Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday! I finally have a spare minute to upload some new photographs while my husband is busy cooking for us (gotta love a man who likes to cook). I had the opportunity last week to meet with local photographer John Dowling who took these fabulous photographs of some new pieces I've completed this fall. His photographs are far superior to the ones I'm able to take at home and I much appreciate working with him. Many of these pieces are still available at Gallery 54 in downtown Skaneateles, NY.

This ring is lemon citrine in a heavily oxidized silver prong setting.

Hand-formed lost wax cast bird on a cast branch ring!

Above is a hand-fabricated dragonfly with orange spessarite garnet.

This locket is an old favorite of mine from last year. Inside is stamped the date of my husband and my wedding anniversary.

"Beloved". The key in this piece is entirely fabricated by hand and is paired with a casting of an antique frozen charlotte doll.

Another seahorse necklace, this one with aquamarine.

Cast branches and golden citrine. I imagine this piece on the neck of a woodland priestess. To me jewelry is very much about fantasy and imagination.

Cast branches and turqouse. I have made this design about 4 times now, each time with a different stone and variation in the detail.

There are many events happening this time of year in the local art community. Next weekend is the Plowshares Craftsfair and Peace Festival at Nottingham High School in Syracuse: fine craft, awesome food, music, and all proceeds benefit the Peace Council. Saturday evening I'll be at the Holiday Show opening at Gandee Gallery in Fabius, NY. If you haven't been, it's worth the drive. Jen Gandee and her husband opened their gallery a few years ago and both are very talented potters. Their gallery has pottery, painting, jewelry, photography, and fiber. Check it out if you have the opportunity.

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Peace,

Dana

New Work...

Seahorses...this piece was inspired by a brooch designed by the French jeweler Rene Lalique around 1900. I added my own modern slant on it with a hand-fabricated chain and clasp. The seahorses are cast and all the other elements are hand built. Aquamarine, garnet, amethyst, sterling. There is a place at the bottom of the pendant for another element...I'm thinking a tiny piece of coral. Stay tuned... Working in the Gallery recently I started thinking I needed some color to liven up my case...so here it is. Color. Three small pendants with carnelien, amethyst, and prehnite. I kept these 3 simple; good Holiday gifts and not too expensive.

Lapis angel fish. I've really been in love with angel fish ever since my first trip snorkeling in the Caribbean. Wow, they are magic. This stone was cut by Barney of Lapidarious who sells his cabochons on Etsy.

Cicadas x 3. My cicada pendants have been in high demand recently. With the cost of silver still very high, I decided to make a version in bronze with sterling wings. The bodies are cast from real cicadas and the hand-pierced sterling wings are moveable. The cicada on the right is made all in sterling. This was a custom piece for a lovely lady who picked it up today. This special little guy has 2 sets of wings, just like the real insects. Cicadas are a symbol of longevity and good luck. Strong but delicate.

In other news, my 16 year-old son is now driving. (yikes!) We've recovered from a very hectic summer and have about a month before things get too crazy again.

I'm enjoying another class at SU - stonesetting. It's mostly review for me, but fun nonetheless. Even though I'm a bit of an old lady there, I really do enjoy the undergrads. They help me remember to keep my creativity fluid and not get too boxed in by my ideas. I'm still debating becoming an official MFA student. Will keep you posted on that one.

I've decided that Autumn is the most gorgeous season in Upstate NY. Happy fall!

Le Petit Prince

September is here (how did it get here so fast?) and today really felt like fall. I resisted the urge to turn the heat on already even though I was totally chilled in the house! Last weeked was the Clothesline Festival in Rochester. My son Jordan helped me all weekend and I'm happy to say it was a really fine show, and I will be happy to return to Rochester. My earnings were enough to fund a brand new (and much needed!) workbench from Otto Frei. It should be here next week. Yay!

This piece sold over the weekend. It's called "The Little Prince", inspired by the book written by the French author Antoine de St. Exupery. The image is an antique photo of a little boy. The key holds it closed, and there are 2 sapphires for doorknobs. I will miss him, but I feel so priviledged to have someone purchase and appreciate my work. Thanks!

On the Horizon

With the Sonnenberg Gardens show over, I'm preparing for a couple more events to conclude the summer. Tomorrow I'll be at the Artizanns Gallery in Naples, NY for their "Artists on the Porch" series from 12-3. The Clothesline Festival in Rochester follows on Sept. 10 & 11. This year my 16 year-old son, Jordan, will be working at the show with me. He's a real sweetie and it will be fun to have him along. Below is a shot from my booth at Sonnenberg and a crazy lace agate pedant I recently completed. Hope some folks can make it out to these! Stay well.

Looking Forward to the Sonnenberg Gardens Show!

Sonnenberg Gardens Show is coming up soon: August 20 & 21. I definitely recommend this show if you're in the area. It is held in the gardens of the Sonnenberg Mansion and the setting itself makes the show worthwhile. The jury does a nice job of selecting high quality craftspeople with unique work. Personally, I'm partial to the show because they served us free wine and sushi last year - I'm a sucker for free food and hospitality. My other favorite show is the May Memorial show, where the church members cook soups and stews for us all weekend! I guess I'm easy to please. Anyhow, here are some photos of new work. I'm saving some special pieces for the show. Above is a pendant of Peruvian Opal. What a gorgeous stone! It reminds me of the ocean. Speaking of which, our Cape Cod vacation is less than a week off. Yay!

This necklace is one of my cast branches with hand-pierced leaves and green turquoise. Below is a new moth. This one is a bit smaller than the last one, with prehnite cabochons, entirely hand fabricated.

I hope to see some folks at the show! Enjoy the summer.

A New Dragonfly

This might be my favorite one yet! It is entirely hand-fabricated with lapis in the center. This one can be a pin or a pendant. These are so fun to make because each one is different.

Today is the annual Gem and Mineral Show in Syracuse. I went this morning and stocked up on stones. Sooooo fun! Lots of goregeous things to pick from. My two favorite vendors were there, an Indian couple, and a man from Russia - both really nice. You just can't beat picking stones in person. Stay tuned...

Opening at Gallery 54!!

The Fingerlakes town of Skaneateles where our Gallery is located has a First Fridays art event every month. It's a gorgeous little town right on the lake and a very fun evening, particularly on a clear summer day. This month I was one of our featured artists along with fabric artist Sharon Bottle Souva. Sharon is well-known for her art quilts and is represented by several galleries in the country.

This piece is called "Sunset in the Forest". It is hand-pierced sterling silver with a tab-set carnelian agate framed in the silver.

This one is an owyhee picture jasper with two fold-formed sterling leaves. I love unusual stones, and this one is a recent find. It reminds me of canyon landscapes out west.

Here is a shot at the front of our shop with Sharon's pieces and mine - a great combination!

Asleep...awake, and the Westcott Art Trail

These carved bone faces are so sweet! I had fun making these. The photographs were taken by John Dowling. a local professional photographer. He did a very nice job photographing some of my jewelry recently. The bracelet below was also a fun piece to create. Sometimes I spend time just looking at all the stones I have, and the color relationships of different stones will start to talk to me. The stones in this bracelet were all in my drawer for a long time, and each on their own seemed unremarkable, but together they come alive: dryhead agate, carved bone, crazy lace agate, rutilated quartz, and jasper. On a different topic, this weekend is the Westcott Art Trail. http://www.westcottarttrail.org/. Throughout the University neighborhood, over 80 artists from a wide range of mediums will be exhibiting. This is a really fine show, and I am always amazed at the quality of art created right here is my own neighborhood. My friend Lauren Ritchie has been one of the primary forces behind this show, along with the Westcott Community Center. Maps of the show can be downloaded at their website. The forecast is also looking really fine. Don't miss it!

The Jewel in the Lotus

In Tibetan Buddhism, the mantra "Om mani padme hum" is the mantra of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The mantra can be translated many different ways, however, the jewel refers to wisdom, and the lotus refers to the heart. I like to translate it simply as to "honor the wisdom of the heart" and therefore open the heart to compassion towards all beings. Though I would never claim to be a practising buddhist, I do find much wisdom in Buddhist teachings and return to them throughout my life. This project was made in honor of the Jewel in the Lotus: Copper, sterling, amethyst, and garnet. On the inside of the box is an etching of a mandala, also mirrored on the outside of the box. The lotus pendant is kept in the box. Namaste.

St. David's Celebration of the Arts is going on from now through Saturday, at St. David's Episcopal church in Dewitt, NY. This show features fine art from local artists and the sponsors do a really fine job of selecting for the show. The opening was last night. This moon moth is one of two pieces I have in the show. Handcrafted in sterling silver with blue opal and chrysoprase, this is my version of a species of moth found in Madagascar, Argema Mittrei, the "moon moth". Check it out if you can!

Raven

Recently, I've become fond of combining copper and silver in my work. It took a long time for the look of mixed metal to grow on me, but I've found that oxidized copper has a depth and richness that gives an earthy character to some pieces. This necklace is made with etched copper, a sterling cast branch, and an antique raven illustration in resin.

Lobster and Crab are friends

AKA "I'm so ready for it to be more than 15 degrees!! We did make a beach reservation for this summer, which will be very awesome! These guys are cast in sterling silver with garnet and blue topaz. Sweet!