Where Women Create/Where I Create

There is a delicious magazine on the market called "Where Women Create." Every issue is full of amazing female artists in their studios. Studios that make me say, "Really?" I presented the magazine to one of my art teachers and she, after drooling over the studios, slammed shut the magazine and said, "No artists studio looks like THAT..."

Imagine. What if...wow. I would never come up for air! Take a peek for yourself...click and check it out (I receive no monetary anything for sharing this..)


Where Women Create

The studios are magnificent...the articles about the artists, inspiring.

It seems that most women have taken huge risks to be an artist...many left corporate positions, tossed the Master's Degree...OR realized how to blend architecture into jewelry design. Love that!

In the spirit of the magazine, I thought I would share "where I create..."

I was inspired to write this post while sitting on my couch enjoying my clean living room. The mantle is filled with all kinds of shamanic type things. My photography on the wall...calendar with paperwork for shows...the usual cat.

The eclectic bookshelf. Old cameras, a teddy bear, a mask made of hemp, more photography, golden mouse ears and various crystals. Various important books and art magazines.

Really - I work a lot at this table. Catnip or squishy food often lures them away for a few minutes.

...but they always come back.

Here's a sneak peek of the work we are taking to Tahoe this year! The cat is staying at home.

I am beginning to define my space more that I have more time in the studio. Josh began a 40-hour a week job today...now it is my turn to fine tune my skills and "find my voice..." This is gonna be fun!

Piece a Week #18 - Waterfall

Last week was a "white rapid/going over waterfalls" type of week. Many, many things changed...our beloved cat, Booger, had to be put to sleep...Josh made a decision (more on that later, it's a good one) that will dramatically change our lifestyle...opportunities were added in and other choices were taking out.

All I could really do was to go along with the flow - talk myself into relaxing and just going...sometimes the stream was peaceful, a couple times it felt like I was going down a waterfall...and thus, this piece emerged out of all the white rapids. It is called "Waterfall."

The Waterfall

Discovered in San Francisco!

San Francisco buzzes with creative energy. There are galleries everywhere with unique expressions of how to view the world. The City keeps my senses on point and my own creative ideas take on new forms...even things that disturb me, intrigue me. Like this window display. There was a lot more going on in the display - but this shot is the one that creates a whole new story in my head.

"Creepy Baby Doll Heads"

Photography by Lisa Kewish

Not only are store displays edgy and unique...there are also all the fantastic artisans selling their items out on the streets. Out of respect I do not take pics of the artisans work, however, I DO collect business cards and web site addresses and I enjoy mentioned them in as many places that I can just to support their work.

Jimothy is a leather worker with an amazing spirit. He has founded Chi Stylez, handcrafted leather goods made from recycled resources. Yes, I purchased a gorgeous clutch and a wrist cuff..and had a GREAT time chatting with him. He came up from San Diego...HE gave us the tip on how to apply to be a street vendor in San Francisco.

We discovered beautiful fine handmade silver jewelry by Emilio Sotelo...simple and lovely. Very elegant designs. We like.

ok...and some work that completely captivated me...(and woke me up a bit...I'll be getting real busy soon) is the amazing copper jewelry by Astrid Walther and Christian Gardelle. What they do with copper is incredible.
The prices of their pieces is ridiculous low for the quality and beauty of the work...but then, that is part of the gift of copper!

I did get one tip...peanut oil. Dip copper in peanut oil and then fire it...apparently amazing things happens.
I'm going shopping today for peanut oil.

(authored by Lisa)

The Adventures of "I 'heart' ME"

I had the day to myself in the studio. Josh was (well, still is) away working a show...and everything is mine all mine. I sat at the workbench staring at piles of copper and silver wire. I believe in working even if not inspired. Just work, and inspiration will appear as you are actively involved in creating. But, there I sat. Rummaged through this pile...gazed at that. Looked at a few stones. Nothing.

I went online to Facebook, and uncovered a post from a friend of mine. She wrote some beautiful things and at the end suggested to put on lipstick and give one's self a smooch in a mirror.

a HA!

Sat back down with a silver disc...took some wire and formed two words and one symbol.

I "heart" ME.

Took the items to the block to hammer and flatten out the words and symbol. The first "I" shot out from under the hammer and who knows where it ended. I looked around, but not for long and not carefully. Rather half-hearted as a matter of fact.

Ok..form another "I". Hm...interesting that this one came out more interesting than the first "I". Take it to the block, hammer and THIS one shot out onto the floor somewhere. Looked for a bit...well, I suppose one day when I get around to vacuuming, I will hear the "I" get sucked into the dusty whirlwind of the Great Suck Monster (our cats' name for 'vacuume').

Well, isn't that kinda how life is. You think you have it all together...and off you shoot into nowhere only to have to pull it together and re-create your self again. Well...it's a profound thought for ME anyway!

I formed a third "I"...took it to the block and carefully hammered it flat. So far so good.

Fused the words and heart onto the silver disc. Pickle...clean...apply a texture...brass brush it...

I stood admiring it.

I do not know how it happened...but suddenly my lovely charm exclaiming one's first order of life's business...JUMPED...yes JUMPED from my hand and went flying SOMEWHERE!

Crap...I dismantled the shelves that hold all our supplies and moved the casing a few feet from the wall...THERE it was. "I "Heart" Me" laying in the middle of some dust bunnies.

OK OK I breathe to my subconscious...I GET the message.

(Lisa)

Forging a new trail...or making the cats deaf

Today I completed a piece using forged wire. I have to admit that forging is not my strongest skill as a silversmith, but I really enjoyed the challenge, although I don't think our cats were too keen on the loud ping ping ping of the hammer.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, forging is the process of shaping metal--typically wire--into the desired shape by hammering it on an anvil. It is a distinct skill from fabrication, which is the process of cutting, bending, soldering etc. Forging metal requires special hammers with highly polished surfaces. Striking the metal repeatedly with careful blows, you push the metal and shape it. Sounds easy, but it isn't...at least if you want to do anything more complex than flattening the end of a wire.

Anyway, I decided to make a pendent from a drawing I had lying around for months--a gentle "S" curve with a semi-circle cabachon nestled at the bottom. Webought this beautiful moss agate at a local gem and jewelry show and it inspired the drawing. Looking at that drawing I knew that as slender and long as the "S" was, the only viable solution was to forge a length of Sterling silver wire. Forging has the benefit of "work hardening" the metal. As you strike it, the molecules realign in a way that makes the metal more rigid. This is why forging was the solution for this project. You will see what I mean when you view the image at the bottom of this post.

I am sure a forging master could have whipped this piece out in a matter of minutes, but it took me considerably longer, but I am pleased with the result. I call it Silver Swing (Thanks Lisa for the name!) Silver Swing is available at our Etsy store, so check it out.


Peace.

--Joshua

Ring Ring

To honor the 13th anniversary of our marriage, I made Lisa a ring. She had picked out this beautiful topaz a number of months ago and the time seemed right to put it to use. Lisa always says she LOVES "sparklies." And this rock certainly fit the bill.

She had been wearing this simple silver band for a long time, but recently she set it on our work table, saying, "You should see what you can do with this."

So, I set to work the morning of our anniversary while she was at the office. First, I used a ring mandrel to reshape the band because it had gotten misshapen from months of wear. Since it isn't a closed band it is more prone to lose its roundness over time. Next, I used a fine grinding bit to add some texture to the surface. Then, I soldered the prongs into place that would hold the stone. And finally, I set the stone. This was by far the most difficult part of the project. setting a gemstone takes a great deal of precision and patience...but it was all worth it. Lisa loves the ring and everywhere we go people comment on it. People are fascinated to learn that we make jewelry.

And on the heels of this success, I decided to make another ring (Why not? I was on a roll!), this one for the business. The new ring is made of silver, textured brass and holds a small pink quartz. We just love how it came out. Elegant, yet not pretentious.

This one went really smoothly until I tried to set the stone. For some reason I could not get it to sit still while I adjusted the prongs. But eventually, I got it right...after spending over an hour grousing and grumbling and bending and straightening prongs and generally carrying on cranky. But I still love it. It was worth the hassle!

--Joshua

Perspectives

"Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can. Start with one experience and build on it."

Marcia Wieder

The old way: "How have you been?" (sigh) "Busy"

The new way: "How have you been?" (giggle) "Actively Being."

Lisa Kewish

Creating is About Synthesizing Many Different Elements

‘Ideas, I find, come most readily when you are doing something that keeps the mind alert without putting too much strain on it.’
— Lenox Riley Lohr

Creating is about synthesizing many different elements to produce something that is unique. Sometimes the act of creating seems like it isn't happening. The process begins in the sub-conscious and eventually finds its way out.

‘I waited for the idea to consolidate, for the grouping and composition of themes to settle themselves in my brain.’
— Claude Monet

It took me awhile for the piece featured in this post to materialize. I probably have a dozen different designs to showcase the beautiful fire opal. Straight lines, basic settings, mod showcasing...none of them made the opal "sing".

This was a commissioned piece. A friend handed me this opal and basically told me to do anything I wanted. That whatever I came up with it would be "hot". No pressure!

It took several months of staring and ignoring...then drawing and asking others for their opinion. Then more attempts and some mistakes. Meanwhile time passed by and still no product. Once in awhile the friend would ask me if I had come up with anything. No.

‘One must still have chaos in oneself in order to give birth to the dancing star.’
— Friedrich Nietzsche

While in the process of incubating an idea for this opal, I became fascinated with spirals and circles. I suppose it is because I'm going through a lot of internal change, and yes, chaos. I feel like my thoughts go round and round, they begin and spiral out into who knows where. I have quite a few pieces sitting around with spirals. Spiral flowers, spiral abstracts, spirals... on and on.

Enough to give me a good case of internal motion sickness. I was feeling frustrated that on one hand I had this friend's opal to set...and on the other, I had all these squiggly spirals all over the place.

And one night, as I was falling asleep, the spirals came to rest. And I saw them differently.

Things don’t change. You change your way of looking, that’s all.’
— Carlos Castaneda

Although the spirals were still there, an order appeared. They all rested.

The next evening, after work, there was not hesitation. "Jamie's Fire" was put together in just a couple nights.

Not the end of story.

The silver backplate had slightly "reticulated" (more on this in other posts). The irregularity bothered me. Everything was set...there was not much else I could do. I spent an entire day at work problem solving. I would be seeing my friend later that evening at a party. I wanted to give her the piece THAT night.

‘Talk of inspiration is sheer nonsense; there is no such thing. It is mere a matter of craftsmanship.’
— William Morris

I realized that I needed to change the backplate to a uniform texture. How to do that with a piece that could not tolerate any heat, and where there was no room to file. And then it came to me. I took the smallest, sharpest drill bit that I could find, and I began to scratch. I scratched the entire backplate creating a surface that is web-like, shimmery and completely different than most silver pieces.

Instant inspiration isn't always available. And sometimes it is. Eventually.
I was my own inner chaos, that fed the creation.

(Lisa Kewish)