You Tube Thursday - Halloween Edition

We had a great time at the Trunk show!  Thanks to everyone who stopped by!  We'll be doing it again in January (just in time for Valentine's Day), so stay tuned for developments.

I thought we'd have a little fun for the holiday this weekend.  Not about jewelry or meeting our members or running a business - but Noah Scalin was featured live in the Etsy Virtual Labs last week, so I'm taking a little poetic license.  

Giving oneself a project that will take a whole year to complete is a daunting idea, but the creativity that ensued for Noah makes me want to take it on! The Skull - A - Day project is inspiring in and of itself. Can you think of a single design that you could exploit, explore and expand on? Every single day? For a YEAR? Sure gets my wheels spinning.

Etsy MetalClay is Having a Trunk Show!!!

Tomorrow, Thursday October 30 at 4:00 Pacific/7:00 Easter in the Treehouse!  Just go to Etsy, click on Community and them Virtual Labs.  Then enter the Treehouse and enjoy the fun!  The ten members whose work is pictured above are all participating, each showing 3 gorgeous items from their shops.

There will be pop quiz's and door prizes and much throwing of cupcakes and kisses. So be sure to stop by to join in the fun!

Meet the Team - Interview with Lora Hart

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I was a make up artist for 17 years before I started making jewelry.  Began with stringing (didn't almost everyone?), then did a tiny bit of fabrication and then found metal clay.

Have any special hobbies?

As if!  Metal clay rules my life.  I try to do a bit of knitting now and then and have recently discovered needle felting, which I love - but those are really just side lines.

What is your business name and website address?

Lora Hart Jewels - LoraHart.com or LoraHartJewels.blogspot.com

Your shop address?

LoraHart.Etsy.com

How did you find out about metalclay and then start working with it? How long?

I took a walk in my neighborhood in Santa Monica California circa 2000 and there was a sign in a window that caught my eye.  The rest is history.

What drives you to make jewelry?

I love using my small muscle group skills.  I loved doing make up, focusing in on details that the camera might not like.  I loooove untangling chains.  Anything fiddly that occupies my fingertips.  And I loooove sparkly, shiny things.  I'm a Magpie at heart.

Are you disciplined or do you go with the flow and work when you feel like it?

Discipline?  No, no, I'm not into S & M.  I'm actually more familiar with Procrastination.  It's an unhealthy relationship that I really must end.

Won any awards for your jewelry? for anything else?

I'm not much of an enter-er.  So no awards.  I've been published a bit though.  And used to write for Step By Step Beads.  Many years ago I won $25.00 on "Name That Tune".  Does that count?

What is your art sensibility - precise or organic?

I'm very precise with my finishing.  And corners. And such.  Yeah I guess you could say I'm precise.
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When did you feel you had more confidence in your abilities?

Aw, I still lack confidence in my abilities.  Sometimes I like what I come up with and sometimes I think I need a bit more practice time.  But other folks seem to disagree with me, so what do I know?

What is your favorite tool for working with metalclay?

Love my fingers - finger sanding is my friend; and toothpicks.  Great for sooo many things.  And I love to etch copper plates for my textures.  I like the uneven surface left by the acid.  PPP's and stamps are much too precise for me.  I like an aged, decaying feel to my work. Like something uncovered on an archeological dig.

Where do you work?

I live in 500 square feet and my studio takes up about 11' x 7' of that. It's within view of my living room, so it has to look presentable. Not to say it's not a mess occasionally.
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What is your favorite thing to make?

I really like to make hollow forms, boxes, constructions of some kind.  And I'm very into Slip Printing at the moment.
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Do you ever add commercial components?

Yup.  I don't turn up my nose at anything if it works with the piece.  I have better things to do with my time than make chain and jump rings.  I love found objects too.  Even purchased found objects and odd things.

How do you work, and when? (for ex. assembly line or one at a time)

I work on one thing at a time.  i like to start with clay in the morning and end up with polished and patinated silver at night.  I don't always turn things into an actual piece of jewelry right away, and I do have lots of half finished greenware in a tray on my bench.

Do you have any kind of creative ritual?

No rituals, just toddle over to the studio (mostly in my PJ's) and get to work.  I like to get started really early in the morning.  A holdover from Make Up days.  I get up at around 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning.

How do you hold onto ideas that you don't have time to pursue NOW!

Mmmm... I'm pretty bad about that.  I usually forget them.

Do you ever use a sketchbook?

Nope.  Wish I could learn to remember to use one.  I have a million of 'em, but they're mostly empty.
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Do you teach classes and where?

I teach all over Los Angeles.  I'm a new Senior Instructor for PMC Connection, so that's new to the mix.

Do you make a living at it?

Yes, such as it is.

Do you do custom orders?

Never.  I have a hard enough time bringing my own visions to life.  I'd hate trying to interpret someone else's idea.  What happens if you get it wrong?  Yikes.

What are you working on currently?

I'm just starting on my path through the Master's Registry, so I'm doing some research at the moment.  I do have to pull out the sketch book for this one.  Maybe it'll be the start of a new habit.

What's next on your agenda to make?

The thing for the Registry.  And samples for classes. Always samples for classes.
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How do you make time for everything you want to do?

I have a solitary life.  No hubby, no babies, no doggies.  And the cat lives in the closet most of the time. No responsibilities to anyone but myself, my students and my landlord.  Very Freeing.

Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself?

Ummm...I'm not a natural redhead.


Thank you Lora,
It has been a pleasure getting to know you.

You Tube Thursday - One Day Late

Working with bronze clay is trickier/different than working with silver clay. A good way to get off on the right track is to spend a moment to condition the clay right after you take it out of the package. It's not as labor intensive as conditioning polymer clay, but will make a big difference if you do it right.

I like to put a big thumbprint in the middle of the lump and drip in a few drops of glycerin water. Then fold the glycerin in, mixing it thoroughly throughout the lump. I do this within plastic wrap to avoid the mess factor, but you don't have to. You can make glycerin water yourself by combining equal parts glycerin from the drugstore with distilled water or you can buy PMC Extender Liquid from Chris Darway of PMC Tool and Supply. He adds a little red food coloring for fun.

Leave the mixture to soak in for a minute or so and you'll have lovely clay that doesn't crack as you work.  At least that's my experience.

Mardel Rein of Cool Tools has a different and equally successful method of conditioning BronzClay.  Take a look at her You Tube video for an alternate point of view.

Meet the Team - Interview with Sue Urquhart

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
I went to the Academy of Art college in San Francisco, where I majored in graphic design. It was the olden days, so this involved rubylith, exacto knives and rubber cement. They had some jewelry classes, but I never took one. I ended up in Sonoma County after college, and the local junior college had an excellent jewelry program. I took it and was immediately hooked! I learned traditional fabricating and casting and I enjoyed it so much that I went to work in jewelry manufacturing. I did production work for 4 years at a company that did silver, bronze and gold casting, and then 6 years making very high end gold jewelry. For the last 6 years I've been working doing design work for yet another manufacturer, this time it's fabricated jewelry though. I'm quite happy to be doing my own work again too.

Have any special hobbies?
Yes, I race motorcycles. Road racing (not dirt!) against men. I've done it for the last 7 years - it's fun, expensive, and yes, it's dangerous. My mother is not thrilled that her 43 year old daughter does this, but she's used to it now. I don't usually tell her when I crash though.

What is your shop name and address?
Lulu Bug Jewelry. I also have a blog.

How did you find out about metalclay and then start working with it? How long?
I remember hearing about metal clay when it first came out, and I finally took a little class at the Santa Rosa parks and rec department about a year ago, and was immediately addicted. I did my own jewelry work years ago, mainly fabrication, but got burned out since I did it for 8 hours a day at my job too. I hadn't had the desire to do my own work until I discovered metal clay. Now I remember why I started down this path in the first place 18 years ago.



What drives you to make jewelry?
I enjoy making tangible things, and I like the durability and permanence of metal. It's very satisfying to make objects (as opposed to making a painting) that have a purpose. I also like the fact that humans have adorned themselves since way back when and that I'm part of that tradition. I love looking at ancient jewelry, imagining who made it, how they did it and with what tools. I've looked at ancient gold castings and thought "Hah! They had problems with porosity too!"

Are you disciplined or do you go with the flow and work when you feel like it?
Since I work 40 hours a week at my other job, I am very disciplined or I would never get anything done! I do something every day. I spend 2-4 hours every week night working, and if I've got no other plans, a very large portion of my weekend too.



Do you do any other type of art?
Right now it's just jewelry, but I have done drawing and painting in the past. I do the artwork on for my pieces with images using Photoshop and Illustrator, and sometimes just plain old pen and paper.

What is your art sensibility - precise or organic?
Precise, but I'm trying hard to be more organic! Metal clay lends itself to organic.



When did you feel you had more confidence in your abilities?
I feel pretty confident as of late -it feels as if all my years of experience in the jewelry industry are finally coming together and I'm able to use it all to express myself in a way that pleases me.

What is your favorite tool for working with metalclay?
Anything that is used once the clay is dry - I don't like it when it's wet!

Where do you work?
In my living room.



What is your favorite thing to make?
I don't have any one favorite - I just enjoy the act of making.

Do you ever add commercial components?
Jump rings, chains and clasps. I make my own ear wires though.

How do you work, and when? (for ex. assembly line or one at a time)
I'm a night owl and focus best after 10pm. Needless to say, I am usually sleep deprived since I have to get up in the morning. I always plan my week and work on a number of pieces at the same time, keeping on somewhat of a schedule so I can see them from start to finish to photography in a reasonable amount of time. It helps me keep new work flowing, and it's always nice to finish things. Otherwise, I would start something, have an idea, start something else etc. until I had a whole bunch of half finished stuff.

How do you hold onto ideas that you don't have time to pursue NOW!
I jot them down on what ever is available and I have a sketchbook with me wherever I go.

Do you do custom orders?
Yes, I've done a few and am always open to it.

What are you working on currently?
I just finished some blossom/seed pod things that turned out quite well and I fired some bronze last night. I've also got a Ginko leaf design that I'm kind of excited about.


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What's next on your agenda to make?
More designs using tinted concrete, and I have some artwork I need to etch for my simple pendants with images.

How do you make time for everything you want to do?
I stay up late. It's the only way. Thank god for coffee to get me through the day!

Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself?
Lulu Bug is one of my sweet Shar-Peis. She enjoys being president of her own company and shares the work load with Lily (also a Shar-Pei) the CFO - chief fun officer, and Clancy (Irish Setter) who is the CEO - chief eating officer. The cats - Ike, Debbie and Hank work in shipping, but feel they would do a better job running things. The birds simply make a mess. Um, yes, I'm kind of one of those nutty animal lovers.



Thank you Sue, it's been a pleasure hearing about your process.

interview by Catherine Witherell of HappyDayArt!

Tuesday You Tube Finds

Ford/Forlano

Steve Ford and David Forlano met in Italy two decades ago during a "year abroad" program in art school.  They were immediately intrigued with the differences in their artistic styles and began swapping unfinished work, each adding something of himself to the other's designs. Eventually this led to a professional partnership which has developed into the most elegant line of polymer clay jewelry that I've ever seen.  Their use of color, texture and form is unparalleled - breaking common shapes apart and re assembling them in unique and often whimsical ways.

This video is a fascinating peek behind the scenes, allowing a first hand glimpse into the running of a successful, artistic studio.

Meet the Team - Interview with Teresa Swanson

Since we are so new at this blog, a few times a month we are going to take some time to get to know one of our current members. Today I want to introduce Teresa Swanson.



Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I've known since I was nine that I was going to be an artist. At the time, my goal was to be the next Van Gogh, then I realized that I really don't enjoy working with oil paints. I'm too impatient to wait for it to dry. I like finishing a project more than I like beginning one.

I'm a character animator by trade, but my passion is making jewelry. I became interested in jewelry making about 4 years ago, when my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. I launched a project called "Time For a Cure", where I designed, made and sold watches, donating 50% of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Once I picked up that first bead, I was hooked!

I recently discovered PMC, or Precious Metal Clay. I've only been using it for a few short months, but it has quickly become my favorite medium! It is so versatile, and you are only limited by your imagination. Well, that and your budget! With the price of precious metals going up, it affects the price of metal clay as well.



Have any special hobbies?

Since my real job is animating, I consider jewelry making my biggest hobby. I also love to draw and paint (anything but oils!), and mosaic furniture.

What is your business name?

TZTUDIO (pronounced T's Studio)
My friends call me "T" for short, so that's how the name came about.

I have four website addresses:
http://www.tztudio.com/
http://www.tztudio.etsy.com/ my shop
http://www.brokenchinacharms.etsy.com/
http://www.time4acure.com/

Do you sell in any shops other than etsy?

I have recently had a couple of requests from privately owned jewelry stores to carry my items, but I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to pursue that. I am hoping to expand my items to retail stores after the first of the year.

I also sell jewelry at home jewelry parties. Those are always a huge success!



How did you find out about metalclay and then start working with it? How long?

I've been making mosaic items from vintage china plates (furniture, mirrors, picture frames) for several years. It only made sense to incorporate my love for vintage china into my jewelry. I wanted to incorporate silver into my broken china pendants, and during my research, I ran across some information on metal clay. I realized that was the medium I was looking for! My metal clay work quickly expanded from china to other pieces of jewelry.

What drives you to make jewelry?

Well, it certainly isn't the money. Although it is thrilling when someone likes one of my pieces well enough not only to wear it, but to buy it!

I not only have a desire to be creative, but it is a neccesity for my sanity. I absolutely HAVE to do something creative every day, or my head will explode.

Are you disciplined or do you go with the flow and work when you feel like it?

I have no discipline whatsoever. I work on my jewelry when I feel like it, and fortunately, I feel like it just about every day.

What is your favorite tool for working with metalclay?

My fingers! That is one of the reasons I love the medium so much, you can manipulate it easily with your hands.



Where do you work?

I have converted our dining room into my studio.
We actually eat in the living room off of TV trays!

What is your favorite thing to make?

I can't say that I enjoy making one type of jewelry over another. Variety is key in keeping me interested in jewelry making. I could never mass produce items. The boredom of it would wear me out.

Do you ever add commercial components?

Absolutely! Primarily gemstones and findings such as earwires.

How do you work, and when? (for ex. assembly line or one at a time)

One at a time. Once an idea hits, I work on that one thing until it is finished.

Do you have any kind of creative ritual?

I try to envision the end result, then I make sketches. The first time I opened a packet of silver clay, I was scared to death I was going to make something really ugly, and just waste my "precious" clay! I've made lots of mistakes, but fortunately, many of them have been "happy" mistakes : )

How do you hold onto ideas that you don't have time to pursue NOW!

I have sketches of ideas on everything from cocktail napkins to hotel stationary to post it notes.

Do you ever use a sketchbook?

Yes, and it is crammed full of cocktail napkins, hotel stationary, and post it notes : )

Do you ever teach classes and where?

I do not teach. I have such little free time, and I am very selfish with it.

Do you do custom orders?

Yes, I love custom orders! I am working on two of them right now.

What's next on your agenda to make?

I recently purchased an antique china plate that has a gorgeous center.
I am going to make a pendant combining that and precious metal clay.

How do you make time for everything you want to do?

I don't.
I really could use a few more hours a day : )

Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself?

I live in San Diego with my darling husband. We literally fell in love at first sight!
We have no children, but one big fat happy cat, who turned 16 this summer.

Thank you,
It has been a pleasure getting to know you.

interview by Catherine Witherell of HappyDayArt!

From The Tip Jar...

Did you know that there's a Flickr group called Etsy Front Pagers?  If you ever missed seeing your work in a Treasury or neglected to take a screen shot of one you curated and want to refresh your memory, simply search the group pool for the shop name in question and voila!  

I just love trolling through the pages and pages of lovely collections. I've found quite a few new favorites and had fun discovering some that included my own and other team member's jewelry.

Meet The Team

All these beauties were created by members with Flickr's.  To see them up close and personal, click this.

And y'all come back now, y'hear?  We'll be havin' lots of opportunities to Meet The Members where we'll be gettin' all up in their business and sharin' it with you! TMZ's got nothin' on us.