Solo gallery show at The Smithery

I was so pleased to be invited to show my work with The Smithery in Columbus, Ohio last year and now the opening for my solo show is almost here.

I've chosen to show my recycled work because its something I'm really focusing on right now and lets face it, the topic of how we use and consume is more relevant than ever.

What I've come to believe is that if we see plastic as semi precious, we challenge the destructive concept of single use (and disposable). Certainly polymer clay art jewelry can be a vehicle to help us change our thinking and thereby our actions. We wouldn't make a single use bag out of gold - why do it with plastic? 

If you're in the Columbus area, I would love to see you at the opening March 5 6-8pm.

Single strand bracelet

The single strand Fragment bracelets are going into the shop sometime today. Triple stranded ones should be ready some time next week.

If you have a pair of the Fragment stud earrings these are a perfect match - the carved beads are the same size.

Tripled carved

My single strand of carved beads has grown. Thankfully I like to carve…

I added three dividers that keep the elastic strands in places and hide the knots while also acting as another design element. I might try adding two more in fact and incorporate the idea into the magnetic necklace thats slowly coming along too.

The bracelet is made to work with the Fragment earrings that are already in my Etsy shop. I think the line could use dangle earrings as well but I'm not quite happy with the prototype yet.

Tiny Textures

A customer, who's now become a good online friend and gracious sounding board for ideas, sent me one of her pieces - such a delightful surprise!

One of the things I love about polymer clay is its ability to take texture. Marcia capitalizes on that fact brilliantly here, with each and every small bead. She lives close to the sea and told me that most of the textures were made with seashells which makes me like the bracelet all the more.

Marcia Simpson sells her work in galleries and you can find more examples on her blog and her Facebook page.

Thank you Marcia!