Inspiration

Two of my heart stopping favorites were both in the New York Times magazine section last Sunday. Their work jolts my senses and fires off a myriad of resonant connections. Nick Cage's sound suits take me back to my first visits to the collections of African and Papua New Guinean ceremonial body adornment at the  Museum of Natural History when I was in elementary school. I remember feeling my sense of the world cracking open to fit in these creations that represented  human experience stretching far beyond my known reality.

 More recently I saw El Anatsui's work at the Newark Museum. The Times article is an excellent introduction if you haven't heard of this African artist before.

Thinking Big, Making Small

Thea Clark, Untitled Pin/Pendant 09- Wet and needle felted wool, acrylic over sterling and copper, 18k, adventurine and moss agate beads.

I have really enjoyed Christine White's book "Uniquely Felt". She studied in Turkey with master felt rug makers and became a proponent of hands on felting. I had been using bubble wrap,  bamboo and netting, the basic tools most often recommended. Following her advice to fold, roll, and pull the felt directly, you can feel the fibers fulling (hardening) under your finger tips. I was able to create the kind of sturdy felt I've been after.

I've been preoccupied with creating work on a larger scale. It has been a process of gathering ideas and momentum. Just jump in, get over yourself jewelry girl! I cleared off my work table, got the above piece out of my system (it called out "I'm small I won't take too long"), ready to go. It will be a good balance to working on the earrings and instructions for the "30 Minute Earrings" book.

Lark Books Acceptance

I'm thrilled. Lark Books accepted a pair of my earrings for inclusion in  "30 Minute Earrings", due out in September 2010. I will provide detailed instructions on how to create 22k bi-metal and fused fine silver "Bamboo" earrings. The book will have 50 earring projects in total, nice for quick hits of inspiration in  3o minute doses.  That's a total of 25 hours of fun in the studio!