And onward!

I've had some time to sketch out ideas following this path of combining my polymer, felt, photographs and then creating a landscape piece. I'm excited exploring new ideas and find myself puzzling over how to create the different elements, how to combine them and how to best use the different mediums to create the textures, colors and final piece I have envisioned!

The sunshine at the barn felt wonderful as I sketched! A bit bright for my eyes... but the view of the mountain certainly was inspiring too!

The small sketchbook is primarily for my jewelry pieces, and I've started a new sketchbook for the landscapes and further ideas.

And the finished piece.

And this is the finished piece, 'Through the Woods'. I've photographed it and am submitting it for consideration for the 2016 Mohawk Hudson Regional. It's the 80th Anniversary of the regional juried exhibit - the oldest regional juried exhibit in the US! We'll see... the exhibit is October - January 2016.

A new path to explore.

I've been sketching all winter and letting ideas stew and brew and finally got to work in the studio over the past few weeks to explore a new creative direction.

Landscape & nature photography, polymer and felt have been kicking around in my studio and my head for years now. 20+ for the landscapes, 15 for the polymer and now nearly 5 for felt... and I've kept thinking of ways they can work together. This new piece was a complete 'what if' moment and was so incredibly fun to just puzzle through and create.

The landscape... the layout of the roving just before wet felting.

The beginning of the felt rocks and other elements. I kept a palette consistent with the roving I was using and mixed the polymer colors to create the rocks and tendrils for the plants to match.

Wet felted with the polymer rocks imbedded to be revealed as I cut away areas of felt later.

The felt rocks and some polymer rocks mid layout and work.

A sunny morning in the studio with the landscape on the pin foam. I needed to set some of the felted elements and other polymer pieces to begin to add depth.

Elements are added to the 'trees & vines' and some of the polymer rocks are set with other areas of felt needle felted and waiting.

Lots and lots of stitching to set all the felt & polymer elements.

And then some more stitching to set the piece on the background canvas as it's final display.

A closeup of the foreground with the felt & polymer rocks.

An antidote to the cold, and inspiration for creativity.

When the sunshine pours into all the windows of the studio and I have little voices discussing their own creative projects I can't help but feel content in this space. 

I've worked a bit on cleaning surfaces and putting away materials once I've finished because it makes me more apt to begin a new project when I see less clutter. And now that my jewelry is incorporating felt, metal, polymer clay and beads, there are just too many opportunities for the materials to take over the room! 

So far so good though and today is a good creative day!

These are several of the new pieces that I've created and placed in the Lapham Gallery. I'm working with more of the copper elements and incorporating more felting and freeform beading. It's great to be able to switch between the different techniques and pull them together into a finished jewelry piece.

A felted brooch with polymer beads, copper fold formed flower, soutache and freeform beading.

A necklace with a copper fold formed pendant with polymer and felt inlay and freeform beading.

A felted necklace with polymer beads and freeform beading.

Circle drop earrings with wire wrapping detail.

Circle drop earrings with wire wrapping detail.
The polymer circle is an abstract cane made with a rainbow of scraps.

Back in the Gallery Shop!

I went downtown to the LARAC Lapham Gallery this afternoon to reinstall my jewelry in their gallery shop. My necklaces, pins, bracelets and earrings will be available year round again. Stop in to the shop if you are looking for a unique gift for a special someone.

A new year and new ideas.

Freeform beadwork, copper fold forming, soutache, felting, wire wrapping.

  I have quite a few ideas, doodles and thoughts that have been waiting in my sketchbook. Waiting for time, time to sit, time to think, time to create. With this new year, I am going to keep trying to find moments that I can focus and push some of these ideas from the paper to the table.

The holidays are around the corner!!!

The Holiday Artisans Shop at the LARAC Lapham Gallery is open for the holidays. If you are looking for a unique gift made by a local and regional artist, writer, or craftsperson make a point to stop by and see the wonderful things they have this season.

My polymer jewelry is one of many displays!