Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2010 featuring Gemstones
Finalist |
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Meet the Designer-Artist
Where do you live?
Naples, Florida
Describe your artistic style.
Clean contemporary, leaning toward baroque. I love details. Also, I try to keep them as classic as possible and hope they will become handed-down pieces.
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Everything I see around me--details on a picture frame, industrial ceiling air grids, nature's splendid colors, patterns and colors in fashion and trends.
What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Semi-precious stones, pearls, sterling silver wire (for wrapping) and I am always trying to keep up with newly discovered gems, very interesting.
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Shady Nook in a Crystalline Blue Koi Pond
What inspired this design?
Beautiful stones, crystals and different colors of metals designed to bring out the beauty of Kois.
How did it come together?
The lavender crystals are vintage. First time I used vintage pieces. The whole piece was designed around the fish meeting, the colors of the moving water. And so it determined the piece be asymmetrical.
Share Your Background
When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
About five years ago I dabbled and created a big chunky amethyst piece for a friend. It had to be substantial for a large-boned woman.
Who introduced you to beading?
I was dragged into a bead shop that had just opened by a friend. She planned our lunch around the trip. I bought six spools of wire and wondered about people who play with tiny beads.
Do you have an artistic background?
I designed gift baskets for a company in Montreal for 5 years. I became involved again with baskets down here (my part-time job) which evolved into florals and I made just about everything else for my number one customer.
How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
It was on the back of a craft magazine. I requested a catalogue.
What other hobbies do you have?
Gourmet cooking, floral gift basket designing and I have painted just about every surface imaginable and tried almost every known craft at least once.
Do you belong to any beading societies or beading groups?
No, not at the moment. Although I have my work posted on My Space and Facebook, I did have them on my own page on Vistaprint and Artfire until recently. Now I just have a shop on Etsy.
Beading Success
What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
It is what I spend my days and nights doing as well as trying to start a profitable website. I have been unemployed for three years, have back problems and had back surgery the end of February.
If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
I post my jewelry on Etsy, show pieces on Facebook and Myspace. This is my first contest entry. I had another piece I was going to enter a few years ago, but life happened.
Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
No, although I do sell some extra beads to two sisters who raise money and make shawl and lap blankets which they have blessed and give to people who need prayers and blessings said for them.
Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
I just keep on practicing until I feel I have the technique down. Practice perfects everything. What you choose to excel at is based upon personal likes and dislikes, but there is no technique that cannot be mastered with practice. Trial and error. Measure twice, cut at once like sewing. |
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