by Libby on March 26, 2007
After I posted the other day, I was thinking about how that pin I posted came about and I realized that I started it in 2005 at the first Klay Karma Retreat. I just didn’t finish it until 2006. LOL So, I guess I can only say I made one thing (3 lousy glazed filigree beads) in 2006. Now, that’s a sobering thought!
I made the polymer portion of the pin at the retreat. You can’t tell, but the base got really burned and the amber color is more from the spiking oven temperatures than deliberate design. I generally subscribe to the rule that you don’t bake anything you really love at a class or a retreat, but this one was a keeper.
I’m sure you can tell how influenced I was by Kathleen Dustin’s Depth of Surface technique. If you are ever able to take a workshop with her, jump on the opportunity. Kathleen’s techniques and design advice are fantastic.
by Libby on March 23, 2007
I have written here before about how our two moves disrupted my creative life, but I was made painfully aware of that the other day as I uploaded photos to my new gallery www.libzoid.net/gallery . Ever since I started taking pictures of my work I have tried to include the date in the photo name. It’s a helpful reminder.
As I was sorting through the pictures on my computer I learned a few things. First of all, I have come a long way since I first marbled a couple of colors of Sculpey together. Here’s an example of a necklace I made in January 2002 that I was fantastically proud of:
In contrast, here’s a pin I made in 2006:
Big difference. Looking back over my photos and sorting them out by categories also gave me a nice view of how my style has been evolving. The other thing that this retrospective examination made painfully clear was how my work just stopped after 2004. I made very few things worth photographing in 2005 and only two in 2006. There were plenty of reasons for the sudden break, most of all selling houses (the cleaning for real estate showings nearly killed me, lol), buying houses, packing and unpacking, plus all the details of getting a family of four plus two dogs settled into new houses, new schools, new jobs and new friends. Still, it makes me sad to see the visual evidence of that creative break. I did knit a lot of scarves during that time period, but it’s not the same. (and they aren’t terribly photo-worthy either)
It’s been hard to set my feet back on the path. Lately I am coming to the conclusion that I need to force myself to schedule studio time just like a doctor’s appointment and make myself touch some clay or beads with or without specific inspiration or plans. It’s just so easy to put off. Family life can be so busy. We’re beginning the process of trekking around colleges with my older daughter and both kids need to be ferried places pretty regularly. There’s cleaning and errands and bill paying and whatnot. And the biggest time sink for me is the computer. I can waste a frightening amount of time online, reading my email, reading blogs etc.
I’ll let you know if the scheduling thing works.
by Libby on March 15, 2007
I took these photos before the small flood derailed me. I still haven’t put everything back in its place, but it’s encouraging to know that everything does have a more or less specific place. In any case, let me show you my wonderful new studio.
At the bottom of the stairs you’ll find my photo set-up conveniently tucked in the corner provided by the stairs. The lights are from Tabletop Studios. The light tent itself is an inexpensive knockoff of the EZ Cube found on ebay.
Next here is the view from the doorway to the main part of my studio. The floor is inexpensive vinyl composition tile and the ceiling light are all full spectrum fluorescents. I’ve got my work table set up with my oven right behind me and a multi drawer Ikea kitchen cabinet for my most used supplies. I have a mirror hung under the wall shelves so that I can turn my chair and see how I like a string of beads or a new pair of earrings. Plus the mirror helps open up and brighten the space. (you can also see my mannequin “Hildy” in profile)
Here is the beading area. I picked up the bead storage unit after the last Bead & Button Show. It’s handy because its many little drawer make it easy to separate my massive bead stash out by size and color. It’s main drawback though is that the drawers don’t slide all the way out and things can get lost at the back of the drawers.
My bulletin board full of weird stuff I’ve done as well as inspirational postcards & work from friends/artists I admire. (Paper & polymer dolls by me, heart pin & kumihimo cord by Diane Villano, Santa & elf by Jack Schwend, beads by Emma Ralph, tiles by Jayne Hoffman, moon mask by Jenn Dorion, rose necklace by Leigh Ross, pendant by Diane Gregoire, notebook by Gerri Newfry, sorry if I missed something)
My bookcase wall , utility sink and jewelry bench. I am thrilled to have running water in this studio!
The final wall: a narrow bookcase of magazines, a table for simple soldering and a fun wall gallery. Plus my silly colorful closet doors. It’s hard to see in the picture, but there are fun freehand silver designs painted over each of the colored panels.
by Libby on March 15, 2007
It still may be awhile before I let the world know about my new blog location, but I want to try some posting. Huge thanks to Jenn D. for setting up my new website and making the fun blog banner. I love it!
by Libby on March 11, 2007
Pictures of the chaos that is my studio following my husband’s unloading the bookcases. First a view from the wall where the bookcases usually stand. The bookcases are lying on the floor so the bottoms can dry out.
Then the view of all the numbered piles of books. Bless my husband for making a diagram of where everything was and numbering the piles.
I’ve managed to get the bookcases standing upright again and I loaded the bottom shelves before my back started screaming. So the week ahead will be busy with getting things back to the way they were before the flood. And, oh joy, I’ve got a routine colonoscopy to look forward to also. Such fun, eh?
