Studio Gallery in Hastings

I have just realised that I had forgotten to mention that in the long gap between posting in March and October, not only was I busy due to a serious illness in the family, but I also managed to open a studio / gallery in Hastings Old Town, with my partner, artist, etcher and printmaker, Colin Bailey. I(I don't know how this managed to slip my mind, but it clearly did!). The gallery is open from 1.00 to 6.00 pm most days, and often a bit longer at the weekends. So far it seems to be doing extremely well, and we love the challenge of constantly redesigning the window displays and interior set up. The attached picture is an early one, I will try to add something a bit more recent soon.

Netted Bracelets

New work - these bracelets incorporate a mix of twisted, wrapped and crochet wire - in this case antiqued copper with amazonite, flourite and aquamarine semi-precious stones. They look as though they have been dredged from a rock pool - and they do look very antiquey - as though they've been lying on the ocean floor covered by sand for a very long time.....

ORNAMENT

Well over the top, I know, but I love these new pieces. I have been told they look like mad musical notations, with over-zealous treble clefs all over the place! Each one takes a couple of hours or so to create - and of course each one comes out different. I try to be guided by the central stone or shell and the way the wire wants to go. They look great with a simple dress and never fail to get favourable comments.

it's been a while....

but I'm back again. I have been away due to family circumstances - I can't believe that it's been more than eight months since I posted anything. Anyway, I am now making a promise to myself to keep this blog going rather more regularly and to to fill it up with useful bits of information and tutorials. I'll get the camera out tonight and post some pictures of new work, most of which is using wire wrapping copper antiqued with liver of sulphur. Yumm....

Monday 17 March - St Patrick's Day!

So green Guinness and silly hats all round!

I managed to find a copper and bronze supplier at the weekend so I will be able to include some of these gorgeously coloured metals in future work – am very excited at the idea!

I also had a trawl around one of our local “antique” shops and managed to find some little keys which are clearly just crying out to be incorporated into jewellery – they are certainly far too interesting to be left in a box somewhere and will be making an appearance shortly.

The one completed project of the weekend was a crystal bangle – made with lilac ametrine, orange citrine, green citrine, garnets and some vintage lead crystal beads – very pretty and old fashioned – and I have just the perfect recipient in mind. Photos to follow soon.

13 March 2008

New stuff... this happened last night while I was experimenting with twisting some wire into coiled beads - it ended up incorporating a couple of bits and pieces from junk shop jewellery which I had taken apart, and some crochet wire with little crystals in the crochet stitches -- I wore it today and it seems to be very successful... I think the next one will be in silver and copper - this was only in practice wire. Anyway, I love it, and I can see more of these on the horizon....

Monday 10 March 2008

Fantastic storm! And as I live right on the Sussex coast we are getting the best of it (or the worst, depending on your point of view…)

I enjoy these storms – at least, I enjoy looking at them – trying to walk along the seafront this morning was a bit of a challenge, to say the least! The sea was all the colours of fluorite – purple, grey and dark green – and the waves were huge even though the tide wasn’t in. High tide is at 1.00 today so I will probably pop out to admire nature at her most frisky around that time, before running back inside for some tea and chocolate biscuits. In appreciation of the storm, I am attaching a pic of a bangle which features a fluorite nugget, and lots of frothy green moss agate.