Happy Halloween!

Whitman sampler

I've been backsliding! I was doing so well with the frequent blogging for a while there. I was in a bit of a frenzy to finish getting things ready for the River Arts Fest-- I'll blog about that soon-- and then I went to Memphis for a week for it, and then earlier this week I returned home and had to recuperate.

Ok, enough excuses. Here's a little eye-candy for you.

I made this piece for my philosopher for an anniversary present-- it's one of his favorite quotes, and very appropriate for a philosopher (especially one who has an interest in human rationality, or lack thereof). The geometric shapes that form the border are hand-embossed (well, debossed, technically). It was a bit tricky since I don't have a light table. But it turned out perfectly. Blind embossing may be my new favorite thing.

Gallery by the Green

I've been remiss in my blogging, I know! In the meantime, fall has fallen here in southern Indiana. This means, in part, that everyone is flocking to Brown County and the little town of Nashville (that's Nashville, Indiana-- not that other Nashville!) where the leaves are beginning to put on their best show, and so are the artisans, who make their studios open to visitors every October.

I'm not lucky enough to have my studio in Brown County, but my work is available there at Gallery by the Green, located just a block off the main drag at 23 North Jefferson. I dropped off some fresh work to them on Monday, while on the way to my annual pumpkin-buying splurge at Kelp's Pumpkin Patch in Gnaw Bone.

Fall leaves, art, and pumpkins. Good stuff.

Autumn winds

I would be lying if I tried to pretend I am not very pleased with myself for this one.

It all started with an invitation to donate an item for the silent auction at the Memphis River Arts Festival opening party on October 23rd. I have donated to auctions in the past, usually just little things. This time I decided that I could use this as an opportunity to challenge myself (it didn't hurt that artists whose work sells for more than a certain amount get a cut of the selling price and automatic acceptance to next year's festival-- excellent incentives to give generously!). I wanted to make something new, something bigger and more detailed than ever before, something that would really attract attention at the opening party and bring people to my booth the next day.

This necklace set is the result-- it's evocative of the season, but also related to the region-- you can't really read it here, but the panels on the necklace include the text, "Autumn winds roll through the dry leaves", a fragment of a poem by Arkansas poet John Gould Fletcher. The many paper pieces are reminiscent of a drift of fall leaves, and the spirals are the little whirlwinds that scatter the leaves around you.

I believe I have the start of a new line of jewelry here-- I want to make a few more showstoppers like this, but this style is also very appealing in a version with fewer pieces-- just a few inches of paper and metal 'fringe' at the center. And the earrings, well-- lots of fun on their own.

Friday Cat Blogging

A neighbor cat. A roly-poly little thing. That's 'little' in the affectionate, diminutive sense; obviously not literal. He was in the midst of a face-off with Persistence when I took this picture-- looks like he's afraid I'm going to jump on him.