random bits of this and that.

My huge silver order was so, so disappointing.

The second box came the other day. I asked my stepmom to feel the weight. She did, and then proceeded to ask if it was empty.

"Actually, it contains $78 of silver."

And through all of this? I forgot bezel wire. Sigh. New order will be placed today and it's terribly boring. Bezel, solder, chain for a custom necklace.

Speaking of chain, I was staring at a piece of chain last night - the 3 1/2" piece of scrap that's been sitting on my bench - and decided it needed to be in earrings. Along with a technique I've never actually done before (as it involves beads and wire) but I'm pretty sure I can teach myself.

Art notes:
Jewelry is largely about design for me because that is how it started out. My "outlet" art was photography and mixed media collages, later sculpture and video and installation (speaking of - if someone would like to hire me and pay me a salary to be an installation artist I think I may be content forever).

Jewelry was about making pretty things that I would like to wear. Eventually it evolved into small sculpture, but by and large it was jewelry and not art to me. There was more of a distinction then. It IS art but it didn't really fit into my definition as such...it couldn't compared to the other things I was working with. I put everything I had into my videos, my photos. I knew how to do that. It was a vulnerability but there was some sort of odd comfort in that vulnerability.

Metal is not a medium that naturally brings those things out. I'm starting to slowly branch out and not just do "design" pieces, but things with stories. Things inspired from other meaningful things. Words and emotions and stories and memory. It won't ever be the same as my pictures, but at least it will be something.

Art is my skeleton.