Craft-It-Forward

Last month I got a Craft-It-Forward gift from Bhrett, and now that I'm done with school/finals it's my turn to give.  So, the first 5 people to comment on this post will get a handmade gift in the mail from me!  Please make sure you include your email in the comment so I can get in touch with you.  All you have to do after that is post to your blog/facebook/etc offering to make something for 5 people as well. 

tamberine317(at)gmail(dot)com

Crickets

In just over two weeks I will be graduating with a BFA.  I've been neglecting this space a lot this semester, but I think it's because I feel like I need to take some time to re-evaluate and figure out exactly what I want to 'say' here.  Do I want to connect it to my artist website (which I'm completely revamping next week for a class)?  Or do I want to continue to keep it kind of separate?  My summer to-do list consists of figuring that out, apologizing to my body for the way I've treated it during school, fixing my garden, turning my VW Bus into a rolling studio, and working on my art career.

I also just received a Craft-It-Forward gift from Bhrett and will be posting to call for my 5 folks in about 2 weeks.

Break

During spring break, I was grateful to have the opportunity to hang out in Hollywood, FL at my uncle's house with a friend.  We didn't do a lot of sight seeing; it was mostly beach by day and drinks by night.  There is a large part of me that wants to live in that part of the country.  I feel whole in the sunshine, salt water, and constant warm weather.











This one is a giant tapestry! It's in the lobby of the theater where my uncle works.



Here I am, kind of tan, a little peely.


I run away to Florida whenever I can scrape up the change to do so.  See my other Florida adventures here.  Or for more photos in general, find me on Instagram @tamberine

Deer Bones

Here is my latest piece.  It's made from 100% reused/repurposed materials.  I collected the bones on the land where my friend hunts.

This semester, inspired by Radical Jewelry Makeover, I am focusing on creative reuse in my work.  The research paper I have to write this semester for a required course will also be about reuse of materials in jewelry making.  I may even get to do some sorting for the next RJM that's happening here in Richmond.

More and Less, New Moon Focus

On the Monday following the New Moon (and following the listlessness of the Waning Moon) I'm always feeling ready to knuckle down and re-organize my life.  These are the days of list-making, inbox clean-outs, planning---shaking off the desire to sit around and do nothing.

In my classes, I've been doing far more reading, writing, and discussing and much less making than I want or anticipated.  Tied up with learning the business of being an artist and anxiety about what's next has kept me busy along with a required research paper which I'm choosing to do on the Alaska Pebble Mine...I think (kicking myself a little for pushing research-paper-required-core-class to my graduating semester).  Everything informs my work, but I feel like I'm getting lost in this mode and not giving myself enough time to map out my work.  Tonight, my invested wax carving is burning out in the kiln...to me, that translates to think-time.

At home, I'm doing more cleaning out of my physical space and less clearing out of my head-space than I should be (though most times they go hand-in-hand).  Things I no longer need have found their place elsewhere in the world, my workspace is clear and more inviting.  Breathing is easier when there's not so much to look at.  Actually I might need to take that back a little, the house is in a state of disarray due to Ed's sudden desire to re-do all the floors in the house.  (I think it's kind of cute that we are both on the same external-space-reorganizing vibe.)  My intention for the New Moon is to organize the internal goings-ons and let them go the way of my physical space.

Yesterday I spent a few minutes in the woods collecting things for my body of work this semester and realized I don't get enough time in the quiet outdoors.  More camping is heavy on the agenda for when it gets warm, even if it ends up being just me and my dog..

Does anyone else always naturally feel like re-grouping on the New Moon?  What are your plans?

Show in the Meyer Gallery

Here is a photo from my solo show at the Meyer Gallery in my building at school.

Vintage Lace Rings

I had these rings left over from the sale we had last semester, so I decided to list them on etsy.  Check them out here.  AND I'm offering a 20% discount in everything in my shop to my readers with the code YPLBLOG2013.