What a year it was!

Another year has passed. It was full of creative energy, new ideas, challenges and achievements. But no resting on laurels! We already have new plans and new goals to achieve. Take a look on what our team members say about the passing year, their favourite 2012 creations and their New Year's resolutions for 2013.

Christine Street ( Chocolate and Steel ) chose this vibrant, lovely pendant. It clearly shows her love for colours. She says:

"2012 was the year of experimenting with resin for me. I have always created pieces that were black and white, line drawings for the most part. I love the bold clean lines of this piece. Plus I love being able to create color stories. I used to be a merchandiser for Anthropologie and my favorite part of my job was creating color stories. Color sets the mood and can evoke memories of a time passed. This color story reminds me of my roller skates when I was about 10. I always had hand-me-downs so while I grew up in the 80's my memories are of the 70's."

And what are her plans for 2013?

"This year I am going to work on lockets. I have SO many ideas for lockets but there is one in particular that I think is going to be a big hit. Not going to say too much about it yet though :) "

Bev Gallerani's (MangoTango) favourite 2012 piece is one of her stunning mermaid pendants. What does she love about this piece the most?

"I like the fact that there's a lot to look at in this piece.  Detail and texture have become the hallmarks of my work, and I think this piece adequately captures my love of the sea (and of mermaids!).  I like the way her tail wraps around the boro glass cabochon and the seemingly random spray of seashells floating about."

Bev knows exactly what she wants to achieve the next year:

"My 2013 goal is twofold: To do quite a bit more bezel setting of cabochons (to help whittle down my ridiculously huge stash of pretties) and do more work in bronze and copper.  I'd also like to downsize and simplify some of my more elaborate works to make them more affordable to my customers."

 This lovely bracelet by Evelyn Pelati (Evelyn Pelati Jewelry) represents a big step for her this year.

"It is my first time incorporating solid gold instead of gold overlay. And with the cost of precious metals, it was kind of scary! But I like how it turned out. Also, this design is a new one I created and I've been having fun making a whole line of variations on this bracelet."

This year ends for Evelyn with another wonderful achievement. She is a cover girl of the newest issue of Metal Clay Artist Magazine with her beautiful concrete "Sea flower" brooch! Huge congratulations from the EMC Team again Evelyn!!! :)
She says:

"In the new year, I want to keep experimenting with new things, like concrete. I've been enjoying that."

 It's well known that Liz Hall (Lizards Jewelry) makes a lot of wonderful pieces. No wonder she said:

"It was difficult for me to choose my favorite or best piece, I have several I consider favorites from the very simple to complex and each for me has taught me new techniques and have given me new design ideas.  This piece I like for several reasons, it combines a lot of the materials I like to work in and several new works were derived from the design."

Next year Liz wants to continue her creative path:

"I am hoping to continue pushing my comfort zone and trying new materials, techniques and designs"

 This delicate necklace by Cherylyn Gnadt (c~lyn studio) has a deep meaning for her:

"This year has been difficult personally and creatively. But throughout it all, symbols of flight appeared in my path. Feathers of faith and wings of flight. This Monarch butterfly wing, bezel set, then encapsulated in resin, is a tribute to this rejuvenating year."

2013 is for Cherylyn a new awakening:

"I already feel the momentum starting now in the last few weeks of the year. I have some lofty goals, that I intend to put to the test ~ both with my work and business. The inspiration from this group really has kept me grounded. I know now is the time for new explorations and ideas."

Glenda Skarie (Adori L'Argento) as her favourite 2012 piece chose this lovely ring:

"I love metal clay because it enables me to express my passion for rings. I called this ring "Manta". I love the simple and calming feeling of the piece. This ring really captures my abstract thinking."

What are her plans for the next year?

"I just want to create. I want to do some more detailed work with textures, maybe learn how to use enamels. I also want to make necklaces, not just pendants." 

 Anna Mazoń ( Drakonaria ) had no problem with choosing her favourite 2012 piece:

"This piece, published on a cover of Metal Clay Artist Magazine, is for me a symbol of a very good, creative year. It really reminds me that I just have to work hard (AND have a lot of fun at the same time ;) ) to make good things happen."

Anna has a few clear New Year's resolutions set for herself:

"First of all I want to learn to edit myself and make cleaner designs. Secondly I want to enroll in Masters Registry. I spent a few months thinking this through and I just feel this really can help me grow. And last, but not least, I want to take part in Joy Funnell's Weekly Critter Challenge 2013 :)."

 Marta Grzywna - one of our newest team members - chose her amazing "The power of femininity" necklace as her 2012 favourite piece:

"It reminds me a shield and a sword - this is where the name came from :). I love the colours of this slice of agate and all these little gemstones used in the necklace were gathered to match the agate. I used to hate pink and orange together, and now I think it is very vibrant and feminine. Especially when the background of this duet is oxidized silver."

In 2013 Marta wants to focus on new designs:

"2013 is going to be a year of smaller and simplier designs. I want to concentrate on details trying to work according to the saying that "less is more"."


Happy New Year everyone! And make your own New Year's resolutions come true!

New work by Etsy Metal Clay team members

We'd love to share with you some new metal clay work being listed on Etsy. 

Lynn always has beautiful pieces in her shop but this one really takes the cake.  This gorgeous fine silver ring is accented with 22K gold in the center of the flower.  She was inspired by the paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe and a feminist installation by Judy Chicago.

Vaasvara is experimenting with using bezel wire and altering it to fit the aesthetic of her designs.  Such a beautiful result!  This statement piece is hung on a necklace of amber and compliments the fossil coral agate perfectly.

 

Drakonaria just listed these beautiful snowflake earrings, just in time for winter.  Faceted rock quartz dangles from the fine silver stud.  

Joy Funnell has been listing a lot of new pieces and this is a favorite.  It is a reversible lentil bead, enameled on one side.  It is hung on a double sterling silver chain.  Very cool design!

  

Chocolate and Steel has been working on a lot of new pieces containing uv resin.  These new pieces add lots of color and bold shapes to her collection.

Have a wonderful creative weekend!

Etsy Metal Clay Team in Holly Gage's calendar

Like every year, wonderful Holly Gage released her unique calendar, featuring remarkable metal clay designs from around the world. We are so proud to announce that 8 of our team members have their work included in  "The Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry and More Calendar 2013".
Take a closer look at these amazing pieces and get to know some interesting things about them :).

Stunning "Sea flower brooch" by Evelyn Dombkowski is a perfect example for how important surprising details are. These three tiny pearls placed in concrete cabochon make this project really stand out. I asked her how she came up with this idea. Evelyn said:

"I was experimenting with concrete to make my own "stones". I decided to put the concrete into a mold I had made. The mold had this lovely bumpy texture. I also had these beautiful tiny pearls. And I thought, wouldn't it be cool to pair pearls with concrete? Plus the pearls mimicked the bumps in the mold. That is how that came about."

Colorful, enamelled piece by Joy Funnell, "Wot! No Fish?", makes you feel the smell of the sea. I asked her if seagulls were special for her in any way. Joy explained:
"Living in a seaside town with a fishing fleet we have a LOT of seagulls around. When the boats come in they are always waiting in the hope of a free dinner. This was the inspiration for this piece."

I also found on Joy's blog a Haiku she wrote to go with this piece.

"Last year I was writing a Haiku for each Bird a Week Challenge piece I made. Actually, I miss doing that, so maybe I will start writing more Haiku for my pieces again :)."

"Rejoice" necklace by Lorena Angulo rivets one's attention with delicate, detailed flowers. I asked Lorena if they had any special meaning in this necklace. She said:
"I have always included flowers into my work. They are a big inspiration for all my designs and in this piece they play a big role.
Flowers are full of life but at the same time they have a short life too. After loosing three family members last year in less than 3 months my heart was broken and I was not able to create jewelry for a little while. When I was finally feeling better I wanted to create a piece that would symbolize my journey and how I felt. The cross and the flowers for me represent how my heart felt and how I wanted to remember all of them with lots of Rejoice. Rejoice of their lives and all the wonderful memories I have of them, rejoice for having them in my life. "

"Winter solstice" pendant by Liz Hall is a perfect example of her distinctive, amazing style. Her pieces always seem to be very well thought over, so I asked if she draws out her designs before making them:
"I only occasionally draw a design out and that is when I think of something, but don't have time to get to it, I don't want to forget it.   Most of my designs including the one in the calendar are usually something that happens as the piece is being constructed.  I have a general design in mind, but the concept develops as I'm working on a piece.  I work with a lot of different metal clay components and I sometimes construct a piece like a puzzle, putting an element here or there to see if that works with the overall composition.  I photograph everything I make, even insignificant pieces, then a lot of times I will look back at my work and see a piece that I've already done and think "Yes, I like this but how would it be if I added or subtracted this or that."  The piece in the calendar helped me to design another piece that I've entered into the Saul Bell competition.  Hopefully reworking and rethinking certain pieces helps to make them even stronger future designs."

Gorgeous "Flower storm" necklace by Anna Mazoń is a part of her latest bronze collection, featuring organic twig-like forms. I asked her what was the most important thing she learned in the process of making this piece.
She told me:

"This piece was an experiment I made with a new bronze clay that entered the market recently. By making such a big, openwork piece I learned a lot about this new material, it's properties and constraints. This project also taught me to think "big". Literally :). I usually make rather small pieces, and this showy necklace broadened my horizons of design. Definitely more big pieces coming! My only worry is if my kiln is capacious enough ;)."

Beautiful mezuzah by Rachel Miller is a very personal piece. Rachel says:
"I love to make mezuzahs because for me they automatically elevate the piece to something that I can call art.  Maybe it’s the religious ritual aspect of the object that  gives it a certain significance.  I make a lot of mezuzahs that look like homes or buildings because I personally believe that Jewish traditions and customs that are practiced in the home are such an important part of my faith. This particular mezuzah house was inspired by a Tudor style home that is near the neighborhood I grew up in in St. Louis.  I drive by it almost daily and I remember that as a child my school bus would drive by the house and I would try to imagine what the inside was like.  It recently went up for sale so it has been on my mind. But the point of it is not what it means to me, but what it inspires in others."

Brillant "Tiger Reliquary" by Wanaree Tanner is a masterpiece of construction. I asked her what was the most difficult thing in making it. She told me:

"Finishing the base. It completely ruptured apart during the first firing. I had to hammer and piece the entire thing back together, fill with lots of clay, re-fire, then file and sand it back into shape. Originally, the base didn't have a slot for the pendant. The decision to drill into the base to create the slot for the pendant took three months to make, particularly after all that repair work."

This beautiful, commemorative piece by Lisa Barth is called "A Mother's Memory". I asked her if involving precious memories and emotions into the process of creating jewellery does influence the design. Lisa said:

"Yes, it does. At least for me.  With this piece, the marble itself holds the memory of my son who gave this treasure to me when he was four.  The marble reflects light, so I wanted the piece that held it to resemble a small lantern, protecting the light inside.  The choice of Celtic style was influenced by our family heritage and I chose to make a pendant so I could wear this memory close to my heart."



Stay tuned. More wonderful pieces from Etsy Metal Clay Team comming soon! :).

What's new in our shops

Hi everyone, check out what's new from our members this week.

Be sure to click on their names for more details :)

Zoe Nelson

Joy Funnell

Evelyn Pelati

Drakonaria

Vaasvara

MangoTango

That's all for this week, check back next time for our members newest pieces.

In Memory of Mieko Takahashi Shull and Lucia Gulino

The Etsy MetalClay Team has created two different beautiful charm bracelets to honor the memories of two of our teammates who recently passed on—Mieko Takahashi Shull and Lucia Gulino. We are raffling these bracelets and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to charities in their memory. The proceeds will be split 50/50 between World Vision—Mieko's favorite charity, and an art scholarship in Lucia's name. 

We are sorrowful at the loss of these two beautiful and talented women who were taken from us too soon. The Etsy MetalClay Team is a close-knit, global group of metal clay artists with the common ground of having an Etsy shop. We support each other with advice, tips, friendship, laughter, and sometimes tears. Sadly, this time it is tears. 

We, as a group, felt that the best way to honor our friends was by doing what we do best—make things with metal clay. Team members individually created these charms in silver, copper and bronze. Each one was fabricated by hand and lovingly donated to this cause.

The bracelet chains are hand-fabricated of fused argentium sterling silver links with custom-made sterling silver toggles. The toggles are designed to pay tribute to Lucia and Mieko by echoing their unique signature design styles. The flower toggle is for Mieko, and the geometric toggle is for Lucia. Each bracelet is approximately 7 1/4 inches.

Raffle tickets are $5.00 USD each. Because we are raffling two bracelets, each ticket has two chances! To buy a ticket, please click the "Donate" button below. Please be sure to provide us with your e-mail address. Your raffle number or numbers will be sent to you via e-mail within 24 hours of your purchase. The raffle drawing will take place at 2:00 pm EST on Sunday, September 30. Two numbers will be chosen by Random.org - the two winners will be notified via e-mail.

First Prize: Sterling silver bracelet with 11 charms created by Etsy MetalClay Team members. 

Second Prize: Sterling silver bracelet with 10 charms created by Etsy MetalClay Team members. 

Each bracelet is different.

---> Please stand by as we revise the donation process - thank you for your kindness and consideration!

"What's on your workbench?"

Hello! In this post we have some members of the Etsymetal clay team showing us what they are currently working on.

Lori Magno- Moda di Magno

"I'm making 200 good luck charms for a friend's wedding in September. Hadar's bronze clay with a hand carved mold and each piece hand stamped with their initials (and all made with love and best wishes.)"

Evelyn Pelati Jewelry

"On my bench today is a test strip for Fast Fire BRONZClay. I'm going to try firing it in Magic Carbon. I'll take measurements of it before and after firing so I can start to get an idea of what happens with the shrinkage. After it's fired, I'll try bending it and hammering it. If it's o.k, I'm going to start making some pieces in bronze. All new for me!"

Anna Mazon- Drakonaria

Check out this amazing piece from Anna, it is a custom order. This is just before firing and we are all eagerly awaiting the final result, we can't wait! :)

Joy Funnell

Joy is busy enamelling at the moment - lots of tiny rainbow seashells for a sculpture piece!

Lorena Angulo- Pueblo folk art

"I am working with Sterling PMC in this piece. I hand sculpted and carved this folk bird and I want to make a brooch, maybe a brooch/pendant with it. I love working with Sterling PMC!"

Milica Bubanja

This ring is an custom order.

"It is a metal clay carved ring with two lampwork beads (made by me!). I drilled two holes and I'm trying to get right size. Next step is firing the metal clay ring."

Catherine Witherell - HappyDayArt!

Last but not least is a great studio pic from Catherine.

"I've been working in a bright corner of my living room for about 2 years and my family teases me about it all the time.  But it's cold downstairs and there is almost no empty surface down there so well, yeah, here I am.  I clean up a little when I quit working each day but I do a better cleaning of the space just before I begin working on a new project.  It helps clear my mind too."

That's all for this post, I hope you have enjoyed seeing what members have been working on.

Lou Hunter