Spiral Necklace

  I know I have been neglecting the blog, especially when my mother emails to inquire why I have not updated lately:)
  There are a number of unfinished wire projects strewn about the work area. I would show you, but I'm embarrassed by the sheer volume of incomplete designs I have accumulated since the beginning of the year.
  I did finish something this afternoon just so I could write a blog post. This spiral necklace was inspired by a necklace Lynne Merchant was wearing the day I visited. Only hers was in silver and she had a different configuration of spiral clusters. I thought the clusters of spirals were extremely voluptuous and sensuous and I wanted one for myself.
  The necklace looks great on and feels beautiful laying against the neck.

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  This week I have been working on a wire sculpture along the lines of The Tangle and The Vine Pot. I expect to finish in the next week or two. I have not worked a design that requires 40+ hours of time since late last year.

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  Mid June is the second anniversary of this blog. I have a few things I'll want to say about that in the coming weeks.

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  Thank you to all who left comments last week. Blogger was acting up and it was impossible to respond, but I appreciate you.

Lynne Merchant

  Last week I discovered that Lynne Merchant has a gallery about 2.5 hours away from my home. I wasted no time and scheduled my Saturday for a trip down to San Diego. Could there possibly be a better wire gallery or store or museum anywhere?

  I had a wonderful day viewing her work and got to touch it! And meet her!!  I also purchased a wire pin made by her:) Now aren't you jealous?  :))

  If you are going to be in the San Diego area and you love wire, don't pass up a chance to visit her gallery!

  If you don't know who Lynne Merchant is, she is the woman who taught most of the wire teachers out there today. Like Sharilyn Miller, Conne Fox, Janice Berkabile, Tracy Stanley...countless more....

  You can find Lynne on Facebook here
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lynne-Merchant/211928952152042

  On Sunday I made a simple necklace very much influenced by my trip.

Wire Inspirations

  How many of you receive 'The Jewelry Making Daily" email? This morning's email began with a promising title  "Wireworker​s: Did you know you're a metalsmith​?".

  The article was a particularly good one for the daily email but it wasn't about wire working at all. It was an encouragement to wire workers to move into metalsmithing and supposedly expand their techniques. Which, to my mind, was sending a subtle message that wire holds you down and to truly advance you need to move into working with sheet or solder.

  One tiresome factor (for me) in all the daily newsletters from the jewelry industry is a push to teach you the next new thing. They glorify the idea that it's good to seek after every jewelry making technique that comes your way. That we should always be open and expanding ourselves into new mediums.

  My local bead store ladies often give me puzzled looks that I don't take a class in polymer clay or the latest free class offered on pouring resin. It isn't that I don't value other forms of jewelry. I admire and delight in many other styles of work and other people's creative techniques and strengths. Some polymer clay artists just break my heart with the beauty of their works and I'm tempted to go tearing off in a new direction and spend my time and energy learning silver clay instead of wire.

  The point of my post today is not to discourage anyone from trying new techniques or enjoying new classes if that is their hearts desire. The point of my post is to offer a counterbalance against the constant need for new. I want to remind you what can happen if you stick with something.

    Here is a list of great wire artists who have stuck with wire for 20-30 years. Look at what they can do:

http://www.dieladielka.sk/sortiment/diela/29-ladislav-jurovaty/strana-0/


http://www.barbaraberkdesigns.com/html/gallery.html


Lynne Merchant has finally updated her website and it contains every article/interview written about her for free
http://lynnemerchant.com/





http://www.barbarapatrick.com/html/frames.html


 http://mobilia-gallery.com/artists/afisch/




Here is a link to the Jewelry Making Daily email today



http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2011/05/11/learn-new-jewelry-making-techniques-from-wirework-to-metalsmithing.aspx http://www.nwbasketweavers.org/portfolio/Marilyn/index.html

Bangle set

  I was going to make a set of 6 bangles, but I ran out of the size silver I wanted. That, and the price put a stop to my plans:)

  I've gone back to work on my Bead Dreams project this weekend. I ripped out all the weaving and changed the wire gauge size and I'm liking it better:)