Nicolet Artist Collaboration Show

So now that you know who the Spa Girls are, let me tell you about the latest project fellow artist, Jackie Pavlow and I have completed. The project will be on display at Nicolet College in the Art Gallery starting Oct. 31. It is a show for one or more artists to work together and display their results.

FRIENDSHIP x 3 HANDBAGS

The Handbag project began as an idea for gifts for 3 longtime friends who gather together yearly for a weekend reunion. Jackie's expertise

as a fiber and graphic design artist

using recycled fabrics, and Kathy's

expertise in Lampwork bead design

and production, and Fine Silver creations are combined in this beautiful collaboration to celebrate the enduring friendship among three women. Inspirations for the graphics include photos of meaningful places and words, and the three friends, as well as themes portraying friends as individuals.The use of similar fabrics with different colors, and the theme of the repition of 3 in the beadwork, stitching, and chains signifies an enduring friendship between 3 women

Remember you can click on any photo to enlarge it for a closer view.

Points for my Son Ben....

Lots and lots of points go to my son Ben!! He presented me with these lovely roses while I was in Madison for our Annual Holland House Spa Girls weekend. What a good kid! They're still looking pretty good too. He and his girlfriend Lauren graced us with their presence at dinner and a tour of their place. It was a fun night.

The Holland House gathering is 2 of my long time friends, Jean and Cheryl, from Jr. High. who get together at least once a year at some place fun to ....of course, have a good time! Where does the name come from you say? Well one year , when we were having a particularly good time, I had brought a couple Home Spa Recipe books as gifts, and we tried a few of the recipes for Facials. All made with natural ingredients,(strawberries, oatmeal, honey, etc.) some were just too drippy to be without a basin under ones chin. So they did supply a lot of laughter. Jean has a house in Galena, where we met, with a Historical plaque called the Holland House, and after Champagne...... or was it Margaritas..... or maybe Chocolate Martini's, we became the Holland House Spa Girls!
H2SG

The H2SG even made it on the Michael Feldman radio show Whad Ya Know? that Sat. To catch us on the air go to
www.notmuch.com/Show/Archive.pl?s_id573

and scroll down to Part D we're on right after the French girl.

Oct. 17, 2009

So I was going to post some Fall Photos....

but then I thought maybe I should post these first since this was what the day looked like yesterday. Thankfully most if it melted today and hopefully we'll go back to it being Fall.

Still Available at Umlauf Art Gallery

Well the Art Tours are over for the year, and I think we had quite a few people come through the doors. Now on to planning for next year. In the mean time, here are two pieces that are still available at the Gallery. The first has one of the new Fine Silver wire bails with flamed ends. Dropped from the bail, is a flat tabular bead with lots of silver leaf and glass shards and a lone murrini floating on the bottom.

This pair of earrings starts out as a dark amber round bead. Silver leaf is added and then topped with Sea Pearl glass frit. The whole works are then encased in clear glass and this is the result. I love the pattern that forms from top to bottom on these particular beads.

Northwoods Fall Art Tour

Here's a few things that will be available at the Rodd Umlauf Gallery in Lake Tomahawk, for The Northwoods Fall Art Tour. This piece is another new handmade Fine Silver bail, with a cobalt lampworked bead, with silver leaf, glass shards, and murrini. It also has some clear "wings" with blue adventurine dots. It's perched on an 18" rubber cord.

Here's a pair of Fine Silver rectangles with a spiral design texture. Separate spirals create movement by hanging freely on the sterling hoops. Copper colored Freshwater Pearls dangle from the bottom.

And last, is a Handmade Fine Silver piece, with multiple textures. A smooth tear drop Labradorite is fastened with wraps and wraps of sterling wire. It"s dropped from a 16" rubber cord.

The Art Tour runs this Friday, Saturday and Sunday and I"ll be at the Gallery on Friday afternoon and most of the day on Saturday. Get out and see some Fall colors and as well as some beautiful Art!

Silver Links

I haven't posted in awhile....been busy, getting some new things ready for the Fall Art Tour and having a couple nice weekend trips. So just a quick post ...this piece has Fine Silver textured circles with fused links. They're attached to a strand of small bicone Lapus Lazuli. Dropped from the middle link is a cobalt bead with glass shards, murrini, and silver leaf. I'll be back a little later...in the meantime enjoy!

Smooth Labradorite tear drops...

One of my favorites, out of this last batch of work, were these earrings. Concave squares of Fine Silver with a touch of texture, hold smooth tear drop Labradorites. They are entwined with sterling wire and all the silver has been gently oxidised.

Make Mine Asymetrical please......

Yes.... it's supposed to be that way. I know there will be some people who will want to point out to me that one side of this necklace is not the same as the other. But hey, I've never been too much of a symmetrical person, I like things not always the same, not always predictable. For this piece, on one side I have some Dyed Silver Freshwater Pearls. They travel partially up the other side where they're met with a fused Fine Silver ring. On the other side of the ring are two different sized gun metal chains. Dropped from from the center of the necklace is a handmade Fine Silver square with two different textures separated by pounded spheres. And from the square hangs a Lampworked Glass bead with murrini, Fine Silver mesh, and glass shards to give it a bit of a Cosmic effect. It's capped in Dark Silver Plum with a leaf on each side.

A New Debut

This is one of the new pieces I debuted at the Bassett Silver & Bold Show. The Fine Silver spiral bail is handmade and travels up one side of the rubber cord. Suspended from the bail is a Lampworked glass bead with glass shards, Fine Silver mesh, murrini, and silvered ivory stringer on a steel green base. The headpin is also Fine Silver and handmade. I made a few others as well and will post them soon. Enjoy.

Just a Little Teaser...

Now that most of the work is done, I thought I would give you a little preview to tomorrow's Silver & Bold Show. This piece has a Fine Silver handmade charm with the words "Till we Meet Again". Suspended from the charm is a Lampworked bead with Silvered ivory glass shards and a Raku Murrini. The head pin is also handmade from Fine Silver. Sterling rings, copper beads dipped in silver, and Dutch Dogan rings complete the piece, which hangs on a 24" rubber cord.

These earrings are hanging from a small white creamer pitcher, from my collection. They have handmade Fine Silver wires from which a Fine silver spiral hangs. The gems in luscious colors of greens and pinks, reminding you of watermelon, are Tourmalines.

Stop by Bassett's in Minocqua, on Saturday, to see what other "little gems" will be there.