Thursday, May 30, 2013

Studio Tour This Weekend - Preview Tomorrow - Pictures!

Been nose to the grindstone getting ready for the Artist Studio Tour. Thought you might like to see some pictures of some of the beadwork for sale...

I'm a guest artist in studio #7, Cinda Sue Dow, pastel artist. I'm happily occupying the whole of her pastel house! The tour is Sat. and Sun. 10 - 5, and we're also having a special preview on Friday, May 31 (that's tomorrow!) from 5-8 pm. The location is in Friday Harbor at 545 Alder Ct. Heading out of town on Argyle, turn rt. on Spruce St., pass Hemlock St. and turn rt. on Alder Ct. Both of us are giving 20% off during the preview.

Necklace, fibula pin, bracelet, and earrings in palette of natural colors featuring jasper and smokey quartz stones.
Necklace and earrings featuring beautifully faceted rubies (man-made) and sterling silver beads.
Selection of bracelets with specialty glass beads, pearls, crystals, and sterling silver or gold elements.

I love wireworking. These are two fibula pins and three pendants that showcase high-end lampwork beads by nationally recognized artists.

I offer a selection of every-day earrings in a wide range of colors, featuring glass lampwork beads, vintage Chinese glass beads, and more. I use sterling silver or gold-filled findings only (no plated pot metal).

This necklace and earrings feature vintage Chinese glass beads (beautiful, soft, translucent blue) paired with sterling silver elements from the Golden Triangle area in Northern Thailand.

I just finished this bead/ribbon/thread/button embellished, red, felt purse! Any fun-loving person with a flamboyant streak would enjoy carrying this on their shoulder!

I named this necklace "Sea to Sky," and based the color scheme on a painting by Monet. It showcases a vintage, magnificent and unique sterling silver pendant from The Hill Tribe peoples of Thailand. This necklace was featured in "The Beader's Color Palette" by Margie Deeb.

This necklace is an example of my "woven treasure necklace" technique. It colors are inspired by the raku glaze on the featured ceramic beads by an artist in Hawaii.


This tassel ornament is another example of the "woven treasure" technique. In the light, it reminds one of stained glass windows in a cathedral.

"Trust" is bead embroidery art to enhance a small space. it is one of the 13 technique samples for my book, "Heart to Hands Bead Embroidery."

Inspired by Emperor Penguins, this bead embroidered brooch looks great on jacket lapel or sweater.
Earrings and fibula pins.

Key fobs, zipper pulls, cell-phone or camera tags on the top shelf.

I display most of the jewelry in color groupings. There's a range of casual to elegant, ethnic to contemporary, and understated to bold looks in my work.

It takes me two days to set up for this thing, plus uncountable hours to make the work. Since I'm actually a rather shy person, it's difficult for me to promote my work in person. When guests come, I sometimes don't talk to them at all. So it's always very gratifying when people show up for the tour and actually buy my work, despite my awkwardness. 

10 comments:

  1. Kelly Wilbur8:51 PM

    They are all wonderful! I hope you have a studio full of shoppers!

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    1. Thanks Kelly... The studio was moderately full of nice folks, some looking and some shopping. It was a fun weekend for me.

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  2. It was good to see your fibula pins- they inspired me a long time ago to make something similar.

    Have fun.

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    1. Thanks... it was fun. Last year was my year to sell fib pins... This year it was earrings that went out the door in droves. Never know...

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  3. Lovely work, Robin! Hope you sell out!

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    1. Sell out... Well that would be a miracle! I did well enough, thanks!

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  4. Wow, everything looks great!!! What a lovely selection. My problem would be trying to limit myself to one or two or three or . . .

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    1. I wonder a little if having too many choices might be a bit of a problem. Some day I should try putting out a much smaller spread and see what happens.

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  5. Christine Anderson10:34 AM

    Giggle when you read that my glance on the red purse was that it was for a flamboyant steak-loving person. Must be in my mind our SF bag assessment charges when shopping for goods if one has not brought their own carrier.
    And then I needed to read up what in the world was a fibula pin. Now, I know: fibula, ( Latin: “brooch”) outer of two bones of the lower leg or hind limb, probably so named because the inner bone, the tibia, and the fibula together resemble an ancient brooch, or pin.
    The penguin-inspired pin's a delight! Christine

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    1. I had read that the Romans used the fibula bone to pierce the folds of their cloaks, holding one side to the other around their shoulders. Later these pins were made with forged metal. I saw some in a book about ancient jewelry, which is what gave me the idea for making these pins.

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