Foreign Press!

I've been getting a lot of foreign press requests and have finally received copies of the magazines I've been featured in so I thought I'd share…

Elle: Slovenia

(cover)

(inside pg. 35)

Fashion: Italian weekly

(cover)

(inside, pg. 51)


DIF: Lisbon, Portugal Design Magazine

(cover)

(inside pg. 22)

All very exciting… the only problem is, I can't read any of them! If anyone out there can translate, that would be fantastic! (click on the images to enlarge.)

The Details

(click image to enlarge)

Signs of Life Gallery Show: May 16 - June 7, 2007
Lecture and Readings: May 16, 4pm in City Centre Boardroom
Opening Reception: Wednesday, May 16, 5 to 7pm

Jewelry artists in the show:
Anya Kristin Beeler
Jude Clarke
Angela Gleason
Margaux Lange
Kim Eric Lilot
Aaron Macsai
Marjorie Schick
Merrily Tompkins
J. Fred Woell

Signs of Life

Well, I'm so close to the finish line now I can smell it (no wait, that's epoxy and liver of sulfur fumes… oh whatever) I feel proud of myself. Proud that I pushed through despite an incredibly strong resistance to working these past few months. It was by far the most difficult body of work I've had to produce. (Not the work itself, but because of the circumstances under which I've had to force myself to be creative for the past three months.) I've never felt so drained. And yet now, the usual elation that follows completion has started to sink in, and I'm thrilled to see the light at the end of the tunnel. A much needed break from my studio - and Brooklyn - is on the horizon thankfully as D and I plan to head upstate to visit family.

The printed journal that corresponds with the Signs of Life show at Facere Jewelry Art Gallery is available for $12. Go here for purchasing details.

(front)
*click on images for close ups*

(back)

Linda Breneman was the writer with whom my work was paired for the journal. She came up with a fantastic short story inspired by my "Queen E." neckpiece. She lives in Seattle, and is a… "former technical writer and long time supporter of medical research, education and the arts. She's also co-founder of Richard Hugo House and Seattle Dramatists. Her poetry, essays, and fiction have appeared in Seattle Review, Poetry Northwest, Descant, Ascent, Asphodel and other magazines."

All of the writing and artwork in the journal turned out great. I wish we could have made the trip out to Seattle to see the show in person, meet the Facere gallery crew, as well as all the artists, writers and collectors. Alas. Hopefully one day soon that will happen. It just wasn't meant to be this time around I suppose.

On another note, today is my mother's birthday and since I know she reads my blog regularly, I have to give her a shout out… Happy Birthday Mama! I love you with all my heart. xoxox

Thankful Thursday #2

The Mentor: Kirsten Rook, jewelry artist and teacher.

The Lesson Learned: I want to be an art jeweler.

Kirsten has been teaching classes for over ten years at the Maryland Institute College of Art's Jewelry Center - an expansive metals studio located off campus. In my junior year at MICA I began taking jewelry classes once again after being introduced to the medium back in high school. Kirsten was the first teacher I had at the Jewelry Center, and by far my favorite.

First, just on a superficial level, she was both intimidating and inspiring to me: she dressed cool, had a hip haircut, was super friendly and easy to admire. More importantly, she was an excellent teacher. Attentive, patient and great at explaining the many intricate processes involved with jewelry making.

She's also the first teacher I had that turned me on to the possibilities of what jewelry could be. She gave slide presentations of incredible, inspiring, vastly different types of contemporary jewelry being made around the world. The boundaries melted away. There were seemingly endless possibilities! I became particularly fascinated by art jewelers that employed alternative materials or found objects in their work. I was inspired and awed by: Robert Ebendorf, Fred Woell, Caroline Broadhead, Harriet Estel Berman, Judith Hoyt, Gijs Bakker, Bruce Metcalf, Tone Vigeland, etc… Any jewelry that was atypical, conceptual, or thought provoking beyond mere aesthetics became my passion.

The line between "Art" and "craft" was blurred for me- even to this day I see little distinction between conceptual jewelry and art with a capital "A." I never realized jewelry could be that way before that point in my life and I've been forever hooked as a result.

So… thanks for all the inspiration Kirsten!

Storing the dolls

Storage of materials has proven to be the most difficult element regarding maintaining my studio. While I do love it to be organized, when I need to pull a specific doll from one of the bins it can quickly turn into utter chaos in my crowded little studio! I find I usually try to tidy up my space at the end of every work day to keep things somewhat calm, even when working on a deadline as crazy as the one I'm on right now with the Facéré Jewelry Art show, Signs of Life.

Filled to the brim!

This big blue tub is for dolls that are awaiting "sorting and filing" into their appropriate bins.

variation

My favorite dolls as a little girl were the Barbies with the more "subtle" faces - not a lot of "make-up" etc. It's still true today and I tend to have a harder time finding the desire to cut them up.

Sometimes when people see my work they're amazed to discover there are in fact variations in Barbie's face. There are SO many dolls, mold types and different various paint techniques out there that she's become quite diverse, for a mass-produced plastic toy. Even body type variation. I have my dolls separated out by "body type" in plastic pins and again, there's more of a difference from doll to doll than you may realize. Well OK, as far as "weight and height" Barbie of course has always been tall and curvy. But mold type and construction vary considerably year to year.

State of the Studio…

My drawing table, has finally been cleaned up!

Some Barbie dolls with face parts removed and an amazon Barbie I found in Maine in a "Spuds Mackenzie" plastic beer mug! (does anyone remember ol' Spuds?!)…

…the brunette in front is Dorothy from the Barbie Wizard of Oz series and she still speaks two phrases when you push the button on her back: "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" and "There's no place like home!" Creepy? Nah, hilarious!

work surface…

Detail of "The Kiss" (or maybe "Embrace" …? Not sure on the title yet) It's almost done!

Thankful Thursday #1

I've been thinking a lot lately about the impact certain people have had on my career thus far and wanted to start a theme here on my blog for celebrating these people over the course of the next few weeks. Once a week, in no particular order, I'll pick a different person and focus on a way they have directly contributed, shaped and/or influenced my life, particularly the business end of what I do (aka: the stuff they don't teach you in art school).

My mentors have given me an assortment of both big and small "life lessons" regarding how to conduct myself in business. All of which has been helpful as I navigate how to make a living doing what I love while remaining true to myself, my goals, wants/needs. So without further adieu…

The Mentor: My dad, Mark Lange (graphic/industrial designer)

The Lesson Learned: Use the person's name in conversation.

Often when visiting with my father down in his office in the basement of our house (aka: 'the cave') he would get a phone call from a client of his and I would sit patiently, overhearing the conversation from start to finish. The one thing I noticed from listening to him on the phone was how many times throughout a conversation he would address the person he was speaking to by name. If not sewn throughout various points of the call, than at least at the very end. For instance, "Thanks again for calling Richard" or "Have a good day Pamela." Using an individuals name when speaking with them can make a person feel "important" or well attended to. It shows you're paying attention and you care. People enjoy hearing their own name, just as people like to talk about themselves. We all know how helpful it can be to repeat someones name aloud upon first being introduced to them: "Nice to meet you Susie" This is also an extension of that idea. The more you say it, the more it sticks in your head, the better that person feels about the way you're addressing them and the conversation.

kinetic sculpture

I was in Denver, CO for the 2002 SNAG conference as I was living in Boulder at the time. I went on the gallery tour they offered as part of the conference to view various art jewelry on display in local galleries, however, it is Tim Prentice's kinetic sculptures I remember most from that day at the Robishon Gallery that I had veered off tour for. In going through my filing cabinet to gather papers for my last minute taxes, (I just made it… ugh) I came across Tim Prentice's postcard I had saved from the gallery visit that day and was gently reminded of how wonderful I find his work to be.

I remember standing in awe as these massive floating forms gracefully moved with the gentle flow of air inside the gallery. An entirely different visual experience from one moment to the next, I loved the idea that the art changed before me without my moving one foot. The concept of "art that moves" or interacts with the viewer is not that much of a leap from jewelry, as those are ideas we as jewelers deal with all the time. It reminds me a little of Rachelle Thiewes or Tone Vigeland, art jewelers utilizing multiples, sound and movement, forcing interaction with the wearer.

Prentice's website is very cool and worth a look because of course, it is in motion. How could one be a kinetic sculpture artist and not have video footage on their website? These still images do not do the work justice so go have a look. The "studio visit excerpt" is very insightful and beautiful to watch.

studio pics…

This one is part of a piece I'm in the process of finishing. I like it as a singular element as well with just the Ken hand cupping her cheek (my fav Barbie lips!)

He's half the "man" he used to be…

More face rings in new shapes and fun spring colors…

A couple of my favorite heads that I can't seem to bring myself to cut into just yet. So for now they top some of my pencils and await use within the perfect piece.

A brooch in the works. This piece has gone through many changes and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. But I do like what's happening texturally with the new "drilling polka-dot effect" within the resin as well as the color combo of aqua and red.

Toy Boat

Dad's boat…

I'll have more random studio pics to share tomorrow. (I went a little crazy with Dave's digital camera!)

a little more aqua and red…

(Pic of my dad's toy boat will be next and also a few shots of what I've been busy with in my studio lately…)

Colors I'm inpired by lately…

…red and aqua. I am obsessed with this combination lately. I'm using it for the epoxy resin elements in a few of my pieces for the Facere Jewelry Art Gallery Signs of Life show opening May 16th in Seattle.


It all started with a toy boat of my father's. He started collecting them through eBay a few years back and they have since taken over my parent's house! It's my favorite of all of them, a beautiful rusty old 1950's aqua and red toy boat. I'll take a pic of it and share that soon.

Flickr is so great for finding images of absolutely anything for reference. I searched by color and found all these!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

These eggs are made by a woman who has been creating Ukrainian Easter eggs since she was 13 years old. She has quite an impressive collection!

Turned Away

Lately I'm finding myself collecting art images wherein the subject is turned away from the viewer. I'm compelled and drawn to this idea and I'm not entirely sure why that is? These are a few works I find particularly striking…

Salvador Dali

Julianna Swaney

Gerhard Richter

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

Belololov Pavel

The act of disappearance

Artist Julianna Swaney of Oh My Cavalier creates amazing drawings and prints. I find her work mildly creepy in a wonderful way. Modern yet vintage feeling, delicate and alluring. I purchased two prints from her etsy shop recently and I'm adoring them. The print below is one of them, which coincidentally I purchased as a birthday present to myself two days prior to my father's death.

Interestingly appropriate timing. This image's association has been forever changed for me. Amazing how something two-dimensional and seemingly unrelated, can take on a whole new depth of meaning depending on the events of our lives and whatever "baggage" we carry. I wanted to share the image that is carrying a particularly great amount of weight for me in my life currently.

I know I've been slacking on blog posting. The truth is, I just have not been inspired to write, or do much of anything for that matter. I will try to be more diligent about it. I appreciate your patience.