Jewelry Trunk Show and Sale 2012

I can't believe it's that time of year--again!  Where does the time go?!  Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 17th is my "Almost Annual Jewelry Trunk Show and Sale."  Join me from 5 to 7 pm at Gleason Fine Art, 31 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor.  You'll see new designs in silver and gold, many with semi-precious and precious stones and beads.  You will also see my friend Diana's decoupage dishes, floor cloths, and Guatemalan textiles turned into pillows and poufs.  Stop on by!

MCA and Me

The MCA or Maine Craft Association is a wonderful organization that I belong to.  They support all Maine crafts and for the last 3 years have operated a retail shop in Gardiner where I am fortunate enough to display some of my jewelry. 

Each year 2 craftspeople are named Master Craft Artist and this year tThe Maine Crafts Association has named ceramic artist Lynn Duryea of Deer Isle, Maine as its 2012 Master Craft Artist. Duryea is one of Maine’s established, nationally renowned craftspeople with an extensive career in making, outreach, and innovating in craft.  Each recipient receives a gift of a unique Master Craft Artist pin made especially for them by a Maine jeweler and this year's jeweler is ME! 

I created this heavily reticulated silver pin with added silver balls and 3 turquoise cabochons.  The balls travel down the pin from the top stone and wiggle their way down to the bottom stone.  I think its abstract quality will speak to Duryea. 

This is the back of the pin--highlighting the award and event.  Wednesday evening, July 11th, the award will be given during a special reception at George Mason Gallery in Damariscotta Mills, Maine. The award ceremony will accompany the opening of the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts Founders Exhibition, featuring work by Lynn Duryea, George Mason and Chris Gustin.

I am honored to be a part of this!

Newly Finished

I jumped back into the studio last weekend after nearly a month of crazy busy-ness.  I'm so happy new designs are happening!  Here's a sampling of what I've finished:

This necklace with pendant follows along the design line I was working on back at the end of April.  This is a natural amethyst and quartz druzy bezeled in fine silver with an 8mm amethyst cabochon.  The hammered silver curves around the stone and forms the loop bail.  The bail easily slides over the small faceted amethyst beads.

This sterling silver pendant is file carved with a brushed finish.  The Peruvian opal is bezeled in fine silver and a freshwater pearl dangles belong.  A large sterling bail slides effortlessly over a necklace of amazonite and freshwater pearl beads.  This pendant is also versatile as it comes off of the beaded necklace and can be worn on a silver chain or wear the beads alone.

These sterling silver earrings were designed to compliment the opal necklace.  5x7mm turquoise cabochons are set in the file carved, brushed silver face.

Another idea I've wanted to explore is creating my double dome beads and featuring them singly on sterling silver cables.  Here are a couple I've just finished.

 This is 1 inch diameter and features stamped squiggles & dots that are liver of sulphured and then brushed.

This is 1 1/2 inch diameter with varying sized holes pierced through.

I made another double dome bead with stamped flower silhouettes on both sides and decided to string it on an amber nugget necklace.  

Similar to past necklaces, I made a fun flower clasp to complete the look.

And... last but not least, this flower is a new belt buckle.  It's made of 18g and 20g sterling silver.  Just need to go to the leather guy and get a belt made!

A Couple New Things

I've been working and creating in the studio and have been focused on using stones and beads that I've had in inventory.  Sometimes working with what you have gives enough inspiration to spark new things.  That's what I've found with these two necklaces. 

This design started with the Picasso jasper cabochon and I worked from there.  It's bezeled in fine silver and has a black onyx bead drop.  The pendant has a nice brushed silver face and can be worn on the black spinel beads or can be removed and worn on a silver chain. 

This second necklace design started with the soft triangle pyrite stone--its black motherstone infused with gold flecks of pyrite.  A fine silver bezel is mirrored by sterling silver wire that becomes the bail for the faceted pyrite beaded necklace.  Dropped below is a pyrite nugget that my dad found in Brunswick, Maine.  This pendant can also be removed from the beads and can be worn on a silver chain.

I'm continuing on this road until a new one presents itself. 

Keeping it Up

I've been trying to keep my stride in the studio--working on a couple more new rings, as well as some commissions.  This ring is really great!  The turquoise stone is huge!!!  22 x 30mm--I wish the scale showed.   

The stone is bezeled in fine silver and the rest of the ring is sterling silver.  The shank is nice and heavy too.

Here's a new picture showing how the ring looks on--isn't it great?!

This next ring I struggled with.  We fought the whole time, but I persevered and got it done!  Not sure why some pieces go smoothly and others can be painful--something to do with the creativity gods I guess.

Here's a rose cut free-form blue sapphire and a 2.5mm diamond.  Both are bezeled in 22k gold and the accents are also 22k.  The remainder of the ring is sterling silver.  I love to mix silver and gold so you're not tied to one or the other.  The gold adds warmth, and the silver has strength. 

Put it all together and the results are striking. 

It's raining here, and it's supposed to get even worse tomorrow.  We need it!  Here's hoping I'll get another full studio day!

On a Roll--Rings

I was working in the studio this weekend and was drawn in by some new stones.  I decided it was time to make some new rings.  I started with this Labradorite ring. 

The Labradorite is a 12x12mm antique cushion cut.  It's bezeled in fine silver and the rest of the ring is sterling silver. 

The second ring I designed after selecting the stone--an 18 x 25mm Chinese turquoise.

The colors are turquoisey, underwater looking, and beautiful!  The bezel is fine silver with the rest being sterling silver. 

The third ring shows off a Peruvian opal: 

I wish the shimmer showed in the pics, but it's pretty tough to capture.  Doesn't it look like a landscape?  This stone is smaller--about 10x12mm and is bezeled in fine silver.  I liver of sulphured the sterling "plate", so the silver hammered balls shine in contrast. 

That ends this run of rings, but I think I'm going to continue!  What do you think?

Happy Easter!

We had a great dinner with my parents today.  Enjoyed yummy ham, potatoes and asparagus and of course--lots of chocolate!  Hope you had a great day too! 

Alot of new designs happening in the studio--rings, reticulated pins, and belt buckles too.  This photo shows a new necklace with silver flowers and faceted pink sapphires.  Here's the full piece--sterling silver wire vines linked to silver flowers.

More to come later this week.