This piece will be the first in the three part series I am calling "After the Broken Heart." As mentioned in my previous post, I have already completed the last one in the series. The middle child is, as expected, giving me some difficulty, but I expect to have it completed and its image posted soon.
This heart is constructed of sterling, anodized aluminum, 24K gold and tinted epoxy resin.
When I post the pic of the third member of the series, I will spend a little time explaining the thought process that led to the series. Hope you will tune in.

After the Broken Heart

2007-06-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've blogged, but here I am again with a piece I am really excited about. This piece represents the 3rd in an upcoming series I am calling "After the Broken Heart." It will be a series of three, so I have obviously begun with the last one. Well, my mother told me I learned to crawl backwards first, and I guess things haven't changed substantially. But look how well Steven Covey has done, telling people to begin with the end in mind ...
Anyway. This pendant is constructed of sterling silver and 24K gold. It is pierced, fabricated with spacer rivets and Keum Boo. (This is the process of fusing the 24K gold to the fine silver in the sterling.) The back is filled with transparent resin in a kind of blue-magenta, surrounding a golden lotus. I am rarely so excited about my own work, so I couldn't wait to get this one up on the blog site.
Stay tuned for the other two in the series. I am working on the first one now. When they are all complete, I will post of photo of them together.

To Be or Not to Be Art

2007-04-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've titled this entry as I have because it is the theme for the Kirkland Art Center's Gala Art Auction on April 21, for which I created this piece. It is a fitting title as far as my work goes, I think, because some people think that jewelry is not art. I beg to differ, obviously, and so do lots of other artisan jewelers, who are busily creating small, wearable works of art on a regular basis. I am pleased to know that the nice folks at Kirkland Art Center think of my work as art.

This piece is constructed of textured sterling and anodized aluminum, with tinted epoxy resin forming the flower's center. It is constructed by means of spacer rivets, with lime green anodized aluminum spacers, which are not visible in this photo. The rivets, which look like raised polka dots on the front of the piece are made flush and smooth on the back, so it will not scratch the skin or snag clothing when it is worn. I hung it on a substantial sterling silver cable, which I think complements it well and is not distracting.

The Kirkland Art Center auction will take place in the Gallery at the Art Center, located on East Park Row in the village of Clinton on April 21st. Preview is 7 - 8 p.m. and the auction is 8 - 10 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door.

I hope to see you there, and happy bidding! Remember, all proceeds benefit the art center.

Support Art!

2007-04-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be an artist to support art. Here's an idea -- consider attending the Kirkland Art Center Gala Art Auction in Clinton, NY on April 21. The Kirkland Art Center (hereafter called the KAC, for the sake of my fingers!) is the oldest regional multiarts center in Central New York. They offer classes, exhibits, coffeehouses and more on a regular basis from their location in an old church on the village green in Clinton.

This year's auction, themed "To Be or Not To Be Art," will offer unique works by over 30 regional artists (including yours truly!) as well as goods and services. The art works will be offered in a traditional auction format, and it is a lot of fun and a great chance to pick up some original art for a perhaps unheard of price. The goods and services will be offered in a silent auction format.

Light refreshments will be served. Preview is 7 - 8 p.m. The auction is 8 - 10 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door.

Come have a great time, perhaps discover something new and support the arts in Central New York! The KAC is located on East Park Row, on the Village Green in Clinton, New York. Call them for more info at 315-853-8871.

Hope to see you there!

Chlorine -- definitely NOT for jewelry

2007-03-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Seems as if, lately, I have been shown a lot of jewelry that has been exposed to chemicals, like chlorine in a swimming pool or hot tub. Silver and chlorine equals black, and let's not even think about what chlorine can do to stones, like turquoise or pearls.
Lots of people tell me that they put their jewelry on and never take it off. I'm all for a signature look, or honoring the sentimentality of a piece (or pieces) of jewelry, but let's face it, jewelry isn't meant to be a permanent part of your body (unless it's a piercing and that doesn't really count as jewelry in my book.)
Jewelry is meant to be an adornment and, as such, is removable. It should be removed and treated with care. After all, who wants a signature look that looks like the cat dragged it in?
Guess what I am saying is, take of your jewelry. The chances are you invested some dollars in it, so protect your investment. Take your jewelry off before you get in the pool or hot tub. Sure, some of this chemical damage can be cleaned and buffed away, but jewelry is like anything else and can only take so much abuse before it is ruined. It's not so hard to put it back on anyway, is it?
So, be gentle to your jewelry and it will be flattering to you!

Real Girls wear armor and pearls!

2007-03-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

I know chain mail has this reputation for being kind of goth these days. I don't think anyone who knows me would consider me even remotely goth, even in their wildest imagination. But chain mail makes you appreciate the creativity and ingenuity of those armorers who first wove it to protect themselves or their nobles in battle. Generally in those days, the mail was probably not made of sterling silver, or embellished with pearls, as this collar is. I love the intricate look of a classic flat chain mail and I enjoy the irony of mixing something so conceptually masculine as armor with something so traditionally feminine as pearls. There, I gave the secret away. Anyway, check my website www.kissingdog.com for more entries in the Pearls and Armor collection.

Put it in Writing

2007-03-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

I've had this stone, Chinese Writing Stone, for a very long time. Maybe 4 years. I never quite knew what I wanted to do with it, just that I loved its strong, graphic looks. I went on a stone buying spree right about that time, and I have had quite a few that have been hanging around waiting for me to decide what to do with them. Then I decided I wasn't interested in stones anymore, and they languished in my project box even longer.

Who knows what provides inspiration for something new, but suddenly I knew that I had to use these stones and I had to do it NOW. What followed was a fury of setting stones and combining them with chunky beads like these turquoise, a stone I've never used very much but suddenly can't seem to get enough of. Go figure.

Anyway, this necklace of turquoise with its Chinese Writing Stone pendant is one of the results. Maybe I will post others soon. Stay tuned.

This piece will soon go up for sale at Evergreen Gallery, 11 Lebanon Street in Hamilton. Come see.

Tired of the same old?

2007-02-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

A quick entry to let you know about some new, upcoming classes.

I will be offering a class at Kirkland Art Center, called "Chain, Chain, Chain." Not surprisingly, we will make chains, specifically 4 bracelet length classic chains in 18 gauge sterling silver. The patterns will be classic flat chain mail, the double flower, the Byzantine and the foxtail.

During the summer at Munson-Williams-Procter in Utica, I will offer a 4 session intensive class called "Jewelry Hot and Cold," which will focus on developing more assured soldering skills and learning various cold connections, such as rivets. Part of each class will be spent practicing skills and part will be spent designing and fabricating a piece of jewelry that will require both hot and cold connection to complete.

Stay tuned right here for further information on dates and times. See my website, www.kissingdog.com also, for further updates of my teaching schedule.

Window to the Sun

2007-02-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

In the cold, gray winter of Central New York, you can get to a point where you honestly believe you may never see the sun again. This is a rough place to live if you have Seasonal Affective Disorder.

These earrings I call "Window to the Sun." The hammered tops make me think of those heavy gray clouds, kind of flat and threatening looking, that so often inhabit the winter sky. All of a sudden, they can get a little hole in them and what do you know? There's the sun peeping through, reminding you that it really does still exist.

These are sterling silver, fine silver and use a Korean technique called Keum Boo, in which the 24K gold which comprises my "sun," is fused to the fine silver back sheet of the earrings.

What are you made of?

2006-09-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

There is a big debate in the jewelry world: at least artisan/studio jewelers like myself think there is something to debate. Not sure whether commercial jewelers are in on it yet! The debate has to do with what makes a piece precious -- is jewelry precious because of the materials it is made of, or because of the design idea it represents? In commercial jewelry, the answer tends to have to do with the preciousness of the materials in the jewelry. It is made of gold, platinum, silver; has diamonds, rubies, etc. so therefore, it MUST be precious, even if the design is trite beyond all bearing.
Artisan or studio jewelers like myself tend to look at this a little differently. This bangle is composed of acrylic, anodized aluminum and sterling silver. Total worth of the materials in it, about $10. The design idea harks back to those fabulous Bakelite days, with a little industrial influence thrown in.
I made this piece, so we know I'm biased, but I'd rather wear this than drip with diamonds. I know this took hours to laminate the acrylic, cut, shape and refine it. Measure and drill and cut for the rivets. Sand and buff and polish. I know this came from my heart, my mind and my hands. Other artisan's jewelry does, too. When you wear artisan jewelry, you support a movement that harks back to the days when things were handmade and unique, when a piece you liked meant that you shared the artist's vision of what is precious.

Think about this the next time you look at someone's handmade jewelry. When you buy handmade jewelry, you buy so much more than just a ring, bracelet or necklace. You take a little piece of the artist with you and the knowledge that you won't see your new jewelry everywhere else you turn.

Enjoy!

A Thousand Flowers

2006-08-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

In Italian, "millefiore" means "a thousand flowers." The green beads in this recently completed "ladder" bracelet are wonderful examples of contemporary millefiore beads. See those little flowers? Each center, each petal, is comprised of a separate rod of glass, all compressed together and fused with heat to create the pattern. Very beautiful. Very labor intensive. Guess that just goes to prove the old saying about anything worth having being worth working for...
The alternating beads are contemporary Czech glass and believe me, the Czechs are no slouches when it comes to glass, either.
Some people tend to discount bead jewelry, but look more closely next time you see a piece constructed with beads. The larger work of art that is the jewelry is composed of many small works of art that are the beads. Hmm. Not unlike millefiore.

Thinner, lighter, cheaper

2006-08-13T07:07:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I just completed. It is a first in a limited production run that will build on this theme.

This piece is made of 20 gauge sterling, with a handmade 18 gauge chain. In the jewelry world, gauge means how thick the metal is. Hence the title of this blog -- thinner, lighter, cheaper. That's the credo of the commercial jewelry world. Make it thinner, make it lighter, make it cheaper -- for the producer and retailer, not the consumer. So, we have abominations like hollow gold and silver that dents if you look at it wrong.

20 gauge is fairly hefty. This piece has a little weight to it, you feel like you have something substantial. It has been hammered, and the rings attaching the discs have been soldered closed. There is a matching hammered toggle for closure.

There are lots of advantages to buying artisan jewelry. First, it is someone's original design. You won't see it everywhere. Most of my pieces are "one offs," one-of-a-kinds, that is. Or, as with this one, limited production pieces. There will be others in this line that will resemble it, but not be exactly like it. And most importantly, I don't skimp on materials, or attention to detail. You won't find this piece making the trip from high-end "gotta have it" Tiffany's to "everybody's got it" Walmart wear.

Something to think about ...

Just getting started ...

2006-08-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

I have never blogged before ...

I decided to get started to give visitors to my website a new way to experience my jewelry -- by sharing some of my thoughts, hopes and dreams with you. Artisan jewelry is very different from commercial jewelry -- it is a process, a goal, a journey, a dream. I hope that by sharing the personal experience of creating my jewelry, it will be more than just a pretty ornament to you, you will begin to understand the "personalness" of it.

I also hope to keep you posted on my teaching and workshop schedule. If you live in the Mohawk or Chenango valley, maybe I will see you in one of my classes! I love teaching, and it thrills me to see how happy the process of creating jewelry is to my students. I especially love how differently everyone's stuff turns out.

So stay tuned, visit often. My website, www.kissingdog.com is about to undergo major changes. Let me know what you think!