On a recent Saturday afternoon, I declared an open experiment session. I pronounced myself fully recovered from the featured artist event opening at Amapola Gallery. Thank you to those who supported me in that successful show.
The chartreuse green and royal blue beads created by Fran Hahn, a glass artist and member of the Bead Society of New Mexico, had lived in my stash for some time.
My recent Monday studio design time manifested twenty long, straight, hand-made sterling silver shapes, each just over one inch in length. While these shapes were formed as handmade chain and seemed to honor the glass beads, a necklace eluded me. Now it was time to let the segments flow from concept to stunning wearable art.
Using a medium-size sterling wire, I formed a connector on both sides of the beads and joined my special shapes with another handmade jump ring. The necklace organically developed before my eyes. Highlighting the glass beads in this manner proved mesmerizing.
When I reached out to Fran to describe her three hand-designed bead wonders she said, “Working with flame and molten glass makes time stop. My reality becomes limited to the flicker between flame and glass.“
Naming this magical piece of jewelry Tranquility felt as if I had a kindred spirit in the creation of its design.
Each one-of-a-kind necklace captures my joy in making. Nothing compares to the energy that bursts forth from sharing my creativity with the community. It’s sheer delight to talk with you about favorites, about why you resonate with stones, designs and presentation.
Join me for the 20th annual Sandia Heights Artists Studio Tour September 9-10, 2023. I’ll be at stop #1, the home of watermedia artist Lynda Burch. We’re joined by woodturner Patricia Apt.
Download a pdf map of the tour, or learn more at Sandia Heights Artists.com. We look forward to greeting you.
Sandia Heights 20th Annual Studio Tour
10am – 5pm, Saturday & Sunday, September 9-10, 2023
