Fall season preview, reinvention

Hello Wire Harmony fans and friends!

Yes, I seem to have forgotten about my blog.  (Oops!)  It's not because I've been slacking (well, maybe a little).  Hopefully some of you have seen my posts on Facebook of pieces I am making, and noticing that I am constantly using new techniques and tools.  I am still in love with finding new and exciting ways to manipulate metal.  I also started an Instagram account!  Search Wireharmony... follow me!

As the fall season of craft shows draws near, I am kicking into high gear with production.  I am playing with enamel for the first time and I love bringing glass and color to the metal.  It actually reminds me of old days, doing stained glass.  I love it when things in life circle back.  Over time, I have been refining the idea of the pierced

sterling over enameled copper and each iteration is a little bit better.  Finally sticking with one idea for more than one piece.

       

Reinvention

I love the fact that metal can always have a new life.  Sometimes I reinvent pieces that I feel are missing something.  I thought I would share a 3 time reincarnation piece... a sterling band cuff.  I poured this metal and shaped it up.  My original idea was to do a primitive stamped pattern on it.  Wellllll, it WAS primitive.  Yikes. 

It stayed that way a while.  Then I decided to just whack the crap out of it and texturize the whole thing, thus obliterating the pattern.  I also did not use patina and shined it up.  I actually liked this piece, and it was easy to wear.  But it didn't really POP as much it could.

After my husband's friend made me a sweet sinusoidal stake (huh??) to make anticlastic curves (don't I sound smart?? ;) I decided to reinvent my little cuff again.  I curved it up real nice and tried to get rid of all the pattern by sanding it for about a million hours.  

Now, YES!  I really like this little bugger now.  3rd time's a charm.  I feel good about the recycling part, maybe not the OCD part. he he.




SO! A list of the fall shows is in order.  It's pretty short, going for quality, not quantity this year.  If you like my work, get thyself to a show!!






Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church Craft Fair
Fri./Sat. Oct. 16-17 9 am to 6 pm, 9 am to 1 pm
www.rbcpcpreschool.org/craft-fair

Temple Emanu-El Artisan Festival 
Sun. Nov 1st 9 am to 3 pm
6299 Capri Dr. San Diego 92120

Talmadge Art Show

Sun. Nov 22nd 10 am to 4 pm
Liberty Station Conference Center
2600 Laning Rd. San Diego
Off of Harbor Drive and Laning
www.talmadgeartshow.com/home.html

Here's some more new pieces!  Thanks very very much for reading!
Ta Ta for now, Sarah

      

Long time, no blog. Find out what I've been up to!

Hi Wire Harmony supporters,

Bullet ware

Yes, it has been ages since I posted.  Bad Sarah.  But, I've been having a fantastic adventure in my jewelry making journey.  Everywhere you go, there is so much to learn.  It's overwhelming at times!

Since the end of 2014, I have been pursuing my goal to transition from wire wrapping and jump ring assembling to actual metal work which involves fire and all kinds of new skills.  It has been very challenging with plenty of flops.  But the great thing about using real silver/sterling is you can just melt that sucker down and start again.  Nothing wasted!  (Except tons of hours, but that's the learning curve for ya.)

Sterling cuff with texture $75

SOLD

I spent about 7 months going weekly to Jay Whaley's place in Hillcrest learning from the best, with the best equipment around. Wow, so awesome.  I have met so many amazing metal artists who just blow my mind.  I decided to try a new path after that and enrolled at San Diego Mineral and Gem Society in Spanish Village.  There, I learned the basics of cutting and sanding cabochons, which is a really fun, zen process.  Only $5 a lesson!! Can't beat it.  There is something really satisfying about cutting your own stone and then setting it yourself...it is totally a work of art from your soul.

Sterling domed textured discs $38

After a couple months, I was able to enter a silver club there, where a few of us just do our own thing.  Most of the artists there have been doing it for many years, so I have a wealth of knowledge to draw from.  Several of them have won top prizes at the Del Mar Fair jewelry making contest.

So, I am toiling away making new pieces with my new skills.  My goal is to have enough of a selection to show at some fairs later in the year.  My faves are RBCPC and Talmadge.  More info to come on those.  For now, I am working on custom pieces and selling here and there to friends.  More cash for old my Rio Grande orders!!

Please enjoy a brief gallery of some pieces.  Some I have posted already on FB, but not all.

Thanks for reading and much love to all of you and your creative/intellectual/athletic pursuits.

Please continue scrolling for some more photos!

Peace,
Sarah

Silver filled swirl bracelet and earrings. (Earrings sold)

Sterling wave earrings $36

Chunky brass chain with patina (sold)

Enameled copper dome with sterling harmony cut out, riveted (sold)

Sand Dollar pendant, sterling and brass (sold)

Enameled copper discs, pagoda style, copper chain $32

Brass back plate, sterling prongs with banded carnelian (sold)

Woven sterling circles (sold)

Sterling back plate and prongs, lacy agate cut by moi $45

Sterling rings with granite stones.  Every piece handmade (custom)

  
No, I quit smoking ages ago.  That's a big old silver tube that I make into thinner wire.