New Hanging Earrings

These earrings are made with needle felted wool and silver, using different amounts of liver of sulfur patina on the silver. This group is growing.  

The biggest question of the day is "how do I price these?". I did very careful time keeping on the labor of these last two pair. Boy, these babies gobble up the minutes. I try to be fair to myself. However, sometimes I think I should charge for how long they "should" take to make, not for how long they actually take. Pricing... there's a good basic article on it in the current Art Jewelry Magazine .   

Control/Release

Perhaps  it's the nature of working while juggling endless distractions (namely children home for summer) or maybe it's my own attention issues, whatever the cause, I have always worked on numerous things at the same time. Okay, not so unlike painters going between canvases. I notice that some, like the new earrings above, are more of an improvisational process. This seems to counterbalance the precision and planning of the new "habeas corpus" pieces I'm working on. Control, release, a cycle.

Look What I Became!

Well, this pieced morphed from an idea for a pendant (see images @ work in progress post ) into a bracelet. It has a textured silver back that snaps closed and springs open. The mechanism is on the right.

I just got new materials and I'm planning to expand my Habeas Corpus (see June 26 post) series. This work riffs on Oriental textile motifs, integrated with arabic style text, spelling out "habeas corpus". Everyone can appreciate beauty and justice, and can find something to respect in other cultures. In fact, doing so is a uniquely human ability.

The Textile Museum Fall Symposium "Cultural Threads, Exploring The Context Of Oriental Rugs and Textiles", Oct. 17-19, looks fascinating. I wish I could go, however it conflicts with my October show. If anyone in blogland makes it be sure to come back and write about it here.

Trying Something New

This Untitled Pendant (2008) is made by wet felting colored strips of wool roving onto a solid pre-felted base color (it is actually olive inside). While the felted piece is still wet I shaped it and needle felted the ends together in the back. This was then dipped into a mixture of 1 part water to 1 part liquid matte varnish. I blotted with a paper towel, then positioned an aluminum foil form inside. I used a hairdryer to dry quickly, leaving it overnight to harden and dry completely. It is backed with silver and quite stiff. The oxidized wire is stitched through the felt. 

Needle Felting or Here's the Point

Here I am working the wool into a tighter, denser shape, in and out with the barbed needle.

The piece is positioned over the frame. Carefully avoiding the metal frame, I work the wool down further.
I really work to get it dense. I'll post the finished piece in a day or so.  

Here's the point and it is sharp so watch it!

First, you need a thick firm piece of foam. Next, the barbed needles made for needle felting,

Black Sheep Designs is one of the places I first ordered from. You will also need wool. I ordered sample packs with just a couple of ounces in each color. For my small scale these packs go a long way. The grey wool is merino combed top. It is the finest wool you can buy. It wet felts very well. It isn't usually recommended for needle felting, but it works fine for surface coloration. The green wool behind has a coarser texture, which is what you want for needle felting. Black Sheep Designs also carries "Core" wool, which is not dyed and quite coarse.

Put On Your Walking Shoes

It's official, my Booth number for the Westchester Craft Show is 111 , October 17, 18, 19 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY. I'm in the middle back of the hall (back, further, a little further, almost there, no really keep going it's definitely worth it, you want to see everything before you make a purchase don't you? You did put on your COMFORTABLE walking shoes right? I'm the friendly one in the back, #111, see you there).

Let me clarify, I am thrilled to be in this show. I jest about newbie booth rows I've endured in the past, seniority has its privileges of course. I look forward to starting the clock again. If you've read other posts you may know I've done shows before, had a long life break, and in 2007 resumed the whole juried show, "Thang". 

I'm still wait listed for the Washington Craft Show. I imagine it would take a series of unfortunate (and unlikely) events for artists to cancel that one. 

Speaking of shoes, there is a really fun show entry call at the Fuller Museum of Craft  

"The Perfect Fit".  I'm not sure I'll get to apply but maybe some of you in blogland will...