Monday, March 20, 2017

Artful Gathering Presents Tie the Knot Summer 2017



Finally I can reveal my summer contribution to Artful Gathering 2017! Whew! It's so hard to keep a secret when you are so excited! This year's class is a complete turn around from my French Wedding Globe Class that I taught last summer. I love to mix things up and that is just what I've done for you in Tie the Knot, Gypsy Jingle Leather and Pearl Jewelry. In designing this class, I wanted to offer a course that required little or no tools using simple elements. I love contrast! It is clearly the heart and soul of the inspiration for my class. There are just two elements working here and they are leather cording and large hole, natural pearls. We are going to capture gorgeous, smooth, opalescent pearls with leather cording and tie these materials into a wardrobe of fashion jewelry. Our hands and a pair of scissors are all the tools you will need. The materials list is just as short; pearls and leather cording. Beginner or the experienced jewelry maker you will gain the skills to fashion trendy and classic jewelry. Gypsies I hope you will join me.


S1-135 Tie the Knot Gypsy Jingle Leather & Pearl Jewelry
Kim Williams
June 6 – July 17
Take a journey back in time to a magical sea island and ponder what the locals might have used to adorn themselves. Nature provided pearls from the sea and leather hides from the cultivation of food sources. This workshop will be an exploration of using two simple elements, leather and pearls, to create endless necklace, bracelet and earring designs. Kim Williams will guide you as you string pearls and hand tie leather cord into delicate and bold artistic works. This class is for all levels of jewelry makers.


The link to register to attend our 2017 event:
http://artfulgatheringshops.com/1773-2/

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Staying Fresh

Coming from a theatre background, I learned a lot about a variety of artistic endeavors. Theatre people have to be a "jack-of-all-trades". Prop making, costume design and construction, set design and construction, makeup design and application are just a few of the artistic challenges that give theatre professionals a rounded, all inclusive training bananza. This has been fundamental in my post retirement career. I bounce around enjoying all kinds of art from jewelry making (my first love) to mixed media, flower arranging and about anything you can imagine. Somehow I always come back to jewelry and mixed media. Between focusing on these two genres here are just a few pictures of what I do to clean my artistic palette.

Costume Design




Paper Crafts




Creating Faces, Class and Book,  Jane Davenport, janedavenportcom




Christmas Decor for the Museum


My advice is step out of your comfort zone! Play with others by taking classes or just try something new and different. The growth that you will achieve will inspire fresh new ideas that you will apply to your first and forever art genre. Come on and make the leap! I dare you! 

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Floral Designs for Events at the McFaddin-Ward House Museum

They let me play with flowers! 


One of the perks of being a volunteer at the house museum in my town, the Mcfadden-Ward House Museum, is the enjoyment of creating flower arrangements for our events. Lectures, banquets, Christmas decor they let me go wild! This is one of my favorite things about volunteering. I love giving tours as well!