Michigan Art Show recap

So, I finally feel like I have a momentum going here in Michigan as far as the bead/jewelry/art fair shows are concerned. I have been really happy with the feed back that I have been getting this year and I am really happy with my display (for now!) I thought it would be fun to look at some of the progression.

This is the Art on the Mall in Kalamazoo in June. I have done this show twice now and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Kalamazoo has a really great energy and everyone turns out in full force for this event. I share a booth with two to three other artists who have fantastic work and we all compliment each other really well.

This is the Chelsea Sounds and Sights Festival and the first time I have done this show. This show is in the process of a re-birth and had a good turnout. The plans for the next show include more artists and more music. This show was in July and was a warm weekend, luckily I had my mom there to help me.

New wooden displays for necklaces and a new display for earrings.

New displays that were given to me by a friend, don't they look great?

New work

Cause I cannot resist any dog with a mohawk!

 The last show was the DIYipsi Indie Art Fair. This was inside at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti and was lots of fun. This was my first time in the show and I met lots of really great artists.

DIYipsi

My friend Jen, a happy supporter of my work.

The next show scheduled is the Bead Bonanza put on by the Great Lakes Beadworker's Guild in Southfield. I have been doing this show since I moved here and I look forward to seeing my customers from that area. Come out and see me: October 5th 10-5pm Southfield Municipal Complex 26000 Evergreen Rd in Southfield.

Lets dehydrate everything.

We have been trying to eat better. We eat much less meat and dairy than we used to. I am contentious of where our food comes from and better yet, we planted a garden with raised beds and all organic soil and seeds. I even purchase organic and free range foods for our pets. I think its important and I wanted to share some of it with you.
Since I don't feed our dog bones or any of those rawhide ears or snouts, I wanted to find him something he could chew on besides everything else that happens to be laying around the house. He loves veggies and fruit so I found some dehydrated sweet potato treats, and boy does he love them. I purchased several brands to be sure it was the potatoes and not the brand, but they are not cheap!

After the third bag, I decided that I could make these myself, so I purchased a food dehydrator and started dehydrating everything!

Here are dehydrated sweet potatoes, zucchini and beets. Oliver, our dog, loves all of them except the beets, which is fine, cause I love them!
After I tried this experiment, I decided that anything is game.

I started to look at other foods differently.  don't really like bananas unless they are green and crunchy, but for some reason I love banana chips! (The pets do too)

Here in Michigan, the summer has been really mild, we have a few warm days followed by cool days so our tomatoes are growing but not ripening fast enough.  We had a warm spell and they grew big but took weeks to ripen so they are large and mushy with not much flavor. Well... I stuck them in the dehydrator to see what would happen, and OMG tomato chips are my new favorite snack. The mushy tomatoes are crisp and bright with color and intense flavor and I can take them with me anywhere to snack on. Love them. Kale is another yummy treat when it is dehydrated. Oh and fruit leather.... throw your over ripe fruit into the blender with some lemon juice, into the dehydrator and boom, you have fruit leather the next day!

Fresh tomatoes with some salt before

A different variety

And after-so good!!

My adventures at the ISGB Gathering in Houston, TX

This year the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) annual Gathering was held in Houston Texas. This was the first time I have been to Houston and was really looking forward to seeing the city. The Gathering was held at the Regency Hyatt Hotel downtown, so there was not much in the way of shopping, but I was able to get a ride to a local boot store and take the light rail to a funky eclectic shop nearby.  Since there was so many things happening at the meeting that I hardly noticed that I did not see much of Houston.
All of the talks and demos at this Gathering were fantastic, my head is spinning with inspiration and new techniques to try. I got to hang out with friends and fellow beadmakers, and made some new friends too. I was really excited to see my piece that was excepted into the RAD exhibit among some really amazing work by other artists. The whole experience was incredible and it will take my brain some time to process all of it.

I took a photography class with Doug Baldwin to learn how to take better photos of my jewelry for submitting to shows and exhibits. This is a photo Doug took of one of my pendants. He made it look so easy and inspired me to practice and practice to get the best photos.

My Cowboy/girl hat in the Beads of Courage display that will be kept in the local children's hospital for everyone to see. I feel so honored to have one of my beads there.

Sharon Peter's chicken wearing boots and a hat.

Marcy Lamberson's cowboy riding a chicken

Another view

Beads of Courage presenting the ISGB with an award.

Some of the work from the Pendant Exhibit

Pendants by Marg Karg who is part of my East Central Region.

My table at the Bead Bazaar. 

Partial room shot of the Bead Bazaar.

One of my favorite necklaces that sold.

My piece that was excepted into the RAD exhibit.

Me and my roommate Sue Angell

My bead exchange haul.

Show Schedule

This year is already half over and I have been busier than normal. I have been making new designs with my beads and jewelry and working with more metals. I have finally gotten the information about the upcoming shows that I will be in and I hope to see you there.

July 19th
The ISGB Gathering Bead Bazaar
Hyatt Regency Houston
1200 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77002
Admission $5.00 per person
For more information, please visit www.isgb.org
http://www.isgb.org/info/uploads/beadbazaar2014flyer01.pdf

July 25 and 26
Sounds and Sights Festival
Downtown Chelsea, MI
12-8pm
http://chelseafestivals.com/festival/artmarket/

August 2
Holland's 45th Annual Art in the Park
Holland's Centennial Park, Holland Michigan
9am-4pm.
http://www.hollandfriendsofart.com/ArtInThePark.htm

August 23 and 24
DIYpsi
The Corner Brewery
720 Norris St, Ypsilanti, MI 48198
Friday 11-11pm
Saturday 12-6pm
http://www.diypsi.com/upcoming-events/


Here is a little teaser of the newest bangles I have been making:

Beads and photography

Beads are not easy to photograph especially beads made with silver glass. Recently I submitted some pieces to several ISGB exhibits and most of the beads were made with silver glass. Here are some of the photos:

These three things

Sometimes life throws things at you to see if you are paying attention. Yesterday we took the puppy for a long walk around the block and through a forested park. I like to explore how nature looks during the different seasons. Lately I have been fascinated at the things that are lying around after all of the snow has melted. There is an enormous amount of trash and decomposing things. While walking I picked up these 3 things all in different places along our walk and did not think twice about them until I got home and set them down.

The wood was going to be a photography display for my beads:

This seed pod looks like an owl:

And this rusted metal was going to be used as a found object in a piece of jewelry:

But after I placed them all on the table, something compelled me to do this:

So, now I have to glue the pieces down, drill a hole in the wood for a hanger and find someplace to hang him.

Next time you are out walking around, see what nature wants you to have.

Photos by David Orr Photography

I had some of my pieces photographed by David Orr Photography and wanted to share them with you.
David lives in Arizona and is known for his jewelry photography, you can find him here: http://davidorrphotography.com/

Working away

Here are some of my latest finished pieces

Keeping this one!

And this one!!

Long treasure necklaces

Having so much fun riveting these disks to copper

Love

More love