Into the woods...

School starts in 2 weeks so we're packing in all the fun. Today - sailing. Tomorrow - the zoo. I'll probably only have a couple more full days in the studio.

A belated thank you to Heather Kent! It was very nice to find a photo of my work over at her blog last week. She has nice interviews too. Below is one of her new hand painted lockets - I lean toward all things woodland. She has a wide variety of images (from hedgehogs to red velvet cake) available on pendants, rings, earrings and even cufflinks.

Manifesto

Last year sometime I heard someone (and I honestly can't remember who) say slightly snidely "Well! You don't want finger prints in your polymer clay!" and that did it for me. I started working on beads that had my finger prints as their texture.

Lately I've been wrestling with the big ideas of copying and being authentic and how can any of us ever be sure we aren't unwittingly using too much of someone else's idea, what with the overwhelming number of visual images we have access to EVERY SINGLE DAY. Angst.

It seemed like the right time to finally complete and post this necklace. The white beads are made with my finger prints. No one can copy my fingerprints but if someone would copy the beads they will be forced to use THEIR OWN finger prints. I enjoy the irony.

My treasury "watch out for sharks" was chosen as the Artisans Gallery Team's treasury of the day!


Click over and check out my inspiration, this Porcelain Great White Shark by cedarpottery, AND my other 15 great finds!

Almost there now

Our 180 days of school for the 2010-2011 school year are finished! I'm still getting the boy's portfolios in order but the end is in sight. Studio time has mostly been limited to fulfilling a large custom order but I also spent a little time rummaging through the " discard box" and re-working pieces that didn't work out. Carving works wonders on Stone upon Stone pieces that were made before I got more consistent with them. (I throw nothing away.)


I had a pleasant surprise from Amanda at Ulixis who featured my white Fragment earrings on her blog yesterday! Check out all her lovely finds!

Turtle update

Some time between 11pm and 7am our snapping turtle left us. God speed turtle!
To answer one of the questions in the comments, no, turtles don't sit on their eggs they drop 'em and leave. But we will work to keep the eggs safe for the next 6-7 weeks. Once they hatch we were told we can move the babies to the stream. (Sam is having a little trouble being convinced that a snapping turtle wouldn't make a good pet.)

Our dog gets it that she isn't allowed to dig where the eggs are but we have some concerns about the neighborhood cats. We're thinking we should construct a wire dome of some sort.

Expect the Unexpected

I woke up this morning expecting something unexpected.


We found her just outside our backdoor. Mind you we live IN town - she had quite a walk. She is LARGE with a top carapace thats about 10 x 13 inches. She has now buried herself underground. I don't think I need to tell you what she's doing down there.

I called the local park (they take injured birds, snakes etc.) and they said to leave her alone; she'll finish laying eggs in about 24 hrs.

Hazards on the job

Big orders, lots of beads...beads, beads, beads. Soreness in one hand led me to try making the same small beads between the thumb and pointer finger of my other hand and lo and behold, I am polymer ambidextrous! (well, at least with that kind of bead)


This is one of the "rest" projects I am working on after both hands get stiff. I cut into my thumb on Saturday because I was carving and not wearing my leather finger protector. Amazingly its just about healed already. And I've learned my lesson.