|
Felyna Rhosyn (Yellow Rose)
Breuddwydia Donnau Necklace
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Contest 2010 Metal Clay, Metal Beads, Wirework and Chain Category
Finalist |
|
Meet the Designer-Artist
Where do you live?
Seattle, Washington
Describe your artistic style.
My artistic style is best described as magpie. I find influences everywhere, in nature, in architecture, in a phrase I hear or read, photos in magazines, and images from films ... I draw from many styles and ages.
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
I'm inspired by natural forms and movement, by the sky, by a beautiful bead, sometimes I just let the materials before me tell me what they want to be.
What materials do you most enjoy working with?
I most enjoy working with copper and crystals, also with gemstones and seed beads--it's hard to name a real favorite, when I work mostly with one or two materials I miss the others.
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Felyna Rhosyn (Yellow Rose)
What inspired this design?
I loved the flower and wanted to both showcase it and play with this chainmaille weave which has a sort of lacy, 3D look that I thought complimented the flower well.
How did it come together? For example, did you plan it out or did it define itself once you began working?
It worked out the way most of the designs that I plan out before hand work out--it evolved into something both simpler and more interesting.
Share Your Background
When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I began making jewelry when I was about sixteen or seventeen, I think I was just drawn by the desire to adorn myself and I loved looking at all of the lovely beads. It took me a long time, though, to develop confidence and a real sense for what I was trying to do, especially as I was so off-and-on about beading.
Who introduced you to beading?
I'm not sure I was really introduced to it by anyone; I just started wandering into bead stores with a friend. Although my mother did occasionally incorporate beads into some of the projects she made.
Do you have an artistic background?
My mother liked to draw when she was younger and toyed for a while with photography; she was also an avid seamstress but rarely created her own designs. She also loved macramé, crochet, and cross-stitch. I don't know that there were any other "artistic" people in the family.
How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
I can't remember exactly how I discovered Fire Mountain! Probably just saw an ad for the catalog in a beading magazine and ordered one out of curiosity.
What other hobbies do you have?
I enjoy photography--I will never give up my old film camera, never! I also write and illustrate stories based around a silly character I created, but I always say it isn't meant to be serious.
Beading Success
What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Jewelry-making has come to play an increasingly important role in my life, it has gone from hobby to near obsession to a career, currently full-time, but I need to get a part-time job (darn!). When I don't create, when I'm not working on pieces or designing or at least daydreaming, I'm definitely not as happy. It took losing my job to fully realize that working full-time and treating the jewelry-making as a hobby and a way to occupy my time was the opposite of what I want.
If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
Well, the jewelry-making isn't bringing in much income yet, but I do have a shop online that I just opened; I am only beginning to try to market my work. Maybe I should wait six months to answer this question!
Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
No advice, really, as I am still aspiring, unless it's to keep exploring, and keep making jewelry, keep doing it and keep doing it and keep doing it! |
.png)
Create Your Account
