In Living Color

In my jewelry and in my mixed media assemblages, I tend to be drawn to the same colors again and again.  These include the raw colors of all types of metal, and of metal in various forms of decay.  This palette is comforting to my eye, and somehow it has a story to tell.


In my work, the exception to this includes any and all of the folk art pieces that I create.  In these, all bets are off!  Bright rules; more colors are a wonderful thing; and generally each piece is polka dotted to within an inch of its life.



While I adore both of these approaches to my art, for years I've challenged myself to "add more color to my jewelry".  This has come in the form of beads, enameling, fiber, and various patinas.

In January, I joined the talented Debbie Keen and Nikki Thornburg-Lanigan for a weekend of creative play.  During our time together, we experimented with metal etching, enameling, graphite, colored pencils, and alcohol inks.  We learned from the good , the bad, and the ugly... and we had a ball!


As I posted this photos to Facebook today, I realized that this process of adding color continues to evolve for me, and I love where it's going.

The journey continues...

Tips and Tricks From The Studio - Consistency in Matched Earrings

This week I created for the first time in my new studio.  (Yay Me!)  I was on a mission to make earrings as specific styles had been requested from several of my galleries and boutiques.  As I began to prepare my work area, it occurred to me that a few of my routines might be share-worthy.

Earrings made by Jean Skipper.

Somehow it's against my imperfection-loving-nature to create consistently.  Asymmetry comes naturally to me; symmetry, not so much.  When making a matched set of earrings, both consistency and symmetry are important considerations.  

A few of the tricks of the trade that help me to achieve this follow...

When selecting the components, beads, head pins, and ear wires, that I plan to use in each pair, I check them carefully to ensure that they're reasonably the same size.  Many of the parts and pieces that I use are handmade, and differences in their form are to be expected.  This is what draws me to them; it just doesn't always translate well into matched pairs of earrings.

As I gather the tools needed for this project, I spend a little extra time with my round nose plyers.  Using a Sharpie Marker, I mark two pairs of parallel lines around each side.  The first is a quarter inch or so down from the tip, and the second is about a half inch below that.  As I wrap my wire around the pliers these lines guide me.  If I'm seeking tiny loops that disappear into the design, I wrap the wire around the smaller line.  For larger loops, the kind that become a noticeable element in the design of the earrings, I use the larger lines.

When each pair is finished, I perform a final inspection by hanging them from a horizontal surface.  The edge of a glass or tin can work perfectly for this.  This process allows me to see the earrings as they'll appear when worn.  It also allows me to make any final adjustments before presenting them as a finished creation.  

Does consistency and symmetry come naturally for you?  If so, "Yay You!"  If not, how do you manage to overcome this challenge?   

********************************************************************************

I'm happy to announce that we'll be making earrings in my classes

at Creative Studios NC in Vass, North Carolina.

My schedule will be announced next week.

Please send an email to me at jeanskipper@jeanskipper.com

to be among the first to receive this update.

Behind The Scenes with Wire and Found Objects

This week I shared a bit about my love of wire on the ReMe Retreats website.  Wire is a basic component in most everything that I create, and I'm consistently amazed by it.  Below you'll find photos of some of the results of my adventures with wire, and also a behind-the-scenes peek at a few of the results of my self imposed challenge with wire and a limited selection of tools and found objects.

I love 

All Wire 

and I 

cannot lie...

Simplicity of design with Wire, Swarovski Crystals, and a Clasp.

Rings of Wire and Beads.

"Pipe Cleaners"
just another
way
to say
"Wire".

Electrical Parts and Pieces = Fancy Wire!

Cocooned in each link is a piece of a plastic straw.

The humble beginnings of my Wired Copper Cuff.

Its initial construction was all about the stability of the finished piece.

Then I began to add a few interesting functional details.

The free form wrapping continued.

In the finished cuff, I intentionally allowed a small portion of the straw 
to peek through; enough to raise interest without revealing its identity.

While these individual pieces may never be a part of my retail collection, in the process of creating them I stretched.  I challenged my ability to create with limited options.  I explored the technique of encapsulating a found object almost to the point of its being unrecognizable.  I examined my feelings about whether or not this treatment increases or decreases its contribution to the final piece.  And I pondered the inherent value of found objects, in general and when they're elevated within a piece of mixed media artwork.