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May 15, 2008: Reaching Goals Hope you're having a wonderful spring! I, as usual, am overextended, which is why I haven't written here in a while, but I'm having fun, working on new collections and some writing projects--more on that later! 2008 is about reaching new goals in my business, one of which is to become an exhibitor in some of the higher end shows in the Washington Metro Area. And so far so good! This fall you'll find me at the Sharon Pierce McCullough Wearables show at held annually at the Northern Va. Community College the last weekend in September! Ready for a road trip? Make an enjoyable excursion down to Occoquan, VA, on the riverfront, and visit an exclusive boutique called Details!--where my work is a new feature! It's located at 206 Mill Street. You'll find a unique collection of my signature style pieces there along with great handbags, clothing, shoes, accessories, and jewelry by other artists. A must visit--please add that to your calendar today and plan to stop by there soon! Check my show schedule for new show dates! I hope you are making plans to come by in the fall. Some are old favorites like the NVHG showcase in Vienna on Thanksgiving weekend, others are new like the Wakefield show to be held in December. I I hope you're having a great spring and looking forward to a fun and relaxing summer! While you're chilling, I'll be hard at work in my studio creating great new stuff .... Until next time, be blessed. --rsw January 12, 2008: Making Statements Happy New Year! I can’t believe how quickly 2007 slipped by … but now it’s a new year and another chance for us all to explore our creativity! I did some interesting commission pieces last year and here’s one I’d like to share with you. Someone who found my site on the web emailed me one day and asked me if I could make her a custom band for a skeleton watch. I love an unusual challenge and of course I jumped at the chance. A skeleton watch is one with all the gears and mechanisms enclosed in a glass case so that you can see all the inter-working movement—fascinating piece.
Amazing to see all those intricate and delicate gears turning in perfect sync … like a microcosm symbolic of the universe. But the watch had leather bands and she wanted something different and imaginative to set off the face. To make this challenge even more interesting, she wanted the watch to look like something 19th century sci-fi writer Jules Verne would have loved. She sent me her wrist measurement and some pictures, including these, for design inspiration.
She didn’t want it too shiny or too ornate. With all those specifications on the table, I examined how the watch was constructed, how the bands were attached, and studied the face. Just held it in my hands and let the design begin to gel. I chose bronze wire for the main parts of the band—it’s gold but not shiny, and over time it will turn a rich antique golden brown that will add character and authenticity in keeping with the spirit of the piece. When the work was completed, I eagerly shipped it out to her. Here's my interpretation of the theme:
And here’s what my client had to say: Here was another interesting challenge—setting an elk’s tooth in German silver to make a pendant slide, a birthday gift commissioned by a mother for her son to be worn on his silver chain. She was quite pleased with my "stunning." interpretation.
I love doing special commission work. I love being able to stretch and push my creativity to edge and then leap off! Especially with the added complexity of your desires and specifications. Most of all, I love creating things for you that no one else in the world will have: your own statement piece that speaks of who YOU are. There’s joy in being an individual—it’s a gift to be nonpareil! In these days of fast and cheap, things handcrafted individually and with care and quality and meticulous attention to detail are to be appreciated, respected, and cherished. Let's Make a Statement about You. Do you have a cool design challenge for me? Bring it on! I can’t wait to hear from you! Meanwhile, I’m at work on the next collection which should be ready for release in the next month or so. And so far, so good … you’re going to love them! Check back with me soon—and remember to sign up for my e-list if you want to be first to know what's new! Well, it's 2008--a brand new year full of amazing possibilities--I hope you bring some great plans to fruition this year! Until next time, be blessed. --rsw November 27, 2007 Introducing ... Me! Welcome to my new blog! I hope you like the redesign of the Nonpareil site ... feel free to email me and share your thoughts on things you would like to see added or improved. I would love to hear from you. Many people ask how I began creating Art Jewelry. I say that came about i n divine order. I realized one day when my older son Jason was in jr. high school that he would be going off to college in 4 years and I was not financially prepared! I began to pray for a way to supplement my income--prayed for work I could do at home and not have to be away from my boys--work that did not involve stuffing envelopes or rote assembly or some other insanely mindless task. One rainy day, my younger son Bryan was bored and we began to play around with a polymer clay activity set that my mom had given him. I followed the instructions and made a millifiori cane (similar to the technique used by Venetian glassworkers) and fashioned some beads into earrings and a small pendant. It actually came out pretty decent for a beginner project and then it occurred to me that I was on to something intriguing. It occurred to me that if I honed my skills to a professional level, perhaps I could sell my work ... so I became a polymer clay addict, staying up until all hours experimenting , researching books, trying new techniques, buying more clay, seeking suppliers, acquiring better tools. People loved what I was doing and I made $700 at my first home show. But something was still missing--it just wasn't distinctive or recognizable enough--not ME enough. Then my sister Karen gave me a book on wire working--and that brought everything into perspective. I began combining wire and polymer and slowly but surely my own point of view began to emerge. Now I enjoy creating eclectic, unusual pieces that include many mixed media techniques and elements. Ideas for new designs keeping flowing down to me from above, from God, I believe. Every time I wonder if I can come up with a new collection, more creativity flows down to me. I dream of new designs and wake up the next morning, excited to run to my studio and make them real. And that's how it all began. I have found my passion in this creative endeavor and thanks to you my business is growing. I have also returned to school to refine my graphic design skills and am taking on freelance projects. (You can visit my graphic design website here.) So keep spreading the word for me and invite your friends to visit my sites. Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you'll join me again soon. I 'll be adding new thoughts and ideas periodically and showing you interesting commission pieces I've done. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Take care until next time! Blessings, rsw |
