Something beautiful created from something cast aside...the ultimate in recycling!

In paging through my body of work, my all time favorite group of team members hail from Odyssey Marine Exploration. A Tampa based operation of shipwreck salvors who work in harmony with the environment while rescuing and preserving artifacts from the sea floor. They are progressive thinkers, gave me lots of Artistic elbow room, held interesting events and are all around fun lovers! What more could I ask for?? They are great! My first project was to create a line of jewelry from broken bottles recovered from a Post Civil War era side paddle steamer, the S.S. Republic. Wow, what a challenge. I DO love a good  challenge! As a Glass Artist and a Jewelry Designer, I had vision and had to use the found, rough materials and my vast skill set to create items that were interesting, beautiful and purchase-worthy. It was a real life “trash to treasure, trash again and back to treasure” story and the ultimate in recycling.  You may find some of the pieces available at http://shipwreckstore.com/cart/categories/Shipwreck-Jewelry/ have a look around and contemplate…what can I make for YOU?

Cremation Keepsake Touchstone in Dazzling Purple

This year, I had several requests (and I DO accept all kinds of special requests) to create touchstones. I loved the outcome…smooth to the touch and visually brilliant. I stuck with purple glass because, really, purple is the greatest! My customers really loved them. I know my one customer keeps hers under her pillow. There is great comfort in having the idea of keeping someone close to you and that tactile reminder of their presence. The Touchstone can be created in an array of colors. If you look at my bowls, then you see I have pretty much every color of the rainbow at my disposal. Please contact me for your Touchstone or any special request really. I love working for you. Bringing comfort is what I do.

With open arms, I welcome the new year. Bring it I say! Let’s make cool Art for people who request it. Set designers are welcome here. I’d like to see my work in the background of  movies or a new TV series. I am already visualizing it and it is beautiful!! This is going to be a great year. Consider this the open door of opportunity. The Official Invitation!

A little side note…my fused glass mini-dishes , I found, are perfect for salt pans. I keep this one on my table with a small spoon. It is day two of better photos for me.
Contact me for interesting projects. I deliver!

Lesson in Layers

I have been told that I think too much, but somehow, they may be undershooting the issue. Every day, with great intent, I seek to learn something new. That is a good thing. (right?) If you only go on surface appeal, whether it is fruit bred for eye appeal or people taught to look good, then you tend to miss a lot of cool stuff. Life is flawed and, to coin my own term, “woogly”. But it is the wooglienss that keeps everything interesting. This bowl that I took from my kiln this morning is stunningly beautiful. It has a rainbow iridized surface, a swirl of activity in the blue glass, undulating edges…and a ridge where the iridized glass repelled itself. It left a scar of sorts, a reminder of a previous event in the making of this bowl.  It has a classic Michele-vision woogle. I like that. I am not perfect, nor do I aspire to perfection. Know that I am looking past your surface and appreciating the woogle in life! I hope you do the same.

the eyes have it

Woo Hooo!! It is holiday season and the show circuit has begun. As an Observer, officially, I like to just look and listen. With eyes and ears employed fully, I like to tune in to people looking at my artwork. (scary, I know) I compare it to standing  naked in a very small room (once again, scary, I know). You are vulnerable and brave simultaneously. Do they realize the element of courage that is involved with displaying art to the public? It is not just jewelry or sculpture or paintings…it is your soul lying in the sun, flying its colors trying to get a message through. No sunscreen. No umbrella. No shelter at all. Warrior. Artist. Avert your eyes, use your ears…listen in. Know there is joy in creation. We keep the world interesting. Keep us working and  shop local. Be the scrutinizing  eye of quality and craftsmanship. Embrace creativity…no really, hug and Artist every chance you get!

Hearts!

As I look at my work, I realize the heart shape is  a theme that never goes out of style. I have a series of metal hearts, my “Used and Abused” pieces, that incorporate some unusual elements into the design. They are textured, 3 dimensional, things dangle from some of them, a great, rustic patina has been applied and all of them are stuffed with hand-made Asian paper (love that part!!). PLUS, they each have a story to tell and that comes with them too. I get heart requests in bowls frequently. My cremation jewelry, both fused glass and metal work, has a heart-shape option that is very popular. My pet memorials frequently utilize the heart. Oh, how we love our furry family members! I see it as the base of a paw print really…add a quartet of toe pads…voila! Love, love ,love. It makes out life here worth living. Ponder the heart. Spread the love. I think it is really human glue. It holds us all together.

One Studio Wall

Yes, a tiny homage to my football-lovin’ husband! (he’d be so proud of me, making a football reference!!) But here we are, staring the end of the year right in the face. With an odd start and a slower- than- glacial pace, it finally picked up. Apparently, all I had to do was go find a job outside of Michele-land. (what!!) It did not last, I got busy with art, thankfully. I used to think that my lack of focus was really a lack of focus. I come to find it is merely part of the process of creating my “thing”. As I visually sweep around my studio, I feel so happy that I create all kinds of products. It has quite a range too…from Cremation Jewelry, fused glass functional table ware, awards, sun catchers, band merch, ornaments, leather jewelry, waist cinchers, to masks, mixed-media wall art,  pet memorials, up-cycled guitar string bracelets, and now…custom accent tiles for the kitchen, bath, or pool/spa. Who knows where this crazy creative train goes, but the journey sure is interesting!! Put your holiday thinking cap on! Let me make you the greatest gift giver this season and always!! (note, I literally did spin around in my chair) (hehe, mostly , because it’s fun!)

I am pretty sure my brain looks like this!

Being  fully aware that this may be a great visual of my brain, a scan of it will never be required. It is twisted and convoluted with LOTS going on! Not a cobweb to be found. No dust bunnies lurking in the recesses of this mind.  The brain is a perfect recorder of events through multi-sensory input never missing a thing.  Total recall is always an option, but we may just be too lazy to figure out where all of the details hide.  Lately, I have been focusing on really working my brain. Snap out of the brain lazy river where we float along happily wishing for a frozen Margarita! Feeding it some gummy Omega 3′s surely help as well. (yes, life is just a gummy bear away from perfection…food is for suckers apparently!) A simple task of singing along with the radio takes on new meaning. THINK about how the tune goes. You have heard it a thousand times. Work that noggin.  Improve your mental capabilities. Breathe deeply. Ventilate. Oxygenate. Resonate. Appreciate. Everything is possible. I love that. I am on a creative Roll! My mind is full of swirling colors and words and images, which is fortuitous because I am suddenly an Artistic whirlwind of endless activity. Call me…what can I create for you???