Blackbird Morning!

It's a really busy day today, a pretty big day, and I will be just fried by the end of it. I am throwing a party for my friends and it's really the first time I have had a party in a very long time. There is a reason of course, quite a big deal for me as I have an art show opening tonight in town. I'm very excited about how people will receive it, but I have a feeling it will be very well attended. Thank you to Dan for getting me inspired and motivated and helping so much with everything, and of course thanks to my Nome! It really helps to have such wonderful artists around me who understand just how important and scary something like this can be, and then to have a party too! What was I thinking?

The piece of jewelry I have posted a picture of is a fairly recent piece and a little bit of something new for me. As usual I have combined elements, including new and old, but in this case I have created some more dimension to the necklace. The black beads are very old, brought back by Nome's grandmother from some exotic wonderful place (I suspect South America from the looks of them, if anyone can help me comment away!), and then I used a vintage clear plastic gold-etched bead for the center piece. I've posted a couple views so you get the idea. It has matching earrings which I have listed separately but I think it would be awesome if someone got the set. The earrings are featured in a treasury right now - and the curator commented that she was inspired to create the treasury by my blackbird earrings! I love stuff like that. I think this set has a very Frido Kahlo look. I should have put that in the tags right? It would be great to do someone's portrait wearing it too. I love the color and shapes. Now if you were sitting right here with me I could let you handle the necklace because it has very different textures too, something else I find really interesting. The red sponge coral beads are very light and like a very soft pumice, but not abrasive at all, while the birds are smooth clay and then, of course there is the textured metal. I hope to find more interesting beads like those birds to inspire unusual one off designs.

I have slowed down on the number of pieces I have been making lately because I'm definitely feeling a stirring of desire to make things that are really distinctive and a little different. Many of my previous pieces are very lovely and I would and do love to wear them, but I think I want to jump into something like metal clay or lamp working to really bring out my distinctive style and individuality.