Parts of Art

 It happened again today. I’m at an art show with my Parts of Art jewelry. Now mind you, my inventory is pretty extensive, since last year we went into pause mode on shows and I spent extra time making wearable art. Still though, sometimes at the end of the day of making jewelry I look at the work and think “Oh. My. God. What was I thinking? Who would wear this?” So on and so on. That inner dialogue can just go like a runaway train. But then, I go to a show and put out my wares, and sooner or later here she comes.        We had a wonderful time sharing our love for wearable art as well as a few laughs. She had spotted it right away in my display case, and although I showed her a few other pieces, this was clearly the one I made for her before we met. And we both knew it. There were earrings that matched the bracelet, but she said that in her opinion “matching” is for older women. Then she added that “When I turn 70, which is soon, I might come back for those!” ...

Okay folks, I know I recently declared that I am done with jewelry making until further notice.   Famous last words!   I just hit a great after Christmas sale on beads, and they WANT to be made into some amazing new upcycled pieces of wearable art.  Then yesterday I pulled some delicious dried paint off the artist palette. Yeah, I can’t help it. It’s too hard to resist!                                                                       I mean come on!! Aren’t they all just too good to wait?!      So to celebrate the New Year and give all of us some time to play and make art in the studio, I am excited to announce a special event at a special price: Upcycled Treasure Workshop   It promises to  be a super fun time filled with ideas an...

       So it turns out as I suspected. I got into a show that was clearly NOT a juried art festival. It was a two-day arts, crafts, and wine festival, complete with the usual   plethora of made-in-China crafts and commercial vendors. Ok, so I should have known better. I mean, I pretty much knew what I was getting into when I signed up and sent in my money. So why did I do it when I knew better? The reason is simple and valid: my son and daughter-in-law live right across the street, and I want to spend time with them.    So, no big surprise that my well heeled ladies did not attend this particular venue.   I had to make a decision what to do with my head. How to make the best of it when a show is not the best fit?   Here's some ideas:  Work on inventory. I use the time to go through my inventory of wearable upcycled art and tweek, re-do, and otherwise artfully alter. It's always needful and profitable.  Plus, people li...

     Alexander Calder was one of the most prolific artists from the 1940’s through the  mid 70’s. He is most known for his sculptures and hanging mobiles, but he also  made over 1,800 pieces of jewelry.      There are many similarities between Calder’s jewelry pieces and his art. He used basic, inexpensive materials, had a fascination with negative space, and used silver wire. Through his jewelry, which adorned the likes of Anjelica Huston, Peggy Guggenheim, and Georgia O’Keeffe, Calder gained a whole new luxury audience in the fashion world.           Calder first made jewelry at age 8. He made necklaces for his sister’s dolls, using beads and bits of copper electrical wire. The influence from his sculpture on his jewelry is evident. Both display an unmistakable sense of balance and energy. Calder’s craftsmanship is always visible. He never used solder in his jewelry pieces and instead linked them – just...

So it happened again at my last show.       I had started working on a new concept involving copper wire, tissue paper and resin. The idea stemmed from a book called Resin Alchemy by Susan Lenart Kazmer. Resin coated paper leaves, p.76 Resin Alchemy      From these materials I formed a cuff bracelet and earrings. I loved the look and feel of the copper and paper, and the balance of frailty and strength. Thing is, it wasn’t really working as a bracelet. I put it aside thinking I would get back to it. Got busy with other pieces and projects. Picked up the bracelet a few times, but nothing stirred.       Fast forward three months. I had decided to design a series of four statement necklaces, all utilizing the same materials and techniques. That’s when the epiphan y happened. That piece didn’t want to be a bracelet, it wanted to be a necklace! So, the altering, tweaking a...

     Start with an oval of blue violet paint that has dried on the artists palette. Adhere it to artist canvas that has been painted some lovely color.    Add two smaller ovals, one on each side. Similar shape and color tend to give a design visual harmony.    Add two small squares to make a pattern. Same colors but different shapes; we are seeking the balance between monotony (boring!)  and discord (Yuk!)    Switch the squares and ovals around. Either way works. It's up to you. Don't worry. Really. The design police are not out to get you.     Start adding beads. Oops, I forgot to tell you you would need some beads. And some silver wire and a couple other tools. Hey this is not a tutorial, its a demonstration of artistic harmony.    So what we're after is the right blend of same but different. Similar color and texture, different sizes and shapes. At every step...

What's new about placid blue? It's not a new color at all. It has always been with us. It is what we want to see when we get up in the morning and look out the window at the sky.          It is one of the top ten Womens's Pantone Colors for Spring 2014, which makes it noteworthy.  See the Pantone fashion color report for Spring here Placid Blue is a soft pastel that is a wonderful compliment to the strong and bold Dazzling Blue.  Pantone describes it as a picture perfect, tranquil and reassuring sky that induces a sense of peaceful calmness.                   Placid blue bracelet upcycled from artist palette                    What is great about placid blue:  It is calming. It works well as a background color. It harmonizes with soft pastel greens and violets. It is a great solution for "what to we...

   Several years ago I was participating in an art show in Delray Beach Florida. What I sell is jewelry which I make from the dried acrylic paint from the artist palette.  During the show, a woman walked into my booth and was studying my jewelry pieces. I mean, really inspecting them more closely than the typical customer. I started to share with her my story, how I start with the palette and go from there.  She listened, then said “Yes, I can tell they’re made from paint. I make paint.” Well at first I wasn’t sure if I heard her correctly, not having ever met anyone who makes paint. Then she introduced herself. “I’m Barbara Golden.” To me this was akin to meeting a Hollywood star! I had a celebrity in my art booth! She went on to tell me about some of the more interesting and unusual applications artists have found for Golden Paints.  She later came back to my booth and we had a delightful conversation about ...

1.  Agreement in feeling or opinion; accord:  live in harmony. 2.  A pleasing combination of elements in a whole:  color harmony; the order and harmony of the universe. The Free dictionary.com So I am looking for harmony-in thought, in art, in music, in my relationships, in life.  The thing about harmony is that even if all the elements are different and seem to be unrelated, it only takes one similarity to harmonize them all.  This photo is of the booth I set up when I participate in fine art shows. My goal is to have a very streamlined and uncluttered look, one that simply says one thing: art to wear. The colors and lines are a pleasing combination of elements.  If you take a look at my former booth from my blog archives, I think you will see that there is more harmony now. What do you think? 

You are invited to come visit me in my booth at any of these fine shows: February 4 Winter Garden market, Orlando February 5 Lake Eola market, Orlando February 11 Winter Garden market, Orlando February 12 Lake Eola market, Orlando February 18 & 19 100 Artists Show, St. Petersburg February 25 & 26 Delray Beach March 3 & 4 Cocoa Village Craft Show March 10 Riverside Art Market, Jacksonville March 17 Riverside Art Market, Jacksonville March 31 & April 1 St. Pete Beach When you go to any one of these markets, look for my colorful and funky booth. Believe me, it is one of a kind, just like the jewelry! And it is positively full of new stuff!! If you simply cannot make it to any of my shows, but still MUST have a Parts of Art jewelry piece, there's still a way!! Go to sandyartparts.etsy.com and you will see right there on the screen before you all kinds of tantalizing choices. Once you make your selection and go to pay for it, type in ARTPARTS111 where it says "enter...

Most of my jewelry pieces are simply harmonious blends of color, shape and texture, and I am proud of how each one is a little wearable work of art. There are a few pieces, however, that go beyond the simple elements of art and aim to express qualities that are spiritual. One of those pieces is this necklace, called Poured from within. In the gospels, Jesus Christ taught his disciples about the gift of holy spirit, which they would be receiving at some point in the future. He said in Luke 7:38, " He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." That was spoken about 2000 years ago, and since then, anyone who believes can receive the gift of holy spirit. That spirit within is like a river of living water, and when we operate the gift of holy spirit, it pours forth from within us. We are, at best, vessels of clay with earthly and finite bodies. The beautiful thing is that inside this clay vessel is this living, sparkli...

In my on going adventure of finding beads I acquired a beautiful conglomerate of what I think is jasper. Not being an expert on gems, I am simply attracted to the colors and textures of stones and love the process of combining them with parts of art. This piece lived in my jewelry bead box for at least a year, waiting its turn for how it would be used. Then along came some beautiful double drilled jasper squares with hues of olive and sepia. I then found a delicious slice of acrylic paint with visual layers of spotted and marbled tans, dark chocolate brown, and pastel baby blue. It all came together with some gray pearl and clay beads. It made its debut on my Etsy store as the Natural Beauty necklace. It sat for four months, waiting patiently for its owner to find it. But no one came forward to call Natural beauty their favorite. When it came time to renew its time on Etsy, I pulled it out to re- photo it. Then it sat on my work table for a few days in the bundle of...